Press Statement: “I must say that today is a sad day for me. And I think it should be for all Nigerians when 20 leaders of the leading countries in the world are meeting and Nigeria is not there. This is something we need to reflect upon.”
- Umar Yar'Adua (Tuesday, April 2, 2009)
Mr. President,
These were your words, lamenting the exclusion of Nigeria from the G-20 meeting recently in London. Your lamentation elicited the feelings amongst our countrymen that you were beginning to appreciate the magnitude of the mess Nigeria has found itself 10years after the advent of democratic rule in which your party, (People's Democratic Party, PDP), has mismanaged the affairs of the country.
We of the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) had also thought that you were about to realize that our nation needs rebuilding and not “re-branding” so that the rest of the world can take us serious. Alas, like Galatians, three days after your groaning, you led the entire machinery of your government on a jamboree to Ekiti State to intimidate the electorate ahead of the April 25, 2009 gubernatorial elections rerun in 64 wards.
FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP PER SE
Sir, if you had been reflective enough, you would have seen clearly that your Saturday mission to Ekiti was an admission of failure of leadership by your government and the People's Democratic Party (PDP).
If you are the president of the whole country with your party controlling almost 30 states of the federation we can't be sure of the figure as some governors may even be decamping to your party as we write this) and you have to move everything you have to Ekiti to attract the attention of voters in 64 wards, you need no further proof that you have failed.
If you had impacted positively on the people in the last two years; if you had brought light to our homes; if the people can see that, like the serious leaders who gathered in London for the G-20 meeting, you have any serious plan to address the current recession; if you had inspired hope in the land; all you needed to do was just to ask Segun Oni to come to the Villa, have a handshake with you in front of camera, and the people would follow him.
The truth however is that, as you were campaigning in Ekiti, the people were eagerly waiting for the Panel that would try the Hope Democratic Party (HOP) petition against your victory at the April 2007 Presidential (S)elections. It was only those who could afford to buy generators who could even watch the Show of Power you came to Ekiti to display.
On your delegation were also financial felons. For instance, Commodore Olabode George who was on your entourage is standing trial for economic crimes. That he was on your entourage explained why he had the audacity to engage in what Pius Adesanmi called the “gelefication of corruption” when he hired women in aso ebi with gele to match for his court appearance on fraud charges. That is how tolerable Nigeria has become for corrupt practices under your rule. Most of your friends are EFCC charged and on bail. Can you imagine Bernard Madoff mounting the podium with Barack Obama? That is one of the reasons Nigeria is not considered a serious nation by the G-20.
SOLDIERS FOR ELECTIONS? NO WAY.
Having realized that the rented crowd from nine states that you addressed in Ekiti would not be able to vote on April 25, your party is now planning to deploy soldiers to intimidate genuine voters in Ekiti who obviously would not vote your party. By this again, you will be confirming our charge of parochialism in handling national affairs. There have been re-run elections in Kogi, Adamawa and Sokoto States. How many soldiers did you deploy in any of these states from your corner of the country? Why would you bring soldiers to Yorubaland? Are you threatening a war against the Yoruba?
In case your Attorney General is too busy on the “rule of law' project (essentially to shield corrupt people from trial) to let you have what the Constitution says, we call your attention to Section 217(2)(C) of the 1999 Constitution on why and how armed forces can be deployed internally:
“suppressing insurrection and acting in aid of civil authorities to restore order when called upon to do so by the president, but subjected to such conditions as may be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly;”
Except the show of imminent rejection of your party at the polls is an act of “insurrection”, there is no basis to deploy soldiers for the elections coming up in Ekiti State. Any such move would be interpreted as a declaration of war against Ekiti people.
EKITI PEOPLE: PEACE-LOVING BUT FEARLESS!
Ekiti people are peace-loving and would not look for trouble where there is none. This is why we admonished you in our first letter to be a statesman and allow a level-playing field on April 25.
However, in the event of your choosing to be a PDP politician, it is our admonition that you check the history of Ekiti to know that they don't run from any battle especially that has to do with their freedom.
For instance, the Ekiti people, tired of oppression by the Ajeles, fought to free themselves in a war that lasted 16years. After each town fought on its own, the drum of unity sounded in 1877. It started in Oke-Imesi where a young prince named Fabunmi, joined by young men like himself killed the Ajele and sent messengers to all towns and villages in Ekiti, urging them to rise and unite to liberate themselves. Ekiti responded and rose up like one man. In almost all towns and villages, young men either killed the Ajeles or drove them away. These young men organized themselves into troops to join Fabunmi and an army of 50, 000 men emerged. From all over Ekiti, farmers sent yams, beans and other food crops to this army; and women cooked and took food to the warriors of non-perishable foods. An organization was formed and given the name of Ekiti Parapo. The Ekiti kings collected special levies and sent the money to the army for the purchase of gunpowder from European traders in Lagos and the Benin Ports.
To maximize their strength, the leaders of Ekiti Parapo sent to the rulers of Ijesha, Igbomina and Akoko and invited them to come and join Ekiti Parapo. These agreed and sent troops and leading generals. Till 1893, the Ekiti Parapo did not surrender until the peace terms brokered by the British Government were strictly adhered to. For sixteen years, Ekiti men fought for the freedom of Ekiti and Ekiti people at home gave them unwavering support.
The Ekiti are therefore not a people to be intimidated to surrender their birthright.
The health of our nation today is so fragile and we do not need to precipitate a needless crisis.
In the best overall interest of Nigeria, you should rise beyond partisan consideration and ensure you are not pressured into taking any action (especially deployment of troops) that may create unease. You will also do well not to support any rigging plan which taking over Ekiting by all “mean necessary” as promised by Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola connotes.
Mr. President, you should bear in mind how the thoughtless intervention of the Balewa government in the Western House of Assembly situation in 1962 precipitated a series of unpleasant events.
May Allah guide you aright.
'Yinka Odumakin
National Publicity Secretary
Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG)
www.afenifererenewal.org
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