Conference of Nigeria Political Parties {CNPP} wishes Nigerians a prosperous and happy 2010. In doing this CNPP states that the 2009 regrettably ended with a lot of issues unresolved; prominent among these are genuine Electoral Reform, Niger Delta crisis, power sector and the health of President Umaru Musa Yaradua.
CNPP had reasoned that genuine Electoral Reform, being the most important promise made by President Yaradua during his inauguration, coupled with its primacy in the resolution of the intra-contradictions which endangers our democracy and slides it dangerously into quasi-dictatorship and which diminishes Nigeria’s image in the comity of nations; could have been accorded the urgency required by the ruling party. This was not the case.
On the Niger Delta crisis, we have to commend the Yaradua regime for the near success of the amnesty programme; we however wish to observe that the success recorded so far is being eroded by the lack luster handling of the post amnesty programme, which arose out of the indisposition of Mr President to drive his pet project.
At beginning of 2009, Yaradua’s regime promised Nigerians 6000 Mega-Watts of electricity to be generated; this was neither generated nor distributed and all these non-performance did a lot to cast spell on the 7-Point-Agenda of the regime.
As regards President Yarardua’s health predicament, we wish to join millions of Nigerians in wishing him a speedy recovery. While we are fervently praying for his recovery; we have to once more plead with his handlers to persuade him to avail himself of Section 145 of the Constitution and allow his Vice President Dr Jonathan Goodluck to act as president pending his return.
We making this plea interalia:-
First is that the serial violation of Section 145 undermines our democratic institutions; one of which is the office of the Vice President and the 1999 Constitution.
Secondly, that adherence to Section 145 will facilitate in no small measure the speedy recovery of President Yaradua, as he will not be distracted with state duties.
Thirdly, is it not more patriotic, gentlemanly and neater to have President Yaradua sign and transmit letters to the National Assembly as enshrined in Section 145; rather than the untidy and cloudy claim that President Yaradua signed the 2009 Supplementary Budget under stress?
Fourthly, that the controversy generated over the swearing of Justice I.A Katsina-Alu as the Chief Justice of Nigeria {CJN} by a sitting CJN, Justice I.L.Kuitgi ; could have been totally avoided if Section 145 had not been violated?
CNPP calls on the National Assembly to as a matter of urgent national importance to conclude genuine Electoral Reform forthwith, in line with the former CJN, Justice M.L Uwais Electoral Reform Committee Bills; as the violations of Section 145 and other sections of the Constitution could easily be traced to electoral malpractices consequent upon Electoral Phobia.
Consequently, CNPP posits that since nobody calls for nothing but the due process of rule of law and constitutional order; as we enter the New Year; President Yaradua should avail himself of Section 145 to avoid further unintended consequences that may gravely undermine our fledgling democracy.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content1'); });
Osita Okechukwu
National Publicity Secretary
CNPP
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('comments'); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content2'); });