Dino Melaye, a senator representing Kogi West Senatorial district, is not a happy man at the moment. His failed bid to stop the recall process initiated by his constituents is the cause of his worries. The Federal High Court in Abuja had ruled recently that Melaye had no right to frustrate the process which is constitutional, insisting that as a representative of the people, those who gave him the mandate to be in the National Assembly, ab initio, equally have the power to pass a vote of no confidence in him if they have any reason to believe that he is not representing them well.
Consequent upon that ruling, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has determined to carry on with the process leading to the eventual force exit of the senator.
INEC has therefore, determined to set in motion a revised timetable and schedule of activities. With these storms gathering around Melaye, pundits say that the Kogi-born lawmaker may be on his way out of a chamber he cherishes so much. The observers quickly added that Melaye’s episode will then instill fear in other representatives of the people, who have been carrying on as if they were untouchable, that they cannot no longer eat their cake and still have it. The Melaye case is expected to make a statement to political office holders that Nigeria and Nigerians are becoming more and more politically aware and may no longer tolerate the excesses of the political class.
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Why adjourning serious case, indefinitely?
One would have thought that the case of Ifeanyi Dike, the undergraduate that killed an eight year-old girl, Chikamso Nmezuwuba, in Port Harcourt, would be dispensed with expeditiously.
Dike, you will recall, satanically killed Chikamso for ritual purposes. After the brutal killing, he harvested some vital parts of the innocent girl. After he was arrested and paraded by the Rivers State police, he somehow escaped from the police custody in an equally mysterious way. He was however, re-arrested in Jos, Plateau State, a few days ago. When he was arraigned at a magistrate court in the Garden City, the chief magistrate said the matter was beyond him as the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain it as the matter required capital punishment.
He adjourned indefinitely. But this case must not be toyed with. It must be given all the attention that it deserves. The director of public prosecution (DPP) must expedite action on this and ensure that the family gets the desired justice.
All the evidences are there to prove that Dike actually did the deed. So, it is of no use to continue the come-today come tomorrow rigmarole our courts are known for. The family of the unfortunate Chikamso has also urged speedy trial and that all those involved in the heinous act must be brought to book. Moreover, SKETCHES hereby aligns with the observation of Ipalibo Banigo, deputy governor of Rivers State, that “everybody involved in this devilish act must be made to pay,” adding “I don’t want to hear any Mungo Park story again this time.”
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Sofri, Sofri sir
No doubts, Peter Obi is an enigma. He left an indelible mark in the political sand of Anambra, nay south east. No wonder since his exit from the power stool, he has become a sought-after keynote speaker at events that have to do with governance. At such events, he gives his own testimonies how he demystified governance and the ‘lofty’ position of governor. Although he was instrumental to the ascendance to the power stool in Awka, of Governor Willie Obiano, the once-robust relationship has since gone sour.
Like Obi, Obiano has been praised in many quarters for sustaining the governance tempo in Anambra State. He has received many recognitions and awards to that effect. He seeks re-election in a governorship election stated for November 18, and has since got the ticket from his party, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
But SKETCHES is worried at a statement credited to His Excellency, Peter Obi, to the effect that he would fight Obiano’s re-election ambition with the last drop of his blood. Mba nu!
Obi was reported to have released the following verbal salvo: “I will fight in this election aggressively. I will fight with the last drop of my blood. Will fight to win this election the way PDP has not won any election before.”
Obi, for the sake of information, is not standing election (not contesting); he is fighting for the candidate of his party, Oseloka Obaze. What remains puzzling is how Mr. Obi plans to do the fighting. Electoral fight is through sale of robust manifestoes. In saner climes, people vote due to their conviction that a candidate has a good programme outlay and their belief that such a candidate will live up to his/her promises. Then the real fight is at the polls where people will exercise their franchise without any form of coercion. If Obi plans to use varifiable proofs to convince Anambra people that it would amount to a waste of their votes trying to re-elect Obiano, good; but if by violent and untoward means that could engender strife, during and after the exercise, that would not be good enough. Obi must use words that are not suggestive of any plan to cause mayhem during the exercise. Well, he is an honourable man and must remain so.
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Shame to Ndi Asiri
To some people who delight in sowing the seed of discord, that Aisha Alhassan, minister of women affairs, is still in the President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet is an aberration. They had thought that the President would leave pressing state matters to dwell on irrelevances. In fact, some people thought that Alhassan would either absent herself from the last Wednesday Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting or if she attended at all, would be hide her face from Buhari and from her colleagues. But none of the two happened. The woman, instead, was her bubbly self; greening from ear to ear while the meeting lasted. She was so conspicuous that a national daily graced its front page a day after with a picture where she held the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo himself, in a discussion that left the man captivated. Other pictures that emanated from that FEC meeting captured her showing her beautiful dentition.
It would be recalled that a few days to the FEC meeting, the minister had made some statements that sounded as though her loyalty to her boss was in question. In an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, Alhassan had said she would support Atiku Abubakar, a chieftain of the ruling APC, if he decided to run for the presidency in 2019. Her statements during the interview drew flaks; with certain elements calling for her sack. We can now see that the President is a father indeed.
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Kudos to Ohanaeze, South East governors
These are clearly troublesome times, particularly for the people of south eastern part of the country. The determination and courage of Igbo leaders in the face of provocation is ennobling and very commendable.
Before the Nigerian Army moves its men and materials to occupy the south east geopolitical zone for its show of force, code-named Egwu Eke II (python dance), Ohanaeze Ndigbo, an apex Igbo socio-cultural group, had cautioned government against what appears to be a conscious policy to sideline the zone.
Ohanaeze had cited many instances and proofs to drive home its allegations. It has, however, not ceased to condemn the method being employed by Nnamdi Kanu and members of his Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) in expressing their grievances over the unfortunate state of affairs in the country, particularly as they touch the Igbo nation.
The five governors of the south east have also, at various times, tongue-lashed the IPOB and distanced themselves from the secessionist tendency of the group. They had on several occasions reaffirmed their stand on the indivisibility of Nigeria and support for the government of the day. For their non-supporting posture to IPOB project, the political leaders and Ohanaeze leadership have severally been vilified and called names by those who believe in the IPOB cause.
Despite the efforts of all categories of leadership in the south east to ensure that the Federal Government sees the Igbo nation as partners in progress, the powers that be at the centre still believe that the leadership in Igbo land is not doing enough. The decision to carry out “a show of force” in the south east has been condemned by many. I salute the courage and calmness of the governors and Ohanaeze leadership in the midst of serious provocation. The statement issued by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu in the wake of the deployment of solders to his domain was moving. In the midst of provocation he still showed restraint, maturity and loyalty to the Federal Government and commitment to the unity of our dear country. All true Igbo sons and daughters must at this trying moment refrain from comments that can worsen the tension. Let peace be our watchword.
Zebulon Agomuo
