Enugu And Toba Suleiman in Abeokuta — President registers, says your vote is your power

President Olusegun Obasanjo was weekend, called upon by Catholic Bishops in Nigeria to publish as well as implement the report of the Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Human Rights Violation Investiga-tions Commission (HRVIC) which has been submitted to his administration.

The clerics' call came just as Obasanjo was registering for next year's elections at his home town, Abeokuta, and described the exercise as the only way to bring in people of unquestionable characters into the governance of the country.

The Bishops in a seven-point communiqu‚ signed by Most Rev. John Onaiyekan, President of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria also insisted on the convocation of a national conference where all core points and sources of conflicts rocking the nation would be addressed.

Also high on the position of the clerics was concern for the state of the polity which they described as "cloudy and turbulent" following the postponement of the local government elections, delay in voters registration exercise and uncertainty surrounding the identity card project.

"We witness a disturbing rate of assassination and upsurge of paid thugs to settle political scores. The culture of violence, scheming, plotting, betraying and lying to the people is still very much with us," they lamented.

The clerics further contended that the independence of the judiciary was not negotiable as it was the guarantor of human rights and the last hope of defence for the common man, so "its independence and credibility must be maintained at all costs."

On the impeachment of Obasanjo, the Bishops appeared undecisive, stating that, "if members of the National Assembly have reason to impeach the president, they must be sure that they are doing it in the interest of Nigerians and not for some selfish motive or with hidden agenda."

Commenting on the vexed issue of adoration tragedy where no fewer than 14 worshippers died on March 7 this year, the Bishops prayed for the souls of those who died.

They warned against adoption of Sharia as state law, noting that its extension of scope to criminal matters violated human rights of Nigerians, adding, "we shall not be silent as long as the injustice and the anomaly of the sharia continues."

While condemning adultery and fornication as sinful behaviours against God's commandments, they condemned the death sentence by stoning of persons accused of adultery and fornication as its application endangers the poor and leaves the rich untouched. Such verdicts, they noted, has brought much shame to the country.

The president who arrived Abeokuta early yesterday morning for the exercise registered at his Totoro/Sokori ward II, Abeokuta at about 10.15a.m.

Sporting "Buba and Soro," grey colour guinea brocade, the president who was registered by Mr. Adeyinka Adefioye the registration officer, gave his details as Olusegun Obasanjo, age 65, occupation, farmer.

Obasanjo, who was on the queue for about five minutes, registered as no 37 with registration number 007297001.

After the registration process, the Ogun State Independent National Elec-toral Commission (INEC) Commissioner, Mr. Ekpen-young Nsa, handed over the temporary voter's registration card to the president.

Addressing the crowd who gathered around him while the exercise was in progress, the president said "I want to use this opportunity to appeal to those who are yet to come out and register that they should come out now to do so.

"It is important because we are all part of the democratic government, and if you want a good government we must contribute to the process that will eventually lead to the enthronement of a good government."

Continuing, Obasanjo said the only way to contribute to good governance is to make sure that those who will run the affairs of the nation are good people.

According to him, "and you will not get good people to run your affairs, unless you elect good people.

"And you will not elect good people, unless you get yourself registered," he maintained.

"I pray that this process that has started very well will continue and will eventually lead to a successful civilian administration in this country," he prayed.

Obasanjo who later visited some registration centres within Abeokuta South and North areas of the state terminated it at the state INEC office, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta where he commended the INEC commissioner, Mr. Ekpenyoung Nsa, who he (Obasanjo) said has been doing well since the beginning of the exercise.

Meanwhile, a special inter-religious prayers was held yesterday at the president compound before he departed for Abuja over various lingering political crises in the country.

The prayer organised by Christians and muslims in the town was led by a Christian leader, the Right Rev. Oyewole Ayodeji Ateji and a muslim leader, the Chief Imam of Owu, Alhaji Noah Shodeinde.

The two religious leaders prayed for God's intervention in the on-going face-off between Obasanjo and members of the National Assembly especially in the impeachment moves currently hanging on the president.

They prayed that God should soften the hearts of those behind the impeachment palaver, while other part of the prayer was centered on the 2003 general elections, where they prayed that God should take over the entire country throughout the election period.