Bolaji Adebiyi, Collins Edomaruse, Kola Ologbondiyan and Agaju Madugba
18 May 2006
Lagos/Abuja/Kaduna — The killing of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Amendment) Bill, 2006 by the Senate on Tuesday has opened the race for the presidency with notable political groups returning to the drawing board to map out strategies for winning the nation's foremost electoral contest in 2007.
The bill which contained a clause seeking to amend section 137 (1) (b) of the constitution to increase the tenure of the President from a maximum of two to three terms of four years each had slowed down the declaration of aspiration by many politicians who would want to run for the nation's topmost job.
The thinking was that it would amount to a waste of time to declare any presidential aspiration when the incumbent, President Olusegun Obasanjo, had shown more than a passing interest in retaining the office.
But with the death of the bill and the subsequent burial of the third term ambition of the President, the coast became clear for aspirants to come to the open and declare their intentions.
Consequently, politicians have started nocturnal meetings aimed at launching their aspirations.
Leading the pack are Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Heads of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida and Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, who immediately the Senate drove the final nail into the coffin of the third term agenda set up meetings to review the political situation in the country and map out strategies for declaring their presidential ambitions.
THISDAY information has it that the Atiku camp massed in the Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD) met in Abuja on Tuesday night and Monday morning to review the implications of the killing of the bill and the way forward.
It was also gathered that while the Vice President's meeting was on, a similar one called by the President's men held at the Presidential Villa where the issue of the post 2007 political future of the President as well as what to do with Atiku was given a preliminary discussion.
According to reliable sources, one of the tentative decisions taken was to call an emergency meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for today to consider a disciplinary action against the Vice President for his role in the killing of the third term agenda.
In the Buhari camp, it was gathered that a meeting of his top aides and associates was held also on Tuesday night in Kaduna where it was decided that the moribund All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) be reorganised to provide a platform for him.
There are also exploratory talks by the Atiku, Babangida and Buhari groups to have a working agreement with the possibility that a joint candidate could eventually come up.
In the South-south, PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih, is also said to have called for a meeting this weekend with men like Governor Peter Odili of River State on the card.
Members of the Middle Belt Forum have also been contacting each other with former Defence Minister, Lt General T.Y. Danjuma as the rallying point in the hope of getting an acceptable candidate that would come from the region.
But members of the President's economic team are not left out of the calculations as they are believed to be having informal discussions on the possibility of throwing up a candidate or pairing up some members that would continue the reforms.
A meeting of Obasanjo's friends in the business community was also held yesterday in Lagos and hosted by a young business merchant with big stakes in the oil industry with a view to ensuring they backed a candidate for the 2007 race.
As at last night, it was not clear what the governors as a group would come up with.
Meanwhile, the Senate yesterday mandated its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to investigate the veracity of statements credited to the People's Democratic Party (PDP) national chairman, Chief Ahmadu Ali, on the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) allegedly describing senators as "idiots."
Ali's alleged uncouth statement on the BBC was said to have been contained in his reaction to the decision of the Senate to kill the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Amendment), Bill, 2006.
And as temper rose in the Senate over Ali's outburst former presidential candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), cautioned Nigerians to be vigilant, saying the defeat of the presidential quest for extra tenure must be seen as the beginning of the battle for the preservation of democracy in the country.
But senators were not in the mood for sermons yesterday as they insisted on cleansing the mud slashed on them by the PDP national chairman.
Before the Senate arrived at the decision to probe Ali's statement, the chamber was divided along the lines of pro- and anti-third term.
The pro-third term senators, championed by Senator Lee Maeba (PDP, Rivers) called for a division of the floor after the voice vote was carried by the anti-third term senators.
Among pro-third term senators that ditched Ali and voted along the lines of the anti-third term senators were the Deputy Senate President, Alhaji Ibrahim Nasir Mantu as well as the Leader of the Senate, Senator Dalhatu Sarki Tafida.
At the close of the headcount, the ranks of those who demanded Ali's probe rose to 53 while the pro-third term senators opposed to the probe garnered 33 votes. Senators Jubril Aminu (PDP, Adamawa) and Felix Ibru (PDP, Delta) abstained even as 33 senators were absent during yesterday's session.
The decision of the Senate to probe Ali was however predicated on a motion brought via Order 14 (Privileges) by Senator Idris Kuta (PDP, Niger) to allege that Ali in an interview with BBC breached the privileges of the Senate and senators.
Kuta noted that the "content of the (Ali's) interview and the language used is both despicable and fall short of standards expected of a former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
"The foul language used to describe senators as "rascals" and "idiots" is both an affront on our collective sensibilities as senators and the distinguished institutions of the Senate," he added.
Kuta also argued that both senators and the Senate were only discharging their lawful duties of lawmaking as enshrined in Section 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 and guided by the rules of procedure of the Senate, such statement is uncalled for.
"The unguided utterances of Senator Ali are both un-parliamentary, un-statesmanlike, crude, barbaric, uncivilised, undemocratic, unethical, and sacrilegious, and an affront on the institution of Senate and senators," he charged further.
Kuta urged the Senate "to condemn the statement of Ali in strongest terms; demand an unreserved apology to senators and Senate; and strip the former senator of all privileges as contained in Section 17 (d) of the Standing Rules of the Senate.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Lawali Shuaibu (ANPP, Zamfara), in seconding the motion, argued: "The conduct of a senator should depict decorum. For a senator to look down at the institution he once belonged to is a very disgraceful act of disloyalty.
"Ahmadu Ali, regardless of his position, must tender an unreserved apology."
The Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence Chairman, Senator Nuhu Aliyu (PDP, Niger), in testifying that he had the statement credited to Ali on the BBC, told his colleagues that Ali "rained abuses on senators - 'idiots, danyiska' - were the words he (Ali) said."
Aliyu's counterpart in the Public Accounts Committee, Senator Mamman Ali (ANPP, Yobe), said "some people can accept that he (Ali) slaps them but I will not take that. It's unfortunate that he said those words," even as Rufai Hanga (ANPP, Kano) noted that "as much as I know, I don't see anything that we have done that amounted to rascality."
Senator Victor Oyofo (PDP, Edo), however, cautioned: "We must apply justice to arrive at a decision especially one that affects our integrity.
"Those of us who did not hear the broadcast are handicapped from participating. It (interview) should be put in a language we can understand for us to participate. This motion should be put in abeyance until we have an authenticated tape."
Tafida, however, rose to say: "I believe in what Kuta and others said they heard. However, I support Oyofo. We should refer it to the appropriate committee to get the tape and transcript so that we can have detailed report on this within the next four days.
"It should be referred to the Ethics committee."
In his contribution, Senator Sani Kamba (ANPP, Kebbi) recalled that he heard the news at about 8.30pm Tuesday night, adding that, "it is unfortunate for somebody, who was not elected to have said so. He was just taken from somewhere and put on the chair and he has been rolling since then. If he was elected, he would have exercised caution."
Other contributors were Senators Kanti Bello; Tunde Ogbeha; Olorunnimbe Mamora; Abubakar Sodangi; Olatokunbo Ogunbanjo and David Mark.
Ali, had in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation, (BBC) Hausa Service, described the Senate as comprising what he referred to as a bunch of shameless and inconsiderate people, for throwing out the bill.
According to him, "the Senate should not look at a clause that the opposition does not want and throw away the entire bill containing other 113 clauses because there are so many other things people want in the constitutional amendment."
He said angrily: "That was a shameless and selfish act. The Senate is shameless. I was a senator three times hence I know what ought to be done. In this matter, the Senate should have picked the clauses the people want and drop the rest.
"But the entire bill was thrown away just like that. It is lack of shame and lack of consideration.
"Imagine the mature step taken by the House of Representatives where the Bill was moderated. But the Senate only makes useless and cacophonous noise. They did the worthless work and dispersed shamelessly."
Meanwhile, former ANNP presidential flag bearer, Buhari, yesterday warned the National Assembly not to be distracted by the euphoria of the victory it recorded in shooting down the amendment bill, but remain at alert: "because the battle has just begun".
Buhari, also enjoined the Federal Government to humble itself by accepting and respecting the assembly's verdict.
In a statement, titled State of the Nation, he said: "At this juncture, I would like to congratulate and commend the lawmakers who opposed the third term bid for the level of integrity that they displayed and for their steadfastness and patriotism.
"And, at the same time, I must urge them to remain vigilant, because the battle has just started; and it will be dangerous for them to let their guard down even for a second."
He also warned of grave repercussions, if the authorities treated the position of the lawmakers with ignominy.
"At the same time I must warn this government that this is a verdict it must respect and abide by. The people of this country will not tolerate any attempt to set aside this decision of the National Assembly. It is a stand that enjoys the support of all Nigerians, and if the government tries to ignore it and impose a matter so unpopular, we will call upon the people to resist bitterly."
Restating his believe in the "greatness of Nigeria" Buhari, however, said it was unfortunate that: "Not only has this government failed the nation, it has succeeded in pushing us to the precipice; and we have today come face-to-face with a clear danger."
He said it was with "heavy heart" that he found it necessary to speak on the state of the nation, once again and blamed the authorities for the woes that the nation and Nigerians were experiencing.
"The second chapter of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has clearly spelt out what the basic duty of governance is: Section 14(2) (b) has provided that: 'It is hereby, accordingly, declared that - the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government."
He further argued that the same chapter of the constitution makes it obligatory for the government to compose all its agencies and conduct all its affairs in a manner that reflects the nation's federal character in order to promote national unity and command loyalty, describing the going practice as a far cry from the dictate of the constitution.
Buhari added that the constitution urges the government: "to encourage national integration, fight corruption, control and operate the economy in such a manner as to ensure social justice, prosperity, maximum welfare and happiness of every citizen and prevent the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few people."
The former Head of State chided the federal government for allegedly not conducting its activities within the prescribed rules of the constitution, insisting: "Looking back these past seven years and the current situation, it is as if the government has decided to flout all the provisions of the fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy as enshrined in that chapter of the constitution. It has cared to pursue any of these matters at all since it came into office in 1999; and has so far behaved as if the constitution does not matter.
"With the menace of armed robbery on the highways and our cities unchecked, with hire assassins still on the prowl, with the occasional breakdown of the law and order situation in al geo-political zones, and, above all, with the astonishing lack of concern by government to these developments, even its most ardent and enthusiastic supporters cannot in all honest, claim that the government has taken the security of this nation seriously."
Chastising the agents of government of brandishing reforms agenda as the reason for the failed elongation bid, Buhari said: "In all honesty, how can anyone talk of reform in present-day Nigeria? Indeed, there were reforms before this government and there would be reforms after it; and the political progress of this nation should not be arrested because of so-called reforms that might well be dismantled by succeeding administrations."
He, however, urged Nigerians not to despair as there was still light at the end of the tunnel.
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