Abuja — More troubles appear to be on the way for Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, as some prominent northerners yesterday opposed any hand over to him by President Umaru Yar'Adua.
Arrowhead of botched third term campaign for former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, former sports minister, Damisi Sango; former president of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Pascal Bafyau, former State House Chaplain, Rev. Yusuf Obaje are among those who under the aegis of 'People's Movement for a new Nigeria' said the call for the empowerment of Jonathan was unnecessary.
Addressing the press yesterday, the group which spoke through Mantu said the campaign to have Yar'Adua allow his deputy to act in his absence was heating up of the polity.
The group also described the position taken by Obasanjo and those of the group of former Nigerian leaders, including Shehu Shagari, General Yakubu Gowon, Ernest Shonekan, Alex Ekwueme and others as "personal opinions."
Mantu argued that the President's absence has not in any way affected the nation. He also said there was no proof from any quarters that a vacuum exits in the presidency.
He said: "While the President is receiving treatment abroad, the Vice President has continued to preside, most effectively, over the weekly meetings of the Federal Executive Council (FEC). The decisions taken reflect the normal duties or functions of the council in accordance with the laws of the land.
"The Vice President has been receiving Ambassadors, taking general salute and ordering the deployment of troops to troubled spots, as Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria," he said.
Pointing out that certain individuals and groups have seized the illness of President Yar'Adua to exercise their constitutional rights of freedom of expression, Mantu said: "Among them are highly patriotic individuals, with high level integrity and credibility. There are also quite a good number of them, whose approach on the issue as well as the contents of their utterances, suggest that they are not acting in the best interest of the nation."
"Their actions are out of vindictive spirit, inordinate ambition, ethnocentric sentiments and deliberate acts of sabotage which are designed to cause widespread confusion, chaos and derailment of this present administration.
"This is a time for more prayers and more commitment to God by all Nigerians for the President's full recovery and safe return to Nigeria. Those who are bent on creating unnecessary tension out of the President's ill-health will not succeed as most Nigerians have known them in their true identity as people who do not have the interest of the masses at heart," he stated.
He agreed that there was no timeframe for the President to be absent from office, saying however, that until the constitution was reviewed in such area, Yar'Adua has the full backing of the constitution.
Mantu urged Nigerians to join hands to pick up whatever was valuable in the present situation and chart a new course of action for moving Nigeria forward.
"We do not have the luxury of postponing our decision to act decisively now with a sense of finality as any further delay might result to a catastrophic situation of negative revolution, where we shall take up arms against ourselves in a battle of survival of the fittest; where there shall be no victor nor vanquished to the detriment of our existence as a nation.
"We can no longer afford to continue to apportion blames on our past and present leaders or engage ourselves in the endless exercise of self-pity, which may degenerate to the evil of attitudinal apathy," he added.
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This bunch clearly looks like people whose conscience have been bought with money. When the dust settles, such people should be probed and, if found guilty, throroughly punished.
It doesn't matter whether or not Ya'Ardua returns to Nigeria. Absence without official leave (AWOL) especially for such an extended period is an offence serious enough to attract dismissal anywhere in the world. Ya'Ardua should be impeached. That is the only way forward!!!
excisionist(at)gmx.com
Who do this empty arrogant northerners call themselves for? They think Nigeria is their father's piece of land that they can arrogate power on. They cannot hold us to ransome as the violence, death and distruction they believe in will soon be visited on them when the time comes. Let them enjoy this moment while it last. uncivilized dan iskas.
THE COUNTRY SHALL AND SHOULA BE RULED BY CONSTITUTION AND NOT BY WHIMS AND CAPRICES OF NORTHERNERS. FROM THE ORGANIZED KILLINGS OF SOUTHERNERS IN JOS, KANO AND OTHER NORTHERN AREAS, THE CANCELLATION BY BABANGIDA OF ELECTION WON BY ABIOLA, THE LOOTING OF ABACHA, THE KILLINGS OF YORUBAS BY ABACHA AND THIS DISREGARD OF THE CONSTITUTION SHOWING OUTRIGHT TRIBALISM AND DISREGARD OF SOUTHERNERS BY UMARU YAR'ADUA, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE ONLY WAY FORWARD FOR THE CITIZENS IS SEPARATE DEVELOPMENT OF EACH OF THE SIX GEO-POLITICAL DIVISIOS OF THE COUNTRY.
It is quite unfortunate that the Southeasterners are part of this Northern arrogance, and are not included in making decisions on higher level of the hierarchy. Honestly, if Mantu reads history or understands the Nigerian constitution he should know that his statement has no place in the country. Where on earth has a President or Head of State rule from a sick bed in another country to be specific? It is only in a country where people like Mantu are given attention. The bottom line is Yar Adua must hand over or should be impeached. Yar Adua always spoke of the rule of law but he is not adhering to it.
What is this Mantu guy talking about? So the constitution has to specifically mention the number of hours, days, months etc before the president can temporarily hand over power to his vice or notify the legislative branch that he is taking time off for illhealth? I remember during his presidency, Mr. George W. Bush handed power to Vice President Dick Cheney for four hours because he was under anesthesia. Why do Africans like to hold on to power even when they are dead? Where is Robert Mugabe? Mr. Mantu and his colleagues should go back to school. This presidency is not a personal property.
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