The reactions to recent statements made by Asari Dokubo and Kingsley Kuku show that northerners are treated as sacred cows in this country. This is because since they have been making unguarded statements, none of them has been probed but as soon as Asari Dokubo and Kingsley Kuku responded to their inflammatory statements, the House of Representatives instructed the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, to investigate the duo. Not too long ago, in an interview with Vanguard in Abuja, Junaid Mohammed advised Jonathan and his advisers to seek a judicial interpretation of his tenure rather than engage in banal war over 2015, which he claim he is yet to decide on. Mohammed had said: “As far as I am concerned there should be no two ways about it. People who made promises must be made to abide by such promises. And even without the promise or deal said to have been entered into by the governors with the president in 2011, an ordinary reading of the constitution at face value will indicate that Jonathan cannot avail himself of another term in 2015 simply because the constitution provides for two terms for anybody notwithstanding whatever the intervening circumstance is.”
Also, 79-year-old former governor of Kaduna State, Lawal Kaita, added his voice to thoe of Northerners who are calling on Jonathan not to contest in 2015. He warned the President not to venture into the 2015 race. Senator Joseph Waku, who called from his abode in Washington DC, USA, warned: “President Jonathan should not even contemplate making any move to contest the 2015 election because such will be dishonourable, immoral, satanic and catastrophic,” adding; “Those who are close to the President, if they like him at all should warn him not to do things that can breakup this country and put him on the sad note of histor.” Now, let us begin to analyse the above statements. First, what section of the 1999 Constitution excludes President Jonathan from contesting for a second term? Are the likes of Junaid Mohammed, Lawal Kaita and Joseph Waku not aware that the Federal High Court, Abuja, has declared that President Jonathan was fit to contest the presidential election in 2015? How will President Jonathan re-election lead to the breakup of the country? When former Presidents Shehu Shagari and Olusegun Obasanjo contested for second terms in 1983 and 2003 respectively, did Nigeria break up? Has President Jonathan declared his intention to contest for a second term in 2015? What if Nigeria breaks up?
The above inflammatory statements by the named Northerners prompted the statements of Asari Dokubo and Kingsley Kuku. In reacting to the above provocative statements, Kingsley Kuku while in USA said there would be chaos in the country if President Goodluck Jonathan was not re-elected in 2015, while Asari Dokubo also said that Nigeria would not know peace if President Jonathan was not returned for second term. When Junaid Mohammed, Lawal Kaita and Joseph Waku, made their inciting statements, why didn’t the House of Representatives ask the Inspector General of Police to probe them? Are Northerners sacred cows or above the law?
Why do Northerners always oppose the political aspiration of southerners? A Northerner scuttled the election of late Chief MKO Abiola and when Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was elected president, they came up with Sharia. Now, President Goodluck Jonathan is on the saddle, it is Boko Haram. When Umaru Yar’Adua was the President the North was calm. Is it possible for only Northerners to lead Nigeria? What did Nigeria achieve in the 38 years the North led the country? If the North had led the country well, why is Nigeria in such a sorry state today? What change has the leadership of Northerners brought to this country? Is it possible for only Northerners to lead Nigeria?
President Jonathan should not be distracted with second term brouhaha when he has not declared his intention to contest or not. If he decides to contest in 2015, he should be allowed to do so because the 1999 Constitution provides for a second term for a sitting president.
•Victor E. Anya, a Public Affairs Analyst, wrote from Ikeja, Lagos. : Email: [email protected]
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