Arewa-online

Impeachment Like Sugar And Spice, Written, Sang, Produced In Nigeria...

Prince Charles Dickson

Jos, Plateau

Oct 25, 2006

If you cannot explain where you are going in simple English, you are probably doing something wrong, so also when speculation has done its worst, two and two still make four, Fayose is gone, Dariye is going, may begoing, Alams, Ladoja, Ngige, has since gone, only God knows how much of the drama Mr. Obi of Anambra would endure...In Nigeria it is an air of impeachment and some people are feeling good. Some even are of the opinion it is good for our democracy, it is democracy at work.

I was at the cafe sending out my reports, news stories and tidying mails and the network went blues and the local administrator told me that services had been impeached...by whom and for what reasons he could provide none...He said I was lucky that there was no State of emergency with the service.

I know for sure that at this moment Obasanjo and his PDP, Ribadu and quite a number of Nigerians at this moment must be feeling “Whoa-oa-oa! I feel good, I knew that I would, now, I feel good, I knew that I would, now. So good, so good, I got you”. So good they have got Fayose, General Olurin must be having that feel good feeling, while he was at home in retirement some foolhardy politicians has decided his bread must be buttered. The so good feeling that Dariye is walking the tight rope and may fall at anytime.

These are interesting times in Nigeria and in my style I never hesitate to say that it is good to watch the drama if it does not affect one but sadly we have no where to call home other than this contraction called Nigeria. I was refreshing my mind on the American History vis a vis the building of democracy in the nation fondly called God's own and I smiled, they did worse, their experiences were far terrible than it is with us today. Please do not get me wrong I have not said we should experience worse or that we deserve the present debacle but the truth is that we have not done badly in terms of our democracy. So we should feel good like sugar and spice.

Obasanjo has not faired well, statement of fact but give it to the man that has succeeded in redefining democracy to 'Obasancracy'...the practice of governance where only those in Abuja feel good, those in the slums don’t get the feeling, the President’s friends feel good and his enemies don’t. In Aso Rock they feel so good with the PTDF while the masses in Tudun Wada, Aba, Nyanyan, Ajegunle feel sour.

The people be damned is the focal point of this kind of democracy where the constitution is a paper brazenly abused. We have a crony government that sings “when I hold you in my arms, I know that I can't do no wrong and when I hold you in my arms. My love won't do you no harm”. If we only believe that we are all foolish, Obasanjo and his PDP are the only wise; no harm would come our way. If only Peter Obi had decamped to PDP no harm would have come his way, as the President's arms would have been around him. If Atiku had resigned, call off his ambition no harm would come his way, if he had supported the third term with love, PTDF would have gone with the wind.

The PDP acclaimed leader of Nigeria could not call Fayose, his Deputy, an ambitious Speaker to order and he tells the nation that the best thing is a State of emergency, which only delays the necessary evil but if the President feels good about his actions, our feelings as citizens counts for little.

Nobody listened to Alams when he blew the lid that more will follow in his footsteps, but today the reign of many of our crooked Excellencies are at risk in their own self styled democracy. It is important before I go far that I echo the stand of the Nigerian Bar Association...I do not have any problem with the impeachment of an elected Official that has abused his/her office but the methodology is where I defer. So to an extent like sugar and spice, “So nice, so nice”, we are getting to corrupt government officials somehow and maybe with time the present state of chaos in the nation may kick-start a form of revolution. If impeachment galore, state of emergency are the solution to the nation’s problems we better start feeling good because the journey is still far.

The Alams miracle happened when he was impeached from outside the State, for Ladoja we invented a new two-third, one that is on the verge of being renewed in Plateau State If care is not taken. Fayose in hiding is saying that he is still the Governor; his deputy held sway briefly, the Speaker sworn in as acting Governor so technically there are three Governors, and one retired military administrator in Ekiti

At the expiration of the emergency rule would Fayose still be Governor, will EFCC have nailed him, hear he is Germany, or we will have by then just wished the problems away. Lets not forget that Alams and Ladoja are still contesting their removal. In an interview from hiding Fayose claimed he has done nothing and that he was Obasanjo's boy...He even left N5.5B in State treasury as if that is a feat but now the once upon a Joshua treatment has been given to him and his legislators. Quite a number of people will feel good at the turn of events.

Ladoja was Obasanjo's boy, Dariye was once referred to as the Obasanjo's Joseph, who had a coat of many colors given him by Mr. President. Atiku at a point could do no wrong; Kalu was Obasanjo's biological son in the rumour mill and could do no wrong. When Audu Ogbeh supervised while Tony Anineih was the chief rigger, the PDP could do no wrong but the sugar and spice is sour now. So impeachment it is, even the President's own homeboy Gbenga Daniel is not safe.

A lot of political analyst and commentators cannot seem to figure out the sins of Mr. Peter Obi of Anambra, although Anambarians that I spoke with were of the opinion that Mr. Obi has spent more time in crucifying his predecessor Dr. Ngige than working for the people. But in this era of long knives, someone feels good and woops you are impeached.

Someone said he was waiting to see how the divorce, sorry I meant impeachment of Dr. Odili would take place. The drama in Ekiti has brought to the fore that sometimes it takes more than intellectual and academic prowess to navigate the political waters of Nigeria, so the fountain of knowledge in Nigeria is at sixes and sevens. Our democratic studio has produced several hit tracks from dividends of democracy to immunity, to anticipatory approval, third term, loyalty, swearing by the Bible or Koran, attempted kidnap, Sharia, resource control, National Reform Conference, PTDF, and many more, today impeachment is it and I did not forget State of emergency. We should all feel good like toasted maize and coconut for the President’s afternoon delight.

Like sugar and spice no doubt not many of these Governors accused can really prove that they are innocent but then like it is with democracy, rule of law, separation of powers, the constitution should not be made to bear the brunt of our political weakness. Today the Judiciary is under serious threat and I smile wryly when people talk of political expediency. Sugar taste sweet, so when we elect representatives to serve us they serve themselves because power is sweet, the money an addictive spice, so they feel nothing but good when they lie to us. They feel good when they talk about reforms that reform only their pocket.

The bitter truth and the summary of my stand on this matter is that there is a feel good factor about EFCC, like sugar and spice, people are being caught, how they are caught, another issue entirely. If leadership has stolen or abused office let them be impeached. The populace will feel good, tomorrow the same EFCC under another Ribadu may find Obasanjo guilty and who knows like speculated Ribadu may not be clean, so what goes round will come round and we will all feel like sugar and spice.

Nigerians could have felt really better than good if corruption can be impeached, bad governance impeached, insensitive councilors, chairmen, Senators, Governors, Ministers, President and Vice are impeached.

Like the classic song 'I feel good' Nigerians want more than impeachments, the want more than a fight against anti-corruption (though what we have now is a beginning), but we want to feel good about our system, our democracy, our infrastructure, our education, our health, even our polity and politics should feel close to sugar and spice. Nigeria can be great we all can be made to feel good and proudly Nigerian. Almighty Allah we ask for your mercies and grace.