By Adekoya Boladale
Call it whatever you want; Impunity, oppression, machiavellinic, witch-hunting, unfair, bias. The event of Tuesday, July 15, 2014 in Adamawa state where the Governor (now former) Murtala Nyako was impeached is nothing other than the display of the principle of Checks and balances. The ‘honourable’ members of the state house of assembly beyond doubt are constitutionally empowered through section 188 Chapter 6 of the 1999 constitution, as amended, for such exercise and the clumsy statements by some ‘affected’ individuals are nothing short of crying over split milk.
The allegations against Mr. Nyako beyond partisan politics are not only grave but a sad revelation of years of organic corruption garnished with the sauce of nepotism and greed. It is nauseating and highly tragic that a Governor within just six years allegedly siphoned public funds of over 10 billion naira in a state where the ray of civilization is yet to fully rise, where a dollar note survives the family for days and someone somewhere entrusted with the power to govern the state decided to grossly abuse such is alarming. It is more mindboggling that the same man whose hands are proverbially tainted with blood led a provocative onslaught against the President knowing full well that beneath his cupboard lays lumps of skeletons. Mr. Nyako like many others who may fall after him is guilty of the same allegation he accused the President of, then one is left to wonder if the saying ‘He who seeks equity must come with cleans hands’ is oblivious to him.
Arguments have been raised mainly by members and well wishers of the All Progressive Congress (APC) on the excuse that some vested interest in the Presidency influenced the impeachment process; this is fascinating to the ear but totally illogical. First, the process for impeachment is clearly stated in the constitution and anyone with grudges must first examine if truly the house followed these laid down rules. Secondly, while trying not to vindicate the Presidency but rather from a professional point of view, politics in itself is not a brotherhood where someone watches your back, it is a race whose track is laced with intelligence,guile and sharp mind. The All Progressive Congress (APC) have made it clear to all and sundry of its quest to take over power in 2015 and to expect the PDP or Presidency to go down without a fight is unfair.
Some alleged that a huge sum of 500million naira was given to the lawmakers to perform their constitutional duties. While there is no concrete evidence to this, such inducement if true is the zenith of profligacy and a pure genocide to the principle of good governance and democracy. However, the blame shouldn’t be totally on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), doesn’t it call for meditation that the opposition party finds it so hard to put its house in order and suddenly went on voyage when twenty five of its members in the house defected to the PDP? What happened to these men who few months ago were joyfully referred to as ‘progressives’ or is the appellation merely an oral eruption rather than principles? If they were progressives then the bucks from Abuja shouldn’t have had any effect. Progressiveness in its true state is about principle, doggedness, transparency and truthfulness.
Some alleged that a huge sum of 500million naira was given to the lawmakers to perform their constitutional duties. While there is no concrete evidence to this, such inducement if true is the zenith of profligacy and a pure genocide to the principle of good governance and democracy. However, the blame shouldn’t be totally on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), doesn’t it call for meditation that the opposition party finds it so hard to put its house in order and suddenly went on voyage when twenty five of its members in the house defected to the PDP? What happened to these men who few months ago were joyfully referred to as ‘progressives’ or is the appellation merely an oral eruption rather than principles? If they were progressives then the bucks from Abuja shouldn’t have had any effect. Progressiveness in its true state is about principle, doggedness, transparency and truthfulness.
The All Progressive Congress must realize that politics is played and not spoken; it is high time the party does more of practice than singing. Ekiti is gone, followed by Adamawa, Nassarawa is loading, who knows where the pendulum will swing in the coming days. If the party examines itself and realise it is not psychologically fit to wrestle the central power from the PDP then i will advise it should as a matter of urgency call for a truce or risk going into political extinction.
Beyond all these however, President Jonathan should not rejoice as he sits to orchestrate the fall of Al-Makura in Nassarawa State. The National Assembly most especially the House of Representatives must tap into the rave of the moment and this new found fond of checks and balances to immediately begin the process of impeachment of the President, if not for anything, the ‘disappeared’ $20billion is enough ground to roll up the process. Hon. Tambuwal and his sergeants must oil the mechanism of dutifulness and stop making the hallow chamber a slumber park.
Adekoya Boladale is a political scientist and scholar on good governance, a social commentator and consultant on political and intra governmental affairs. He is the Convener, Advocacy for Better Leadership (ABEL), Nigeria. Engage on Twitter @Adekoyabee
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