Dear President Umaru Musa
Yar’Adua, I feel compelled by
the giddy events of the past
few weeks to employ this
mode in getting across to
you. As my leader, I know
that I owe you the duty of
availing you of my views and
comments on contemporary
issues, but things have so
changed for the worse that
our leaders are now so far
off that you can only see
them on the television.
I remember the Second
Republic, a period when we
thought we had seen the
worst. I had, as an
undergraduate at the
University of Nigeria in 1980,
written to President Shehu
Shagari. He replied. The
reply, as some of my
classmates pointed out, might
have been prepared by one
of his aides, but he
personally signed it. I cherish
that till date. No more.
Sir, I am sorry to have
brought back memories of
those days. My concern is
about your health which has
become more political than
the running of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) or
bills before the National
Assembly. It is unfortunate
the turn that events have
now taken.
It is obvious to anyone who
has a sense of history and
tools for analyzing social
development that issues
regarding your departure
from Nigeria, your refusal to
communicate the national
legislators and contempt for
the constitution have been
so poorly managed that they
have spilled out of control.
Do not be deceived, sir, it is
now impossible for anyone to
repair the damage already
done. The truth is that
Nigerian now know that the
current set of leaders have
no interest in the
development of the country.
If they do, you as the symbol
of the administration would
have followed the path of
rectitude and constitutionality
when you had to leave the
shores of Nigeria more than
two months back. The
constitution is very clear,
whatever the sophistry that
your good friend and
adviser, Chief Michael
Aondoakaa has brought to
the needless debate
engendered by your absence
from duty. The Attorney
General of the Federation
has argued that the non
usage of the word "shall" in
section 145 of the
constitution shows that
notifying the National
Assembly of the president’s
absence is discretionary.
I am puzzled by other
developments in recent
times. The outburst of your
predecessor and benefactor
at the Daily Trust Dialogue
showed that so much has
gone wrong with the PDO
edifice. Did you note (or
better still, were you told)
that Chief Obasanjo said it
was uncharitable to allege
that he foisted an "invalid"
on the country? Were you
informed that Obasanjo said
you gave him all the
assurance that you were
well, hale and hearty before
he took the decision to back
you for the exalted office?
Were you told that the
chairman of your party’s
Board of Trustees said you
should take the path of
honour. That speaks
volumes.
Then, briefing the Senate
behind closed doors, the
reticent Yayale Ahmed
unwittingly disclosed that you
once traveled out of the
country, left a letter to be
delivered to the legislators
to empower VeePee Goodluck
Jonathan act pending your
return. Ahmed said Senator
Abba Aji whose task it is to
submit the letter chose to
withhold it. I know that many
people would blame Abba Aji
for so acting. May be.
However, for me, the curious
thing is what you failed to do
when confronted with such a
situation. Does it mean that
we have a president who is
so weak that his instructions
could be disregarded by his
aides?
My president, this is the time
to bow out. It is certainly the
end of the road. Even if you
are given the all clear, it is
obvious that relations have
been ruptured; it is obvious
that you cannot muster the
stamina to provide
leadership. It is obvious that
that Nigeria can ill afford a
president who is in today
and out tomorrow. Please, in
the interest of your dear
wife, Turai, your family and,
most importantly, the
Nigerian nation and people.
As a human being, I wish you
well and continue to pray
that you recover, but leave
governance for those who
are more able and capable.
November 08, 2010, 01:09:05 AM