Politics
Yar’Adua’s Absence And Issues Of Constitution
On November 23, 2009, President Umaru Musa yar’Adua was flown to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment. It is now over 50 days and the President has not yet returned or written to the National Assembly in accordance with the constitution.
The President long absence has been attributable to the nature of his ill-health. In his physician’s statement, President Yar’Adua suffered from acute pericarditis, an inflammation of the linning surrounding the heart.
The long absence of the President has apparently heightened the apprehensions of Nigerians over the nation’s political direction and foreign policy especially in the face of united States listing Nigeria on a terriorist watch.
The unending debate over the appropriate procedure to be followed by the President before travelling out for medical treatment has remained unabated with Nigerians having divergent opinions.
Going by the 1999 constitution, the President has the obligation to write to the National Assembly for official leave, thus empowering the vice President to act pending full recuperation.
But the President has not done that resulting in different political permutations.
This flaw has given room to various political groups and eminent citizens calling for strict adherent to the provisions of the constitution. A group of legal practitioners under the auspices of lawyers of conscience have given the President till January 31 to resign or be removed by the National Assembly failing which Nigerians will be mobilized by the group to take their destiny into their hands by any legitimate means possible.
As ministers in the temple of Justice, they have a statutory obligation to critically examine the provisions of the relevant sections 144 and 146 of the 1999 constitution objectively rather than mere statement of sentiment considered on the premises of heating the polity.
But the lawyers of conscience must agree that one of the major constitutional problems of this country is the noticeable lacuna in the 1999 constitution. These Lacuna no doubt urgently needs amendment. That is why Nigerians must support the National Assembly to expedite action on the constitutional amendment process in order to address these inadequacies and Lacuna.
We shared in the view of the lawyers that Nigeria cannot be greping in the dark without effective political leader for the past one and half month. But as Nigerians, we need to collectively prays for the quick recuperation of the President and for him to return home and direct the affairs of the country.
However, it is important to evaluate the application of sections 144 and 146 of the 1999 constitution vis-a vis the illness of the President. Section 144 (1) states that the President or Vice president shall cease to hold office if by a resolution passed by two-third majority of all the members of the Executive Council of the federation it is declared that the President or Vice President is incapable of discharging the functions of his office. Section 144 (1) (b) says the declaration is verified after such medical examination as may be necessary by a medical panel established under subsection (4) of this section in its report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The medical panel to which this section relates shall be appointed by the President of the Senate and shall comprise five medical practitioners one of whom shall be the personal physician of the holder of the office of the president or Vice President.
While section 146 (1) states that the Vice president shall hold the office of President if the office of President become vacant by reason of death or resignation, impeachment permanently incapacitate or the removal of the president from office for any other reason in accordance with the relevant provisions of the constitution.
However, the pertinent question is has president Yar’Adua be found incapacitated to perform his official duties due to his illness and long absence?, Is there any laid down certification of his medical incapability to perform the functions of the office of the President? Has any Panel of medical Practitioners certified the President incapable.
Nigerians must collectively pray for good health and survival of President Yar’Adua but there is need to rise to the challenge of truly ascertaining the exact state of the President’s health.
When the true state of the President’s health is ascertain of being permanently incapable, then the vice president can assume the position of Acting President rather than some of the nation’s eminent leaders organizing rally over health matter of our President The 1999 constitution should moderate. Our collective conduct towards moving our nation forbard.
Philip-WuWu Okparaji
Politics
Senegal: Faye Set To Become Youngest Elected African President As Rival Concedes Defeat
Senegalese politician, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, (44), is set to become the youngest elected leader on the African continent.
While Faye’s main rival, Amadou Ba, from the ruling coalition had said a run-off might happen to determine the winner, at least five of the 19 candidates in the race had issued statements to congratulate Faye as of early Monday.
“For our part, and considering the feedback of the results from our team of experts, we are certain that, in the worst case scenario, we will go to a run-off,” Ba, a former Senegalese Prime Minister, had said.
But as Faye’s lead got wider, Ba called to concede victory in Sunday’s presidential elections, BBC quoted a government official to have said.
Faye’s lead had spurred his followers to troop out in celebration on the streets of the capital, Dakar, on Sunday.
Reports revealed that millions took part in a peaceful day of voting to elect Senegal’s fifth president after three years of unprecedented political turbulence that triggered violent anti-government protests and bolstered support for the opposition.
Faye is a Senegalese politician and a former tax inspector, who also served as the General Secretary of dissolved PASTEF.
He contested the highest political position in the West African country in place of disqualified candidate Ousmane Sonko.
Senegalese voters had a choice among 19 contenders to replace Sall, who is stepping down after a second term marred by unrest over the prosecution of opposition leader Sonko.
The incumbent was not on the ballot for the first time in Senegal’s history. His ruling coalition picked Ba, 62, as its candidate.
In a country of over 18 million people, 7.3 million people were registered to vote, and about 71 percent voter turnout was recorded, Senegal’s State TV reported.
Politics
Writing Judgment For Presidential Election Tribunal Allegation, FG Arraigns One
The Federal Government has arraigned one Chike Ibezim for allegedly defaming Babatunde Fashola, former Minister of Works and Housing.
Ibezim is one of three individuals who alleged that Fashola had written the judgments of the Presidential Election Petitions Court (PEPC) that dismissed the petitions by the Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ibezim was arraigned on Monday before a federal high court in Abuja on a six-count charge.
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/434/2023, borders on criminal conspiracy, cyberstalking, and defamation, among others.
The matter is before Bolaji Olajuwon and has been adjourned till April 15 for continuation of trial.
Count one of the charges reads: “That you Ibezim Chike Victor, male with Jackson Udeh, Nnamdi Emmanuel Ibezim and Reportera.ng (body corporate) now at large on or about 05/08/2023 at Abuja, did commit an illegal Act to wit: criminal conspiracy; when you jointly agreed to publish a defamatory statement of false allegations in your online social media, the reportera.ng news, against His Excellency Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN, CON, without justification, you thereby commit offence punishable under Section 27(1)(b) of the Cyber-crime Prohibition, Prevention Act 2015.”
However, Fashola said the allegation was “baseless and defamatory”.
The former minister described those behind the allegations as “agents of destabilisation”.
Politics
Soludo’s Performance Assessment, APGA Tackles LP Chieftain
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has faulted a chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), Valentine Ozigbo, over his comments that the performance of Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, after two years in office, was “not impressive.”
Mr Ozigbo, who was the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2021 Anambra State governorship election, now a chieftain of the LP, stated during an interactive session with journalists last weekend that he was not impressed about Governor Soludo’s performance and has therefore decided to contest the 2025 governorship election in the state.
He said, “We have seen the leadership of Soludo in two years, and some of you may be impressed, but I am not. After the last election in 2021, I called and wished him well and moved on, and we have never spoken again. My decision was to assess him after two years, and having seen it, I am not impressed, and I want to start holding him accountable.
“I am here to share my thoughts with you, what I think, and no matter how you see what he (Soludo) is doing, you will be more proud when I mount the saddle.
“We need to change the narrative and look for a way to survive. We must fight to rescue Anambra. I am a non-transactional politician. I have several things I can do, but my worry is how we can recover the state and put her on the path of development.
“Zoning is a good thing. But it must be combined with competence to make sense. Don’t pick a renegade just because he is from a certain zone, and don’t pick the best, when you know you can pick one that is better.”
Mr Ozigbo said further, “I respect zoning, and I will be making a case for a single term of four years. Anyone who sees what Alex Otti is doing in Abia State will know that four years is enough time to do a lot of work.
“I will honour that principle of zoning, and I will not need anyone’s push or prompting to do otherwise. I will be ready to do an agreement and do an undertaking that I will do just one term. I also wish to tell you that Peter Obi has been consistent that a southerner who emerges will only do one term.
“It is a settled matter that I intend to run for just one term. I intend to keep faith with the agreement.”
But reacting to the development in a telephone interview with The Tide’s source on Monday, APGA spokesman, Tony Olisa-Mbeki, dismissed Mr Ozigbo’s utterances, insisting he has nothing to offer the people of the state.
Mr Olisa-Mbeki said, “He is a political stooge. What could he possibly bring in? Last I checked, he only managed Transcorp Hotel. Is that a qualification to be a governor in Anambra State? Soludo runs an inclusive government in Anambra; that is why he holds town hall meetings with different sectors. What other approach to governance is Ozigbo talking about?
“Anambra State governance is not for learners like Ozigbo. Ozigbo can’t even give a good lecture; he would be better suited working as a PA to any governor. Ozigbo’s aspirations in the previous gubernatorial contest in Anambra found him trailing in third place under the banner of the PDP, despite the staunch endorsement from former APGA governor, Peter Obi.
“That alone should tell him that APGA is like an apostle’s creed to Ndi Anambra. However, what reforms could Ozigbo propose? Anambra State, under Governor Soludo’s leadership, is a testament to political and socio-economic ingenuity.”
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