Independence Nigeria !! lets iron things out !!

According to Robert MC Namara, a former United States Secretary of Defence " Any Society that seek to achieve adequate military security against the backdrop of acute food shortages, population explosion ,low level of productivity and per capital income,low technological development,inadequate and insufficient public utilities and chronic problem of unemployment has a false sense of security"

Nigeria has not been able to surmount any of these challenges , there are too many "little" things wrong with Nigeria cumulating and snowballing into a very big problem. Nigerians are already used to most of the so called smaller problems , it is now taken as normal not to always expect constant electricity supply, it is now seen as normal for the police to extort money from motorists at gun point , brutalize and kill citizens extra judicially , corruption is seen as a norm and most people are only waiting for their turn to get there and loot the national treasure , are we all mentally corrupt? we are satisfied with mediocrity , we have simply lost it !!

Does it ever occur to anyone that every act of corruption has a far reaching negative effect on the entire Nigerian system, would it not be desirable for us to have constant electricity supply, very good roads and network, and attain a high level of infrastructural development that can compete with that of any country in the world?

“ let me restate this even more directly; no truly perceptive mind will deny that the very sight of ostentatious consumption in the midst of societay even in society that enjoys reasonable accessibility to resources is an invitation to civic unrest and even possibly- revolution"

- Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka at a public lecture to mark the 50^th anniversary of the Nigerian institute of Management (chartered) in Abuja recently

All we want is a pro active move to reverse the decay in infrastructure , most especially good roads, and ensuring the existence everything necessary to increase the living standards of the people. The Politicians are taking Nigerians for granted, milking tax payers money dry and we lack the courage to say no. why? true independence will only come when the populace gathers the courage to say "enough is enough" . if ethnic or religious differences will not allow a nationalist motivated revolution to take place then every citizens can as well take their destinies into their hands and start a regional revolution to take what we deserve.

True independence can only come with the courage to say no to the present situation !!

Happy Independence!!

Response to a Quote credited to President Goodluck Jonathan

"For too long, the international community has focused too little attention onmediation and preventive diplomacy and far too much effort and resources on military aspects of peace and security, Yet measures to address the root cause of conflict,including dialogue and mediation, can be far more effective as means to achieving sustainable peace and stability

- President Goodluck Jonathan adressing the 66th General Assembly of the United Nations in New York, on Wednesday

"Martin Luther King Jr (1929-1968) said and i quote Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."

having said that , We are aware that in certain circumstances dialogue and mediation is the best solution but in most cases when the threat is as a result of terrorist activities one should think twice.

Measures to address the root cause of the conflict should include tackling the problems of corruption and its many branches. the Government should be determined to provide the basic amenities that the citizens need, any responsible government must be able to provide Electricity, Good road, Shelter , drinkable water, Good education, Food and security to mention a few among other things for its citizens.

How does the president respond to the quote below

"Yes ,we bombed the police Headquarters in abuja, i told you earlier that when the bombing of the police Headquarters, i called the person who led the attack.I was in front of the Inspector General of Police.They asked me why we bombed the police Headquarters and i told him (IGP) in his presence that it was because of his statement in Maiduguri that the days of Boko Haram were nembered"

Co-founder of the Boko Haram Islamic sect, Aliyu Tihua on why the group bombed the police Headquarters on June 26 in Abuja during a television interview on Tuesday.

we sure need some kind of revolution in this country. how long shall we continue like this, for there to be a change, we must take action to actualize the change!!

Salami ,the NJC and kastina -Alu

Absurdity is not what we crave when we go to court or look at judges. But in Nigeria, it can be fun. Look at the evolving drama on how Governor Aliyu Wammako mounted the throne and how he has remained the kingpin of Sokoto State in the face of overwhelming illegality.
The first scene. A man belongs to a party, but PDP wheel horses call him, and say if he joins them they would flush out their craven nominee and drape him with the party ticket.
In his exuberance, he scurries to PDP secretariat, picks up a form, fills it, becomes a member. The party big wigs of PDP kick out Shagari, the authentic candidate, and make Wammako the winner. Absurd eh? He has no PDP party structure, no time to build and nurture one. He becomes popular overnight.
It turns out Wammako still belongs to another party. He is also the other party’s candidate.
Is that comedy? Hear this. He goes to the polls, wins as the candidate of PDP and becomes governor. When the matter appears in court, the absurdity is not ended. He is flushed out of power when he is attending an event of jollification outside his state. But that was a decoy. He goes to court to prove that he can contest as governor even though he starts as an illegal. He goes to the polls and wins. This same man who belongs to two parties and wins as a candidate of one.
Funny? Not enough. The matter goes to the Court of Appeal. But then, a new script is unearthed. Before the court of appeal gives judgment, the Chief Justice of the Federation asks the Court of Appeal President in a letter not to deliver judgment. The reason: it has been leaked. The petitions come from two lawyers, Alfred Agu and Mahmood Yahaya. Does the CJN investigate the matter deeply before his fingers itch to write a letter? No. A panel report says the verdict does not leak, and the CJN does not investigate the matter well. Two, what the CJN does is against the legal practice. It is not done to stop a judge on his way to delivering a judgment. The absurdity is not over, folks.
He takes the matter in the Supreme Court where he is lord of manor. The CJN is nervous. The media has shone light on this matter, and he is about to leave office. He is afraid of Salami. So he decides to “promote” him into irrelevance. Salami cries out that the man tries to stop him from delivering a verdict because he wants Wammako to remain in office. What is a CJN’s interest in whether a governor remains in power or not? Has Katsina-Alu read legal pundit John Rawl’s theory of the veil of ignorance? He needs to. It will illuminate matters of justice for him.
But the laughter is not coming to an end soon. The NBA sets up a committee to look at the matter, and it reports that Justice Salami is not in the wrong. But again the NJC sets up a committee among its members to investigate the matter. You wonder, who nominates the members of the NJC? Of course, it is Katsina-Alu, the Chief Justice of the Federation.
It is led by Justice Umaru Abdullahi. The report comes out and it says it is a fact-finding affair. Both Katsina-Alu and Salami are at each other’s throat, and the result says no one is at fault. But it agrees that the verdict does not leak. Is it not because of the leak that the CJN forestalls the verdict? So, how can he be innocent who stops a judgment on false premise? He commits two absurdities. He does not establish a substantial proof but he averts a judgment. Two, stopping the verdict is an aberration for an institution that lives on precedents. Maybe Katsina-Alu thinks himself a revolutionary, another absurd possibility. Revolutionaries act on matters of fundamental principles. Not the sort in which the CJN traffics. He is not even an avenging angel of technicality.
Obviously, someone must have erred. A reconciliation committee also issues a report that Salami did not commit anything wrong. Is that not a vicarious indictment of the man on top, that is, the CJN? From the facts on the table, it is not the fault of the accused but the accuser. It has turned out that the accuser is the one who should be accused. That is why I have asked here in this column two times: what manner of chief justice?
But the absurd drama is not over. After the Abdullahi panel, another scene. Enter the Ibrahim Auta panel. This is the latest absurdity. In this case, just as the CJN defied precedent and law by forestalling a verdict, the NJC has asked a junior judge to preside over the case of his seniors. Is this not funny? Is this not a way to make mincemeat of Auta, to make him a sort of judicial pariah? Is this not an act of desperation? Note that the NJC is CJN’s baby, and the man who presides over it in CJN’s absence is Justice Dahiru Musdapher, his heir apparent, the man who already testifies in favour of Katsina-Alu, another absurdity. I also wonder if they are setting up Auta for a fall!
Justices ought to understand that they are a crucial part of this democracy. They remind me of a book I read in my days at the University of Toronto in 1992. It is called Law’s Empire, by Ronald Dworkin, one of the greatest law scholars of the 20th century. The title fascinates me as much as the content. So I wonder whether some judges see the universe of our courts and law as their empires. So they are our emperors of law. What Dworkin meant by the title is that law is an empire which should be more powerful than the court, and no judge should profit from his own wrong. Hope our judges will not imitate the words of Balzac: “the more one judges, the less one loves.” nice piece by Sam Omatseye

on Vanguard

RE :We Stand by our Decision on Salami –NJC

RE :We Stand by our Decision on Salami –NJC

When I saw the caption above on the pages of the September 6^th edition of the vanguard Newspaper ,I was filled with anger and wonder what kind of country we live in where the powerful minority have formed a disgraceful habit of taking the passive though vocal majority for granted.

The NJC are out to defend their unpopular decision to suspend and even end the career of the President of Court of Appeal, justice Ayo Salami for what they termed as his violation of the code of conduct of judicial officers. In a shameful display of their orchestrated plans to finally get rid of salami .

The Director of administration one Mr E.I Odukwu spoke with gentle men of the press ,issuing a statement entitled “National Judicial Council and its powers under the 1999 constitution: setting the records straight”, dismissed allegations of judicial witch-hunt against Justice Salami, arguing that all the parties in the matter were accorded fair hearing by the investigative panels that looked into allegations of judicial malpractices leveled against the suspended PCA and the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu.

Odukwu contended that the suspension slammed against the embattled PCA would remain legally valid considering that “the NJC is the highest statutory judicial administrative body created among others, under section 153 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended.”

The NJC termed the supporters of Salami as pro-Salami Group and also labeled the lawyers who spoke on the matter as biased people who are out to misinform the public.

I will like to raise a few simple points here, simple enough for the self righteous men of the NJC to digest

1. Was the NJC right to have recommended the suspension of Justice Ayo Salami when the Matter was already in a court of Law? Was this not a breach of the Rule of Law by those who are supposed to protect it?

2 It is a notorious fact that the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu. With the NJC at his disposal attempted to “Post” Justice Ayo Salami (a serving President of the court of Appeal to the Supreme Court ,.an unprecedented act of disguised demotion done in bad faith(obviously) and a taboo to those those who has penetrated the inner shrine of the Nigerian Judiciary. This is not only a glaring display of judicial recklessness but an outright violation of the code of conduct of a judicial officer . Obviously the Former CJN was acting a script to get rid of the Justice Ayo Salami at that point exploring all possibilities. I would have expected Him to be told to apologies to the Justice Ayo Salami and the Entire Judiciary.

The NJC as it is presently constituted are championing a cause that is not only unpopular among the generality of Nigerians but disgracefully engaging in what can be termed as a strategic misrepresentation of issues raised against the Suspension of Justice Ayo Salami. The NJC is supposed to be a judicial council made up of principled men not a coven where wicked souls acts according to the dictates of some satanic plot to ensure that Justice and logical reasoning does not prevail.

Prominent Quotes on Justice Ayo Salami issue

1. The Action congress has debunked the allegation by the presidency that the clout for the re-instatement of the president of the court of Appeal, is partisan saying there are plethora of comments on the same issue by many eminent Nigerians . There are many quotes indicating that the removal of Justice Ayo Salami as president of the court of Appeal is illegal.

   Individuals and groups who have a record of standing up for truth have all commented on the controversial removal of Justice Ayo Salami. - ACN Action Congress of Nigeria

2. “ Justice salami has not resigned as president of the court of apeeal and the president cannot adopt the recommendation of a kangaroo NJC without the express address of two-third of the senate" -Osita Okechukwu,National publicity secretary,CNPP
3. "What the NJC did constitute a great assault on the rule of law.for those sitting on the top hierarchy of the judiciary to resort to self-help is judicial lawlessness"- Prof Itse Sagay (SAN) Front line constitutional Lawyer
4. "Under section 238 of the constitution, if the office of the president of the court of appeal becomes vacant, the president of Nigeria shall appoint the most senior justice of the court of appeal to perform those functions pending the appointment of the president of the court by directing the most senior justice of the court of appeal top take over the functions of the office of the president of the court of appeal, the national judicial council has usurped the powers of the president of Nigeria, the action of the NJC is ultra –vires"- Femi falana, ex-president, west African Bar Association
5. "It is a matter of great regret and shame that the judicial organization of the calibre of the NJC can ride roughshod over the processes of a court of law. The implication for the Nigerian Judicial process is catastrophic. if not remedied, we are witnessing the slide into anarchy and lawlessness, which history will record as having been fired up by the judiciary. We shall not sit idly by and watch our profession ridiculed and brought into disrepute in the public domain nowhere in section 158 of the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria allows t5he NJC to proceed with the action it took regardless of the pendency of court proceedings.” Joseph Bodunrin Daudu (SAN) president NBA
6. "We strongly call on the Federal Government to take a second look at its decision on the recommendations of the NJC with a view to retracing its steps and allow due process of law to run its full course in the citadel of justice. Let justice prevail." -Comrade Abdulwhaeed Omar,President NLC

7. "The Decision taken by the NJC are improper illegal, self- destructive, ill-advised. counter –productive ,irresponsible and unconstitutional"- Professor Wole Soyinka,Nobel laureate

8. "I believe, However, Salami is more right than the Former CJN.it seems to me in setting his score with Salami ,the Former CJN deployed his near absolute power with little or no discretion that the use of such power requires. Above all, The NJC was obviously wrong to use the outcome of the report of the panel it set up to look into the quarrel between the CJN and Salami as a basis of accusing him of perjury and proceeding from there to recommend his sack in the guise of “suspension” to the president. Perjury is a matter for the courts to determine and the NJC is no court" - Mohammed Haruna Columnist
9. "NJC ‘s action is destructive and unacceptable "–Boma Ozobia President of the commonwealth Lawyers Association
10. "We have been watching with keen interest the ongoing assault on our judiciary by forces inimical to the sustenance of the rule of law and justice in our country .in view of this,we unequivocally call on the president Jonathan to reverse the so-called suspension of the PCA as it is destructive to out nation. we cannot understand why the NJC took a decision on a matter that is before a competent court of law. It is unfortunate that the NJC,which is supposed to be the major defender of the rule of law and justice ,is using its hands to machete the sanctity of the judiciary"- Comrade Dauda Mohammed ,President-elect NANS
11. "The presidents Action is a clear impeachable offence" –CPC
12. "The suspension of salami is a culmination of a Kabukabu dance, the judiciary has forced the country to watch for the past six months and a blithe disregard for the public confidence and trust in the legal system of the whole country"- Anthony Sani Public secretary ACF
13. "What we are seeing is the impunity associated with the peoples Democratic party ,Jonathan is an off-shoot of Obasanjo who was an imperial president in his own time, How could eight members of a 23-member body ever form a quorum ? Without doubt. President Jonathan was enthusiastic in implementing the illegal action because he is the greatest beneficiary of this malfeasance" – Rotimi Fashakin National Publicity secretary ,CPC
14. "one is alarmed that in spite of all the problems facing us as a nation, like insecurity and poverty ,with a lightning speed, the president went ahead to uphold this lawlessness and illegality and judicial gangster ism by NJC by appointing Adamu in an acting capacity" -Dr Joe Okei Odumakin, President Campaign For democracy
15. "We are against this development. we see it as a way of ridiculing the judiciary.the government and the NJC are doing this to please those who want Salami to be removed because they are not pleased with some of the steps he had taken" - Mashood Erubami, Chairman TMG.
16. "Salami's land mark judgments and decisions were very bold especially in the election cases,some of them are the sources of the problem he is having today." -Okey Wali (SAN) Former Attorney General , Rivers state
17. "Salami is not guilty. " i have passed through that route before . Salami is being persecuted.They don't want him at the appeal court because of the election petitions. They want somebody with soft touch ,so they can rig elections.i have asked lawyers. judges,students my in-law, and they all said salami is a man of integrity"- Prof .Tam David , former minister of petroleum.

September 11 style terror attack and the Boko Haram threat.

Boko Haram is an Islamist extremist group. It has been responsible for an increased number of terrorist attacks across the north and attacked the National Police Force Headquarters in central Abuja on 16 June 2011 , At approximately 10:20 AM local time on 26 August there was an explosion at the UN building in the diplomatic sector in Abuja. According to media reports, Boko Haram have claimed responsibility for the attack. Official sources have reported 23 casualties. Many more are reported injured. media reports has it that individuals claiming to represent the Islamist group have issued threats to continue their attacks but the question is where next? Reports also has it that they have also threatened to attack Aso rock a threat that might have prompted President Goodluck Jonathan to bring in Isreali intelligence to take over the security "business" of the presidential villa is this enough to stop an Hijacked plane crashing into Aso Rock?

The Possibility of a Plan by Boko Haram to Hijack and execute a (9/11) September 11 style Terror attack in Nigeria should not be waived aside , while the Government and its agencies are busy doing the talking on the pages of Newspapers affirming and reaffirming what they intend to do, Boko Haram sect members are busy planning their next attack. The million Dollar question is how competent is our airports/managements of airlines in their ability to handle security issues relating to the prevention of a possible plane hijack in Nigeria. The security agencies and operators of Airlines should ensure that there is adequate security is beefed up at the airport and that all passengers are seriously screened with a view to forestalling any possible plan to hijack aircraft for the purpose of Suicide crash like that of September 11 2001 in The United states of America .

And for the benefit of those who needs to know, there has been a case of a successful hijack of a plane in Nigeria carried out by Nigerian citizens asking for the actualisation of June 12 election. In 1993 , in the heat of June 12 crises ,four armed teenagers hijacked a Nigerian Airways jet ,Airbus A310 and directed the Plane to land in Niger republic, they armed claimed to be representing the interest of Movement for the advancement of Democracy .

Back to 2011 and while having the recent development in Mind and also the 9/11 attack of the United States. What if the Boko Haram sects gets desperate enough to want to make an attempt on the president, what if they decide to hijack a plane and simply direct the pilot to crash it on Aso Rock,a Government house or an embassy of a foreign country in Nigeria, there is media reports that individuals claiming to represent Boko Haram have issued threats to continue their attacks, including major cities and the most daring threat being a Plan to attack Aso Rock Villa!!

In trying to suppress Terrorism Security agents should not rely only on stop and stop and search for motor vehicles alone, all possibilities must be considered including a possible hijack and use of Aircrafts to carry out attacks.

All commercial Airlines plying International and Domestic routes must therefore beef up security to prevent any possible hijack, All Military Aircrafts must be heavily guarded to prevent possible use since record has it that not all military personnel is to be trusted as some are sympathetic to the activities of the Boko Haram Fundamentalists.

Nigerian citizens should also be advised to exercise caution and observe vigilance at all times, and report suspicious movements particularly in areas where there are political or other large public gatherings. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including government and security institutions, international organizations as well as public areas such as markets, hotels, shopping centers, places of worship, Airports and other areas frequented by expatriates and foreign travelers.

The Overall security consciousness of the Average Nigerian must be at the highest level, we need Intelligent people in the Police, the Military more importantly the state security service and the Military intelligence Agency. A word is enough for the wise. So help us God.

Written by Felix George skyce34@yahoo.com