ShortStory I Decisive Decision (II)

                          DECISIVE DECISION (II)

        In 2005, which marked the end of his first tenure, Chief Dele Adelakun was determined to re-contest for a second-term in office as the extant law permitted having made his intention known to the members of the party as well as the electorate. Hence, he gained the support and encouragement of virtually all citizens of Ojeiran Local Government Area (LGA) owing to his tremendous and overwhelming performance during his first term. Consequently, he re-emerged victoriously during his party’s primary election thereby placing him as the party’s flag-bearer in the area.

        On a very sad note, on Sunday, 11^th September 2005 just less than eight weeks to the election, something unimaginable and horrific transpired. At the night of that very day, around 8:30pm to be precise, Chief Adelakun – ‘the People’s Choice’ as he was fondly addressed, was brutally murdered alongside his driver in his black Range Over Jeep while returning home as soon as he finished attending to a very crucial meeting involving leadership of his party in his office. Ascertaining the assassins or persons behind the bloody killing remained far-fetched and a mirage to the Police fraternity.

        His party, Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) was left with no other choice than to provide a substitute as their flag-bearer as the awaited election, which was scheduled for Saturday, November 5, 2005, was already by the corner. So, they had to organize a primary election for other interested members of the party.

         Fortunately, Chief Abiodun Olatunji emerged victoriously. Chief Olatunji was the runner-up to the late Chief Adelakun during the previous primary election of the party that produced the deceased as the party’s flag-bearer for his second term bid.

         In one month’s time, the LG polls took place as planned and amazingly, Chief Olatunji won the election. No doubt, his anticipated victory was not unconnected with the fact that his party, CDC remained the greatest as at then coupled with the remarkable footprints his immediate predecessor, Chief Adelakun left behind.

       It suffices to say that the electorate were of the indisputable view that CDC was determined and consistent in producing sincere and distinguished individuals as its flag-bearers. According to them, such tradition as presumed was an uncompromising principle as well as the watchword of the political party in question. Thus, they sheepishly concluded that any aspirant coming under the aegis of the party was definitely flawless.

         On the contrary, Chief Olatunji’s administration was completely opposite that of his immediate predecessor, that, the people’s optimism faded up. In the first and second years of his tenure, nothing new was done or implemented in the whole of the LGA and the worst was that maintenance culture was thrown to the waste bin. Rather than doing the needful, Chief Olatunji was obviously busy enriching himself and his entire household.

         As a result of Chief Olatunji’s nonchalant and lackadaisical attitudes toward good governance, there were speculations and insinuation among the people of the area that he could be responsible for Chief Adelakun’s demise, but there was no tangible proof to nail him down even though it was apparent.

         The most interesting aspect of the ordeal was that, the electorate learnt a lesson that a political party wasn’t meant to be dependable or reckoned with by the people during any electioneering era when it called for good governance; rather, whom the party uses as its flag-bearer.  
         In view of the lofty observation, they concluded that they were supposed to concentrate mainly on the antecedents and accomplishments, or the individuality of the aspirants, instead of laying emphasis on the political party they intended to contest under. Needless to say; Chief Olatunji’s misdeed served as a deterrent as well as an endpoint to their longed nurtured fallacy.

          Subsequently, the people were placed on an untold hardship that they were pushed to make a decisive decision. Hence, the leaders among the electorate with the consent of the entire electorate forwarded a Vote of No-Confidence on Chief Olatunji to the Legislative Council of the local government.

         After all the consequential investigations carried out by the ad-hoc Committee set up by the local parliament, a unanimous motion was moved by the majority of the members of the council for immediate removal of the alleged culprit from office for gross-misconduct and misappropriation of funds.

         In consequence to this development, a letter of impeachment was served on Chief Abiodun Olatunji. Furthermore, precisely on Wednesday, 17^th October 2007, almost two years of his stay in office as the Executive Chairman of Ojeiran LGA, he was successfully and duly impeached by the parliament, thereby authorising his Deputy to take over as the Acting Chairman prior to when he would be duly sworn in substantively.

         Few days later, he was arrested and thereafter arraigned by the country’s anti-graft agency. It’s noteworthy that he was eventually sentenced for twenty years for gross misconduct.

        The rest is history, please.

FDN Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub (DRH) - Owerri

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frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056

Twitter: @mediambassador

Opinion II Have You Collected Your PVC?

HAVE YOU COLLECTED YOU PVC?

        

The last time I checked, we were at the peak of the pre-electioneering era that everyone needed not to be told or reminded that he/she was meant to fasten the seat-belt towards averting any form of carnage.

        

Here in Imo, the Eastern Heartland, the story isn’t different. This is the reason you would observe that every dick and harry has inadvertently become perturbed as regards what the next second entails.

         

In every facet of the state, even in the market arena, the story remains the same. One may ask; what is the story in question? It is nothing but the fact that we are fast approaching yet another set of general elections, which is expected to take place across the federation.

        

Constitutionally, in any democratic terrain, elections can never be overridden by anything whatsoever. This implies that such a factor is invariably regarded as supreme by any sane and rational citizen, be it a leader or follower.

        

In the same vein, traditionally, it’s pertinent to acknowledge that there is a scenario that usually heralds any electioneering period. The preliminary era remains registration for, and collection of, voter’s card by every eligible citizen of the affected country or state, as the case may be.

        

But, who is an ‘eligible citizen’ as mentioned above? An eligible citizen in this case is no other than someone who is constitutionally empowered to vote or be voted for. As it is enshrined in the 1999 Nigeria’s Constitution, as amended, any Nigerian citizen who has attained the age of eighteen (18) has the power to cast a vote for any contestant and equally possess the right to aspire for some certain political positions.

         

However, it’s equally imperative to note that there’s a tool or device that authorizes any eligible citizen to cast his or her vote at the polls. The device is the voter’s card otherwise known and addressed as Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC). In other words, one without the PVC is not expected to be anywhere near a given polling unit let alone casting a vote for a candidate of his/her choice.

        

It’s indeed disheartening and mind-boggling that in spite of the high level of awareness so far created by countless civil society groups such as the revered Right Thinkers Movement, among others, thousands of Nigerians – Imolites in particular – are yet to collect, or even register for, their PVCs.

       

One would then wonder how they intend to effect the change they are clamouring for come 2019. It’s not anymore news that most of these Imolites are at the moment found in various quarters across the state and beyond discussing politics and governance, still virtually all cannot boast of the device that would guarantee them access to cast their votes at the polls. It suffices to assert that such persons have no electoral value. How do you reconcile this?

         

The news that got to my desk recently has it that about 480,000 PVCs are yet to be collected from the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) domiciled in the state. Funnily enough, the irony of the anomaly is that most of those uncollected PVCs ostensibly belong to the Imolites who have been making the greatest noise in regard to the impending elections.

        

You are unequivocally really deceiving yourself if by now you are yet to collect, or even register for, your PVC but you are deeply involved in the ongoing politicking or political brouhaha within the state. The truth is that you are not only deceiving yourself but perhaps also causing untold hardship for your entire generation.

          

The INEC had earlier informed the general public that registration cum collection of PVCs would be suspended as from Friday, 17^th August 2018. This is why the electoral umpire kept its offices open even during the weekends to enable everyone, irrespective of his/her nature of work, go for the collection of their PVCs. But despite all these measures, thousands of PVCs are still reportedly lying at the various offices of the INEC. Who is deceiving who?

         

Acknowledging the unfortunate situation, the INEC has graciously extended the registration cum collection period to 31st August 2018d 2018 with a view to ensuring that no excuse is further given by anyone as regards collection of, or registration for, their PVCs.

         

If you have registered before now but had lost or misplaced yours, you are supposed to walk up to any INEC quarters nearest to you and renew your registration as well as collect the PVC without much ado. You are equally required to conscientize others close to you or in your neighbourhood, such as friends, relatives, colleagues, associates and what have you, to follow suit for their own good.

          

Imolites and Nigerians in general ought to, therefore, avail themselves this golden opportunity towards doing the needful. They must understand that the power to usher in a better tomorrow strictly and solely lies in their hands. But it’s pathetic that they cannot exercise such power if they lack their respective PVCs.

        

On their part, the leadership of the various Imo women’s groups should also use the ongoing August Meeting in their various communities to sensitize their colleagues on the need not to relent with regard to registering and collecting their PVCs.

         

As I appreciate the INEC for this extension, I’m equally urging the governments at all levels to within their powers endeavour to provide mobility for the sake of those who cannot afford the transit that would convey them to the INEC offices in their respective jurisdictions.

       

All in all, the truth of the matter is that whatever change we, individually or collectively, yearn for begins from now and with us. Think about it!

Comrade FDN Nwaozor

National Coordinator, Right Thinkers Movement

_________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056

Twitter: @mediambassador            

            

Opinion II When Lawmakers Become Lawbreakers

WHEN LAWMAKERS BECOME LAWBREAKERS

        

The last time I checked, various legislatures across the contemporary Nigerian society had in one occasion or the other violated or broken the law which they are bound to safeguard.

        

The most popular phenomenon in this regard is impeachment saga, which has abruptly become a norm. Currently, one would hardly wake without hearing that a certain state assembly speaker alongside other principal officers of the House is about to be impeached, or has already been shown the way out, probably for a frivolous or selfish purpose.

         

Sometimes you would hear that a particular deputy governor or even a governor is passing through suchlike fate or ordeal in the hands of the legislators. This uncultured practice has continued unabated that most concerned Nigerians have wondered if the so-called impeachment process took place during the midnight at one of the lawmakers’ abode.

          

The Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, as amended – likewise the laws of the various states – categorically stipulates the procedure through which any intending impeachment could be actualized, but it’s very baffling that some so-called lawmakers would wake one morning to inform the general public that they had ‘successfully’ impeached the governor, deputy governor, or speaker, as the case may be.

           

Funnily enough, the clerk of the affected house would welcome or assent to such unconstitutional and nauseous conduct, thus agree to swear-in the beneficiaries of the baseless impeachment who had claimed to have taken over the leadership of the assembly.   

         

The most recent of the unfortunate circumstance were the ones that transpired in Benue, Imo and Kano States. Pitiably, like what happened in Enugu State barely few years ago in the case of the former Deputy Governor of the state, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, the judiciary – owing to prolonged delay in prosecution – would only reverse such wrongful act after the tenure of the affected officer has elapsed.

          

This, therefore, implies that there’s a compelling need to strengthen the country’s judiciary in its entirety. There ought to be duration for any ongoing prosecution irrespective of the circumstance. The prosecution of a certain lawsuit should be meant to constitutionally last within a stipulated period of time. Such approach would tremendously save plaintiffs from unsolicited prolonged wait.

        

Aside impeachment, sometimes you would observe the lawmakers acting funny such as dodging a certain plenary, indulgence in a fracas,  and creation of inconsequential factions, among other forms of contempt.

          

A legislature is the lawmaking ambit of a political unit that has power to amend and repeal public policies. It’s an assembly of persons that makes statutory laws for a municipality, state, or nation, as might be the case.

         

A legislative body constitutionally deserves to be well respected in any society where it exists because it creates a complex interaction between its individual members, committees, political parties, rules of parliamentary procedure and informal norms.

         

A legislature is the embodiment of the doctrine of popular sovereignty, which recognizes that the people are the source of all political powers. In advanced democracies, citizens choose via popular votes the persons that would serve them as their legislators or representatives because they understand the sensitive nature of a legislator’s responsibilities.

         

The representatives are expected to be sensitive to the needs of their constituents and to represent their common interest in the legislature, thus they need to take cognizance of the people’s feelings regarding any action they intend to carry out.

         

In view of these facts, the legislators at all levels who are expected to control, criticize, supervise and scrutinize the administration or activities of the executive as well as influence the policies of the government aren’t meant to at all cost indulge in any thought, action or inaction that would attract public criticism or condemnation.

         

The existing political parties that remain the primary political homes of these lawmakers have a very vital role to play in this aspect since every legislator is an affiliate of a certain party. It’s their duty to call any of their members to order when the need arises, make them acknowledge that they are not just representing their respective constituencies but also the party as well as suspend them indefinitely if need be.

         

The lawmakers ought to be the first class constitution activists, thus the constitution should always guide every move they make, their utterances and how they relate with the public. They are invariably expected to speak unanimously because the same tool or principle is guiding them.

          

It’s noteworthy that due to their inability to establish one voice in most occasions, their positions are often abused by the members of the executive arm, thereby ridiculing their stance or immunity.

         

We need to wake up from our slumbers. It’s high time we told ourselves nothing but the gospel truth. Our democracy has suffered an untold hardship because we refuse to face the reality. The reality remains that every democratic state must be guided or controlled by the language of the constitution. The rule of law must be observed as a priority, hence shouldn’t be maltreated by anyone in a position of authority.

          

Why would you attempt to break what you took your precious time to make, rather than safeguarding it? Think about it!

Comrade FDN Nwaozor

National Coordinator, Right Thinkers Movement

_________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Twitter: @mediambassador