NIGERIA’S PRESIDENT TO STEP ASIDE
Feb 9th, 2010 by admin
At last the ailing Nigerian President Yar adua has agreed to hand over power to the Vice president, Good Luck Jonathan. This news comes seven weeks after his absence in the country. Legal adviser to the President announced this to the BBC, reporting that the sick president would write a letter saying he was on medical vacation.The President is presently in Saudi Arabia where he is receiving treatment. The power play in Nigerian polity cannot be fully comprehended these past weeks, first it was the inner caucus coming out to say that the president was capable of ruling the country from where ever he was; he had done this while he was Governor of Katsina from May 1999 to 2007 and he can do it again. At some point, it was the issue of the South-North dichotomy, was it time for the South to take over the reins of leadership in Nigeria? Then the several demonstrations staged by interest groups protesting the vacuum created by his continued incapacitation but if truth be told how many Nigerians are really bothered about coming out to voice their opinion, simply because Nigerians are aware that it is not the interest of the people at stake but the interest of select individuals who stand to gain from the unfortunate incident. That former President, Olusegun Obasanjo even came out and insisted that the President do the honorable thing and hand over to the Vice president was news, though not particularly welcomed as most Nigerians blame him for forcing a sick man into office, it is widely known that former President Obasanjo arranged the whole thing, that the Ya radua’s presidency was a PDP arrangement.
Only, Last week the senate was still undecided on what to do, despite the current Minister for information, Dora Akunyili, submitting a memo urging the President to transmit a letter to the National Assembly to facilitate a smooth hand over and the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) giving the Vice President Good luck Jonathan seven days to take advantage of Section146 (1) of the constitution and assume the responsibility of President.
Hopefully, the Nigerian constitution will be implemented and a smooth hand over will be ensured and the Niger Delta youths and the political class in the South- South will remain silent and dialogue will persist leading Nigeria on to a path of continued stability and democracy.
Finally, the question on if Jonathan would be able to act should be put aside. He has been very cautious which has played to his advantage but he should take the bull by the horn and prepare to be president. The necessary support must be given by Nigerians and they in turn insist that he provides the needed leadership to stir the country in the right direction.