What Does Obasanjo Stand To Gain From The Anambra Crises?

What Does Obasanjo Stand To Gain From The Anambra Crises?

By

Paul I Adujie

New York, United States

May be I am naive? How could President Obasanjo really benefit from the crises in Anambra state? The godfather Mr. Uba is said to be related to the president through marriage and Dr. Ngige was elected on the PDP party platform, how would crises in a PDP controlled stated benefit the president, a defacto head of PDP party? And more importantly, why would the president want a cascading and spiraling crises in any state in Nigeria, regardless of party affiliation? Would the president not have to consider the far reaching implications, possible consequences of reverberations? Why would the president engage in such inimical actions?



What have been alleged by pro-Ngige critics of President Obasanjo, clearly defies all logic! Their accusations against the president rings hollow and emotional, it is, in all probabilities, just rumors and speculations that have gone out of control. It clearly does not make any sense for the president to foment trouble or these sorts of intrigues in a state controlled or dominated by the PDP, which is the case in both the state executive and legislative branches of Anambra government. A scenario cast in another state, controlled by an opposition party governor, could have been plausibly possible, and such intrigue will be criminal as well, but at least, the logic of such, would be that, Aso Rock is trying to cause crises in states not controlled by the PDP, in order to make such state an easy win, in the next elections or perhaps cause impeachment of a sitting governor, if there was the possibility of a gubernatorial bye-election and the success of a PDP candidate was assured.



President Obasanjo or any logical thinker can see that there is no gain or benefit to be derived in instigating political crises in Anambra state. It is becoming clearer by the minute, that those with preconceived notions about the president, are cashing-in on the Anambra crises, to reinvigorate their doom and gloom predictions and predilections, while heaping invectives at the president's office, demeaning his person, just as they forecast the end the entity, Nigeria.



Why would the president seek the breakdown of the rule of law, thereby seeking, unwittingly, the anarchy that would be inevitable? It is confounding that Dr. Ngige is now, suddenly calling on the public to protect the constitution, the rule of law and democracy, when all he has even done to these concepts, is visit them with his "faithful infidelities" Dr. Ngige dined with the devil and sowed flatulence laden ill-wind, he is reaping the whirlwind of his obnoxious deals with Mr. Uba.



Dr. Ngige should not come out of all of these as a hero or matyr, instead, he should receive censure and opprobrium from all and sundry; Mr. Uba and his supporters do not deserve any praise from anyone, but, it must be remembered clearly, that it was Dr. Ngige who engaged the services of his political godfather, a godfather who saw his sponsorship Dr. Ngige's governorship efforts, as simply a profitable investment, now he wants a return on his investment, he want the enforcement of his contract with Ngige, we should blame Ngige for entering the sort of contract with Mr. Uba, in the first place.



Nigerians appear to be willing to forgive and forget Dr. Ngige's ignominous role in bringing about the ceaseless crises in Anambra state; Instead, some Nigerians have picked an easy target, the president. This was the same attitude exhibited by some, during the debate on the introduction of Sharia laws and rules in some states, I recall how some Nigerians wanted the president to go into such states and just clamp down on the initiators of Sharia system of laws.



We live a in democratic system and in a federation, there is supposed to a modicum of respect for the individual political component parts of the federation, this is not a unitary military government, during which a national leader proclaims and acts as the lord and master of all political divisions, nationwide. Why do some Nigerians continue to persist in the old and bad habit of demanding direct micro-management from the president, federal government, in every local and state issue? It is time for Nigerians to stop demanding democracy with all democratic attributes, while constantly demanding arbitrary actions reminiscent of the military.



Oh, how I wish it was legal, to make matadors out of Uba and Ngige, and compel them to face each other at a market square to slug it out with one another, for the entertainment of all! Instead of continuing to be enemies of development and progress for Anambra state, and by extension and reverberations, they are stultifying the development and progress of Nigeria. Enough.



"We cannot bring ourselves to consider some media speculations that the Presidency may have been working at cross-purposes with the interests of the people of our state by fuelling one or two misunderstandings" in Anambra state Barrister Igboanu on behalf of Anambra state women, wrote on Friday January 8, 2003 in a Nigerian newspaper, my sentiments exactly.



Why is Nigeria rife with these speculations or rumors? Just because the president has not resorted to direct interventions or some other forms of gra~gra, in reasonable deference to states' rights, his deference does not mean that he is not concerned or worse, that he has engineered the crises. Blame Ngige, then Uba!

Jan 2004