CONTAINING THE UPRISING
It has always been the standard to punish crime; it is also basic in most religions that sinners would go to hell and a blunder even by one individual can defile a people. But because we do not sanction our deviants, there is this level of misdemeanour and it is going to cost us more to deal with, if government does not promptly square up with offenders. Our problems intensify because we leave the fire and chase after smoke; clearly we stand to lose everything by this approach.
Those who bombed Abuja, if indeed they were from the Niger Delta, lack wisdom because they have more at stake than others? Only key opponents of government press home their frustration, anger, impatience and discontent through an intricate agenda of malice and idiotic plots or head to court in the face of terrorism which ordinarily they should be assisting to unravel. How much of combative and derogatory remarks can we then condone from seeming 'onlookers'?
So there can be no question anymore in the unfolding drama as MEND warns Jonathan supporters to stay away from his campaign rallies. It does not require clairvoyance to see that this is certainly not about Niger Delta struggle, it is a political mission that has been paid for, to undo Mr. President and foul the atmosphere by notorious sponsors.
The security services ought to have the perpetrators within clear sights and unmask them. Where to look? Money trail, communication trail, expenditure scan of certain individuals against Jonathan, discredited cabal and those given to treasonable comments, after all 'from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh'. If they like, let them call it witch-hunt, bombing is no tea party, what has to be done must be done.
It is quite a surprise therefore, that up till this moment no one has deemed it necessary to clarify the announcement on Africa Independent Television during the Independence parade on October, 1 that Izon House, property of Bayelsa State government in Abuja, had been bombed and casualties recorded. We need to know the source of that information, perhaps it was premeditated, but did not happen and compare it with the eventual tragedy. Indeed, if that video coverage, which a number of us monitored, is tampered with then we are at liberty to conclude the obvious.
2011 seems so close, yet it is quite distant, giving ample time for committed leadership to fix Nigeria. Have you seen the movie 'the untouchables', staring Kevin Costner? Well, I make reference to it just to emphasize the need to take on the dregs in our wheel of progress at this time. A good politician does not need deception to gain advantage. In fact, to filter the entire system, including what to many, is the desirable disintegration of the PDP is much easier than it appears.
To save Nigeria, some leftover leaders must excuse us. We cannot be serious about development if all we do is aid and abet coup plotters, tolerating their insatiable appetite. Obasanjo retired soldiers who had held political office before, but the principal power usurpers remain in the council of state; we now have to reach the finish line by delisting them all, sparing perhaps only those who evolved without an overthrow. They should consider themselves lucky if they are not stripped of the GCFR title.
It is in our best interest to use people's power to effect control and change. In India, Gandhi led non violent people's resistance to chase the British away. People took over the streets of the Philippines to oust the dictator, Ferdinand Marcus. The orange revolution in Ukraine was championed by ordinary people and so too the French revolution. Today, we are securing mandates from court interventions. We cannot accept rascality in whatever form, whether militancy, coups, fanatism, criminality or terrorism.
Perpetual injunction should ordinarily have better served in prohibiting future coup adventurers rather than immune a man from prosecution.
It was so convenient for legislators to bar El-Rufai from taking any public office for 10 years because he accused them of seeking bribe from him, yet they couldn't find the consensus or the courage to forbid the involvement of anti democratic forces from participating in the process of building a new Nigeria. Didn't Babangida opt for new breed politicians some twenty years ago? Our flirtatious presidential aspirants are therefore disgraceful and akin to dogs who though despise their vomit, return to it.
MARTINS LOMBA.