| | | | | an assistant cannot be greater than his/her boss. |
| Fellow Nigerians, it is indeed wonderful that the latest | | | | I think for what Professor Akunyili |
| doctrine in political science and public administration: "the | | | | has done, she would have resigned by now. You |
| doctrine of necessity" is originating from our country. | | | | cannot fundamentally disagree with a cabinet and still |
| Truly, the feeling across the world is that Nigerians are | | | | remain part of it. For instance, when Collin Powel, the |
| capable of doing anything; ranging from the good, the | | | | former American Secretary States disagreed with |
| bad and to the ugly. | | | | ex-President Bush, over the Iraq war, the next thing he |
| Here in Nigeria and as it is of common knowledge or | | | | did was to resign honourably. The same thing |
| allegedly so, armed robbers turn to vultures to escape | | | | happened in Britain as minister after minister resigned |
| arrest. In Nigeria also, grandmothers steal babies and | | | | from Prime Minister Tony Blair's cabinet in protest over |
| boldly claim a miracle; or where else than in Nigeria will | | | | the inability of the Prime Minister to provide evidence |
| somebody be banished from his father land in this | | | | of the substantial weapons of mass destruction |
| modern times because he was accused of practicing | | | | allegedly stockpiled by Saddam Hussein and which |
| witchcraft. Nigeria is the country where the very old, | | | | was the justification for the war initially. |
| both men and women engage in drug trafficking as a | | | | While it is true that the President is |
| function of sudden riches syndrome. It is equally the | | | | sick and frankly, the nation cannot be at a standstill but |
| land where old men marry upwards of 84 wives | | | | such situations should not be used as an opportunity |
| without let or hindrance in the name of religion. Nigeria | | | | for cheap political grandstanding. If Yar'Adua didn't |
| is a land full of kidnappers and a place where people | | | | appoint the Honourable Minister in the first place, I am |
| do all forms of treachery and subtlety for selfish gains. | | | | sure the issue of ‘memoring' the Federal Executive |
| Nigeria is a plain of acronyms like 419, OBT i.e. obtaining | | | | Council wouldn't arise. The simple logic is that as a |
| by tricks and more…it is a country noted for sharp | | | | team, the FEC must speak with one voice and they |
| practices and every form of corruption in Africa…a | | | | must either sail or sink together. No member should by |
| country that is always on the margins of greatness. | | | | any means, try to exonerate himself or herself. |
| Notwithstanding though, she is still a great country that | | | | Though, I disagree with the intent |
| has produced great men and women; a country | | | | of the famous memo that has been ignored; yet, I think |
| blessed with abundant human and natural resources | | | | it finds solace in the new doctrine of necessity. |
| but the sad tales will never end. | | | | Despite the fact that some may |
| Fellow Nigerians, do you know we are marvellously | | | | disagree but in my opinion, I think that the problem of |
| favoured? And you may ask how? Now let me state | | | | Nigeria is not Yar'Adua but the hopeless system or |
| that for reasons best known to God, Nigeria sits on | | | | scheme of things whose watchword is acting under |
| the stool of calmness and this is in the sense that | | | | pressure and according to the President of the |
| nature spares it of terrible disasters despite the | | | | Senate, David Mark, "the doctrine of necessity requires |
| mounting iniquities of the inhabitants. Some people | | | | that we do what is necessary when faced with a |
| blame the Haitians for practicing voodoo but here in | | | | situation that was not contemplated by the |
| Nigeria iniquities worse than voodoo are on daily | | | | constitution." |
| occurrence yet the entire heaven and earth continue | | | | But is this true in the case of |
| to ignore. | | | | Yar'Adua? Sections 144 and 145 of the constitution |
| In addition, Nigerians are fond of copying but the tragic | | | | say otherwise. In fact, section 145 of the constitution is |
| irony is that we copy only the wrong things. Nigerians | | | | very clear on how a vice president can begin to act |
| are also terrified about resignation; the dread it so | | | | as president and the Senate, constitutionally, cannot |
| much and for reasons only God knows. Recently, the | | | | empower the vice President as such. |
| Honourable Minister of Information, Professor Akunyili, | | | | According to the constitution, if the |
| ‘memoed' the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on | | | | President is proved to be incapacitated, it is the FEC |
| the necessity to empower Vice President Jonathan so | | | | that will evoke section 144 by declaring the President |
| that he can begin to function as the acting president | | | | incapacitated and informing the National Assembly to |
| given the President's health condition that has kept him | | | | set up a medical panel pursuant to that declaration. In |
| out of Nigeria since November last year. | | | | view of this therefore, it is clear that with the resolution, |
| Some have described that as a | | | | the Senate is trying to provide a political solution to a |
| bold move, many have even congratulated her, | | | | constitutional problem but I am not surprised due to the |
| describing her with superlatives only the angels | | | | fact that the National Assembly has been unable to |
| deserve. But that is the Nigerian mentality. | | | | conclude the constitutional review/amendment for |
| Granted, the Honourable Minister | | | | inexplicable reasons. |
| has the freedom of expression as guaranteed by the | | | | Certainly, I am not against vice |
| constitution and in fairness to her, she has proved her | | | | President Jonathan acting as President, nor do I bear |
| mettle in her various callings and we can see how she | | | | any grudge against the Minister, Senate or anybody, |
| has been pursuing the re-branding campaign with all | | | | rather I am lamenting the terrible Nigerian system that |
| her energy but with the spectacular memo she is | | | | thrives on political expediency and I wish that the |
| wrong and I arrived at this conclusion for the fact that | | | | so-called doctrine of expediency will be extended to |
| in every ship there is always one captain whether sick | | | | other crucial areas like the state of the economy, the |
| or healthy and for the ship to function very well, there | | | | passing of the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill, anti |
| must be cohesion among the crew. On the other hand, | | | | corruption campaign etc. |