JAPAN HAS A NEW EMPEROR: HURRAY!

ICHEOKU says a country steeped in traditions dating back thousands of years and still proudly holding on to them, has transitioned into a new Reiwa era with a new emperor. Emperor Naruhito takes over from his retired father and former Emperor Akihito as the 126th Emperor and successor to the Chrysanthemum Royal Throne of Japan, founded in 660 BC and reputedly the world's longest lasting hereditary monarchy that has remained unbroken for more than two thousands years. 

He is 59 years old and ascended to the throne following his father's abdication due to failing old age. This now leaves British Queen Eliza as the oldest monarch in the world who has refused to yield the crown, thus left Prince Charles wondering what he did wrong. Even Pope Benedict abdicated the papacy to make way for Pope Francis to step in. 

The new Emperor said that he will follow in his father's foot steps and make the pursuit of peace and staying close to his subjects his cardinal aspiration. According to him, a leader should always be praying for peace and sharing joys and sorrows of his people, while also showing compassion. In his own words, Emperor Naruhito said, "When I think about the important responsibility I have assumed, I am filled with a sense of solemnity. I sincerely pray for the happiness of the people and the further development of the nation as well as the peace of the world. 

Japan a purely male dominant society, where masculinity exemplified in the Samurai warrior tradition, still reigns supreme; the reason their society is efficiently run and functionally top notch. His wife and daughter, Empress Masako and daughter, 17-year-old Princess Aiko were not allowed to witness his investiture ceremony, which only adult male members of the Royal Family participated in. He was given a mirror, a sword and a gem as symbols of his new authority; centuries old ritual empowerment symbols which has not left the Japanese Royal family since its inception. 

The new Emperor has no son of his own and by extension has no direct heir apparent; making his younger brother, Crown Prince Akishino, 53, and the brother's 12-year-old son, his nephew, Prince Hisahito, both line successors to the Chrysanthemum Throne. His daughter, 17 year old Princess Aiko is out of luck. 

The new Emperor will now carry on with the Japanese monarchy as the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people, becoming His Majesty in the Imperial House of Japan, traditionally known as Yamoto Dynasty. ICHEOKU wishes him well and prays, may whatever he believes in provide him guidance and protection as his Reiwa era now gets underway.

BERNIE SANDERS: ALREADY RIGGED OUT AGAIN?

ICHEOKU says for a man who just entered the race for nomination of the Democratic  Party's presidential candidate for 2020, to assertively be campaigning against a sitting president, without first demolishing the 19 other Democrats seeking the same party's presidential nomination is either the height of a condescending arrogance or the fix is already in, to rig the primaries in his favor. 

And yes, former Vice President Joe Biden is as an insider establishment candidate as it can get; as no other person currently marshaled out and running for the coveted flag bearer position of the party is as entrenched as a man who has spent 44 years and counting in Washington DC. Now, instead of first fighting to survive the Democratic Party's nomination primaries, Joe Biden is talking as if he has the nomination already securely tucked away in his pocket and only looking forward to taking on President Donald John Trump. 

ICHEOKU says once beaten, twice shy; and as former President George W. Bush once reminded Americans, 'fool me once, shame on you; but fool me twice, shame on me'; begging the question, will Bernie Sanders accept to be had twice by the Democratic Party establishment without a fight? The last time, it was against Queen Crooked Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee rigged the primaries against him and in favor of Hillary Clinton. This time, it is looking like a repeat of what happened then is likely to happen again and you ask yourself, will he accept the same DNC rigging of the primaries against him and in favor of Joe Biden? This is the $64,000 question and unless Bernie Sanders is prepared to display his usual ever loyal party man attitude and agree to step out of the way for Joe Biden, there will be trouble in paradise as Bernie Babies will not accept it, at least not this time and not after what they suffered in 2015/6. 

Unfortunately, Bernie Sanders was given an opportunity on Anderson Cooper 360 to react to what is apparently a gathering conspiracy against him which pushed Joe Biden's candidacy upfront, but he shied away from it. Instead of answering the question he became coy about it, saying that beating President Donald John Trump is paramount and more important than any other thing. It was the same way he blew an opportunity for a lifeline in 2016 when he was asked about Hillary Clinton's emails and instead of taking the lead and running with it, dismissively said that Americans are tired of hearing about the emails and that everybody should move on from it. That was the day he unofficially lost the nomination to Hillary Clinton and it seems a similar loss is now threatening him by his not standing firm against a Democratic Party that is bent on not allowing him to fly their presidential ticket flag come 2020. 

Why the Democratic Party which is supposed to be democratic as their name suggests do this to Bernie Sanders is beyond ICHEOKU; except to guess it is possibly because he is not a member of the Democratic Party, but an Independent who caucuses with and votes alongside Democrats. Moreso, Bernie Sanders is rather too extreme left wing for the mainstream Democrats who do not want to stay idly by and watch as Bernie Sanders drags their middle of the centre party off the cliff and into a full blown socialism cum communism. So, call it the fear of Bernie Sanders if you like, but there is something about Bernie that indeed scares the Democrats so much that they are not prepared to risk their presidential candidacy with him. 

ICHEOKU says but watching Joe Biden's first campaign stop today in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and hearing him say "folks, if I’m going to be able to beat Donald Trump in 2020, it’s going to happen here", suggests that he has already obtained the assurances of the party honchos that he will be the party's nominee in 2020. He steadily speaks and acts like a man who has been told not to worry about Bernie Sanders and the other wanna be presidential candidates; and should concentrate his attacks on President Donald John Trump. ICHEOKU says how could this be possible without him first vanquishing other contenders including Bernie Sanders, before fixing his eyes on the president, except he has been assured of the nomination of the party. A guy who is playing fairly and within the same set of rules, should by now be talking about taking on the other candidates who are also gunning for the ticket and explaining why he is the best of them all. But instead, he is already talking and acting as if he is the CHOSEN ONE and that Bernie Sanders and others do not exist or are no contenders and stand no chance whatsoever at clinching the nomination. 

Anyway, Joe Biden will definitely present the least resistance to President Donald John Trump reelection 2020 effort. He is frail, tired, old and looking so worn out and will not withstand the rigors of a nearly two year long running presidential campaign. Also, he is part of the Barack Obama lackluster presidency which dug America into the hole which President Donald John Trump is laboring to dig it out of. So, with nothing new under his belt, except the rehash of what Americans have since rejected and moved on from, it is going to be another Hillary Clinton experience come November 3, 2020. ICHEOKU says the question now is whether Bernie Sanders will allow the Democrats to once again shaft him by denying him his moment in the sun to fly the Democratic Party's presidential flag; otherwise head or tail, Biden or Sanders, Trump wins 2020. 

The president succinctly captured this essence when he tweeted “I’m only here because of Biden & Obama. They didn’t do the job and now you have Trump, who is getting it done – big time!” Further, Trump defeated the person who defeated Sanders in the primaries, so both silver haired grandpas are very weak candidates and they will stand no chance squaring up with President Donald John Trump come 2020. Why they are running is beyond ICHEOKU, but at least Bernie Sanders has a strong motivated base and he has more energy than Joe Biden and is in all fairness a better candidate than Joe Biden, the two compared. But Bernie Sanders must strive not to allow the Democrats National Committee to once again steal the nomination by pushing him aside again. At least not this time, definitely the last chance he will ever get at running for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, his advanced old age considered. Go Bernie.

RUSSIAN COLLUSION DELUSION IS OVER - TRUMP

ICHEOKU says agrees. Only that the Democrats and their media hordes have not accepted that they ran on fumes for nearly two years and only came out clutching the wind of their obsession. What a pitiful wastage of time, resources and energy. #MAGA2020. Salute.

MEULLER REPORT: A RUSSIAN COLLUSION ILLUSION, SIMPLY DELUSIONAL.

ICHEOKU says no group of people have been as shamelessly dishonorable as the extreme far left wing of the Democratic Party. A people who have refused to MOVE-ON from the November 8, 2016 presidential election, which their Queen Crooked Hillary Clinton lost, fair and square, despite it being hers for the grab. A group of maniacally dysfunctional nut jobs, who have refused to accept the result of an election, which they once cried wolf that the then candidate Donald John Trump was threatening America's democracy by saying that he will not "accept" the result of the election, if it is not fair. But now, they are the ones still holding out, nearly three years after, and have been inventing all manners of indescribables just to continue to protest the result of an election which their very incompetent and much loathed candidate lost. 

It is also incredible to note that it was the same people who formed the MOVEON.ORG back in the 1998 to urge Americans to move on from the then President Bill Clinton's Monica Lewinsky sex scandal. But they will not themselves and have refused to now MOVE-ON, in a like manner, from a non existent Russian Collusion and Obstruction of Justice allegation against President Donald John Trump, which the Robert S. Mueller's investigation has conclusively ruled did not occur. What an irony. A case of the hypocritical Pharisee who preaches "do what I say, but not what I do", as leadership by example is not their strongest suit; otherwise why won't they concede that an election was held and that they lost it. That there is a duly elected president of the United States of America and that his name is Donald John Trump and not Hillary Clinton. 

They cried foul when then candidate Donald John Trump conditioned his acceptance of the election result on it being fair; with their former President Barack Obama chiding Donald John Trump for saying that he will not accept the election result if rigged. It is on record that then President Barack Hussein Obama assured Americans that American presidential election is rig-proof and cannot be rigged by anyone, including the Russians, due to the staggered nature of the election which is primarily controlled by individual States respectively. Following which, every manner of curve balls were thrown on the path of Donald John Trump to derail his campaign and make him unelectable. His campaign was spied on, with findings possibly being fed to the Hillary Clinton's campaign. Bill Clinton was also caught meeting with the Attorney General Lauretta Lynch in Arizona and against all acceptable practice standards, while his wife and then Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton was being investigated by the FBI for deleting and bleach washing 33,000 thousand emails. 

The world media led by American media piled on candidate Donald John Trump, alongside the Democratic Party, a sitting president and his government, the Never Trumpers wing of the Republican Party led by the Bush family, some world leaders including then president of France and even the pope, in their collective bid to stop Donald John Trump from the White House and save their new world order. But against all odds, his message percolated and resonated among real American people and they rose up in unison to usher him into their White House and saved America from an erosion which threatened its foundational existence. Defeated and ashamed, and without any meaningful explanation for their humiliating defeat, they had to shamelessly invent a narrative that the Russians helped Donald John Trump win the election; and without any evidence, went ahead to set up the Robert S. Mueller investigation to find a Russian Collusion nonsense which never existed. 

After nearly two years of uninhibited access to whoever witness and whatever documents they desired and wanted, including reviewing over one million documents from the president's White House, his campaign and the Trump Organization, they came up empty, because there was nothing there to find. But to every decent human being's chagrin, the same Mueller that conclusively determined that there was no Collusion with the Russians, refused to rule decisively on whether there was Obstruction of Justice by the President. A matter which he further complicated by adding that his investigation could not exonerate President Donald John Trump either, leading to the question, when did a criminal investigation in America become an exonerating of the accused exercise? 

ICHEOKU says America's Criminal Justice system is designed to prove a crime beyond reasonable doubt; hence any investigation leading up to a charge must establish and collect evidence with which this threshold will be met in a court of law. This is the reason  an accused person is presumed innocent until proved guilty and for a conviction, the guilt must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. Therefore, once the accused is not proved guilt as required, beyond reasonable doubt, regardless of whether or not the accused might have committed the crime, the accused walks. The accused is not deemed guilty until proved innocent nor is he or she required to prove his or her innocence before they can be set free. That will be an inquisition and America does not practice that; rather America prosecutes, based on evidence, aided by fair hearing, before an accused can be found guilty. 

So, ICHEOKU says which offense or "sin" was Robert S Mueller unable to exonerate the president from; or did Mueller already conclude that the president was guilty of something, before setting forth to find the evidence to support it; and failing which, he was still possessed of the mindset that the president was guilty of something, only that he could not find the evidence of it. Such arbitrariness is exactly what inquisitions are made of and such wandering off the justice system straight and narrow path by the Robert Mueller investigation team should give every good human being a cause to be wary. If it is President Donald John Trump today, for who will the bell toll tomorrow and may be a person or even another president who might not have the strength to fight back as President Trump successfully did.  

Such an abuse of prosecutorial powers should not be treated so cavalierly or dismissed as no big deal because it is. It should also not be addressed as a partisan issue because what goes around comes around and the table could turn tomorrow. It could be a Democratic president that will be sitting at the firing range of such a biased inquisition by a set of angry Republicans investigators. This is the reason, what happened with the Mueller's report, especially its veering off the prosecutorial track should be reined in immediately. By the prosecutor exonerating or not exonerating a person, it presupposes that the person was presumed guilty at the onset of the investigation from which he was finally exonerated, which unfortunately, is not the way our criminal justice system operates. The reaching of a verdict of guilty or not guilty and not "exoneration" is reserved for the courts, either the judge or the jury. It is the court and not the prosecutor that determines the accused's culpability, either guilty or not guilty; but cannot exonerate or not exonerate them because they are primarily innocent, until the verdict says otherwise. 

But regrettably, Robert S. Mueller and his team of Democrat investigators wanted to change the standard rule just because it is President Donald John Trump that is involved, without regards to the fundamental criminal prosecution standards governing America. They tried for nearly two years, spent more than $35 million of taxpayers money, had access to every documents and witnesses they demanded and asked for; no executive privilege was ever invoked to stop their prying eyes and members of the investigating team were largely Democrats, people who with beef to grind with President Donald John Trump. But at the end they could not find any evidence of Collusion with the Russians by the Trump's campaign or Organization. If there was something to find, they would have found it; but did not find because there was nothing there to find. So, without the foundational crime of Collusion, every other thing built on it automatically collapses, but they had to put the suspense of "couldn't exonerate" the president just to continue the narrative. 

They could not find that the president obstructed the investigation because Mueller was generously uninhibited in doing his assigned job; and the investigation of a crime which never generally existed cannot be obstructed. Collusion was the alleged crime and for obstruction to be present, there has to be a real crime under investigation, which was not the case here. Nobody can obstruct an investigation of a crime which did not exist. But rather than so stating and calling off the hound dogs, the Robert S. Mueller Report went rogue to add that they could not "exonerate" Trump from the "obstruction of justice" crime. ICHEOKU says if Mueller could not exonerate the president, why did he not incriminate him; since criminal prosecution is a black and white and/or situation, as opposed to the equivocated sitting on the fence conclusion by the Mueller team. Their mandate was to find evidence of the crime of obstruction and recommend prosecution accordingly, but not to act as a judge or jury or even an "exonerator." 

It was definitely a too far gone frolic by the Mueller squad and every right thinking American, regardless of party affiliation, should be afraid that some people are heralding such an overreach, as worthy of a second look. If they couldn't reach a decision on the crime, it means that they did not find evidence of the crime; therefore the criminal investigation was unsuccessful in finding evidence of the alleged crime and should have ended the process pronto. But the wandering off the reservation of what is allowable leeway of the the criminal justice system by offering opinion of equivocation is what is troubling to ICHEOKU and is condemnable; and is hereby condemned as an overreach. It is not good for our criminal justice system. 

SLEEPY JOE BIDEN: NOT THE RIGHT FIT, HIS TIME HAS GONE.

ICHEOKU says will this be a case of the third time is the charm or will he soon fizzle out just like he did on the other two previous occasions, when he also ran for president but failed? If the later, will he thereafter, call it quit with politics and retire for good from a political life which started some 46 long years ago. Speaking of a Washington DC establishment insider and member emeritus, a swamp dweller extraordinaire and definitely a candidate of the establishment order. ICHEOKU is emphatic that you cannot easily find anyone nor ask for someone else who is more deeply entrenched in the Washington DC power hub than a man who has been part of it for nearly 50 years. 

But his moment in the sun has definitely since passed and what he could not achieve in his much younger, youthful and vibrant years, he cannot now achieve. So, as the Amtrak-riding, poor boy from Scranton makes yet another attempt at the presidency, his third, ICHEOKU says he is embarking on a mission impossible which will at best earn him the honorable mention of the best president which America never had nor will ever have. Joe Biden is simply too old, too tired and of course too sleepy to be entrusted with America's presidential leadership and by extension, the leadership of the rest of the world. 

Former Vice President of the United States of America for 8 years under President Barack Hussein Obama and also a former Senator who represented the Great State of Delaware for 36 years, Joseph Robinette Biden, has finally thrown his hat into the ring of an already crowded Democratic presidential wanna bes for the 2020 election. His formal announcement has now swelled the wildebeests' number to 20 and you ask yourself what are all of them doing, seeking the office of the presidency. Only in Democratic Party America and the battle of ideologies, one which is extreme far left and the other which is somewhat marginally in the middle, are these many gladiators marshaled out and you wonder how the Democrats will break. 

But can Joe Biden convince the discordant motley crew that is the Democratic Party, that he is the right guy to fly the party's flag against President Donald John Trump, come 2020. Is the Democratic Party ready to pull the lever and go all out far left or will it maintain a lid over their much vocal and very disruptive socialism-leaning base, the extreme far left nut jobs. This is where Joe Biden comes in and will seek to make the case that a middle of the road is better; and will seek to nudge the Democratic Party back closer to the middle ground than the extremist far left where it is today. But will those leftist crazies, led by Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, let Joe have his way? The jury is still out on the question and will be answered in due course.

So, as Biden takes the plunge into the already murky and muddled waters of the Democratic Party presidential nomination process, he must act speedily and swiftly, aware that the party is fast losing its appeal to majority of Americans because of their far left unrealistic crave for stupidity and some other unattainable euphoria.

However, whether Joe Biden is the right guy at this time remains to be seen, his many shortcomings factored in. First, he is simply too old, tired and worn out and looks it really. He will be 78 years old by the time he takes office in 2021, assuming that highly improbable happenstance becomes somehow realized. Second, he had a brain surgery not too long ago and whether he has fully recovered from it is debatable, his far too many gaffes considered. Some critics also argue that Biden frequently manifests symptoms of memory loss induced forgetfulness and delayed lapses in recollection. Third, Uncle Joe is physically drained and depleted; and might not even muster the energy needed to run a president campaign, talkless as serve as America president and by extension, the leader of the free world at large. 

Also, Joe Biden had committed so many faux pas and blunders, including taking pride that his State of Delaware was a slave State; that Barack Obama was the only clean, articulate black person to ever run for the presidential office; that 711 convenient stores somewhat requires an Indian accent to work or buy things there; telling a wheelchair bound paraplegic Missouri State's Senator Chuck Graham to please stand up; plagiarized British Labor Party Leader Neil Kinnock's speech and also a Fordham Law Review, lifting an entire five pages therefrom for a law review article which he wrote in his first year at Law School, without acknowledging their sources. 

Like his friend John McCain, academic excellence was also not his strongest suit either, as he received poor grades both in college and in law school, graduating 76th out of a class of 85, with grades of Cs and Ds. His penchant for invading other peoples' spaces, especially women, might also add to his Archils heels going forward. 

ICHEOKU says although Joe Biden prides himself as ''a middle-class guy who makes mistakes, but tells the truth', it is going to require more than just telling the truth for him to secure the Democratic Party's ticket because the party does give a damn about truth as it is populated by people who do not care about truthfully speaking. Therefore, baring another rigged primaries for him, just like Queen Crooked Hillary Clinton nomination was rigged against Bernie Sanders, Uncle Joe stands on shaky grounds in his bid to secure the nomination of the presidential ticket of the party. The anarchists leftists and feminist females wing of the party will resolutely resist his candidacy because Uncle Joe is not a female, but just another grey old white male who belongs to yesterday and for not being liberal enough. 

Joe Biden, according to Robert Byrd, is a man of good intentions who means well for America and has great credibility", but according to ICHEOKU, intentions alone, uncoupled with actions, does not a thing accomplish. Americans prefer those who back their intentions up by actions and they will readily break for President Donald John Trump in 2020. A president, who has by actions and deeds, repeatedly proved that he not only says what he will do, but also does what he says, in a say what you mean and mean what you say fashion. Unlike many others, who are merely arrogant, President Donald John Trump is just confident; and as Mohammed Ali would put it, it is not arrogant but confident when you can back it up. 

President Donald John Trump is a man of action; an action hero for America sort of and Americans are loving their rebirth under President Donald John Trump and they will readily reward him with a second term come 2020.   

ICHEOKU says Uncle Joe is also guilty of oftentimes speaking from the two sides of his mouth, as evidenced in his once saying that he was very concerned about the civil rights movement of the 60's, but when confronted with his not doing anything about it, fended off by saying that he was not an activist. Therefore, begging the question, how could Joe have been "very concerned", yet failed to work his concerns into action. Joe's biggest only claim to fame of helping with the black struggle seems to be that he worked at a black swimming pool in East Wilmington Delaware's black neighborhood, otherwise Joe was not down with the struggle, admitted he now wishes he had a better pro black credentials to parade before the black voting bloc of America. 

Joe Biden was not marching; Joe was not down in Selma or Montgomery either; as Joe was just a suburbanite white kid who only had an inkling of what was happening to black people in 60's America, but instead of helping out to change it, just cashed in on his white privileges and rode on. But when asked why he stood aloof when many others, including some white kids, were helping out with the struggle, Joe said, ''When I was at Syracuse, I was married, I was in law school, I wore sports coats. You're looking at a middle-class guy. I am who I am. I'm not big on flak jackets and tie-dyed shirts. You know, that's not me."  ICHEOKU says you heard it from the arrogant good ole white boy Joe, who is too bigly white privileged to identify with ordinary black people and their issues. 

ICHEOKU says equally of note on the many hurdles strewn across the path on Joe Biden's third bid for the Democratic Party's nomination is that a great segment of the feminist females of Democratic Party America have not forgiven him for how he managed Anita Hill during the Justice Clarence Thomas Supreme Court confirmation hearing in 1991. A matter made worse by Anita Hill's refusal to accept Joe Biden's belatedly no apology, apology; for what she went through during the hearing before a Judiciary Committee chaired by Joe Biden, who failed to protect her from badgering and allowed committee members Senators to make a mince meat out of Anita Hill. According to Anita Hill, Joe Biden merely saying that he is sorry now for what he did then or rather failed to do, without more, is not enough. 

ICHEOKU says completely agrees with Anita Hill that Joe Biden's pretended mea culpa is rather too little too late, as he had several opportunities to do so before now but simply shrugged it off. Joe Biden's apology is not coming from a really contrite heart, otherwise what took him this long. Why did he wait for 28 long years to pass before now in 2019 offering his apology to Anita Hill for an incident which took place in 1991? ICHEOKU says if Joe Biden was not running for president again for the third time and opinions sampling made it imperative for him to reach out to her and offer an apology, Joe Biden would not have apologized to her. 

ICHEOKU says does not think that he would have because he severally ran for office as Senator of Delaware between the said incident in 1991 until he retired from the Senate in 2009, but never deemed it necessary to reach out to Anita Hill to say that he was sorry. Joe Biden also ran for president in 2009 for the second time, the first being in 1988, but did not find it appropriate to apologize to Anita Hill either. May be because his State of Delaware put black people in chains and he felt he was too good a white ole boy to apologize to a black person, especially one who is a female. Not even while running as Vice Presidential candidate with black Barack Obama, who he would have also put in chains back in the days, did he consider ever reaching out to Anita Hill. 

But suddenly, he had an epiphany and now realizes that what he did then, by not protecting Anita Hill from a seemingly Senate Judiciary Committee hearing turned into  badgering, was not perceived well by the leftist feminist females of the Democratic Party, hence the faked reach out to Anita Hill. It was not from his heart, rather it was a ploy to hoodwink as shrew politicians know how best to do. ICHEOKU says Joe Biden is just another typical politician, playing the game of politics and he has been in Washington for far too long to understand that pandering is the art of politics. Politicians, they do not mean what they say and they do not say what they mean; as Joe Biden wanted to cash in on Anita Hill's forgiveness to enable him secure the support of a particular group of the Democratic Party, but he unfortunately struck out. Thankfully, Anita Hill saw through the shallowness of his charade and hedged her reaction appropriately.

ICHEOKU says although likes Joe Biden, especially his straight talking, not being too corrupt, happy go lucky carefree personality, but regrettably, his time has since passed. His political sun, especially for the presidency, set with his last attempt in 2009 and he is now no longer an acceptable candidate for the office. America is a forward looking country, which does not recycle tired and old politicians like people do in Third World countries and will not start with old Uncle Joey. Joe Biden must therefore understand this very consequential fact and act on it fast, before he is shamefully disgraced out of contention and driven into eternal political irrelevance. 

Joe Biden should retire back to his Delaware country side and enjoy his remaining time as a great statesman. He must not allow vested interests who are goading him on and literary forcing him to run to now mess it all up for his legacy's sake. He gave it his all, 46 years of service to country and you wonder what else is there for him to prove. Joe Biden has had more than enough time of service, for any just one man to have; and it is time for he to take the final bow and quit the stage. ICHEOKU says Joe Biden shouldn't have joined the race to begin with, but  should consider pulling out now before he is disgraced out once again. 

Moreso, whatever he could have done, offered or achieved politically and/or while running for president, he has already accomplished. Now his political fuel tank is nearly completely exhausted and only fumes are left therein. Therefore, he must leave the stage now while he still can, with his honor still intact, in order to avoid being disgraced out as a loser; and for the up and coming new generation to try their hands at elected offices. Joe Biden has been in Washington since 1973, long before Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was even born; he retired from the Senate after 36 long years years of service and did another 8 years gig in Washington DC as Barack Hussein Obama's Vice President and should stay retired. 

Joe Biden's attempt at resurgence is not good for the Democratic Party and certainly not good for American democracy, as America cannot revert now to recycling tired and old politicians who should be in senior citizens homes, living out their golden years. Good enough, the leader of the Democratic Party's far left anarchists wing,  Congresswoman from New York 6th District, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, has weighed in to say that America will not move backwards with Joe Biden and ICHEOKU totally agrees with AOC's position that forward ever is better. 

The current flooded line up of Democratic presidential candidat's is somewhat akin to what Americans witnessed in 2015 with 19 Republicans jostling for the same Republican presidential ticket. It is instructive to mention that such a very crowded scene usually ends up producing a very well rounded up candidate who is prepared for the challenges of taking on the other side's guy. Hopefully the story will be the same this time, provided the Grinch of the Democratic Party does not intervene again to steal it for their favored chosen candidate. It was the unassailable democratic credentials of the Republican Party, which is always fair and open, that made it possible for their best candidate then, Donald John Trump, to emerge; proving himself the wonder kid of American politics. 

That passing through the crucible of intra party presidential nomination contest did a lot to prepare the then newbie candidate Donald John Trump for both the eventual debate and campaign for the office, which he has fortunately excelled in today. He has since proved that he was the right choice for the office and that his nomination was rightly merited, having equated himself excellently in the office. Therefore, only such a replication in the now crowded Democratic field, will help to bring a breath of fresh air and competitiveness out of the party. So that at the end, whoever emerges as the presidential candidate, based on a well earned victory at the primaries, will give President Donald John Trump a run for his money come 2020. Such a novelty is what will grant the Democratic Party a fighting chance against President Donald John Trump come 2020. 

Americans must have a convincing strong reason not to reelect the president for a second term come 2020, as his second term is but a fait accompli. The Democrat must therefore offer Americans something totally new, something totally different, something totally exciting, something totally promising and of course something totally optimistic in order to win their attention and possibly draw them away from President Donald John Trump. But the doom and gloom pictures of two tired and old, sickly and haggardly looking, silver haired white males, grandpas Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden, will not just cut it. America desires and deserves better than this two senior citizens, fixtures of the Democratic Party for too long; and the Democratic Party must take this into cognizance or have their lunch eaten again by the president come 2020. 

Although America is not yet ready for a female president as they rejected Queen Crooked Hillary Clinton in 2016; but whether they are even ready for a female Vice President is equally debatable. Walter Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro 1984 and of recent John McCain and Sarah Palin 2009 presidential tickets were both rejected and some school of political thinking claimed that both men were rejected because of their choice of vice presidential candidates, especially John McCain and his choice of the beautiful but brainless Sarah from Alaska who can see Russia from her balcony. But could the newly invigorated feminists movement of America provide a fresh impetus for a another push at such possibility, especially in  this era of ME-TOO anarchists? ICHEOKU says nobody really knows and everybody has to wait until it is delivered and becomes a reality to find out. 

With that in mind, ICHEOKU says the presidential ticket of Pete Buttigieg and Kamara Harris will therefore be the most exciting ticket for the Democrats to float, if they seriously want to capture the attention of Americans in 2020. Pete is gay, youthful, eloquent and of course white; so the three important constituencies for the Democratic Party are checked. Kamara on the other hand, is a feminist far left liberal nut job, a female, has no child and also black; so she checks another four vital and indispensable constituencies of the Democratic Party. So, seven out of ten is an excellent result and no other combination candidates comes any closer to this two perfect coupling.

Further, since the Democrats are angling for a female president and since they have already accepted their narrative that a transgendered male qualifies as a female, if they cannot get an outright biological female as candidate, they can settle for a wired in the head man, who sees himself as a female and then channel their love for female equivalency through him. They should accept Pete Buttigieg as a female candidate, since he is a wife and married to a husband, another man named Chasten Glezman. That way, it will be a win win situation for the Democrats, somewhat like killing two birds with one stone. By doing so, they will get a gay homosexual who is also a female as their presidential candidate and successfully appease the two crazy wings of their party, the homosexuals and the feminists females. 

Therefore, if paired together, Pete Buttigieg and Kamara Harris will mount a very serious challenge to the president, although they will not stand a chance with the peoples' President Donald John Trump. But they will acquit themselves very well and make it an assured springboard for another go at it come 2024 when there will no longer be no  President Donald John Trump to contend with. Anyway, ICHEOKU wishes Joe Biden well for trying, but laments that he is not the right fit for the position, his time has sadly passed, He belongs to yesterday. But should the Democratic Party's entrenched interests impose him on the party, the internal revolt they will witness will be so cataclysmic that they would have so effortlessly handed President Donald John Trump an automatic second term without even a fight. To the poor boy from Scranton who rides Amtrak train, ICHEOKU says all the best. 

APOSTLE SULEIMAN: JOINS THE CLUB OF PRIVATE PLANE OWNER PASTORS.

ICHEOKU says Apostle Johnson Suleiman, the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries has joined other mega rich pastor-prenuers of Nigeria, including David Oyedepo, Enoch Adeboye, Sam Adeyemi and Ayo Oritsejafor, in the private plane club of Nigerian men of "God' who are living large and against the teachings of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ. Instead of feeding their flock, they are the ones being fat fed by their flock, many of who are hungry and angry that their own "miracle" of riches has not yet manifested despite so many years of fasting and praying, paying tithes, making contributions and donations to their General Overseer. 

Jesus gave the wedding guests in Cana wine to drink; Jesus fed the multitudes with five loaves of bread and two fishes; Jesus brought a lot of fishes into Peter's net; even the donkey Jesus rode into Jerusalem with was borrowed, as he had nothing to his name whatsoever. But here are men, who supposedly are following in the footsteps of Jesus, but instead of denying themselves for the benefit of their flock, are excessively indulging their earthly bodies so much as to suggest that the race for heaven is not for them. It is rather unfortunate that while thousands of their members cannot afford to eat nice meals, pay their children's school fees without great discomfort, pay their hospital bills, with many of them jobless youths, it is worldly treasures that they soak themselves in. 

Imagine the thousands of jobs and empowerment, the cost of maintaining this life of luxury would have created in a country where millions of youths, including thousand of their members, are wallowing in joblessness and abject poverty. Imagine the world class hospital which such money would have built and equipped in Nigeria, an additional  revenue source and a panacea to the shameful medical tourism of affluent Nigerians led by President Muhammadu Buhari. Imagine the number of cottage industries which the money could also have set up for Nigerian unemployed youths to have something to do. But no, they want it all for themselves, while they continuously promise their yawning members that their own turn is coming. 

ICHEOKU says blames only those who freely give to their GOs as prompted by their own version of "Holy Spirit", admitted many of these people, without knowing it, are under hypnotic influence and occult voodoo command and control. They are captive of powers beyond their reckoning and have become oblivious of the primary reason there is Christianity, the race for heaven. Now, it is all about Mammon and Beelzebub  the prince of darkness, that one will go to "church" seeking riches an despite the warnings spelt out by the Lord and Master Jesus, including the camel passing through the eye of the needle parable, enunciating the difficulty for a rich man or woman to enter the Kingdom of God. ICHEOKU says does it mean that these people have decided that the Kingdom of Earth is better for them or do they only pontificate Jesus Christ without meaning it. 

Just one other thing, remember that anything which thrives in Nigeria is not usually clear and free of dubiousness. It seems that the Nigerian government has banned committing 419 against Oyibo people, but looks the other way as her citizens are constantly being 419ed by these fraudulent con-men masquerading as men of "God"; and you ask them, who actually anointed them, was it Samuel and whether they are from the tribe of Levi. ICHEOKU says unless the teachings of Jesus Christ is not real or there is no heaven and hell, all these fraudulent 419 supposed men of "God" are all headed to the pit of hell where they will burn and gnash their teeth, because when Jesus was hungry they did not provide him food to eat; was in prison they did not visit him; was naked they did not cloth him, because they were busy living it up. 

It is SAD and it is pitiful, the level of decay in the Nigerian society, considering that the proliferation of these business centers which are passing off as "churches' are proportional to the level of criminality in the society; and you wonder why all their teachings are not having positive ameliorative impact on the society. ICHEOKU says if ICHEOKU had his way, most of them will be taxed out of existence or out rightly banned; alongside any other religion that is not orthodoxy, including Shiites Islam. 

SIRI LANKA BOMBINGS: WAS THE GOVERNMENT COMPLICIT?

ICHEOKU says that a government would receive intelligence report ten days prior, that some Islamists fundamentalists were planning to bomb churches and not act on it or at least inform churches to be vigilant, is the crux of the entire church bombings in Siri Lanka on Easter Sunday. Like they say to follow the money, a forensic follow up on this single evidence will unearth the conspiracy that went into successfully detonating eight bombs, which yielded such mass casualties of 300 dead and 500 wounded. It is sad, especially for a government that in 2008 bombed a Christian convent, showing that it is a government somehow at war with Christianity. It is SAD and it is lamentable regrettable.

UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION; ZELENSKY DEFEATS POROSHENKO.

ICHEOKU says and he is only 41 years old, a political newbie who has never held any political office in his life, but defeated an incumbent somewhat troublesome president, who has been creating needless worries between Ukraine and their brother neighbor Russia. 

It is also instructive that the outgoing President Petro Poroshenko colluded with the campaign of Queen Crooked Hillary Clinton to defeat then candidate Donald John Trump and has had a frosty relationship with the White House ever since. That he is also antagonistic to President Vladimir Putin did not help matters as his Ukrainian people decided to offload him rather than continue on the path that could trigger a real armed confrontation with the much stronger Russia army. 

Now, a made for television face comedian, Volodymyr Zelensky, has been elected as president of Ukraine. Hopefully, he can charm both Putin and Trump back into seeing Ukraine for what it is - a stuck in the middle friend to the West and also a brother to Russia and with it, restore peace and normalcy to Eastern Ukraine and also negotiate the lasting fate of Crimea. 

ICHEOKU wishes the newly elected boyish faced president of Ukraine all the best and observes that he looks very much like former British Prime Minister David Cameron. At 41 years old, he is now the youngest world leader as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, at 47 years, is much older. What a transition he had from playing a president on the screen to now the real thing; a real president, in a real presidential mansion, with its real challenges, powers and authority. All the best President Volodymyr Zelensky. Congratulations.

OPIOID'S CRISIS IS REAL: AIDED BY MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS.

ICHEOKU says one of the many forces amassed against President Donald John Trump is the opioid and other illicit drug distributors network. They are increasingly getting restless, feeling threatened by the president's unyielding effort to end the ongoing mass murdering of Americans, using pills as their weapon of choice. Since the president came to power, he has been relentlessly bullish in fighting this scourge and these criminal elements are equally not folding their hands; but are pushing back, hiding under whatever guise they could find and manufacture, to maintain their turf and stranglehold on Americans. 

The bad doctors and pharmacists as well as other licensed medical professionals, who are making millions by reason of their involvement in the business, the big Pharma who are making billions by manufacturing the pills and the distributors who are making billions by trucking them to the desolate regions of America heartland where despondency have forced more people into opioid, are all complicit in the illegality. Therefore, they all must be confronted together in order to make a dent in the business and peradventure fight it to a conclusive end.

ICHEOKU says barring a concerted effort to decisively combat these various people who are involved in the illegal drug poisoning of Americans, more and more Americans will continue to fall victims to their poison and thousands will continue to be marched off to their early graves. All because some unscrupulous people, wearing white coats, wants to make millions, of somewhat blood money, killing Americans by dispensing poison to some very fragile Americans in need of succor. ICHEOKU says condemns this poisoning of Americans through illicit drugging, in its totality and urge the government to step up its current effort and do more by severely punishing all those who make unseen profits from killing Americans. They are enemies of America; they hate America and they want America to go down in flames of drug addiction, hence their involvement in the illicit drug trade that kills thousands of Americans. 

Therefore, the Department of Justice was right when it said that those medical professionals who behave like drug dealers will be treated like real drug dealers. In their own words, "when medical professionals behave like drug dealers, the Department Of Justice is going to treat them like drug dealers"; to which ICHEOKU adds please speed up the process. A charge which the DOJ made while announcing the biggest bust of these criminally minded medical professionals, following a four months investigation which  unearthed the biggest opioid prescriptions and distributions network of doctors, pharmacists and nurse practitioners. Medical professionals who were engaged in the dirty business of illicit drug distribution and of course killing of helpless of Americans, who had sought refuge in their knowledge about pain and mental stability treatment and management; but they turned around and took advantage of them for financial gains.

ICHEOKU says how thousands of Americans will be dying as a result of a willful act by a few bad actors, greedy people masquerading as medical professionals, who want to make quick money and contrary to their Hippocratic Oath not to take lives, is simply beyond ICHEOKU's comprehension. Doctors, physicians and pharmacists as well as nurse practitioners engaging in fast buck prescriptions racket, writing and dispensing cocktails of pills, running into several millions, to America's most vulnerable, is simply acts of an enemy and they should be treated as who they are, people who do not mean well for America and hates Americans. How can a dentist for instance be engaged in unnecessarily pulling of teeth which are not bad just for the opportunity to make extra money by writing prescription for opioid? 

How can anyone accept such a brazen malpractice, which is solely fueled by greed, and allow such criminals to walk freely in America. Indeed they are the enemies within and if ICHEOKU had his way, they will in addition to other offenses,  be charged with homicides for all those Americans who died as a result of drug overdoses, resulting from their prescriptions. These racketeers are not good people; they are criminals and criminals do not deserve pity nor sympathy, period.

To them, Americans, especially the addicts are just a means for them to amass fortune and they could care less if thousands of them are killed while they smile to the bank. A misuse and abuse which was accurately described as 'an insidious epidemic ravaging America' with the Appalachian region as its ground zero, with the poorest State in the Union, West Virginia, being the hardest hit and Ohio State coming a close second. From available data, more than 218,000 Americans have died from opioid drug overdoses since 1999. Imagine, just 60 medical personnel, including 31 doctors, 7 pharmacists, 8 nurse practitioners and 7 other licensed medical professionals including dentists, orthopedic surgeons, podiatrists, some of who own and operate clinics, writing 350,000 prescriptions, dispensing 32 million opioid pills including Oxycodone, methadone and morphine to 28,000 patients, all within just a space of few years.

ICHEOKU says these drug dealers need to be punished severely, if the tide of opioid which is ravaging America stands a chance of ever being contained. A problem which has been appositely described as the "public health and safety crisis of our time." ICHEOKU completely agrees that more needs to be done, to target these rogue medical professionals who are aiding and abetting drug addiction in America through their prescriptions from hell. They are no longer medical professionals, but white coat wearing drug dealers, who breached their professional responsibility to their patients by prescribing killer drugs and should be treated with the same degree of revulsion as street gang drug peddlers and their overlord drug dealers. What a shame to the once revered medical profession which saves lives; but these criminal elements amongst them are now taking lives instead. 

THE TROIKA OF TYRANNY - JOHN BOLTON.

ICHEOKU says what a sea change that America has gone, from the axis of evil to now the troika of tyranny and you wonder what comes next. It was then President George W. Bush who coined the acronym Axis of Evil, naming Iraq, Iran and North Korea as its members; and ten years later, President Donald John Trump has named Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba as the troika of tyranny. 

ICHEOKU says what made this three country specifically qualified or are their offenses bigger than whose? How about China, Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Myanmar and definitely some countries in Africa where human rights violations are frequent occurrence; and journalists freedom are heavily constrained, with many opponents locked up in prisons without trial. 

But hey, it is international politics and those who pay to play usually have their offenses forgiven and the eyes of the watchman turned away from ever seeing their own infra-digs. But the little guys, especially those who do not bring anything of value to the dinner table, are often made examples out of, with their butts regularly kicked around. Like a piñata, they are frequently beaten purple blue, just for others to see what could become their fate if they fall out of line; and to some others, as an entertainment. What a joke.

PERUVIAN ALAN GARCIA: WAS HE TROUBLED OR WAS HE CORNERED?

ICHEOKU says what would make a man, a former president, take his own life for fear of and in order to avoid a criminal prosecution. Former President Alan Garcia of Peru, facing imminent arrest and prosecution for corruption turned a gun on his head and in a matter of seconds, ended his sojourn on this earth. 

ICHEOKU says why did he do it, when there were so many other ways he could have reacted to the arrest and several options he could have also exploited going forward. He could have called on the better side of his Peruvian people to accept that he did not do what he was being accused of doing and trusting the criminal justice system of Peru, proceeded to trial to defend himself. If found guilty, then appeal for a State's pardon or bravely do his time; but he chose differently. 

Whether it was a case of "I didn't do it" or "I didn't want to face consequences for my action" by the former president, nobody will now ever know as the former Peruvian President Alan Garcia has taken that information, which would have been unearthed at his trial, with him to his grave. It is either he was a troubled man who was too weak hearted to face justice and took the easy way out; or he was too ashamed to face his family and country men and women as the criminal justice system of Peru took its course, with him on the conveyor belt as a corrupt former public official. 

Regardless, these are now mere speculations, as the former president decided to do it his own way and he is now gone forever, and the rest are but speculations and Monday night quarterbacking. Adieu Presidente Alan Garcia.

TIGER WOODS: WHAT A MAGICAL COMEBACK.

ICHEOKU says exactly what a come back kid really looks like. Wins his 5th Masters. Congratulations TW.

NOTRE DAME FIRE: HAS GOD DEPARTED FROM FRANCE?

ICHEOKU says it is incredible but true that a church does not ordinarily catch fire and get destroyed so easily, except it is an act of God; an angry God who, tired of the iniquities of the people, who have forsaken him, decided to just walk away and leave the people  to their own devices. The symbolism of the fire occurring in the holiest week in Christendom, the Holy Week leading up to Easter, is also very significant and should not be lost on anyone. So, did Parisians annoy God that God couldn't take it anymore; tired of the people who no longer worship him and who have abandoned the church as now a mere historical relic, only fit for the tourists feet, as non believers and other religions have now taken over France or at least threatening to do so. 

It was a sorry sight indeed watching the 900 year old architectural masterpiece, a pure work of art, dedicated as a place of worship and in honor of the Almighty God, by people who lived many centuries ago, burn; turning into cinders the Gothic architectural pieces that evidenced the craftsmanship and dexterity of the people of the ancient civilization who meticulously assembled the pieces together; a kind of mastery work which is not seen nor so easily replicated today. It was painful, especially at the helplessness and lack of a magical wand to just wish the fire to quench immediately and before wrecking the havoc witnessed. It is also regrettable that there was no Fire Brigade station within the Island vicinity of the church that it took longer to get to the fire from across the narrow bridges leading into the island location of the church.

Our Lady of Paris Cathedral in Paris was one of a kind, a bequeath from the past to the present by many generations long ago gone. A resplendent work of art that still marvels many today, on how those who walked the land of France nine centuries ago were able to  pull it off. A work that took 200 years to complete and which has survived so many tribulations, including two world wars; only to be submitted by a magical fire whose origin is yet to be determined. The world watched in awe as its iconic tower surrendered to the licking flames and tumbled over, collapsing down in a pile of ashy residue, in a manner so closely resembling America's 9/11 Twin Towers, except that nobody knows if it was an act of Islamic arson terrorism; at least not yet. Hopefully the fire investigators will get to the root cause of the fire and reassure the world, especially those who call Paris home, that they are not once again under the hammer of radical Islamists terrorism. 

ICHEOKU says would rather it was an accident or even an act of God; as the Islamist terrorism angle will be such a hard nut to swallow, especially after the Bataclan Nightclub massacre and Charlie Hebdo shooting, as Paris cannot continuously be submitted by these anarchists.  Also the Yellow Jackets could not have possibly pulled this off and if they did, they deserve to be treated as terrorists and banned from any further protests on the streets of France; and if they do, they should be summarily put down. No decent human being would and should tolerate any deliberate act that ruined the beautiful Cathedral in Paris, reputed to house the very Crown of Thorns which our Lord Jesus wore on the Calvary as well as a piece of the exact Cross on which he was crucified. The only way everybody will move on, assuming there will be anything like actually moving on from the fire, is for it to be an accidental fire and at worse, an act of God, period.

ICHEOKU says some critics are pointing fingers on the inadequate fire fighting tools of the Fire Brigade of Paris which they say exacerbated the destruction, arguing that had the fire been aggressively attacked at its infancy, it would have been contained without wrecking the havoc recorded. They said that the Fire ladder was not long enough to reach vital points during the combat and that their hoses were also not strong enough to pull enough water to combat the fire; leaving people wondering if France has seen its best days behind it and is now just simply trudging on. ICHEOKU says will wait the investigation to be completed before joining issues with this school of thought, either for or against.

What a tragedy of a monumental proportion that a 900 year old edifice was erased in a blaze. A Gothic work of wonder from the medieval era gone with the fire. ICHEOKU says regardless of how closely it is rebuilt, it can never be the same as the hands that original put the masterpiece together are nine centuries old and gone forever, their touch permanently erased from the work. Whatever is rebuilt will but be an imitation of the original, a knockoff of some sort; and nothing compares nor beats an original. It was a generational loss; a connection with the ancient gone forever; a chain of connectivity with the past and the present permanently broken. What would the great Kings of France, who envisioned and put the cathedral together in honor and glory of God; as well as the thousands of artisans who labored to mission accomplish the dream say or do, watching their labor go up in flames. The Hunchback of Notre Dame also must be grieving, watching the edifice that provided it a hiding abode and solace from the public preying eyes destroyed. It is SAD. ICHEOKU says Parisians, take heart. 

ATIKU ABUBAKAR: NOT NIGERIAN ENOUGH TO BE PRESIDENT.

ICHEOKU says there is a reason there are rules guiding any society, most times mimeographed in a document called the Constitution. Laws are also made pursuant to such enshrined stipulations, either to tweak it to make it better or improve and update some Sections of it that are no longer germane to the dictates of present day life of the society, as well as other society's developmental needs. 

So, until such a document is amended through a Constitutional Reform or parts of it are interpreted as being repugnant, no longer attainable or efficacious; and discarded by a court of competent jurisdiction, the document in its entirety still remains the operating law of the land and citizens and non citizen residents alike, of the country, are bound by it. 

It is the reference point of everything that goes on in the country and every person is expected to abide by its provisions; thus leading to the question and the reason for this opinion, who is a BORN IN NIGERIA citizen for the purpose of being president. By extension, does somebody who was born in a territory or province which was not an integral part of Nigeria as at the time of his birth automatically become a BORN IN NIGERIA citizen by reason of a territorial assimilation? In essence, what is the nature of the citizenship of Atiku Abubakar that impacts his eligibility or otherwise to be president. 

ICHEOKU says to answer this question, the court, which is the only authority to conclusively resolve the issue, must first determine what is meant by BORN IN NIGERIA. Thereafter, they will also weigh in on whether anyone not born in Nigeria can migrate his birth status from NOT BORN IN NIGERIA to BORN IN NIGERIA, simply because the place or territory where he was born later became part of Nigeria. If the then Northern Cameroonian  Adamawa Highlands was administered separately from Nigeria before the plebiscite, how then is it Nigeria? By the same token, if you became a member of an existing club or fraternity or any other social or professional association long after it was formed, is it safe to assume that you are a foundational member therein? 

ICHEOKU says has read a lot of opinions about the nature and type of Atiku Abubakar's citizenship, both those for and those against him; but many of them were tailored according to their perception and/or political biases. To these fellows, ICHEOKU says to please understand that Atiku's citizenship of Nigeria is not in question here or in anyway doubtful. Atiku Abubakar is by all account a bona fide citizen of Nigeria and nobody can take or wish that consequential fact away from him. As a result, he is entitled to all rights and privileges accruing to any Nigerian citizen just as anyone else, except as may be specifically limited by the Constitution in certain specifically mentioned aspects, such as is contained in Section 131(a) of the Constitution. But Atiku Abubakar's citizenship of Nigeria is not the issue here; rather it is the nature of his citizenship, and whether someone parading his type of citizenship is eligible to be president. 

This is somewhat a settled law, as is codified in Section 131(a) of the Constitution, which  clearly stated that ONLY BORN IN NIGERIA citizens of Nigeria are qualified to be president of Nigeria. It is the law and the only way to get around the law is to change it, period. The delineation is specifically limited to the office of president and no other, not even the Vice Presidency. So, to those who are arguing that since Atiku Abubakar rose to the rank of a director in the Customs, was elected governor of a State and was also once a Vice President, that automatically qualifies him for president, ICHEOKU says to please have a second read of the extant provision of the Constitution under review. It's application is exclusively to the office of the president and nothing else. 

Therefore, Atiku Abubakar, as a bona fide citizen of Nigeria is supremely entitled and as of right, to attain any level in the Civil Service, run for any office in the land, be a governor and even be made a Vice President without portfolio, but the said Section 131(a) of the Nigerian Constitution precludes him from being president, because he did not acquire his citizenship of Nigeria through birth. Atiku Abubakar was not born in Nigeria but subsequently became a Nigeria because his people voted to join Nigeria. ICHEOKU read how Atiku tried to explain the migration pattern of his forebears from Sokoto to Adamawa; but that alone does not cure his NOT BORN IN NIGERIA status, because the Fulani are nomads and their settlement is their home. His grandparents made that choice to migrate to Cameroon and so Cameroon was their home until their part of Cameroon voted to join Nigeria. 

Recall that Fulani people are not indigenous to Nigeria but all migrated from Futa Djallon Senegal/Gambia to all the places in Africa where they settled. It is also pertinent to note that Atiku Abubakar did not mention the thousands of indigenous Adamawans who his forebears wiped out and displaced; but that will be reserved for another time's discussion. It is also interesting to hear Atiku Abubakar call his grandfather and father "learned"; yet his supposedly "learned" father did not allow him to equally become "learned"; rather he considered Western education as dangerous, a definite precursor to the present day Boko Haram and you wonder who is advising this fella and writing his speeches. 

Atiku also narrated how his father drowned in a shallow river but failed to say if he was drunk when he waded into the river; and also mentioned how the same man he said was a successful businessman could not afford to pay his bail amount when he was arrested. Anyway, Olusegun Obasanjo in his book " MY WATCH" similarly alluded to Atiku Abubakar's questionable pedigree; begging the question, does Atiku Abubakar even know who gave birth to him? 

Although the question of Atiku's citizenship status has never been contested nor previously adjudicated on, but the court cannot seat over a dispute which has not been brought before it; otherwise he would have been earlier disqualified from even running for the presidency and long before this time. ICHEOKU says such an excluding provision is somewhat universal amongst countries, inserted in their Constitutions to protect and safeguard their countries from being hijacked by mercenary presidents; from citizens of other constructs who may not have enough skin in the game to be as patriotic as BORN IN THE COUNTRY CITIZENS, who have no other country they can run back to or assertively call their own.

Recall that during the Goodluck Jonathan's enabled National Conference, that the present traditional ruler of Adamawa Highlands Emirate, Emir Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa, Atiku Abubakar's ruler and who Atiku is his seconding command, threatened to move with his people back to Cameroon should Nigeria fall apart as a result of lack of consensus on how to continuously live together as one united Nigeria. Such a divided loyalty, no matter how improbable or unlikely it might seem, is what such Section 131(a) seeks to guard against because when stuff hits the ceiling, where would such a technically "foreign" president pitch his tent of loyalty. 

For instance, were Cameroonian gendarmes to attack Nigeria through the Adamawa Highlands flank and Atiku Abubakar was president, will a "President" Atiku Abubakar send forces to crush the attackers alongside the resulting collateral damage, comprised of his kindred who are still on the other side of the Adamawa Highlands which is still in Cameroon. Also, do not forget that the Lamido Adamawa Emirate Kingdom stretches into Cameroon and that some of his subjects are still Cameroonians. But unfortunately, some Nigerians are not looking at the issue dispassionately, rather through their biased jaundiced spectacles and are arriving at their discordant tunes; otherwise the issue is specific enough and quite measured. 

Anyway, the provision of eligibility was inserted in the Constitution because the framers of the Constitution were cognizant that there are different categories of citizenship and wanted to preclude some categories from being president. The United States of America has a similar provision in their Constitution as well, which prevents somebody like Arnold Schwarzenegger from ever becoming president; admitted his children can; just like Atiku Abubakar's own children can become president of Nigeria, but definitely not Atiku himself. It might seem somewhat discriminatory, unfair and unjust; but until it is changed, it remains the law of the land. Anybody who does not like it or has an issue with its seemingly harsh outcome, should move for a Constitutional Reform in order to change it. But until then, Atiku, although a bona fide citizen of Nigeria, remains disqualified for the office of the president, by reason of his not meeting the threshold of the BORN IN NIGERIA requirement of Section 131(a) of the Constitution. 

ICHEOKU says unless the court liberally interprets the provision and somehow makes  accommodates for an Atiku Abubakar exception, he stands on a quick sand in his pursuit of the holy grail of a lost "mandate", because he lacks the needed fundamental qualification to even contest for the office in the first place. He was born in Adamawa Highlands Cameroon long before the territory changed hands and became part of Nigeria, hence lacks the BORN IN NIGERIA citizenship stature. Nigeria was constituted in 1914 and as at that time, Adamawa Highlands was part of Cameroon and remained so until the 1961 plebiscite which made them Nigeria. 

Atiku Abubakar was born before the plebiscite and automatically failed the test of a BORN IN NIGERIA citizen and not eligible for president. The law of the land said that ONLY BORN IN NIGERIA citizens shall be president; the law might seem too harsh, but laws are not supposed to be a Mr Nice Guy or fair nor just. It also does not entertain or admit pity party; the reason Lady Justice is a black-widow, always dressed in black and also wears a blindfold. She is a mean MF who does not give a damn nor care a hoot about causing anyone any hurt feelings. Killing people is not fair, but it regularly condemns people to death, so it is not a big deal if Atiku Abubakar is disqualified from the presidency by reason of his not being born in Nigeria because he was NOT BORN IN NIGERIA.