GUN VIOLENCE IN AMERICA: FOR WHO THE BELL TOLLS NEXT.

Just five people shy of Sandy Hook elementary school mass shooting incident that claimed 26 lives, the Uvalde Texas Robb elementary school mass shooting at 21 victims, now ranks among the highest grossing gun carnage in America. It is sad that such frequent blood spilling has tragically become part of our culture as a society. May the souls of the killed now rest.

25th AMENDMENT: ITS NOW ALL CRICKET.

Madam Speaker Nancy Pelosi once questioned former President Donald John Trump's fitness to remain in office due to what she claimed was his declining mental capacity. Does anyone know what Madam Speaker presently thinks about the incontrovertible case which America is now saddled with? Just curious!

WHO WILL REBUILD UKRAINE?

The West should convert frozen Russian assets, both state's and oligarchs' owned, into a full seizure and set them aside for the future rebuilding of Ukraine. Like the Marshal Plan, call it the Putin Plan.

A HERO IS BORN.

I am staying put. I will not run away and abandon my people. The fight is here in Ukraine. What I need are weapons and ammunitions, not a ride out of town like former Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani - President Volodymyr Zelensky.

IT IS WHAT IT IS.

"There is too much hate in America because there is too much anger in America." - Trevor Noah.

WORD!

A life without challenges is not a life lived at all. A life lived is a life that has problems, confronts problems, solves problems and then learns from problems. - Tunde Fashola.

NOW, YOU KNOW.

When fishing for love, bait with your heart and not your brain, because you cannot rationalize love. - Mark Twain.

JUST THE FACT.

In our country, you can shoot and kill a nigger, but you better not hurt a gay person’s feelings - Dave Chappelle

DO YOU?.

“What you believe in can only be defined by what you’re willing to risk for it." - Stuart Scheller.

HEDGE YOUR CRISIS.

Never get in bed with a woman whose problems are worse than yours. - Chicago PD.

PROBLEM SOLVED.

'The best way to keep peace is to be ready to destroy evil. If you Pearl Harbor me, I Nagasaki you.' - Ted Nugent.

OUR SHARED HUMANITY.

Empathy is at the heart of who we are as human beings. - Cardinal Matthew Kukah.

WORDS ON MARBLE.

"Birth is agony. Life is hard. Death is cruel." - Japanese pithy.

REPENT OR PERISH - POPE.

Homosexuality is a sin. It is not ordained by God, therefore same sex marriage cannot be blessed by the church - Pope Francis.

CANCEL CULTURE IS CORROSIVE.


FOR SAKE OF COUNTRY.


MAGA LIVES ON: NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER!

TWITTER IS BORING WITHOUT HIS TWEETS. #RestorePresidentTrump'sTwitterHandle.


WORD.

"If you cannot speak the truth when it matters, then nothing else you says matters.” - Tucker Carlson.

#MeToo MOVEMENT: A BAD NEWS GONE CRAZY.

"To all the women who testified, we may have different truth, but I have a great remorse for all of you. I have great remorse for all of the men and women going through this crisis right now in our country. You know, the movement started basically with me, and I think what happened, you know, I was the first example, and now there are thousands of men who are being accused and a regeneration of things that I think none of us understood. I’m not going to say these aren’t great people. I had wonderful times with these people. I’m just genuinely confused. Men are confused about this issue. We are going through this #MeToo movement crisis right now in this country." - Harvey Weinstein.


RON DELLUMS: UNAPOLOGETICALLY RADICAL.

"If it’s radical to oppose the insanity and cruelty of the Vietnam War, if it’s radical to oppose racism and sexism and all other forms of oppression, if it’s radical to want to alleviate poverty, hunger, disease, homelessness, and other forms of human misery, then I’m proud to be called a radical.” - Ron Vernie Dellums.


WHAT REALLY MATTERS IN LIFE - STEVE JOBS

“I reached the pinnacle of success in the business world. In others’ eyes, my life is an epitome of success. However, aside from work, I have little joy. Non-stop pursuing of wealth will only turn a person into a twisted being, just like me. God gave us the senses to let us feel the love in everyone’s heart, not the illusions brought about by wealth. Memories precipitated by love is the only true riches which will follow you, accompany you, giving you strength and light to go on. The most expensive bed in the world is the sick bed. You can employ someone to drive the car for you, make money for you but you cannot have someone to bear sickness for you. Material things lost can be found. But there is one thing that can never be found when it is lost – Life. Treasure Love for your family, love for your spouse, love for your friends. Treat yourself well. Cherish others.” - SJ

EVIL CANNOT BE TRULY DESTROYED.

"The threat of evil is ever present. We can contain it as long as we stay vigilant, but it can never truly be destroyed. - Lorraine Warren (Annabelle, the movie)


ONLY THE POOR WISH THEY HAD STUFF?

“I’m not that interested in material things. As long as I find a good bed that I can sleep in, that’s enough.” - Nicolas Berggruem, the homeless billionaire.

Monday, October 21, 2013

CHRIS NGIGE, WHY HE MUST NOT BE ELECTED GOVERNOR.

Icheoku says Lagos State's Governor Babatunde Fashola had a great opportunity with the flagging off of Anambra State APC gubernatorial candidate's Chris Ngigi's campaign at Onitsha, to formally apologise to Igbo people in their heartland over the fiasco of his deportation of their kits and kin from Lagos, but was MIA (missing in action). The governor was a no-show at the said APC's "historical" event in Igboland. Icheoku says if indeed Governor Fashola truly wanted an end to the debacle he created with that hateful deportation as he claimed, and sincerely meant the tendered "apology" for what he wrongfully did to fellow Nigerians, why did he not soldier on into Igboland to truly look them in the eye and say to them 'am sorry if my action rubbed you wrongly?' 

But instead he settled for that forsworn no-apology apology he tendered at the tiny Aka Ikenga forum in "HIS" Lagos as being entirely sufficient for what he did and requiring no further or additional effort at soothing frayed Igbo nerve and stayed off Igboland's headquarters? Icheoku says if indeed Governor Fashola felt forgiven by the Igbos and/or that his mea culpa before Aka Ikenga was all encompassing and that all is now honky-dory with the Igbos, why did he not follow his master Ahmed Bola Tinubu into Onitsha to prove that after the apology, that he once again finds himself at home in Igboland; and that the hurt he caused the Igbos by deporting them from Lagos is no longer hurting and he has been forgiven? But no, rather like a fowl which let foul air, the land of Igboland is in his pursuit and he would not dare be found near or around it; hence the wisdom to stay out of such "historic" event across the Niger, right? 

Icheoku says Igbo people of Anambra State must join other Igbos to register their displeasure over our peoples' deportation from Lagos by APC's Governor Fashola. They must in unison say to APC's Governor Fashola that his so called apology was neither sufficient nor was it properly tendered and channeled, and therefore not accepted. Igbo people of Anambra State must let APC's Governor Fashola know that Aka Ikenga is not Igbo people's recognized representative, hence not the proper medium to communicate to Igbo people whatsoever. Anambra State Igbos must drive it into Governor Fashola's ears that Oha-na-Eze Ndigbo and the Southeastern Governors Forum are the only true representatives of the Igbo people, hence any communication meant for the entire Igbo people, including an "apology", must be routed through either of this two agencies. 

Further, that the Igbo people do not and cannot expect a cloister of select few Igbo businessmen and professionals based in Lagos, who hardly visit home, who were neither appointed nor elected by them as their representatives, to be their middlemen for communicating apologies to them and will not listen to any such routed apology. Icheoku says Igbo people of Anambra State has only one way of strongly and most effectively communicating this message to APC's Governor Fashola and in unequivocal terms. By resoundingly rejecting Governor Fashola's APC from taking roots in Anambra State by proxy of the APC-tainted governorship candidate Chris Ngige, in the forthcoming governorship election in November, the message would have been sent to all Igbo-haters, who demean and denigrate Igbo people in Nigeria at every given opportunity, that enough is enough - NO MORE, NEVER AGAIN and NOT THIS TIME. 

It would be a symbolic gesture, made not out of hatred of Chris Ngige but to send a clear message to APC's Governor Fashola and the other Yoruba apologist Femi Fani Kayode that spiting Igbo people will not be rewarded or tolerated, nor would any of such their frontal assault on Igbo's general psyche ever be forgotten. To ignore this plea and otherwise in any event elect APC's Chris Ngige as governor of Anambra State this November, no matter under what color, subterfuge or disguise of his past proven record of performance, would be selling out to Yoruba's APC's Bola Tinubu and Governor Fashola. Such a salutary gesture would once again reinforce and reiterate the cliched opinion of other Nigerians that Igbos have no cored value; that Igbo people lack a political will to go the extra mile; that Igbo people lack the cohesion to fight and pursue a common purpose; that the Igbos are merely a motley of disorganize and dysfunctional people, with no collective agenda or plan to get anywhere politically in Nigeria; that all their handicaps are because they are confused and untutored in the act of real politics of numbers, guided by one united common front and voice and this is the sole reason they are always easily manipulated out of any serious contention in Nigeria's politics every time. 

A vote for Chris Ngige is a vote for APC; and a vote for APC is an automatic authorization of Bola Tinubu to do whatever and however pleases him, with the purse of Anambra State, Igboland's headquarters. Icheoku says after all the horrid experiences Igbo people have suffered in the hands of Yoruba people starting with Awolowo and Zik through Obasanjo's shutting down of Igbo businesses (Ibeto cement, Slok airlines, Hallmark Bank, Savannah Bank etc) to the most recent deportation of Igbos by Governor Fashola, it would be a great defeatism for Igbo people to just turn around and hand over to Yorubas our key State, Anambra. Igbo and Yoruba people are competitors in Nigeria and for one competitor to win the other must lose and igbos must not lose by such a wide margin of turning over our key state to the Yorubas. Igbo and Yoruba are arch rivals in Nigeria and this rivalry must and should continue in order for the Igbos to still remain competitive in Nigeria. So please Anambra Igbos do not play the possum or allow the Yorubas run a roughshod on you by surrendering your state to Bola Tinubu. By so doing, you would equally be ratifying APC's Governor Fashola's deportation of Igbos from Lagos and this should be a NO, NO.

Furthermore, APC's bank-roller and controller-general in chief, Bola Tinubu, a scion of royalty, well versed in the things of culture and tradition being a prince of Isale Eko, found it very convenient and tolerable to literally invade another royalty's domain on a sacred day the king was marking his reign, just to hold a campaign rally? Why that particular day for the political rally if not a deliberate attempt to challenge the monarch's institutional authority? Icheoku queries were it the Oba of Lagos who was celebrating a royal event of same magnitude as the Ofala festival, would a similar political campaign rally or any other event been tolerated in Lagos or allowed to clash with a traditional festivities which was scheduled over one year ago thus giving sufficient notice to the world? Why that particular day to hold a political rally if not a deliberate attempt to sabotage the Obi's festivities? Icheoku asks would Bola Tinubu or any Igbo man for that matter dare assault a highly revered monarch of Lagos or any other Yoruba kingdom by holding a conflicting and somewhat confrontational event on a day festivities marking their reign were taking place? 

Icheoku asks why would Bola Tinubu's APC's political train so flagrantly invade Onitsha for a political rally while the Obi of Onitsha was celebrating his Ofala festival? Why couldn't the rally wait for another time or weekend following the completion of the Ofala festival? To add insult to injury, Bola Tinubu did not even have the cultural decency or a visitor's courtesy to visit the Ime-Obi to pay homage to the Obi for coming into his domain or indeed commiserate with him on  the occasion of marking his reign? Icheoku wonders what founded the effrontery of Bola Tinubu to so vagrantly disrespect a very high Igbo Majesty, the Obi of Onitsha Igwe Patrick Achebe and inside his domain if the APC was not seeking further confrontation and now inside Igboland? Icheoku queries would Bola Tinubu dare do this in Kano with the Emir of Kano or in Ife with the Ooni of Ife or in Oyo with the Alaafin of Oyo or in Benin with the Oba of Bini or in Sokoto with the Sarduana of Sokoto? Only in Igboland and you ask why? The simple answer seems to be because Bola Ige does not care a hoot about the sensibilities of the Igbo people and is indeed very scornful of the Igbos and their traditional institutions? As the sole financier and promoter in chief of the APC, Bola Tinubu bears sole responsibility for anything done wrong by the party sucklings including Ngige and for disrespecting the Obi of Onitsha.

Icheoku says this is a perversion of the highest order of an Igbo revered institution that must not be tolerated by Igbo people. The fact that Chris Ngige was a party to this show of shameful disrespect to the institution of the Obi-ship of Onitsha and by extension the entire Igboland, being Igboland's highest ranking first class monarchy, is a call for a serious reprimand of all the transgressors including Chris Ngige. This will let Chris Ngige and his APC Yoruba sponsors know that they cannot come into Igboland and further denigrate the Igbo people including what they hold so dear to them - their first class traditional institution, and in such very arrogant and disrespectful manner. The APC should pay a price for their infra-dig; the APC should suffer a consequence for their spiteful treatment of the Obi of Onitsha  and the institution he represents in Igboland. Icheoku says the denial of APC an access to the purse of Anambra State would be a good measure. Therefore Icheoku calls on Anambra State Igbos to register their great displeasure over Bola Tinubu's disrespectful treatment of Igbo's first class monarch, the Obi of Onitsha, by saying no to APC and their front-man Chris Ngige this November 2013. In addition, Anambra Igbos MUST not sell-out politically to the Yorubas as that will be uprooting the very foundation of the only Igbo legacy party in Nigeria. As a matter of honor and pride, Anambra Igbos should endeavor to sustain the anchor of the only truly Igbo party in Nigeria and in memory of our war lord Ikemba Nnewi. At least do it for him; but in any other event, please do not settle for a sectional tribal party as represented by Bola Tinubu's APC and it does not and should not matter that Ngige is beloved as that will be politically suicidal for Anambra State and Igboland in general.  

Icheoku is emphatic that APC Bola Tinubu violated the sanctity of Obi of Onitsha's solemn Ofala ceremony by staging a campaign event on the same day the Obi was marking his reign to countermand the festivities in an unneeded rivalry. APC Bola Tinubu also spitefully failed, refused and/or neglected to pay the Obi of Onitsha a courtesy call and homage while in the Obi's domain, carrying out a campaign visit to Onitsha. It also did not matter to APC Bola Tinubu that the Obi in whose domain he was trying to stir trouble was celebrating his coronation as to warrant him going to felicitate with him on such an occasion and to wish him many more happy returns? A man as schooled in culture and tradition as APC Bola Tinubu should not have in the first place agreed to flag off any political campaign rally in Onitsha on the same day the Obi of Onitsha was celebrating his Ofala festival; but he chose to affront an institution which means so much to Igbos. The very act of holding a rival event in Onitsha, on the same day the Obi was celebrating his Ofala, by itself, without more, was indeed so confrontational in nature that were it in so many other traditional domains in Nigeria, may be the APC marauders led by Bola Tinubu would not have made it out alive from Onitsha; but thankfully the Obi was both a gentleman and a scholar, a very peaceful person and he restrained his subjects. 

In Bola Tinubu's Lagos, even the celebration of Eyoo masquerade leads to a near total and complete shut down of everything and who knows the fate which usually befalls any unlucky wanderer caught after dawn when their curfew is already in place; but the Obi of Onitsh's Ofala and in Onitsha was no big deal to this band of vagrants led by Bola Tinubu who invaded Onitsha for a political event while the Obi was marking his coronation? Any man or woman who is indeed respectful of a people would by the same token respect things endear to them including their traditional institutions; hence would not hold a confrontational event on the occasion as the Ofala festival. Assuming for the sake of advocacy that no Ofala festival was even taking place, a rather respectful Bola Tinubu, while visiting Onitsha, would have first paid homage to the custodian of Onitsha, the Obi of Onitsha. At least protocol demands that and respect for what the Obi represents and the institution's very high place in Igboland also make it imperative that any dignitary visiting Onitsha should stop by the Ime-Obi to extend felicitations to the Obi. But APC's Bola Tinubu did not any of that nor did he show any respect to His Majesty. A matter made worse because the Obi was celebrating his Ofala when APC Bola Tinubu and his APC vagrants invaded Onitsha and this did not weigh enough to move Bola Tinubu to do what is right by the Obi, by the people of Onitsha, by Anambra State and indeed the entire Igbo people and you ask yourself WHY? Icheoku's guess is because APC Bola Tinubu does not GIVE A DAMN about what the Igbo people or how they feel or think about their traditional institutions?

Icheoku says Chris Ngige is in a wrong party. APC is for all intent and purpose a Southwest regional Yoruba party, in a vice stranglehold of Ahmed Bola Tinubu with some little North West Hausa/Fulani Buhari flavor. The broom symbol was Yoruba ACN's as well as one of its colors. Moreso all the prime officers of APC are Yoruba and Hausa/Fulani people without any Igbo South Easterner in any position of real strength, power or authority within the party; a matter made worse by the Islamic party symbolism of APC with Bola Tinubu and Muhammadu Buhari, both Muslims, calling all the shots. Icheoku queries why would the Igbo people sell out to this arrangement when Buhari has never condemned the incessant massacres of Igbo people in the North by his Islamic brothers Boko Haram terrorists? Bola Tinubu has also not spoken forcefully against the Islamic Boko Haram terrorist scourge whenever their victims were Igbo people unlike he did when those students were beheaded in Yobe recently? So who will protect Igbo people in an APC controlled government under this two men's leadership of the party, their antecedent considered? Therefore why give them front-row accommodation in the heartland of Igboland by handing them over Anambra State through Chris Ngige?

Also knowing how ACN controlled South Western Yoruba States governors are beholden to Bola Tinubu, lavishing their States money on his birthdays and parceling out billions in over-inflated contracts to Bola Tinubu owned companies from Lagos to Oyo to Ogun to Edo and Oshun states, why should Bola Tinubu also be allowed to take over Onitsha and Nnewi markets revenues? Igbo money should be left for the Igbos and not used to further feather the nest of Bola Tinubu or any of his Yoruba controlled business interests or concerns, period. Admitted this may sound like a tribal goading in action but Icheoku says since the handshake across the Niger has not been consummated - not during Awo and Zik era, not during Ojukwu's repeated efforts; not during Obasanjo's government when he pleasured himself greatly with the number of Igbo businesses he closed down from Slok airlines to Ibeto cement to Hallmark bank to Savannah bank etc; and not as recently evidenced with the Governor Fashola's deportation of Igbos from Lagos saga and the repeated calls by demented Femi Fani Kayode for Igbo people to go home, what then is the point pretending that everything is honky-dory in Nigeria among the tribes and that it does not matter what party's platform Ngige runs on and who controls it? 

Just like election matters, political party's platform also equally do matter as somebody somewhere outside Igboland would automatically control the policy and agenda of the incoming APC government of Anambra State in the unfortunate event APC's Ngige is elected? In democracy, numbers matter and there will not be enough Ngiges in APC to stop Bola Tinubu and his boys from wresting the control of Anambra State purse from Igbo people and doing some wealth transfers across the Niger. If in doubt take a look at ACN controlled states of Western Nigeria and be the judge of Bola Tinubu's imperial control. Currently available evidence shows that Bola Tinubu controls his ACN governors lock and step, so an elected APC's Ngige would also be forced to subjugate himself to APC's godfather Bola Tinubu and will not have a say or strength to raise any objection on how Bola Tinubu wants Onitsha and Nnewi revenues to be shared? Icheoku says Igbo people of Anambra State must not allow themselves to wake up to discover that this nightmarish possibility becomes a reality and MUST endeavor to drain the swamp now before those crocodiles infest it. Bola Tinubu controlling Anambra State resources must not be allowed to happen, not NOW, not at any future time.

Lastly Bola Tinubu was coy at Onitsha in not raising the APC Governor Fashola's deportation question or personally apologizing for it, afterall it was the act of his political son, his appointed governor of Lagos State. Conversely, is there anybody out there willing to challenge Icheoku that Bola Tinubu was not aware of the brouhaha caused by Fashola's deportation of his fellow Nigerians from a section of Nigeria despite not having the power or authority to so do? So why did Bola Tinubu not at least reiterate the apology and sought a confirmation that the apology was accepted and further express how deeply sorry he was that his political son acted in such utra vires divisive manner. But instead, he choose to be smart by half about it and remained taciturn on the matter, thinking that Igbo people are too shallow to remember that ugly incident as they cast their ballots to elect their next governor of Anambra State in November. Icheoku says this failure by Bola Tinubu to apologize for Fashola's deportation of Igbo people from Lagos is a gross wilful neglect and utter indifference to a big Igbo people's hurt in their believe in one Nigerian. It is a neglect by Bola Tinubu of a matter which so violently violated the heart and soul of every Igbo person that they still shudders in shock of disbelief that a Yoruba APC governor do not see them as Nigerians? It also shows that Bola Tinubu did not appreciate or refused to see the injustice complained of by the igbos - that Nigerian Igbos were forcibly deported from a section of their country, Lagos-Nigeria and it impacted their psyche. 

APC Bola Tinubu should be held vicariously liable for that depraved act of his appointed political son, APC Governor of Lagos State Fashola. By the same extension, APC's Chris Ngige of Anambra State SHOULD and MUST also be made to feel the heat of Igbo displeasure of what his APC Yoruba friend Fashola did to the Igbo people he wrongly deported from Lagos. Icheoku says since you can tell who a man is by knowing who his friends are, Chris Ngige's palling around with Igbo haters from across the Niger is not a good sign for Anambra State Igbos wellbeing. His being elected into government house Awka forebodes danger to our pride and dignity in Nigeria; therefore he must be stopped cold in his tracks - PLEASE DO NOT ELECT CHRIS NGIGE, GOVERNOR OF ANAMBRA STATE. 

A time like this calls for collective action. Icheoku does not dislike or hate Chris Ngige as a person; admitted Icheoku called him out when he went prostrate before Alusi Okija deity to swear oath of loyalty to his erstwhile political godfather Chris Uba who smuggled him into government house Awka during his first governorship journey; before they fell apart leading to the same Chris Ubah kidnapping him and later forcing him out of the same government house Awka through the courts. So Icheoku still questions whether a devil worshiper and a man who swears by deity like Chris Ngige is a fit and proper person to govern a predominantly Christian State like Anambra; and it does not matter that he bears the name CHRIS. A man who wheels and deals in such manner and who swears by deities for power, probably have also sworn by Oshun Goddess for Bola Tinubu to hand him over Onitsha and Nnewi money pots as a trade for being elected? Icheoku does not know for a fact, neither does any one else except the two parties; but suffice it to say that if he did it once then he probably could have done it again now. Icheoku says Anambra State should be governed by a Christian in faith and in practice; and someone who both publicly and privately hold the Christian tenets with honor. 

So you decide for yourself BUT personally Icheoku have decided to take some proactive action to campaign against Chris Ngige's election as governor of Anambra State. In the unfortunate event Anambra Igbos sellout to Yoruba Bola Tinubu and elects Ngige come November 2013, Icheoku would embark on some serious protest action. First Icheoku would boycott Anambra State for the duration of his governorship like Icheoku did of Nigeria when Baba Iyabo was president. Secondly all Icheoku's friends from and of Anambra State origin would be chewed out for allowing a goat to deliver while in tethers. Further and since Anambra State is now the designated heartland of Igboland, Icheoku would feel so guilty by ancestral roots that he will be forced to 'de-Igbonize' himself to a great degree. The dimension is not fully known but it will be enough that people would ask 'is this man of Igbo stork,' and Igbo people will ask, 'is he really one of us? '

Chris Ngige is guilty by association. His friends deported Igbo people from Lagos and they also in concert, disrespected our premier traditional institution. Chris Ngige is in a wrong, anti-Igbo, Islamic party. APC is controlled supremely by one Yoruba Muslim man, Bola Tinubu, assisted by one Hausa/Fulani Islamic fundamentalist, Muhammadu Buhari. Muhammadu Buhari hates the Igbos - his war records and brief presence as head of state spoke volume and it is on record that one of the reasons he staged his 1983 coup was to prevent Vice President Alex Ekwueme from eventually becoming president. It is also instructive that Buhari boycotted the Onitsha Chris Ngige's gubernatorial flag off campaign because he is not comfortable visiting igboland. Buhari also murdered Bartholomew Owo based on a retroactive decree. Buhari also imprisoned Vice President Alex Ekwueme while he put President Shagari under executive house arrest and you wonder why a deputy should be persecuted more than the man in charge? Buhari also once wondered on one his rare visit to Onitsha in 1984 how the Igbos managed the miracle of rebuilding their region after the destruction and deprivation of the civil war. 

Icheoku wonders why all these signs are not already flashing DANGER-RED to Igbo people of Anambra State. Igbo people must not allow themselves to be conquered by the Yorubas, beginning with Anambra State. We are rivals and for one to win the other has to lose; we must therefore not capitulate otherwise they will secure a victory over us. Bola Tinubu is not an Igbo lover either. So brethrens of Anambra State, Icheoku says do this for true blood of Igbo flowing inside of you. Do it to save Onitsha and Nnewi markets' pots of gold from being snatched and siphoned by greedy Bola Tinubu. Do it for all those Igbo people deported by APC Governor Fashola from Lagos. Do it for your motherland - JUST SAY NO TO Bola Tinubu's greedy expedition to conquer Igboland. Say no to Bola Tinubu and his band of very disrespectful brigands who invaded Onitsha while the Obi was celebrating his Ofala without even paying a courtesy visit to the Obi. 

Anambra Igbos, please SAY NO to Chris Ngige's governorship ambition to rule Anambra State as he is going to be a conduit for Bola Tinubu to get his filthy greedy hands on Igbo money. APC is not an Igbo party and they do not care about Igbos nor their traditional institutions. Admitted that Anambra Igbos may love Ngige BUT Ngige cannot stand against Bola Tinubu's greedy appetite that is coveting Onitsha and Nnewi markets' purses. Enough of all these Igbos are "nice" people, courted only when they want something out or from us, only to dumb us and say so long until next time? Ngige may be a saint and a performer past governor BUT he is in an anti-Igbo political party and thus literally in bed with the enemy. The devil's train in which Ngige is hitching a ride to Awka governor's mansion will not bring any good tidings to Igbo people other than influenza. The operators of the train have no love for the Igbo people as exhibited by the recent deportation of Igbo people from Lagos by one of them. Then factor in the continued haranguing of an Igbo daughter Bianca by a prominent member of that party, APC Femi Fani Kayode; admitted the loud mouth is on CRACK which must have cracked his brains alongside his perpetually gaping mouth that oozes with putrid offal? It is also pertinent to note that APC Bola Tinubu did not mention either the APC's Fashola's deportation or APC's Femi Fani Kayode tirades against the Igbos while flagging off APC's Ngige's gubernatorial campaign in Igbo heartland Onitsha and you ask yourself, why? 

The solution and the only nuclear option to stop this evil plans of mortgaging Igbo prosperity to the Yoruba Southwest's control via Bola Tinubu, after their Obafemi Awolowo tried in vain to stifle it with his inhumane twenty pounds and indigenisation decree fiscal and monetary policies, is to not bite the bait that is Chris Ngige. The Ngige carrot, being dangled before the Igbos in Anambra State, is a poison pill that will cause untoward hardship and irreparable damage to the standing of the Igbo people in Nigeria and Igbos MUST reject it and thereby refuse to play second fiddle to our arch rivals, the Yoruba people. Anambra Igbos must tell APC thanks but NO to the Ngige offer; and to Ngige, although we love you BUT you are in a wrong party. Igbo people of Anambra State must not and should never surrender or mortgage their hard-earned prosperity to Bola Tinubu's greed or to the Yorubas' overreaching control. Icheoku says if surrendering Anambra State to the Yorubas is the only way the elusive handshake across the Niger can ever take place, may the two hands hang up in the air in perpetuity, never to clasp one another. It was not done in the past by our previous generation and it must not be done NOW by the present generation. Icheoku says NO to APC and hereby calls on Igbos of Anambra State to also say NO to a Yoruba intended domination of the Igbos. Please say NO to Bola Tinubu's greedy coveting of Onitsha and Nnewi markets treasuries which he plans to execute by proxy of Chris Ngige. The silver bullet - REJECT NGIGE come November.

Sunday, October 6, 2013

"WE ARE MURDERERS" - JEREMIAH USENI.

*Useni
Icheoku says when you think you've heard the last vile thing from all these animals who had held Nigeria down for too long, here comes the worst vomit from one of the vermin, owning up to a cold blooded murder of a Head of State alongside his host governor. This becomes more worrisome because the bastard son of Tarok who made this self-incriminating confession that he is a murderer, found it very edifying and glorifying to rekindle that painful chapter of Nigeria's sordid history that won't go away. According to this vampire, himself, TY Danjuma, Garba Dada and their ignoble co-conspirators betrayed their sworn oath as soldiers and their allegiance to their commander in chief and head of state and killed him in cold-blood and are shamelessly proud of their infamy. 

Icheoku bemoans this as the worst and lowest denominator any decent human can descend into except that there is nothing decent about a man who in addition to killing his head of state and commander in chief, also poisoned his "best" friend Sani Abacha to death; leading Icheoku to wonder with a friend like Jerry-Monster Useni who needs an enemy? Icheoku without mincing words, hereby categorically and unequivocally, brand this army man for what he is - a putrid sack of manure that should be avoided like leprosy and loathed as unwholesome by every God or Allah-fearing Nigerian who believes in the sanctity and sacredness of human life. Jeremiah Useni, it shall not be well with you here and the hereafter as the blood of those you wasted shall continue to hound you and will line up in witness against you on judgment day. Except that Abacha will not be allowed to testify from Hell, otherwise he too would have to confront you that day in addition.

When Icheoku thinks that the otherwise avoidable tragedy that was Biafran civil war was gradually melting away, a man or rather a murderer who helped trigger that tragic event in Nigeria's history, several decades later, now boasts to the whole shell-shocked world that his group of despicable bandits acted in July 1966 not in the interest of Nigeria but for vengeance. That they acted out of a malicious indignation and their spite of the Igbo people to REVENGE what they saw as a killing of their Northern leaders? Icheoku asks was Finance Minister Okotie Eboh a Northerner? Was S L Akintola a Northerner? Anyway a man this lowly in thinking and who could so easily plunge a country into a civil war because of tribal bigotry, deserves nothing but a total and complete ostracizing from the society, short of full weight of the law prosecution. But unfortunately, raving lunatics like Jeremiah Useni and there are many of them, are still roaming the Nigeria landscape as VIPs and you wonder why Fela categorized them as Vagabonds(in power). 

Now Icheoku will try to analyse murderer Jeremiah Useni's vomit in the interview he granted an inconsequential Hausa tabloid wherein he made his murder confessional; admitted in some of his answers he sounded very distorted like a demented hyena suffering from advanced degrees of Alzheimer's. Just look at the numerous irrelevant responses and non-answer answers he gave to questions of the interviewer such as how he felt joining the army at a very young age? He started narrating how he broke his leg and ended up in a hospital; how he ate omelet and a host of other sundry off the point bullshit of remarks. 

Listen to this animal spit on your face with his account of his exploits as a Northern Nigerian tribal army man who never truly served Nigeria as a patriotic Nigerian but a bigoted Tarok ideologue whose allegiance was to primarily to the regional Northern Nigeria instead of the country Nigeria. - "When we did our own, it was revenge against the Igbos. We realised that Igbos were behind all the killings, and were angered the more because they were not even arrested. Although, they were later arrested and taken to jail, but information came to us that they were just enjoying themselves there. Even their ranks were returned to them and they were wearing their uniforms inside the jail. We continued to meet in secret and strategizing on how to take revenge." 

Icheoku says imagine the double speak by Jeremiah Useni that 'they were not arrested, although they were later arrested;' and you wonder whether he is in the threshold of dementia? Jeremiah Useni, Icheoku asks why did you proceed with your REVENGE attack despite the fact that the law was taking its course regarding those coup plotters and does Icheoku need to add that Ojukwu who was the highest ranking Igbo military officer then did not partake in the coup yet Jeremiah Useni branded it an "Igbo coup" just to provide his ilks the subterfuge to decimate a fast-rising Igbo people within the Nigerian army? It was apparent from his confession that this despicable Tarok individual was just hell-bent on taking a REVENGE on the Igbos, regardless of some other nations' officers participation in that attempted cleansing of the Nigerian society, in order to stop their rise and "revenge the killing of his Northern people?" 

According to this donkey's account and recollection of what transpired, "a meeting of all emirs was called in Ibadan, all our emirs gathered in Ibadan, the head of state, Ironsi, would address them. So we said, are we going to let him come, address them and leave? Or should we just kill him or what? Our fear was that he was in the company of our emirs, and you know bullets do not select whom to hit. What do we do? We don’t want even a single emir to die." Icheoku says this skunk Jeremiah Useni did not want "even a single Northern emir to die," yet he did not bat an eyelid riddling the head of state Aguyi Ironsi, an Igbo, with bullets alongside his host Southwest Governor Adekunle Fajuyi, a Yoruba? Continuing, the bloodsucker said "So we decided the best thing to do was to open fire there even if Governor Fajuyi was also caught, so that they would just be buried together, and that was what happened." So as far as this murderer Jeremiah Useni was concerned, Yoruba Fajuyi was an expendable (even if) but not any of his Northern emirs and you wonder who has kept Nigeria divided along tribal and ethnic lines and for so long? 

Continuing his acerbic diatribe, child-killer Jeremiah Useni said, "When Obasanjo became the Head of State, TY Danjuma was supposed to be the second in command, but Danjuma said no, there was no need for Murtala to be killed and an Obasanjo was made the head of State, with a T.Y. Danjuma second in command. Then Shehu Yar’adua was brought in when he was a Lieutenant Colonel but he was doubly promoted to a Brigadier General and made the second in command to Obasanjo. That decision was taken to promote peace in the land." 

Icheoku queries why was the same ethos not observed when Aguyi Ironsi was murdered by Jeremiah Useni and TY Danjuma  by appointing an Igbo man as second in command and by the same logic, 'promote peace in the land?' At least following Gowon's elevation to head of state, why was an Igbo man not "doubly promoted" to serve as Gowon's second in command then, if the subsequent objective with Yar'Adua's double promotion to serve as Obasanjo's second in command was to "promote peace in the land?" Icheoku is forced to conclude that the 'land where peace was sort to be promoted' and which this dog was talking about or referring to must be their perverted ideal Nigeria without Southerners including the Igbos or where the later remains perpetual servants and slaves, and Jeremiah Useni's North owning every land in Nigeria down to the Atlantic? 

To a question as to how he felt when he was not chosen to succeed Abacha, the Tarok beast said "as a Christian, I believe in destiny." Icheoku retorts where was this christian faith/value of Jeremiah Useni when he and his co-conspirators took a revenge attack on their perceived enemies - Igbo military officers, over two hundred of whom including head of state Aguyi Ironsi were slaughtered by Useni and his boys; or was it because he was put in his place by the real Northerners during the installation of Abdulsalm Abubakar, his junior officer, in place of him that he suddenly realized and remembered that he was a Christian? Where was this Christianity in Jeremiah Useni when he set out to take "REVENGE" against a people when the Lord says revenge is mine? How Christ-like was the slaughter of innocent women and children during Biafra including the starvation to death of millions, which dastardly act of terror was orchestrated by Jeremiah Useni and his cohorts? Icheoku's only wish is that heaven and earth is real and that after life, there will be judgment; so that an opportunity will actually arise for a person like this scumbag Jeremiah Useni, a supposed Christian, to be faced in judgment by millions of Biafran Christians whom he wasted their lives during the Biafran war acting in concert with his Northern Muslims collaborators. 

To another question on the present dysfunctional  Northern Nigeria politics, the man who poisoned Sani Abacha answered, "We found ourselves in this mess because we have turned our backs on God and we are mostly selfish in our affairs. We have hardened our hearts and are cheating each other, which will not take us anywhere. Everything now is based on religious or ethnic affiliations." In retort, Icheoku asks Jeremiah Useni, was it not the same "religious and/or ethnic affiliation" that led him and his Northern gangsters army boys to murder a sitting head of state and his host governor just because they are none Northerners and non Muslims? Was it not the same religious/ethnic affiliation of Jeremiah-Monster Useni and his band of Northern rascals that led to the pogrom that eventually plunged Nigeria into a civil war? 

Icheoku says emphatically that religious-ethnicity bigotry is Jeremiah Useni's middle name, and that the germinated seedling of discordant tunes in Northern Nigeria today was planted by Jeremiah Useni way back in 1966 when he killed a head of state because he was Igbo. So why is the same madman Jeremiah-Monster Useni now pointing accusing finger at himself by stating that "everything now is based on religious and ethnic affiliations;" when this was his primary stated reason for his group of bandits' revenge counter-coup of 1966? As far as Icheoku is concerned the chicken have merely come home to roost in Northern Nigeria and Useni is only seeing the beginning of the avalanche of disunity that will hit Northern Nigeria. Army man Useni should wait until the real Hausa/Fulani core North finish off with their agenda against Jeremiah Useni's Middle Belt North and then Nigerians will take time to listen to the gibberish oozing out of this ape's mouth on the issue of religion and ethnicity. 

On Abacha, Useni said "Abacha was very honest and well mannered. Abacha knew how to run the economy of a nation despite the fact that he did not train as an economist. Abacha was a man who believed in rule of law and order. Abacha is also a problem solver." Icheoku says fortunately enough Abacha was not a so distant past historical experience in Nigeria. Every Nigerian who was alive during the infamous reign of that midget of Kano, knows that anyone who described the dark goggle-wearing army man in those flowering words, as did the Tarok jackal, did not know jack about Sani Abacha; otherwise how could any sane Nigerian describe a man who stole over $2 billion of Nigeria's money as "very honest? How could any mentally balanced Nigerian describe a man who hounded NADECO people out of Nigeria, killed Kudirat Abiola, Pa Rewane and a host of other Nigerians as "well mannered?" How could any educated or even a semi-illiterate Nigerian like Jeremiah Useni describe a man who does not even get to his office until sundown as an "expert economic manager?" 

Icheoku asks how could anyone who lived in Nigeria during the heydays of Al-Mustapha's gestapo killer-squad describe what was experienced then under the rule of despot Sani Abacha as a prevailing "rule of law and order?" It is indeed mind-boggling that that any sane person could  describe a man who did not know any other way out of a problem other than to hound potential opposition into disappearing and saw every voice of descent as a threat that must be eliminated at all cost as a problem solver?" It is increasingly becoming more evident that Baba Iyabo might be right afterall when he asserted not too long ago that "Nigeria was cursed;" otherwise how could this human excrement continue to walk the soils of Nigeria a free man? Icheoku heretofore identifies this Jeremiah Useni as one of the curse plaguing Nigeria and prays God to please take him away immediately and send him to HELL where he rightly belongs. What an imbecile he is that would so openly and so delightfully own up to the murder of a head of state, some woman's husband and father of some children and he is gloating about it? Icheoku is pissed and much so at Jeremiah Useni and his claim to perfidy.

Sunday, September 29, 2013

FASHOLA'S DEPORTATION APOLOGY, UNAPOLOGETIC?

Icheoku says reading the so called mea culpa of the Alaayee Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State concerning his illegal and unlawful act of deporting citizens of a country from their country, any discerning mind would surmise that either he was compelled by his boss Bola Tinubu to clean up his mess or he reluctantly tried to placate a wounded people to avoid a political retribution across the Niger with APC's Ngige's possible rejection in Anambra State because of association with Igbo haters. Hear him - "If those people have misunderstood me or the actions taken by my government, I offer an unqualified and unreserved apology."  

Icheoku says it seems that this man does not get it that he denigrated the entire Igbo people by deeming some of their own as unfit and improper persons to inhabit that part of their fatherland called Lagos. A Lagos State Nigeria, which by virtue of their being part of Nigerian territory, entitles any other Nigerian to live there and call it home as would any other one hundred Fasholas. Governor Fashola does not have any superior or preeminent right to lay claim to Lagos State nor is he or any of his ilks more entitled to Lagos or the right to reside therein more than any of those destitutes so called, whom he deported therefrom. This flagrant infraction of the citizenship rights of those deportees is why Icheoku took umbrage at the governor and nothing more, nothing personal. 

Lagos State is a Nigerian territory and no one, Icheoku repeats no one, including Governor Fashola, has any exclusive right therein to be deemed more Lagosian than any other Nigerian citizens who decides to live in Lagos State and see him or herself as a Lagosian("Omo or Sisi Eko.") The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria makes this equality of citizenship of every Nigerian imperative; hence the action of July 24, 2013 whereby Governor Fashola took the laws into his hands by kidnapping Nigerians citizens and deporting them out of Lagos in the dead of the night is illegal, unlawful and a breach of the peace. Moreover immigration matters in Nigeria is still within the exclusive purview of the Federal government, thus making the Lagos State government of Fashola's act ultra vires the constitution. In any other law-abiding and civilized society, what Governor Fashola did was enough to trigger his recall; lead to his arrest and prosecution for violating fellow citizens' right to freely live, unmolested and undisturbed, anywhere in their country.  But in Nigeria, the jury is still out on how far civilized behavior has developed therein and whether the law perches on the tip of their pyramid as obtains in many other functional places? 

Now lets examine the merits of Fashola's belated "unreserved and unqualified apology to those people who misunderstood him and his actions?" Icheoku says by delineating the sphere of the Igbo-offended, the governor failed to acknowledge that the entire broad Igbo spectrum was offended by his action. The governor tried to use the legendary divide and conquer tactic to divide the Igbo people by classifying them into those who "understood and clapped for him and his actions" and those who didn't. This is totally a wrong approach and the attempt woefully failed as no true son or daughter of Igboland except for the sellout Joe Igbokwe, who found Governor Fashola's illegal action funny or a laughing matter. It is both reprehensible and deplorable. It is not a joke for anyone when another tries to alienate him or her from his fatherland just like with Shugaba in the then Shagari's NPN, hence the entire Igbo nation frowned at Fashola's action. Icheoku says Igbo people condemn the deportation of their people from Lagos by Governor Fashola as a classless attack on their general right to be full Nigerian citizens with inalienable right to reside anywhere and wherever they may deem fit within Nigeria.

Icheoku also has issue with the forum wherein the alleged apology was tendered as Aka Ikenga does not represent nor do they speak for the Igbo nation. Aka Ikenga is a cloister of some Igbo professionals in Lagos who hardly visit Igboland; they congregate to propagate their personal/private business and professional interest but definitely they do not act for the Igbos as a whole. They also do not speak for nor are they mandated to act on behalf of the Igbo people, hence cannot hold brief for the Igbos or mediate any Igbo cause or disputation like the current face-off the Igbo people have with Governor Fashola over his illegal deportation of their people from Lagos. If indeed Governor Fashola sincerely wants to reach out to Igbo people to placate them for his provocative action, the preferred and rightful forum and as is also indeed well known to Fashola, is and still remains either the Igbo Governors Forum or the Igbo umbrella representative organisation, Oha na eze Ndigbo. What Governor Fashola did by using the platform of Aka Ikenga to try and reach out to the Igbos is akin to trying to enter a house through the backdoor and this is unacceptable. Icheoku queries why would a "deeply sorry and sincere Fashola," desirous of atoning for his sins of perfidy, not use the proper Igbo channel to communicate his apology to the Igbos? Instead the governor resorted to a very confined group who are not broadly representative of the Igbo people nor do they command any followership in Igboland. A group made up of chiefly Lagos and Abuja dwellers, who hardly visit their ancestral homes in the East and who do not for every intent and purpose speak for the Igbos nor represent them or their interest can hardly be said to be a medium of and for the Igbo people. 

Governor Fashola went to Aka Ikenga to literally 'thank them for helping out with his father's funeral with their largest "herd of cattle?" Therefore, it is safe to assume that Fashola was just palling around with his Aka Ikenga friends when he decided to try and play a fast one with his so called apology, but he definitely was not honestly trying to reach out to Igbo people whose interest he violated by that deportation. For an action which took place on July 24, 2013, he waited until September 27, 2013 before he found it meritorious and convenient to apologise for it; and after repeatedly previously denying that it took place as well as its illegality and/or his culpability in it. Icheoku asks was the governor forced by to change his course by his boss Bola Tinubu or prompted by the floundering Ngige campaign in Anambra State or did he merely used the opportunity provided by Aka Ikenga event to seek rapprochement with the Igbos? Where was his contrition and at what stage of the controversy did he realize that what he did was both wrong and illegal and that an earlier, much timely apology, would have gone farther than this belated attempt to explain an unexplainable action. Hear the governor in his own words "I came here to say thank you for the honor done to my family and the memory of my late father. People who clearly do not understand the actions taken and words spoken are the people I owe an explanation." Icheoku asks, is the governor now telling the rest of majority Igbo people that the Aka Ikenga understood and approved his actions? 

Icheoku asks if the governor as he claimed "cannot take the Igbos for granted", why did he not seek a more humane approach to solving the problem those unfortunate Igbo people had in Lagos instead of the Nazi-gestapo styled manner of rounding them up, literally kidnapping them, and shipping them to a "concentration camp" in Onitsha and in the dead of the night without even intimating the would be receiving governor or their next of kins? If as the governor claimed, "a relationship of tolerance, mutual respect, love and trust with the Igbos has been built over the years," why was all of these in short supply when he executed his clandestine act of deporting Igbo citizens of Nigeria from within their own country? Where was his tolerance when he could not tolerate less fortunate members of the Nigerian society who happen to call Lagos home? 

Where was the governor's mutual respect for humanity, knowing fully well that all persons are not equally well endowed with resources and that those unfortunate Nigerians did not choose to be so impoverished? Icheoku asks where was Fashola's love for God's children or is he now questioning God on why those deportees were not as rich and as affluent as those who in his eyes merit to live in Lagos? If Governor Fashola believes in trust, why did he not trust the Governor of the would-be recipient Anambra State to intimate him of his planned kidnapping, asporting and dumping of Nigerian citizens in Anambra State? Icheoku says if indeed Governor Fashola valued the relationship which existed across the Niger, why did he not treat those deportees as he would treat those area boys (alayees) of Lagos and not un-needfully distinguishing between this two types of indigent Nigerians - those from Lagos and those from the other country, Igboland? 

To add insult to an already festering deep gash, the governor qualified his apology with the word "IF", yet it is an "unqualified apology" in his jaundiced view; which goes to show that he still does not get it - the gravity of what he did. So by necessary implication, the governor did not show remorse as he stated that it was the form and not the substance of his action that was the fall guy here? According to the governor, "I offer an unreserved apology IF the actions had been misunderstood." icheoku says there is nothing to either understand or be misunderstood here as the blatancy of the action is very clear and speaks volume for itself. To reiterate icheoku admonishes that there is nothing else needing or requiring additional understanding or misunderstanding in the fact that some citizens of Nigeria were kidnapped and deported from their own country. 

The governor further made allusion to a Ben Akabueze, an Igbo, serving in his government to further show that he has no beef with the Igbos and that he couldn't have 'looked Ben in the eyes after deporting his people,' right? Icheoku says if indeed Fashola's love for the Igbo people is Romeo and Juliet like, how many other Igbo persons did he employ in his administration aside of that Bola Tinubu's mole and financial gatekeeper, who was put there by Tinubu and forcibly imposed on and inherited by Fashola? Icheoku says if Governor Fashola thinks he has power as governor of Lagos State, in addition to being in power therein, let him fire Ben or redeploy him to another ministry and watch himself consumed by the wrath of Bola Tinubu through impeachment from office. 

Icheoku is indeed stupefied at the gullibility of Igbo people who like children are easily pacified with a simple candy despite possessing a potential clout that they could easily harness to get whatever they want in Nigeria but fail to do so due to motley of disorganized, dysfunctional, wildebeest-like incoherent divergent pursuits to issues affecting them as a people. The Igbo people have become pawn in everybody's chess board game in Nigeria, including Fashola's; and they are being individually easily manipulated simply because they lack a collective common purpose as a united people. Practically, every Igbo person wants to make it and be the it in their enclave as the man who must be feared and respected by all at the pain of using corrupt contacts to inflict untoward hardship on anyone who is not singing the chorus of their infallibility and God-like quality? In this rambling atmosphere, other Nigerians are cashing in to rubbish the Igbo people further and so easily that Icheoku cries out WHY can't there be an Igbo people that spoke with one voice -a collective voice force. Icheoku questions what this Fashola was talking about when he used the word "misunderstanding" to describe what he did or state that the number of those he deported was over exaggerated? According to the governor, those people were just seventeen and not seventy; to which Icheoku says one deportation of a people from their own country is simply one deportation too many or is the governor waiting until he deports about one million Igbos from Lagos to accept or acknowledge that what he did was both wrong, illegal and highly deplorable?

Further, Icheoku says there is nothing wrong with people moving from one part of their country to another provided it is to an area still within their country's geographical entity. It is called demographic mobility and people do it throughout the world. The United States Clinton family for example saw Hillary from Illinois marry Bill from Arkansas and relocated to Little Rock where he became a governor's wife and thereafter, moved to New York and later became a State's Senator. Ditto the Bush family that migrated from Connecticut where their grandfather was a Congressman to Texas from where two Bushes won elections to and served as presidents of the United States; after one served as governor and another son Jeb moved to Florida where he also became governor and where he still calls home till date. Personally, Icheoku has also personally moved through so many states too; so for the governor of Lagos State to see this imitable trait among the Igbos as a bad omen is indeed truly very disturbing. The worst of it being the governor's questioning of whether the Igbos are being more Nigerians than Igbos? Is the governor expecting the Igbos to be tribal bigots like his ilks and was he indeed asking where Igbo peoples' loyalty lies? Icheoku says if Governor Fashola thinks that he does not have problems with the Igbo people as a result of this deportation, then he has another thing coming. Imagine his arrogance not appreciating the magnitude of his caused injury to a people irrespective that some carpet-beggars, favor-seekers and contract seekers of the Igbo stork flooded his father's funeral with the largest "herd of cattle".  

Finally, Icheoku says this governor must be delusional in thinking that kidnapping and shipping some less fortunate members of the Nigerian society out of Lagos is going to make Lagos better. The solution to making Lagos better by this people would have been to upgrade their lives to a state where they could meaningfully contribute to Lagos State's economy and upkeep with their taxes and by performing other good citizens' duties and obligations. Any governor or government, not primarily driven by tribal bigotry would have seen these deportees as his fellow citizens with unreserved rights to inhabit any part of the geography called Nigeria, hence not deportable. Thereafter, the governor or government would seek ways to rehabilitate and reintegrate them back into the society as gainfully employable part of it. By empowering them with some skill acquisition or trade and backed up with some soft loans to jump-start their sputtering lives once again, these deportees would have eventually realized their Lagos dream or at least headed in that direction. But what did the alaaye governor of Lagos State do? Like a thief in the middle of the night, he kidnapped these unfortunate Nigerians and shipped them away to their own land so far-away from the "foreign" land where they hitherto lived? Icheoku says there is no policy exhibited or implemented here that tasks human fallibility as claimed by the governor whatsoever. 

What the governor did is reprehensibly wrong and absolutely illegal, period. The governor would have said "I am sorry" but he did not. It is irrelevant whether an explanation or defense was intended with his Aka Ikenga visit; the basic thing is that an illegality should not have happened under a supposed Senior Advocate of Nigeria's watch, period. It is also noteworthy that the governor during his apology Aka Ikenga's visit, did not call the rascal Femi Fani Kayode to order or at least denounce him as not speaking for Lagos State or on behalf of him in this matter. So what does the governor's silence on the diatribe drug-addict Femi Fani Kayode is piling on the Igbos, says or tells the Igbos? Icheoku says if only Governor Fashola had put on his SAN's thinking hat pre-deportation and appreciate the illegality of his then planned action. may be all these would have become mute? This would have been the right thing to do and this is what would have saved a more sober Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola from the agonies of the moment and by extension take care of his belated non apologetic apology. 

But in a country given to unnecessarily braggadocio and where people think that the act of showing humility is a sign of weakness, Governor Fashola is now being hailed as magnanimous enough to tender an apology to the Igbos and that his sins have been forgiven? Icheoku says not too fast as those people he dumped in Onitsha have not been compensated or recalled back to Lagos or at least given some stipends for their inconvenience. Until Fashola remorsefully atones for his sins against the Igbos and their unfortunate-deported, Icheoku maintains that the forced apology was a little too late and should be ignored as not genuine and germane enough. The deportation was wrong , illegal and uncalled for and those victims of Governor Fashola's high-handedness should be brought back to Lagos and adequately compensated. Icheoku states that Aka Ikenga does not represent or speak for the Igbos, hence whatever they are doing or "understanding" with Governor Fashola is their private business. Governor Fashola offended the collective sensibilities of the Igbo people and if he wants to apologise for that he must go through the recognized igbo representatives channel - either the Igbo governors or the Oha na eze. Until then, Governor Fashola in the eye of icheoku, remains an avid Igbo hater who must be shunned by every true blooded Igbo person. 

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

AMERICA WINS AMERICA'S CUP, WHAT A COMEBACK LOOKS LIKE.

Icheoku says unlike other countries like Nigeria that usually looks to God to do their heavy lifting including qualifying and doing well in the upcoming World Cup tournament in Brazil 2014, America does it the old fashioned way - dogged determination and a will to triumph. This can-do, can-win attitude saw their Oracle Team USA come back from an assured defeat to snarl victory in the just concluded America's Cup sailing competition in San Francisco California. A Team USA trailing 8-1 came back from a near certain defeat to overrun the Kiwis in the finals to clinch the championship at 9-8 thereby retaining the cup for the second year back to back. Icheoku commends the sheer bravado of the Team USA sailors who despite the odds against their winning the tournament came from behind to roar to victory. 

One derivative from the Team USA victory is to never give up no matter how herculean the tasks looks like or how rugged the road ahead seems or even how steep the climb might otherwise be or look like. Icheoku congratulates the Larry Ellison sponsored Oracle Team USA for snatching victory from the New Zealand Team Emirate under a circumstance that could easily pass for a miracle of the Bay. Admitted the defending champion, Oracle Team USA, had two points deducted from them as penalty for cheating at the beginning of the tournament, which could have impacted their morals to so easily and quickly fall 1-8 to the Kiwis; but their eventual comeback and final victory shows they are possibly a better side who dutifully defended their championship. 

Icheoku does not know if Larry Ellison would re-stage the championship again in San Francisco, but whatever he decides, the tournament did well to create awareness to a sports considered by many as the pastime of the rich and wealthy, explaining the near lack of interest of ordinary San Franciscans who almost did not even know about a tournament holding in their city. Icheoku was lucky to have watched some of the races and is marvelled at the catamarans' near levitating maneuvers on the waters of San Francisco bay; and those sailors, boy were they all buffed - fitness defined. Icheoku says that what Oracle Team USA pulled off over the much fancied and favored Team Emirate of New Zealand - the Kiwis, is indeed what a typical come back really looks like, what a feat.

Monday, September 23, 2013

MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD BAN, A WELCOME DEVELOPMENT.

Icheoku says the ban of the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist group in Egypt is a welcomed step in the right direction. We hereby congratulate the Egyptian military for doing what is best for their country regardless of what any outsider may think or otherwise feel since no one can be more Egyptian than the Egyptian security forces themselves who have devoted their lives to protecting the structural integrity of their country. 

Following the ban, Icheoku says the next step is to fire or sack any Egyptian who identifies him/herself with the now outlawed organisation from their jobs and lets see how they would continue to forcibly indoctrinate any Egyptian or cause any further upheaval with their brand of Islamic fundamentalism. Icheoku does not really care about democracy in some of these God forsaken countries where some elements of the society usually hijacks democracy and skewers it to suit their own ideological fundamentalism as witnessed recently in Egypt where then President Morsi looked the other way while foot soldiers of his Muslim Brotherhood literally ran every non Muslim Egyptian out of Egypt? 

Democracy must mean what it preaches - government of the people, by the people and for the people and not just for a few ideological class or elites. It must bear broad spectrum application to all regardless of their understanding of who God is and whether they choose to stand or knock their heads on the grounds or at a wall in prayers. If those lunatics in Egypt, who parade themselves as Muslim Brotherhood, wants to enjoy their so called democracy, it must not be at the backs of other non Muslim Brotherhood Egyptians. This is where the rubber meets the road in Icheoku's vehement disagreement with them and our support for the coup that toppled President Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood's fundamentalist government. Now this blanket ban of the terrorist group throughout Egypt becomes the icing on the cake towards Egypt's recovery from the siege that was laid on them by this Islamist fundamentalists through the Morsi government. Once again, Icheoku congratulates the Egyptian military for standing up to be counted when it mattered most for millions of Egyptians. Bravo Egyptian armed forces; long live Egyptian moderates!

Thursday, September 19, 2013

2015, A THIRD TERM FOR JONATHAN?

Icheoku queries:- if President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan runs and wins in 2015, would he be then embarking on a third term presidency? The answer seems to be technically "Yes" since he would have been sworn in for the third time consecutively as president of Nigeria; except that he was not elected president in 2010 which somewhat made him a 'de-facto' president without a mandate as he was then merely completing the term of the late President Umaru Yar'Adua. Icheoku queries further, were President Umaru Yar'Adua to have instead died a day immediately following after his inauguration in May 2007, and the then Vice President Jonathan stepped in to "complete his four year remaining term," could this have also qualified as a completion of term and not Jonathan's own presidency term? 

The problem created here, which many people expected constitutional lawyers to have gone to court for determination is what number of years left in a presidency qualifies for completion of term and not a full term? At what stage in the presidency would an arising sudden vacancy create a fresh term for the succeeding vice president or a term of his own instead of just a mere completion of term? Icheoku is of the opinion that there is a lacunae in the law governing succession of the presidency in case of such unexpected vacancy arising from death or resignation or impeachment and the legislators should pull a rabbit out of their hats to fix this. Admitted that a vice president is a president in the waiting, but what happens where a conflict develops as to presidential term limit where such succeeding vice president claims as of right his entitlement to subsequent two full terms following his completion term of the departed president? Would this have inadvertently created an elongated term surpassing the allowable two terms of four years each aggregated eight years in office? So like in the poser prior, assuming a president died in the beginning of his first term and his vice president takes over and after the completion of the term seeks his own two four year term, would the law allow such a president to spend twelve years in office instead of the legal eight years? As with President Jonathan, if he finds his way and wins in 2015, he would have spent ten years in office instead of the allowed eight years, so is this legal and within the prescribed presidential terms? 

Icheoku posits that the National Congress owes Nigeria a resolution on this matter and they can follow the examples of some other countries including Venezuela where the vice president is allowed to function in an acting capacity only until elections are conducted to fill the created vacancy. Icheoku does not know what the position is in Ghana which also recently lost its President John Atta Mills and was succeeded by then vice president and now President John Dramani Mahama? When US President Kennedy was murdered in 1963 in Dallas Texas, Vice President Lyndon Baines Johnson succeeded him but declined to run for a second term in 1968 when he said "I shall not seek and I will not accept the nomination of my party for another term as your president;" so the issue was not addressed nor settled then by the United States whose idea of democracy Nigeria is trying to emulate? So Icheoku says to avoid such undue advantage of benefiting extra years in the presidency, a sitting vice president should be legislated to only act as a president until a new president is elected to fill a created presidential vacancy. Just as they do in some other countries, such vice president should feel free to run to succeed the departed president and if he wins, start his own presidency de novo; as most recently happened in Venezuela when Hugo Chavez died and his Vice President Nicolas Maduro won a fill-vacancy election and became the new president. In such case, a vice president like the then Goodluck Jonathan would have held forte just as acting president for about three months within which elections would have been conducted and if he won, would have been sworn in as a freshman president who was beginning his own term. 

This would have solved all the problems now rearing its ugly head through the renegade "nPDP" that President Jonathan is going for a third term by running in 2015? According to this meddlesome interlopers, quoting their press release "What we are saying is that if President Jonathan chooses to run in 2015, it will be like the third term which Obasanjo wanted to smuggle into the 1993 constitution. What we are doing is to sensitize Nigerians that there is no difference between what Obasanjo wanted to do and what President Jonathan wants to do if he runs in 2015.." Icheoku says although this may sound plausible if weighed against some technicalities of President Jonathan having been sworn in 2010 and again in 2011 and possibly once more in 2015, but the "nPDP" and other well meaning Nigerians including Icheoku know for a fact that these disgruntled "nPDP" rebels are talking complete balderdash and gibberish with their misstated position meant only for the gullible, whom they intend to hoodwink into hating a third term agenda as they despised Obasanjo's and by extension President Jonathan's quest for his legal second term in 2015. 

These "nPDP" guys are being clever by half, they know the truth but are too coy in not speaking the truth about what transpired then in 2010 viz a viz their 2015 propaganda of a Jonathan's third term. Therefore Nigerians must rise up and tell these denigrates that they are not fools; that they know better and know exactly what the position of the law is regarding this matter and that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will not be going for a third term if he runs in 2015. 2015 would be Jonathan's second term if he chooses to go for it as he is rightly and legally entitled within the ambit of the provisions of the law. In 2010 when he became president by providence, he never ran, nor campaigned nor was he ever elected president and therefore had no term of his own but was merely complying with what the dictates of the law required of him as a sitting vice president to a demised president. At best the catapult which shot Jonathan into the presidency could be understood for what it is - an act of God, pure and simple. Put in another way the nearly two years succession-term which President Jonathan got in 2010 could be subsumed as a bonus to his presidential term, but not a presidential term of his own to preclude him from seeking another term in 2015, period. Nigerians be wise and do not let any of these anarchists put a ring on your nose. It is 2013 for crying out loud, so why must some disruptive usurpers do your thinking for you. 

Monday, September 16, 2013

YET ANOTHER MASSACRE IN THE USA?

Icheoku says Boko Haram or no Boko Haram, Nigeria seemingly might afterall be safer than so many countries including the United States of America? At least in Nigeria, the scourge of Boko Haram is confined within the Islamic enclave of Northern Nigeria especially Northeastern Bornu State and surrounding states. So relatively speaking, one knows where to avoid in order to still stand a chance at staying above the ground; but in America, every place could be the it - someone's last breath on earth. Everyone, literally speaking, is a potential gunman, a time-bomb, waiting to go off and at anytime with or without any direct provocation from the victim. There are guns everywhere and so many crazed out people are just pulling those triggers without first considering the irreparable harm they are causing and the damage they are inflicting on the society's general psyche with their blatant disregard for human lives and public safety. People are afraid and for a good reason, although not intimidated.

Not in the church, not in kindergartens, not in High schools, not in universities and colleges, not in movie theaters, not on the roads, not in court houses, not in police stations, not at other workplaces, not even in your own house despite the hefty mortgages and rents - just any place could be the place you take your last breath on earth. And now it appears military installations has been brought under this fog of needless massacres in America. Following Fort-Hood, another military installation, a Navy Yard in Washington DC has fallen prey to one of these lunatics of America who must take people along with them as they, tired of living, make that conscious decision enroute their exit from this earth. Aaron Alexis of Texas has entered the annals of these despicable mass murderers of America. Icheoku bemoans this latest killings in Washington DC's Naval Yard that took the lives of twelve innocent people whose only crime was that they went to do their jobs in order to earn their living wages. When shall this madness end, America? Admitted that guns do not kill people, people do, using guns; but what is the solution America? 

Also it is important to note that today's gunman is a BLACK-MAN which led one commentator to post that "If Obama had a son he will look like the gunman;" alluding to the president's remark about Trevor Martin. Icheoku says to the poster of this comment, that the gunman is not young enough to be Obama's son and that there is no need trying to input a racial undertone to this mass murder as a killer is a killer regardless of his skin color; but if you must know, Icheoku reminds you that this is the only gunman in recent history whose skin color is not pale. To some extent, Aaron Alexis's skin color does not fit the typical profiled mass murderers of America and there goes the verdict for crying out loud. To the victims of Navy Yard in Washington DC, Icheoku says rest in peace; to the families of the killed, please take heart; and to Aaron Alexis, why? Admitted that many atimes, one's button could be so often pushed and to such an extent that thoughts of the unthinkable starts gushing into one's mind, BUT you should have walked away and tried your luck elsewhere. Icheoku admonishes that no amount of provocation whatsoever justifies the taking of lives. What another bloody workplace day in America except that it will not still persuade those holding out on meaningful gun legislation from turning the corner. Quite unfortunate.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

ATIKU'S NON-DENIAL DENIAL, RESPONSE TO OBASANJO'S ACCUSATIONS?

Icheoku says when evidence is so glaring, the accused can but throw things at the wall hoping something sticks. Instead of taking up Baba Iyabo's challenge that he visits America to prove his innocence, Abubakar Atiku went to town with his resume of being a deep pocket ever before his vice presidency. Further he bragged about establishing industries and companies but without telling Icheoku and millions of other curious Nigerians who are working in these industries or where those industries are located or what they are manufacturing or producing. Anyway be the judge as below here is Mallam Atiku's denial to Baba Iyabo's accusation that he is eminently a very CORRUPT person, reproduced:- 

"Following the corruption charges made by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in an EFCC magazine ‘Zero Tolerance’ that former vice-president risked jail if he traveled to the United States, the former president is wrong. It is widely known that Atiku did not enter government broke. He declared his assets at the commencement of his vice-presidency and did so at the end of his term as required by the constitution, which is a sacred document to Atiku. Atiku, who is currently returning from China after leading a private economic trade mission at the invitation of the Chinese government, travels often and has a well-documented record of building industries and putting thousands of Nigerians to work. And this record, quite frankly, has been thoroughly investigated. Mr. Abubakar has no case to answer from the American Government as he spent three months in the country before the late Nigerian President Yar'Adua was inaugurated without being arrested."

In answer to Atiku's claim of a three months sojourn in the United States before Yar'Adua was inaugurated, Icheoku says by then he probably was still covered by diplomatic immunity as a sitting vice president of a friendly country. Moreso, it was likely that investigation into his alleged corruption was still ongoing and this period was also before his USA accomplice Congressman Williams Jefferson was convicted for stashing $90,000.00 cold cash, part of Atiku's bribe money, inside his freezer. So to lay this matter to rest, Atiku should board the next Delta or United or even Arik airlines flight to JFK and prove that a clear conscience fears no accusation and that he has nothing to fear by avoiding United States of America. This is a challenge that Obasanjo has thrown for Atiku and only Atiku can disprove this through a proactive visit to Uncle Sam's and God's own country. Until then, Icheoku views Atiku suspiciously as an itching finger inside Nigeria's pot of gold and should never be allowed near the presidency, not in his life, NEVER AGAIN!

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

ATIKU IS A FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE - OBASANJO.


Icheoku says you heard it right from the horses' mouth - his boss and former president, Olusegun Obasanjo whose vice president Abubakar Atiku was when he allegedly looted Nigeria dry during the privatization process. Icheoku says if anyone should know the dept of Abubakar Atiku's loot of the nation that person should be Obasanjo and little wonder the Otta deity once said "I dey laugh" to a question on whether Atiku would succeed him. 

In Obasanjo's latest salvo, attacking Atiku's corruptive tendencies, the Otta farmer said "Atiku is a fugitive in United States. I don’t know if he can go to America…He travels? Travels to where? To Dubai? Let him go to America and return to Nigeria”. With those words, Baba Iyabo once again indicted his former number two and peradventure warns Nigeria to beware of the Abubakar Atiku led seven denigrate former PDP governors and their supposedly new-PDP. Icheoku says what a thieving looter in chief this Atiku is and anyone in doubt should urge or encourage Abubakar Atiku to take up the Obasanjo challenge and visit America. In short Obasanjo has dared Atiku to set his feet on American soil and go to jail. Icheoku says Nigerians are awaiting for Atiku to prove his innocence.

Friday, September 6, 2013

PDP PUTSCH, THE COUP MUST NOT STAND!

Icheoku says the Abubakar Atiku led seven vagrant governors' attempt to forcibly hijack the PDP should be understood for what it is - a civilian coup de`tat or its attempt at minimum, period. As with any unsuccessful coup, its hatchers and perpetrators should be mercilessly crushed in order to send a message that such unlawful act of moving against duly elected and constituted body is always gravely frowned at. Icheoku has nothing against anyone or any group of persons from taking a stand, advocating a position or even ganging up to push what they consider is in their best interest. They can also use or choose any platform to lender amplification to their cause or voice. BUT for the same person or group of persons to attempt to illegally hijack the machinery of a duly established, authorised and otherwise functioning political party because certain policies therein are disagreeable to them should be frowned at by all decent men and women of the given geographical entity irrespective of their party affiliations. It is not right, it is wrong, it is illegal. Such unruly behavior by a handful of dejected former party members, if allowed to stand is capable of resulting to anarchy and therefore must be crushed and ruthlessly.

Icheoku says if Abubakar Atiku and those recalcitrant governors as well as their followers want to leave the PDP they are free to do so. If they want to pitch their tent with the opposition APC they are also so entitled. If any of them wants to run for the presidency in 2015 or any other future date, they are equally eminently so entitled. If they want to form a new political party or decamp enmass to their newly registered political party, PDM, and then use that platform to oppose or challenge the president come 2015, let them be my guest. But what Icheoku as well as many other millions of discerning Nigerians will not tolerate is the latest antic by some disgruntled former PDP hacks to hijack the PDP and with it, the governance at the center. There is an elected president; there is a political party in power and there is elected party officials running the political party. Further there is spelled out manner of affecting leadership change when called for. Icheoku asks, what impetus drove these political fanatics to make a go at the party's leadership without due process and without the president's input as leader of the party, other than to summarize their action as a civilian coup or its attempt? If their illegal action is allowed to stand, what stops another group of political conspirators from hatching yet another putsch in the future? It is common amongst military coup plotters who make a go at each other with any given opportunity. 

These coup plotting politicians must not and should not be allowed to succeed in hijacking or stealing by default the party or its machinery. They should not be allowed to get away with their illegality and should be dealt with accordingly and in order to set example and deterrence against any such rascal behavior in the future. They have other legitimate means available to them but they choose otherwise and decided to take the law into their hands. If they want a change in leadership, they should follow laid down procedure - call for election, contest and if elected, serve. But any other attempt at circumventing the process or try to enter the house through the window or back door should be resisted and by all and sundry irrespective of political partisanships. Only a thief breaches a home and these marauders have breached the PDP house and should be treated with bare knuckles. This is where the rubber meets the road and where the proverbial line in the sand is and should be drawn and any leg found crossing it smashed to pieces. Icheoku stands convincingly resolute that the need to crush these rebels mercilessly exists and only such drastic response to their provocation is called for and no negotiations whatsoever is warranted. 

Icheoku says except Nigerians do not like the peace and free-reign extended to them by President Jonathan, it might be about time it ended so that fear will once again envelope the land? Unlike Buhari how many Bartholomeo Owos and co have been murdered based on a retroactive decree under Jonathan? Unlike Babangida, how many Dele Giwas have been bombed to pieces under Jonathan? Unlike Abacha, how many Saro Wiwas, Pa Rewanes, Kudirat Abiola etc have been hanged or murdered in cold blood under Jonathan? Unlike Abdusalam Abubakar, how many MKO Abiolas have been poisoned by tea under Jonathan? Unlike Obasanjo, how many Harry Marshalls, Bola Iges etc have been murdered under Jonathan? Unlike Obasanjo, how many Abubakar Atikus, Nuhu Ribadus have scampered into exile for safety since Jonathan was elected president? Unlike Obasanjo, how many governors have been removed as a result of unfavorable reports from security agencies or emergency declarations? Unlike Obasanjo, how many governors have been kidnapped under Jonathan? Unlike Obasanjo, how many governors or their relatives or aides have been harangued by the EFCC? Unlike Obasanjo, how many newspapers or other media outlets have been shuttered under Jonathan, despite printing and publishing unprintables about the person of the president and his wife? Unlike Obasanjo, how many banana peels have been thrown and that claimed victims in the National Congress under Jonathan; as Nigerians are aware of the shifting chair that was both the Speakership and Senate Presidency during Baba Iyabo's reign? Unlike Obasanjo, how many Slok Airlines, Hallmark Banks, Savannah Banks, Ibeto cement and other businesses belonging to perceived political foes have been closed under Jonathan? So why should this President Goodluck Jonathan, who have extended to Nigerians some olive branch and allowed them to roam freely, be receiving these disrespectful treatment in the hands of Nigerians, especially those disgruntled politicians formerly of his party?

Icheoku says the simple fact of the matter is that Nigerians do not cherish freedom but love those leaders who treat them as donkeys - poorly and without any regards. They prefer the cudgel and the stick like mental people who must be whipped to conform to basic instructions? They would rather their bodies and skins replaced their ears since they respond to inflicted pain more than soundbites? As a friend would put it, Nigerians are like women, you do not give them any breather because if you allow them they will start looking for allowance and before you know it they will be spitting and slapping your face as a weakling. This is the fate being suffered today by President Jonathan for being too educated and too civil to play it rough and dirty with Nigerians. President Jonathan does not belong nor was he raised in a brutish barrack environment like Obasanjo and not having this sinister experience and mentality of do or die, he is today paying dearly for because of the crass society that he is presiding over. 

Nigerians prefer being put on a leash; always told what to do; told when to wake up and go to sleep; and sometimes even when to open their mouth? Do this and Nigerians will tremblingly bid your wish and respect you out of fear. This is what is deficient with President Jonathan and Nigerians are vagrantly milking his cow without reservation. Now President Goodluck Jonathan, you know what to do - change your color, shed your sheep's skin and adorn the leopard's and watch as Nigerians fall on your feet in trepidation. Turn your dogs of war loose and let them feast on all those political charlatans and urchins who are sabotaging your presidency; especially those who have conspired and purportedly have thrown spanner in the works for your 2015 reelection effort by trying to steal your party under your nose. By virtue of your office, the Peoples Democratic Party belongs to you and you reserve the right to force anyone out of it including Olusegun Obasanjo. However, you might just start flexing your muscle by expelling Abubakar Atiku and his cohort and fellow conspirators seven governors therefrom. The security agencies are waiting to be used; Obasanjo used them, so copy a page from his book of do or die politics and regain your lost grounds. Those dissidents have already registered their PDM, so they should feel free to move over to their newly registered political party BUT they must not and SHOULD not be allowed to burn down the PDP house before raising their new flag under their registered PDM. Enough!

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

PDP DISSIDENT GOVERNORS, TREAT THEM LIKE OFFICIAL OPPOSITION.

Icheoku says it is about time President Goodluck Jonathan stopped treating those errant governors as his political friends and rather treat them as political foes and as he would treat official opposition like Muhammadu Buhari or Bola Tinubu and now even Abubakar Atiku, period. These guys, by their actions and utterances, are no longer anything friendly; they have morphed into political vermin of the president and are now doggedly going for the jugular of the political life of the president. The president, in order to survive their machinations, must fight back or have himself to blame when these guys would have succeeded in making a mincemeat of him come 2015 if they are not checkmated right now. 

Icheoku says it is about time now for President Jonathan to say "wait a minute", this is no longer a tolerable political jostling and the normal political horse-trading in a democracy; but a fight to finish for his political life and he must fight like his life is dependent on it. Imagine the unpalatable conditions these guys are giving the president before peace could be made in the PDP as if they are the lords of Manor with all the aces in the party? Imagine these rascally governors throwing gauntlet against a sitting president and challenging and goading him for a fight; and you wonder why any president should be so disrespected and so demeaned in this manner? Icheoku says President Jonathan lost his mojo the day he decried that he is neither an army general nor a despot to tell Nigerians what to do and Nigerians, as represented by these governors, like the sharks they are, smelled blood and are now pummeling the president left, right and center. Imagine the base treatment this president has tolerated from these recalcitrant governors and continues to allow them to mete to him? Anyway, Icheoku believes it is not too late for the president to rediscover his presidential clout and use same in order to save his face and office. The president can still do something to turn this ugly tide or at least make these guys know who is on top of the food chain. Would they have dared what they are currently dishing out when Baba Iyabo was in Aso Rock or even the then ailing and now dead weakling Umaru Yar'Adua? 

Look at the litany of the disrespect and insults they have levied on President Jonathan and you wonder if these guys have not since crossed the proverbial "red-line" in their face-off with the commander in chief and chief executive president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The gang of rascally governors first made their unapproved mutinous rounds visiting and cavorting with despicable former military coup plotters/head of states, plotting against a sitting president? Icheoku wondered why the president did not arrest them or at least raise an alarm for their planning to destabilize the country as well as his government. Then they followed it with their refusal to honor the presidents invitation to Aso Rock; then the irate Kwankwaso took it a step further by refusing to greet the president while visiting Aso Rock on a presidential function? These governors also staged a walkout on a sitting president while he was still deliberating states' matters? Most recently, the same Kano State Governor Kwakwanso while again in Aso Rock for a peace initiative, refused once again to stand by the president for a photo-up with the president and now as if they have not caused enough havoc, the same gang of governors' staged a coup and purportedly forcibly took over the PDP with their acolytes. Add these to their so many other infra-digs alongside their minders and goaders alike, and you wonder when should enough be really enough for the president before he curtails these their excesses? Icheoku asks, what manner of man has this much elasticity of capacity for tolerance of the stupidity, disrespect and challenge of his constituted authority by ordinary governors and party members of his party? Would these rabble-rousers dared during previous governments of Obasanjo and Yar'Adua talkless of military despots of Babangida, Buhari or Abacha?

Icheoku says Jonathan where is the bite of your presidency? When would you bare your presidential fangs for these guys to know who is in charge of the land? It is now time to use it or forever be gored into political and historical irrelevance as the president who was ran out of town (Aso Rock) by ordinary governors and ordinary party hacks. Could these seven rascally governors or anyone for that matter attempt such effrontery during the reign of Baba Iyabo or even the debilitated Umaru Yar'Adua? Imagine the arrogance audacity of their demands that the party chairman be sacked; that the president should forget about 2015 reelection; that the NGF crisis should be resolved in favor of Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi; and that the governors should be left to run wild with their states' fiscal allocations and that they should not be check and balanced by EFCC; as well as other sundry lists of stupid demands before there could be any meaningful reconciliation within the party? Icheoku says these guys are acting as if they have all the aces and that the president won the election because of them and is in office at their pleasure? Imagine giving absolute conditions and terms for reconciliation based on purely what they want, regardless of the party or the other side? 

Icheoku says the President won his election without carrying any of those recalcitrant governors' states except for Rivers, so why the sudden claim to political relevance by these power-grabbing governors that has made the president to allow himself to be so hog-tied to these governors dictates? What is it that really make these governors believe that without them that there can be no re-elected President Jonathan in 2015 or that the skies over Nigeria holds up by their grace? Imagine Jigawa State Governor Lamido was miffed at the president because his son was caught money laundering and now the errant governor holds it against the president? Icheoku queries:- does Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido want President Jonathan to be like Muhammadu Buhari who allowed his ADC Jokolo to bring into Nigeria 53 suitcases filled with hard currency from Saudi Arabia without necessary Customs' clearance during the 1983 currency exchange? Also Kwara State Governor Ahmed is mad at the president because he believes that as a governor he is free to run amok with state resources and that his brother cannot and should not be questioned by the EFCC for illegal Sixty million Naira State contract which he never executed? 

Further, Kano State Kwakwanso is mad at the president because CBN Islamic Governor Sanusi will not be reappointed and was queried for doling out 500 million Naira Nigerians money to Kano State without presidency's approval. The governor is also furious because NPC Odimegwu had the audacity to query a 2006 made-up census figures that gave Kano State population superiority over Lagos? Rivers States' Rotimi Amaechi is politically too ambitious and is prepared to trade a zonal presidency for his selfish vice presidential interest and you ask yourself what has that guy been smoking lately to desire such a trade? If you were President Jonathan, what would you do for such a betrayal of regional effort and cause? Adamawa State Governor Nyako is pissed off at party Chairman Tukur and is now channeling his internal state misgivings with Bamaga Tukur at the president for standing by his party chairman? 

As for Sokoto State, Niger State and one other, Icheoku believes that religion and oil revenue sharing formula has something to do with their unfavorable disposition at the current occupant of Aso Rock. But who cares what these mullahs think or feel about President Jonathan trying to lift his Niger Delta region from abject neglect despite their God given oil wealth, afterall Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida over-developed Minna and Niger State with Gwadebe/David Mark as military administrators during his military hijack of governance in Nigeria to the detriment of other states in Nigeria? It is also important to note that possibly these governors do not like the fact that the Boko Haram Islamic upheaval situation is firmly being contained as they had wished it would have been the easiest passport to accomplish their devilish intention to take back power. 

Icheoku therefore implores President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP hierarchy to forget their attempt at resolving the trumped up grievances and rather treat these seven governors as insurgents out to get him. They possibly are working for the opposition APC and no matter the concession they receive, they will come up with something else as their grievance. Time is now to tough it out - if they want to go, let them go. Nigeria can accommodate multiple parties and let the best win the election. Let them form their own party, then APC and then PDP as well as other mushroom parties; it is okay but this attempt at wooing these errants must stop and NOW. 

These spoilers are moles for the opposition; they do not have the interest of the party or Nigeria at heart and are doing whatever they could to bring down the house. Atiku ran away before; only to come back and is now pulling this latest joker of hijacking the party? So ask yourselves, who ever burns down a house he built except a psycho who wants to visit pain on its co-dwellers? Look at Oyinlola, a sacked former party scribe now parading himself as the new deal? Icheoku says this is simply laughable and further makes a mockery of a president who is as toothless as an old bulldog. A president who lost his fangs when he said that he is neither an army general nor a despot and cannot be expected to tell Nigerians what to do; so having made himself a mouse, is it any surprise that cats are now gnawing at his remains. Icheoku is emphatic that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan brought his current political hardship unto himself and only him can extricate himself from the hellish fire consuming his presidency. 

Where in this world could it be told that a sitting president with all the accoutrement of office is been turned into a pinata and that his presidency is now adrift simply because his timidity has made it impossible for him to wield the big stick. All he has to do is turn loose his dogs of war and let them maul those who stand in the way - just break some knee-caps and the rest will fall in line, period. Obasanjo did it and even kidnapped a sitting governor; impeached another and removed some other via emergency declaration. It is called putting the fear of God in people so that even if they don't like you; at least they would be afraid of you which in Jonathan's case, none applies. It is indeed unfortunate that the presidency of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has been decimated to such a laughing joke that ordinary state governor like Kano State Kwakwanso and his fellow-travelling revelers are now running circles around the president, dribbling and mocking him with their actions and utterances. Icheoku says to President Jonathan, ENOUGH should be your marching orders and NOW.