Preamble: Ladies and gentlemen of the Press and fellow citizens, you have been demanding for a monthly press conference so that you can be part of the unfolding events in our nation, here we are today.  While the President before me would have insulted you if he did not like your questions, I am different from him.  I’ll try to tell you the truth, and I’ll prefer that we address one other with respect and as citizens of the country we are trying to improve morally, professionally, politically, technologically, and economically. 

I begin this conference by introducing myself as Musa Yar ‘Adua, MYA, the President who any of you may term a president forced on the nation, yet I am president of Nigeria willing and capable of making a nation you’ll be proud of.  In starting this conference, I will identify each contributor by name and affiliation, give a minute for question, not more than 3 minutes for my answer and 1 minute for rebuttal. 

Mr. Peter, Nigerian Guardian, NG.

Thank you Mr. President for this opportrunity for interaction.  My question is, since your presidency is assumed tainted by rigging, what are you doing to correct election snafu of the past?

Alhaji MYA: Let us realize that there is no perfect marriage, and no perfect election.  Our imperfection will be set right during our first term in office and this is my promise.

NG:     Since you have accepted that the election that brought you into office was tainted, will you be prepared to vacate office should the Supreme Court decide that a new election be conducted.  May I also ask, why are Nigerians not getting along in your view?

Alhaji MYA: Well, as we said, no election is perfect.  Even in American, the 2000 and 2004 elections were not perfect.  You remember the hanging chards, Florida charades and the Ohio debacle?  Election is always work in progress.  The fact that America has more than 200 years under her belt in democratic process, did not stop the imperfection with obvious snags in her election.  The imperfection is a human thing.  Even then, America did not conduct new election nor G.W. Bush resign.  We can only attempt to perfect her electoral processes. 

If our democracy is patterned after the US, then, we should not repeat our election because: a) we’ll be wasting the funds necessary for our development and our infrastructural improvement.  As you know my health is not that perfect, I would like to see several specialist hospitals set up in Nigeria such that all citizens including myself can stay home to patronize our able physicians and medical professionals.  Moreover, re-conducting an election will not guarantee that we’ll not have a do-or-die election.  Perhaps, it is time to let you know that I did not seek this position nor campaigned actively for it.  If the Supreme Court rules for a new election, I will agree with the ruling as long as it follows due process and rule of law.  I know that if all goes well I will win the presidency hands down this time around.  In fact, I look forward to a new election so that I can get off the bondage of OBJ who thinks he placed me in office.  I can then act in the capacity of Nigeria’s president with legitimacy and authority to choose my Ministers and my kitchen cabinet.

All of us agree that the British hastily put together a Nigeria with complex ethno-national and linguistic-cultural diversities without resorting to complex dialogue on what will make the union work seamlessly and have one unified national interest.  The North, under the late gamji, Sadauna of Sokoto had its own view of what the nation should be, the West under the late Chief Awolowo understood Nigeria differently from the North and the East under late Dr. Nanmdi Azikwe’s viewed Nigeria differently from those of the North and West.  In other words, there was no binding glue to unit the disjointed nation, we have been riding the disunity to each other’s advantage.  We need to come together under a different formula to craft a national interest from which we can all agree to disagree.  We know for sure that each of these leaders loved Nigeria and they did all they could to more her forward in their own way but we had some unsavory imposed leaders, the military that destroyed our moral fabrics and pitch one brother against another, made money more important than hard work.  We need to rebuild a Nigeria where tribe and religion will not be a factor and where no man is oppressed.

MYA:  Next, Mr. Salami of Times of Nigeria, TON.

TON:   Mr. President, you and your Ministers have used “Due Process and Rules of Law,” so many times to explain what you are doing on behalf of Nigerians.  Will you please explain exactly what you understand to be Due process and Rules of Law as it relates to the political terrain in Nigeria?

MYA:  Rule of law is one of the cornerstones of democracy.  This means that everyone including your president is subject to the law.  It is not just the rule that everyone is covered by the Criminal Code and must be charged and convicted if appropriate.  The rule of law and due process are principles in which the law applies to government officials as much as to ordinary citizens.  Rule of law is also: 1) the doctrine that all persons are equal before the law and that the government is subject to the law; and 2) The absence of arbitrary executive power. 

I must confess that during the last administration, this rules of law only applied to ordinary citizens and not to those who were voted to represent ordinary citizens.  If you recall, even the former Speaker of the house was given due process and when there was overwhelming evidence, even OBJ could not safe her.  Rules of law now work in Nigeria and precedence has been set.  Now, many elected officials will know that their time is numbered whenever they break the laws and think they can get away with it.

MYA: Any follow up?  I recognize Mr. Tony of Nigerian Village Square (Nigeriavillagesquare.com).

NVS:   Sir, why are certain Governors that are in and out of office protected from prosecution under your administration?

MYA:  Let us be clear, no one is protected from prosecution.  Again, rule of law must be followed.  We cannot lynch these people without a preponderance of evidence.  EFCC is doing all it can to collect evidence inspite of my overzealous AG.  I support EFCC and the system’s efforts are part of our way of dismantling the den of thieves.  The issue on the minds of Nigerians is, “why do these governors transfer legitimate and looted money out of the country?”  It is because Nigeria in her present form do not believe in following laws.  A leader, and I will not mention names here but they know themselves, can literarily freeze an opponent’s account because he does not like his/her face.  We are trying to stop such nonsense during this administration.  If, for one brief moment, you agree with us and you’ll see how Nigeria of your dream will come to fruition.

MYA:  I next call on Musa, Daily Times, DT.

DT:     Mr. President, why are some Igbos still regrouping for Biafria?

MYA:  The reason is simple.  First, Nigerians need to know true reason why there was Nigeria-Biafra war.  Many have provided a lopsided reason but this is not the forum for such an expansive history.  Simply put, the reason for regroup is the same reason why the Yorubas form OPC, and the North formed the Arewa.  The Biafran supporters are patriots and we need to accept them and treat them with dignity and respect if we are not already doing so but they need not bring the war back to our collective memories in other to make their points.  What we need to do is to respect each other, allow each Nigerian irrespective of his tribe and ethnicity and make sure that they achieve their best for all Nigeria.  By limiting growth due to tribal affiliation, Nigeria will forever be stunted in her growth.  I will try to get the best in Nigeria (inside Nigeria or in Diaspora) to participate in growing Nigeria.  We need to de-emphasize tribalism and stop who you know politics.  The percentage of who you know, if it exists, should be less than 10%.  It is this Nigeria that I look forward to governing.  I hope you will repeat the election so that it will be clear that I have the legitimacy and the authority to govern rather than someone to think they can control my actions.

           Are there any follow up?

DT:     Yes sir, talking of situation of ethnic grouping, what do you plan to do to resolve the Niger Delta problem?

MYA:  We all know that the Niger Delta is a global problem.  The solution must come from a combination of the efforts of the Niger Deltans, what they need and not the needs of their chiefs who take and share the money for development, multi-national companies operating in the region, and Nigeria that must act and preach patriotism not on an empty stomach but fullness of grace.  The multi-nationals must promote Nigerians that are capable of relating to the Niger Deltans and help move the nation and the world forward.  When Nigerians have meaningful jobs, violence will die down.

MYA:  I call on Charles, Nigeria world (Nigeriaworld.com), NW.

NW:    President said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country?”  What can you say, sir to motivate Nigerians?  I ask this question, sir, because there are many professionals in Diaspora and in Nigeria that can help move the nation forward.

MYA:  The quote attributed to President Kennedy is a quote from a President of patriotic citizens.  Nigeria is still to get to that stage.  How does one ask the citizens not to ask for what the country can do for them when only the leaders are the ones enjoying the fruit from the bread basket of the nation?  The fact is the leaders in the past are the ones doing some things for themselves and neglecting the citizens.  In Nigeria, a patriotic leader should first ask what the nation can do for citizens through him. 

The issue of the professionals in Diaspora must be addressed.  We know that these professionals when outside of Nigeria perform amiably well but as soon as they get to Nigeria, they join the rat race of acquiring wealth without working for it.  We also see that when some of us (leaders) visit Diaspora, many of these professionals are hovering around us not to tell us how Nigeria can improve but how they can get contract even in areas they are not qualified to operate in.  My administration is ready to try the professionals if we can ascertain that they are for real.  Instead of asking the question like President Kennedy, let Nigerians begin to ask from the leaders, “what has the nation done for them of late.”  It is only then that we can establish our national interest and move the nation forward.

We are continuing the local content process in all our contract awards.  Nigerians must continue to build her industrial capacity through citizens’ participations.  We are looking for Nigerian owned companies that are capable of working side by side with the multi-nationals not only in subcontracting but as primes.  Such companies must be ready to grow, encourage and hire our graduates and improve the nation’s technological and scientific divide.  A nation that depends totally on foreigners to carry all her developmental load is a nation ready for another round of slavery.

MYA:  Mr. George of Internet Press, IP

IP: Sir, why are we drumming IMF and Paris club loans with a barrel of crude oil at $90.00?

MYA:  The issue has been over blown.  We need to repair all our infrastructures, improve our education, and make electricity stable.  Although my predecessor spent trillions of Naira in this department to stabilize our energy, Nigerians are the ones thwarting all efforts because of those selling generators, and diesel oil.  We need to convince these merchants that they can diversify their trade if energy is stable.  Energy stability implies higher standard of living, better roads, and may be the police will stay home to take care of their families instead of collecting N20.00 on the roads.  We will not take any loan until it is truly debated and when areas where the funds are needed are specified and ways to measure performance are established.

MYA:  I have only one minute left for this conference, so I will entertain only one question.  For this, I will go to a fellow citizen.  You madam.

Madam: Mr. President, why did you not make your views known when the country was burning down during the Ettehgate?

MYA:  You know my predecessor was the one that wanted Etteh to be the Speaker of the House and David Mark to be the Senate president.  Since I believe in due process and rule of law, I needed the system to sanitize itself.  It is also a way of letting “monkey kill itself,” if you understand what I mean.

I thank you for your patriotic contributions and hope that we can have this conference often so as to collectively move the nation forward.  God bless you and may Allah bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Robot  # 1 | 02.11.2007 19:41

Preamble: Ladies and gentlemen of the Press and fellow citizens, you have been demanding f...Read the full article.