Last Saturday’s revelation by Lamidi Adedibu--who needs no introduction here--that President Olusegun Obasanjo knelt six times before him to beg is worrisome. It is even more disturbing that Nigerians seem to have swallowed the matter without a whimper. Could this be because people have simply become used to the sometimes odd and inappropriate behaviour of the President himself? After all, didn’t he reportedly do the same before a certain person when his chances of winning the Peoples Democratic Party presidential ticket for the 2003 election hung in the balance?

The silence over Adedibu’s claim is remarkable. Not even Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, who is usually ready to talkback at any person that says anything deemed uncomplimentary about the President, has responded to the statement. Adedibu, who was speaking to the Saturday Sun, said: “President Olusegun Obasanjo knelt down for me six times. I swear in the name of God, begging on behalf of Ladoja [ousted Oyo State governor, Rashidi Ladoja]. But I said, no. How do you expect me to pardon Ladoja? Somebody I brought into the party who later said that he has expelled me from the same party?”

Other than the Guardian’s Reuben Abati, no other commentator seems to think the matter is worth mentioning even in passing. Perhaps, as someone has pointed out to this writer, there’s a cultural aspect to the issue that is lost on those in this quarter since the norms of one’s stock are different from that of the President and Adedibu. And it should be borne in mind that it is the same Adedibu who is said to have asked Ladoja whether the latter could put his hand on the Koran and swear falsely and even call false witnesses, among other things. So there’s the possibility of the whole thing being a matter stretched beyond what actually happened. But so long as the president has not deemed it necessary to deny Adedibu’s claims, one takes the statement on its face value.

Moreover, whatever the case may be, your correspondent finds this kneeling drama repulsive. If the president is not beyond kneeling before the ‘amala politics’ king, who else is he kneeling for? And for what purposes? One’s mother, who is in the president’s age group, kneels only before God in prayer as befits her status as an elder. It is inconceivable that the woman would go kneeling before mere mortals for anything. And isn’t it surprising, at the very least, that after the President’s demeaning exercise, the ‘strongman of Ibadan politics’ still had it in him to say “no”? There’s something in that which should concern all of us. Besides the debasement that the office of the president has suffered, one does not need a PhD in psychology to understand there is something sordid at work here that does not portend good.

The ‘return’ of Atiku?

Meanwhile, it is interesting to hear Vice President Atiku Abubakar waxing eloquent about his presidential aspiration at a time when the President himself is in the news for kneeling before Adedibu. Atiku, whose political fortunes appeared to have dwindled to an all-time low following the arrest of his erstwhile aide de camp, is reported to have spoken recently through Alhaji Nasir Galla, coordinator of the Turaki Vanguard in Yola, Adamawa State.

Cautioning members of the Turaki Vanguard that there should be no “inciting or abusive statement against President Olusegun Obasanjo, PDP leadership or any elder statesman or any Nigerian of any profile,” it appears that the vice president sent a message to the effect that this advice has become necessary principally because he is now “convinced of clinching the presidential ticket of the party for the 2007 presidential elections.” It may all be political-speak, but one finds it notable nonetheless because, if you believe the grapevine, this is by many accounts a man on his way out. Heartening that the fellow himself doesn’t seem to think so.

As it is, a little bird has been singing to your correspondent of a plot in very influential quarters to take away a certain person’s deputy seat through any means fair or foul. There is an angle to the plot which has it that a usually self-assured senator who is often the mantle-bearer of trouble was asked to go and sort out the matter of who is to take over the seat between himself and a serving governor. In the end, the governor, overseeing affairs in the late Sardauna’s former seat at this time, was tipped as the man to fill the soon-to-be vacant seat.

Whether there’s any truth to the bird’s song, only time will tell. What seems clear is that while the president is kneeling before Adedibu and diminishing his office, the same crass mix of power-gluttony, primitive spite and lack of genuine patriotic concern for this country’s underdeveloped status is at work in both parties.

Robot  # 1 | 28.01.2006 12:13

Last Saturday’s revelation by Lamidi Adedibu--who needs no introduction here--that President Olusegun Obasanjo knelt six times before him to beg is worrisome. It is even more disturbing that Nigerians seem to have swallowed the matter without a whimper. Could this be because people have simply become used to the sometimes odd and inappropriate behaviour of the President himself? After all, didn’t he reportedly do the same before a certain person when his chances of winning the Peoples Democratic Party presidential ticket for the 2003 election hung in the balance?...Read the full article.

gwobezentashi  # 2 | 28.01.2006 13:47

As the author posits, in the absence of a categorical denial, we must assume that it is true that the president of our country knelt before Adedibu to beg him but in what capacity? As President, Balogun of Owu, "Leader" of the PDP or as a private citizen. When he speaks on his monthly TV programme, we will try to ask him. Interesting developments indeed on the Atiku front. Something appears amiss and he would be unwise to believe any promises made to him by the people running the PDP. He had better watch that knife in his back! It may be about to be twisted!! Meanwhile, looks like it's all over for Ladoja. If the pending case(s) is moved from Justice Yusuf's court, then we can be assured that some Egbo-Egbo type abracadabra is on the cards. We watch mouth agape as the PDP and the judiciary make a mockery of the constitution all over again. The "new and unimproved" deputy Governor cannot seem to shake off his cv blues. Seems the man did not go to the school and university he claimed nor worked where he claimed but hey what has that got to do with the Oyo State House of Assembly or the Nigerian constitution? What matters is 100% loyalty to Adedibu and Obasanjo. That is the only qualification necessary these days. Judge Quits Suit On Ladoja's Removal BY GBOLAHAN GBADAMOSI IF feelers from the chambers of the Acting Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Afolabi Adeniran are anything to go by, the suit on the impeachment of Chief Rashidi Ladoja as governor of the state may be re-assigned to another judge. It was learnt yesterday that Justice Bolaji Yusuf, who declared the removal of Alhaji Ladoja illegal has withdrawn from handling the case. Justice Yusuf reportedly took the action following a flood of allegations of financial inducement against her by some officials of the state government. Among those that allegedly accused the judge of bias and financial inducement are the 18 legislators loyal to Ladoja's political mentor now his arch-rival, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu. Yusuf, an Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile Ife trained lawyer before she was appointed to the Bench had on January 12 declared as illegal, the inauguration of the panel that investigated the alleged misconduct by Ladoja. Following her ruling, which legally gave Ladoja reprieve, Justice Adeniran and the pro-impeachment lawmakers, filed an application before the trial judge challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter. They argued that an application bordering on jurisdiction ought to take procedure over any other. But Justice Yusuf, who started her legal practice in the Chambers of Chief Bandele Aiku (SAN) in Ibadan, ruled that she would give priority to the application by three lawmakers opposed to the impeachment. The lawmakers had sought a referral of the case to the Court of Appeal for proper interpretation of some sections of the 1999 Constitution on the saga. "In the instant case, it is my view and I so hold that the application for reference to the Appellate Court should be heard first and if it succeeds, the court will ascertain what questions are to be referred, and if there is any issue outstanding subject to the above conditions, they will be determined before the reference to the Court of Appeal," Justice Yusuf held. She subsequently adjourned hearing to Monday, January 30. But as at yesterday, several motions and counter-motions had been filed by the parties, among which was allegation of bias and financial inducement against the judge. One of the 18 lawmakers in a motion filed last Tuesday sought the transfer of the case to the Acting Chief Judge for re-assignment. Hon. Taiwo Oluyemi who deposed to the 14-paragragh affidavit in support of the motion alleged that one Miss Awofolaju, a counsel for the 14 pro-Ladoja lawmakers was seen in the chambers of Yusuf attempting to bribe her with undisclosed amount of foreign currency. But, Justice Yusuf who was appointed a judge in 1992 responded in an affidavit denying the allegations. Also Awofolaju in another affidavit said it was true she went into the judge's chambers in the presence of her secretary. The judge, she averred, only asked her whether the two senior counsel in the matter were around. Awofolaju deposed further that the allegation was a "white lie" and a " cheap blakmail" Justice Adeniran will have to re-assign the case file to another judge on or before Monday. The trial of the persons suspected to have murdered former Justice Minister, Chief Bola Ige (SAN) on December 20, 2001 suffered similar fate with a number of judges disqualifying themselves from the case. First, it was Justice Atilade Ojo, and then Justice Olagoke Ige. Ige declined to hear the case when it was alleged that he was already conversant with the proof of evidence with which the impeached former deputy Governor of Osun State and now Senator Iyiola Omisore would be tried. When Justice Ige stepped down, the case file was assigned to Justice Moshood Abass and by July 30, 2003, Abass also announced his withdrawal on the grounds that he was under intense pressure from unexpected quarters and that his life was in danger. The matter was finally concluded by Justice Akin Sanda. SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN 28/01/06

kwudil  # 3 | 01.02.2006 05:03

We will come to know his reason. Bur Adedibu must get ready for the consquences.