When a Nation sits on the Keg of Gun Powder

In the last eight years, nothing has met the anger and the resistance of the Nigerian public like the war, which their President declared on them in a manner of election on April 14, 2007. With N12 billion that were supposedly spent on security, 1000 vehicles purchased for the police force, heavy presence ofthe Military in all Nigerian cities and the declaration of ”a do or die election`’ and later, Operation Totality, President Obasanjo has knowingly and willingly declared a war on Nigerians – those he had swore to defend and protect.

He might not have expected the unprecedented political protest and unrest which has become the symbol of the Nigerian state in the last three days. But his uncouth statements before the elections are proven evidences that he had called for a war. For wanting to punish, in his own convictions, a rebellious and disloyal VP, he has brought us this low and the Nigerian state is now a morass.

The Nigerian people woke up on the 14^th of April and met a different country and a determined leader who wants to win elections by sheer coercion. The will and courage of the Nigerian people were put to test on this fateful day.

From the half naked women of Ondo, to C.C Onoh , the old man who led a protest that were part of the reasons why Enugu elections were cancelled, the Nigerian people had demonstrated that they cannot to be taken for granted. There are still riots and protest in Ondo, Nasarrawa, Edo and a dusk to dawn curfew in so many states. Elections in Imo have been cancelled. The Nigerian people indeed, rose to the challenges of their enemies and they should not be deterred even if they are losing.

Those who are still challenging the enemy bullets in terms of protest or through public outcries and complaints need to be encouraged by the words ofFidel Castro, that :” When men carry the same ideals in their hearts, nothing can isolate them – neither the prisons walls nor the sod of cemeteries. For a single memory, a single spirit, a single conscience, a single dignity will sustain them all”

President Obasanjo must not be allowed to take us down the Darfur road. Nigeria is at the present sitting on the keg of gunpowder. But, we should pray that no flame or ignition should ever come the way of this powder. The consequence of such an eventuality, as always is better imagined than experienced.

President Obasanjo and his co–members of the People Destroy People party must be meant to understand the true definition of who the causalities are in a war like situation, according to J.P Clark in his poem, ”The Casualties”. He needs to know that the casualties include not only the wounded or the dead but every one – whether dead or alive, wounded or unwounded. Those who started the war but can no longer put if off are also the casualties.

Olusegun Obasanjo must be reminded that those who play God always live to regret it. He must also be told that by supporting the killings of hundreds of Nigerians within a space of 8 hours, that we now compare him with the likes of Slobodan Milosevic, the butcher of the Balkans and his erstwhile friend, the Lion of Gbanga, Charles Taylor. His priest if he has one must tell him that the sins of fathers could be visited onto their generations yet unborn.

And Nigerians are asking who would inherit this trouble that Obasanjo has fomented by this election of violence, since he stands to quit office in a month’s time. Who would recover all these sophiscated guns, bombs and ammunitions already in the hands of political thugs and fake police uniforms and other apparatus all over Nigeria? Who will tell those that have been declared winners in this crude election that violence does not pay?

If this election is allowed to stand, it then becomes obvious to Nigerians that the next four years will be troublous. The opposition in virtually all the states is calling for the cancellation of the whole exercise. The people of Ekiti state are yet to understand how PDP won the guber elections when AC had won 14 seats in the house of assembly with PDP winning only 3. Edo voters are yet to believe that their beloved Comrade Adams Oshiomole was not declared winner by INEC. All over the country, there are serious agitations for the cancellation of this fraud of an election.

More to this, is the clear and concise ruling of the Supreme Court that INEC has no powers to disqualify duly nominated candidates. The Adamawa AC gubernatorial candidate was disqualified less than 24 hours to the Election Day. Prince Ukachukwu in Anambra state was disqualified for adding the prefix ” Prince” to his name. How then do we solve all these man-made problems?

For sure, all the anomalies of this election cannot be totally redressed before May, 29. And also, President Obasanjo who aided and abated these anomalies lacks the will and character to redress the aberration witnessed on April 14.

Nigerians everywhere, at home and abroad must beckon on this President by all means to immediately step down from office and allow an interim government by Senate President Ken Nnamani to take over. The interim government must cancel the whole elections in totality and allow an independent INEC to conduct an election whereby the people will freely and willingly choose and elect those that will govern then. President Obasanjo has created a problem that appears bigger than him. He must yield to the pressures that emanate from this consequence. It is only through this way that this keg of gunpowder upon which will all sit on will not explode.