Date Published: 03/13/10

Acting President: The Egyptian Example

Reading the front page story of Leadership newspaper of Sunday March 7, 2010 and also the News Analysis therein on how the Egyptian President Mubark who was going for an operation in a German hospital officially handed over the country’s government to the Prime Minister, the next in command. 

Mubark’s action is what our President Yar’Adua could not do for the fourth month now. The simple letter he could not write to the appropriate authorities enabling Jonathan to take over while he is away is what has created the quagmire still lingering in Nigeria.

National Assembly should also be blamed for this mess. They knew the President was going for such a trip and yet they were playing politics, deceiving the masses as to which Chamber President Yar’Adua should present the nation’s 2010 budget. They knew that Yar’Adua would not attend any assembly sitting and withstand the length of time it would have required him to conduct the official presentation; they played along with him, deceiving the entire nation that they claim were being represented. It is a big shame; and that is why people say that there was no election but selection in 2007, with the connivance of INEC.

One is also waiting on the Judiciary to act on the forgery which Yar’Adua’s kitchen cabinet committed when they claimed that Yar’Adua signed the supplementary budget.  There was also the forgery and falsehood which Yar’Adua’s media adviser, Adeniyi, dished out concerning that Yar’Adua has asked Jonathan to act for him till fit enough. Adeniyi should be prosecuted for this.

One is at a loss as to why up till now the constitution is still not respected in what is looking like a national shame in the eyes of the international community. How long are we going to bear this?

Dr. Segun Osobu

Osborne Road

IKOYI, Lagos

osobus@yahoo.com