posted
It looks like the muct talked about Mass Action has finally started in Abuja. THISDAY, 24 June 2003,
quote:Buhari Commences Mass Action in Abuja
Tribunal begins petition hearing today From Andy Ekugo, Lilian Okenwa in Abuja and Paul Ohia in Lagos
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Supporters of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Major General Muhamm-adu Buhari (rtd) yesterday began a mass protest against the out come of the April 19 presidential election in Abuja.
The protesters had massed at the Court of Appeal, venue of the on-going Presidential Election Petition Tribunal to witness the proceeding. They later spilled over to the streets where they chanted anti-government slogans.
However, the tribunal which yesterday dismissed the petition filed by Justice Party (JP)'s presidential candidate, Rev. Chris Okotie, will today commence hearing on the petition filed by Buhari and his All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) counterpart, Chief Emeka Odum-egwu Ojukwu.
The pro-Buhari protesters who used the Appeal Court premise as launching pad for their mass action, were all wearing black armbands. They explained that the black armbands indicate the mourning of democracy which they alleged had been murdered.
Addressing the supporters in both Hausa and English at the court premises, Buhari urged them to be peaceful and law abiding.
"I urge you to be peace loving and law abiding. Never be tired of upholding the principle of truth, justice and fair play but always listen to foreign radio stations for the true account of this court sessions not the local stations that are tele-guided by some interests," he said.
Also, in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corpora-tion ( BBC), Buhari maintained that the police ought to give him the permission to demonstrate with his supporters.
"Where have you seen a democracy where people are prevented from demonstrating?" he asked, while insisting that the mass action he is thinking of will be peaceful and educative.
The ANPP presidential candidate said his aim was to make Nigerians know how to take their destiny in their own hands and not to dare the authorities as being speculated.
"I cannot dare the authorities because I know what authority is all about but it is unfortunate that the police denied us of our right to express ourselves," he said.
Buhari also lamented that most of the motorcycles used by his supporters during the protest were impounded by the police.
"Mass action is a peaceful demonstration to tell Nigerians what we have started on several occasions. There are substantial reports from foreign and local observers that the election were flawed", Buhari said.
On why the demonstration should continue despite a case in court, Buhari replied that the process is just meant to educate the masses.
He maintained that despite the suppression of his plans by the police, the mass action will still take place in the six geo-political zones of the country.
The pro-Buhari supporters took to the streets chanting Sai Buhari !Sai Buhari! Also, hundreds of motorcycle operators popularly called 'Okada,' who joined the pro-Buhari protest disrupted activities in parts of the federal capital.
At the Gimbiya junction in Area 11, the frenzy of the protests got a bit out of hand as the protesters halted activities with the commercial motorcyclists blocking off traffic with bizarre dare-devil displays. Black bands were freely distributed for people to wear round their heads or arms.
The police however swiftly deployed its men to contain the protest before it could spread round the city.
A platoon of mobile policemen was seen marching from the force headquarters through Aso Rock Villa gate to the National Assembly entrance while the police cordoned off routes leading to NICON Hilton Hotel where elected Assembly members and other government officials reside.
The situation in Asokoro District was calm but siren-blaring anti-riot tanks were seen patrolling the streets of Abuja.
At the courts, ahead of the commencement of the hearing in the petition filed by Buhari, his counsel, Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN), said he would have liked to continue with his substantive petition but that several motions were filed by the respondents asking that the petitions should be struck out. He also drew attention to the fact that he had filed an application seeking the court to strike out Obasanjo's reply for being incompetent.
Hearing in the petition filed by the APGA and its presidential candidate, Ojukwu was also adjourned till today to enable its counsel, Mr. J.O Ezike study a preliminary objection filed against his clients by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Umaru Abdullahi who headed the team of five judges on the panel said the absence of the lawyer and the petitioner (Okotie) yesterday at the tribunal is an indication that they are no longer interested in the case.
He awarded N50, 000 as costs against Okotie and JP for their incompetence.
Counsel to Obasanjo, Chief Afe Babalola, SAN, on discovering that the petitioner and his counsel were not in court, had quickly raised an application for the dismissal of the application.
"My lords, my application for the dismissal is supported by the rules of this court. The absence of both the petitioners and their lawyer show their lack of seriousness," said Babalola.
Ruling on the application, Justice Abdullahi said: "At the last hearing date, the counsel to the petitioner was in court when it was adjourned to this date. Neither him nor the petitioners are in the tribunal today and they have not shown any reason for their absence.
"Their absence is a display of gross lack of diligence and seriousness and this petition is deemed to have been abandoned allowing us with no other option than to dismiss it," he said.
Okotie in his petition had asked amongst other requests for the annulment of the April 19 elections including the disqualification of President Obasanjo. According him, the process was marred by large-scale irregularities and fraud.
In his reply, however, Obasanjo said the petition lacked merit and should be discountenanced for being incurably defective.
Obasanjo said the petitioners failed to abide by the statutory provisions, which makes it mandatory that petitions ought to be endorsed by them.
He also challenged the locus standi of the petitioners to raise certain aspects of the petition even as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said some of the reliefs sought could not be obtained from the tribunal.
Meanwhile, a 15-paragraph petition submitted by APGA has the following prayers:
A declaration that as at the 19th April 2003 when the presidential election was held in Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the 1st Respondent was not qualified to contest the election.
An order commanding the 2nd Respondent (INEC) to conduct another Presidential election.
An order directing the Chief Justice of Nigeria to take over as the Head of State of Nigeria for a period of three months within which period he would re-organize the 2nd Respondent and conduct a free and fair election.
A declaration that the purported declaration of the 1st respondent as the winner of the 4/19/03 election is unconstitutional null and void.
The session, which was attended by a mammoth crowd of mostly Buhari's supporters also had in attendance, Chief Chekwas Okorie, National Chairman of APGA, UNPP's presidential candidate, Senator Jim Nwobodo, Chief Don Etiebet, National Chairman, ANPP, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, former governor of Abia state and one time presidential candidate, Dr. Tim Menakaya, former Health Minister amongst others.
Why didn't that bestial Yoruba coward send tanks and troops to kill the Hausa-Fulani protesters in Abuja?
If Buhari is serious, it should not be difficult to chase that pot-bellied Yoruba crook out of Abuja. Does Buhari have the staying power, or will he let Obasanjo turn it into an Igbo vs. Nigeria matter?
Posts: 397 | Registered: May 2001
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quote:"I urge you to be peace loving and law abiding. Never be tired of upholding the principle of truth, justice and fair play but always listen to foreign radio stations for the true account of this court sessions not the local stations that are tele-guided by some interests," he said.
Only a few misguided Igbo still cling on to the Ngwati press for news and reports. Buhari should be a man and follow this mass action through.
I'm tired of all this talk talk, no action.
___________________ Awo's political idea was based on the assumption that any town beyond Owo was Igbo or Hausa. Awo was not socialised; he was not a good mixer because he did not have the opportunity, which the secondary school offered. ~TOS Benson, Baba Oba of Lagos Posts: 2644 | From: United Kingdom | Registered: Apr 2001
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posted
Kudos to Buhari! But, if Buhari wants people to risk their lives and follow him in this "Mass Action," he must do a better job than this; the police should not be able to stop the protest so easily.
quote: Police stop mass action
By Kemi Ogedengbe
The police in Abuja, yesterday stopped an impromptu mass action started by hundreds of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), supporters in support of the presidential candidate of the party, General, Muhammadu Buhari.
As early as 7.30 in the morning, the supporters had besieged the Court of Appeal in Area 3, Abuja, but were prevented from entering the court because there were not enough seats to go round.
They milled about in the area around the court but there was heavy police presence, supported by at least three police armoured personnel carriers
The supporters, most of who wore black armbands and headbands, and some of who were Okada riders or members of the ANPP women’s wing, waited until the court rose and escorted General Buhari from the gate of the court to the Nicon Hilton Hotel main entrance.
They were chanting "sai Buhari" as they moved in a convoy but the police who had got wind of the supporters’ action immediately assembled mobile policemen on all the major roads of Abuja, especially on Shehu Shagari Way and at the roundabout in front of the Nicon Hilton Hotel.
When the supporters and General Buhari got to the roundabout, the contingent of policemen commanded by the commissioner of police in charge of the mobile police force, Mr. Akaneno Iniedu, had positioned themselves to stop the crowd.
Mr Iniedu then called General Buhari aside and asked him to appeal to the supporters to keep the peace.
General Buhari who was in a jeep convertible told the supporters to be law abiding and while thanking them for their support said they should assemble at the secretariat of The Buhari/Okadigbo Organisation at Maitama while he retired into the hotel for a short rest.
The deputy director general of The Buhari/Okadigbo Organisation, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah later told Daily Trust that some supporters were arrested and detained by the police but he could not say the number or where they were kept.
He said that some of the people arrested were Okada riders who were taken with their motorcycles and that the campaign organisation was working on how to secure bail for those arrested.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Chris Olakpe, a deputy commissioner of police (DC), could not however confirm the number of persons arrested, saying that he was awaiting a brief from the commissioner of police in charge of operations.
However, I note that the privilege of calling the leader of a protest aside and asking him "to appeal to the supporters to keep the peace" is one that has never been extended to MASSOB, Ogoni, or Ijaw protesters.
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posted
Buhari's ticket to relevance is to stick to mass action. There is no doubt Aremu has been able to entice the ANPP governors into abandoning him, and since these folks provide the resources that oil the party machinery he remains out in the cold as far as his party is concerned. His last consolation is his current pupilist appeal among the nothern masses. Compromise will be equal to political irrelevance unless he gets settled big time.
Posts: 1532 | From: USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
It looks like the Al-majiri are starting to call a spade a spade when it comes to dealing with thieves from their area,
quote:Police arrest 12 over assault on Babangida From Saxone Akhaine, Kaduna
FOR their alleged role in last Friday's molestation of former President Ibrahim Babangida in Zaria, Kaduna State, the police have arrested 12 suspects.
The former president was in Zaria on Friday to attend the wedding fatiha of two daughters of the former Managing Director of the Nigeria Maritime Authority, Alhaji Manir Jafaru.
The suspects were arrested amidst tight security mounted by Mobile policemen deployed to Zaria city 24 hours after the incident.
Six lorries load of mobile policemen were stationed at various strategic positions of the city on Sunday and Monday to effect the arrest of all those implicated in the attack.
Videotapes of the ceremony were said to have helped detectives in identifying the arrested suspects.
Attempts by some youths to cause social unrest in Zaria and its environs over the arrest of the suspects were suppressed by security agents deployed to the area.
Contacted, the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Zaria zone, Alhaji Suleiman Lawal, said the case was being handled by the police command in Kaduna.
Trouble started immediately after the Jumat prayer on Friday, which preceded the wedding ceremony when the supporters, mainly youths, started chanting "sai Buhari, sai Buhari, sai Buhari, sai Buhari," (meaning, "It is only Buhari, it is only Buhari, it is only Buhari") and stormed the venue of the wedding ceremony.
The pandemonium that ensued prompted the organisers to alert the police for reinforcement from the Zaria Police Area Command to control the surging crowd.
A witness told journalists that when the confusion ensued, Buhari was sighted and the crowd became uncontrollable as he was ushered into the venue of the wedding fatiha at the palace of Yeriman Zauzau.
However, the youths on sighting Babangida, who drove into the venue shortly after Buhari, greeted him with shouts of "Babangida barawo... Babangida barawo," meaning (Babangida thief... Babangida thief."
They also hauled stones at his vehicle, damaging the car's windscreen.
Said a witness: "It took the timely intervention of the organisers and the security agents to hurriedly usher him into the premises of the ceremony.
"The organisers of the ceremony had to remove the vehicles of all prominent guests, including that of the National Security Adviser to the President, General Aliyu Muhammed Gusau (rtd) to Kofar Kuyambana, at the outskirts of Zaria.
Besides, both General Babangida and the NSA (Gusau) were said to have disguised and drove out of the venue of the ceremony in a green Peugeot 406.
posted
So how was the police able to calm and control the fanatical almajiri's? I ask this because whenever Ndigbo are massacred in their numbers by the same almajiri the BiafraNigeria police has never been to able stop them talkless of prosecuting anybody. It has always been faceless religious fanatics, but this time they actually have videos of the fanatics.
I guess if they could stop the almajiri from murdering Babangida and co, they could have also prevented Akaluka from being beheaded in a Kano police station.It only confirms what we have been saying, that all the genocidal murders of Biafrans in Northern BiafraNigeria have implied goverment approval. They say when the wind blows we see the fowls dirty behind.
Posts: 1532 | From: USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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Is'nt it funny that the bigmen found themselves running away in "their flowing agbadas" from the very yandabas whose past use they had perfected as aready tool?
Funny also that Aliyu Gusau is now off to London for treatment to injuries. What happened to hospitals in Zamfara? or kano? or Zaria? or Abuja?
For Maradonna, between being chased around like a common thief and sitting next to his arch-nemesis Buhari, I can fully understand his profuse sweating.
Pity!
___________________ YA CAIN'T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN :) Posts: 1182 | From: TEXAS | Registered: Oct 2001
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posted
I imagine that after they had been disguised and placed in the bride and grooms peugeot car, IBB's disguise would have been that of the gap toothed bride and Gusau's as the groom.
___________________ YA CAIN'T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN :) Posts: 1182 | From: TEXAS | Registered: Oct 2001
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posted
The yandabas or street urchins being the offspring of the same ones that were used to hack pregnant Igbo women with their fetuses to death.
The Emir of Zazzau and others like him should keep one eye open when he's asleep. The hordes they bred and seeked on others are now encroaching fearlessly and angrily.
Who will exterminate them now?
Sounds like a Stephen King thriller does'nt it?
Titled : Lived by the sword, died by the sword.
___________________ YA CAIN'T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN :) Posts: 1182 | From: TEXAS | Registered: Oct 2001
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posted
Does anyone sometimes get the impression (by reading news articles and opinions proffered by syndicated columnists) that Buhari might actually feel/think that had IBB supported him more visibly and tenaciously, he might have come out the winner in the last elections?
Judging by the way they behave towards each other in public, it would appear as though IBB and Buhari really do not have any animosity towards each other, so it becomes at once funny to read that the ever-smiling IBB unusually, was sweating profusely beside Buhari throughout the entire occasion! What an eye-opener that must have been to dramatically witness the wrath of the public that he must have for this while considered friendly!
quote:Originally posted by Anaedo: Does anyone sometimes get the impression (by reading news articles and opinions proffered by syndicated columnists) that Buhari might actually feel/think that had IBB supported him more visibly and tenaciously, he might have come out the winner in the last elections?
Anaedo,
Absolutely right. I do.
Dont be surprised that Atiku's men actually organized this somehow so that IBB's unequivocal support would be secured to tarnish Buhari as the mastermind through a confession the police would soon miraculously recieve from one of the arrested grunts who will "finger" (in Nigerian journalistic parlance) Buhari as his mentor.
Another scenario could be that the ever calculating Maradona could have organized all this by himself in order (in one fell swoop)to gain automatic pity as a victim from the Nigerian public on one hand, position Buhari as a likely suspect in order to diminish his Northern grassroot strength by sowing suspicion and at the same time use Atiku to legitimately eliminate Buhari (to secure Atiku automatic Northern suspicion) thereby leaving Maraddona the usual beneficiary.
Have we now become conditioned to cynical thinking or have these guys become so predictable in their capacity for intrigue?
Yes. It has been truly said that "The more you look the less you see".
___________________ YA CAIN'T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN :) Posts: 1182 | From: TEXAS | Registered: Oct 2001
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quote:Another scenario could be that the ever calculating Maradona could have organized all this by himself in order (in one fell swoop)to gain automatic pity as a victim from the Nigerian public on one hand, position Buhari as a likely suspect in order to diminish his Northern grassroot strength by sowing suspicion and at the same time use Atiku to legitimately eliminate Buhari (to secure Atiku automatic Northern suspicion) thereby leaving Maraddona the usual beneficiary.
Now look for Buhari to try and exonerate himself from the mounting unsubstantiated allegations from the ngbati press who are all too eager to distract Buhari from his attacks on Aremu. Look for IBB to opportunistically latch on and “make hay while the sun shines” to milk as much publicity as is possible from this brou ha ha ha. His men are already at it:
quote:Akinyele who served in the Babangida administration said in Osogbo that the attacks smacked of vendetta and accused Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd… Said he: "What happened to IBB was unfortunate. If a former Head of State could be dealt with like that, it is unfortunate.
How loyal indeed. Consider this one a double agent for Aremu.
quote:"I suspect Buhari's hand in the matter. It is a matter of vendetta because IBB did not support him (Buhari) in his bid to become the President of Nigeria and because IBB toppled him in 1985," he said.
Anaedo, You no talk am? This guy must be one of the handle changing visitors to BNW
quote:Akinyele said Babangida had the right to aspire to lead the country again.
Oh no here we go already the campaign begins:
quote:"I think IBB wants to have another opportunity to correct the mistakes of the past. If he decides to run, I don't think he will have serious opposition," Akinyele said.
Next hear what the other loyalist has to say:
quote:"IBB has built a solid reputation over the years and nobody can destroy him. We need to unite and move the country forward. We cannot continue to ridicule our past leaders, it is uncivilised," Makama said.
Makama disclosed that very soon Babangida's supporters and loyalists would come out and unfold their agenda for the former President for 2007.
"The Project 2007 will be launched in July. It is a matter of reactivating the old structure. IBB has what it takes to defeat other candidates. In fact, the coalition of the parties would present IBB as a common candidate," Makama said.
All because IBB was attacked by some Yandabas.
So who will it be next? IBB or Atiku? I’m waiting to see IBB join the PDP.
The other unexplored angle is that Aremu with the capable advisement of Anenih is behind all this and continues with the divide and control strategy against Hausa leaders.
Whats your guess? I can promise that no amount of creativity and intrigue one can conjure up here will even come close to matching what reality is about to unfold.
As they say: “Truth is stranger than fiction”
___________________ YA CAIN'T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN :) Posts: 1182 | From: TEXAS | Registered: Oct 2001
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Indeed, you spoke with a certain degree of prophetic clarity! A lot remains to be seen on our way to 2007, but as a keen observer of political trends, I must say that I find it highly entertaining to read in between the lines or rather read the handwriting on Nigeria’s political wall. When something like this (an attempt on the life of a political figure) happens, it takes a very active mind upon listening to public opinions, to discern between truths and mere propaganda. But perhaps, the best frame of mind would be to take the public statements of this present government with a grain, nay, a bag of salt.
I read somewhere about a coup purported to have been hatched to overthrow Obj’s government but which was ‘fortunately’ foiled. Stories like that are then spun with such reckless abandon with only one perverse intention--to insinuate that potential opponents are scheming to hurt our nation’s fledgling democracy. I always treat these seemingly manufactured coups, death threats to present political bigwigs or manufactured treasonable statements credited to Obasanjo’s opponents, like what they should and ought to be treated as—PROPAGANDA.
So Ukaobasi, we shall keep a keen eye on proceedings. In fact, as the days roll into weeks and weeks into months, it is becoming more apparent that indeed IBB has serious plans of returning to power. That cunning fox I am sure, must have laid elaborate plans by now, on how to hoodwink Nigerians with another sham of an election. The fact still remains that some of us, there will be, who must’ve figured this out from the very beginning.
Do you know one thing that everyone has come to realize at this point? Obasanjo isn’t as DUMB as he appears after all. Crude and inarticulate he might be, but concealed deeply under the façade of a doltish farmer/president lies the soul of a most astute Nigerian politician who understands the myriad complexities of the Nigerian political game and who equally possesses without a scintilla of doubt, a nature sufficiently vile and unprincipled to fully exploit to his benefit, any inherent political/social weakness.
Atiku for President come 2007… fact or fiction? Take into consideration the growing divide between Obj and Atiku, the delicate way that Obasanjo handles IBB, and perhaps, his closed-door meetings with Afenifere or Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) on the issue of another Yoruba president in 2007 for continuity purposes. We shall see.
Oh yes, I concur—stranger than fiction are facts indeed!
Bravo my man! You wrote like one with rare insight into the politics of BiafraNigeria.
What Buhari must do now is consolidate his hold on the north, by maintaining his opposition to the thug in Abuja. If Buhari fails to do this or if he relents in his announced mass action agenda, he will go down the way Na'Abba did, like an inconsequential chump.
___________________ You ain't seen nothing yet Posts: 150 | Registered: Mar 2001
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