By Simon Ateba, Damilola Kolade & Ayorinde Fasugba
A pro-democracy group, the United Action for Democracy, UAD, yesterday, called on the National Assembly to reconvene, and immediately commence impeachment proceedings against President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
Members of the group reasoned that with Yar’Adua in power for another three years, Nigeria is doomed to failure and calamity with the Niger Delta crisis escalating to a full blown war. Reading from a prepared text at a press briefing in Lagos, the UAD convener, Comrade Abiodun Aremu, described Yar’Adua as a lame duck president with no clear vision.
Aremu, however, said he was not surprised as Yar’Adua never wanted to be president, but rather forced into the exalted office by former President, Chief Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo.
UAD also wondered why instead of addressing with urgency the plight of Niger Deltans and the teachers currently on strike over better pay, Yar’Adua is soliciting military assistance from Britain, adding that the move can only harden the militants.
According to the group, “We urge the National Assembly to reconvene immediately and commence impeachment proceedings against Yar’Adua for this suicide mission. What an irony, a lame duck president that is not bothered about addressing the plight of Nigerian teachers, legitimately demanding the implementation of the Teachers Salary Scale, TSS, is obsessed with negotiating arms to exterminate the youths in the Niger Delta Region!”
Explaining further, Aremu wondered why Yar’Adua thought that Britain can assist Nigeria in solving the Niger Delta problems when multinational oil companies from the West have consistently been disregarding established laws and conventions on environment and climate change.
He likened the move to the attempt by the US to position its African military command in Nigeria, adding that with the same speed it failed, the deal with the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown will soon be history.
“UAD is resolved to organise and mobilise Nigerians and join forces with allies in the labour and civil society coalitions, the people and groups in the Niger Delta, freedom-inclined groups and people all over the world to resist this latest interference in our sovereignty, “ Aremu stated.
The group also called for the immediate removal of the Osun State Police Commissioner, Mr. John Moronike, for the human rights abuses he allegedly commits daily in the state.
Felix Korode
24 July 2008 16:02OBJ SHOULD BE BLAMED
OMOOBA ELERO SOPE
24 July 2008 17:01Those are the trapp set down by OBJ, because he actually planned the Umar Yaradua’s enthronement to fail. The evidence is what we are experiencing daily. If not how can a normal human being put such a person to enthrone Him as a President of a whole Nigeria, what was His achievement so far as katshina State Govt, it was only a lazy Gov. that keeps money in reserve when he has so many things to be put in place in that State. To OBJ Himself, Yoruba says charity begins at home, OBJ believe is contrary to this, what we are now seeing at SANGO-OTA is the only legacy OBJ as a SON OF THE SOIL left behind for His People.
Okosun Victor
24 July 2008 17:03YAR’ADUA IS TRYING HIS BEST. WE SHOULD SUPPORT HIM WITH PRAYER RATHER THAN CASTIGATING HIM.
D.O
24 July 2008 17:19WE WILL SUPPORT BOTH YAR ADUA AND OBJ WITH CURSES!
allan b.dodondawa
24 July 2008 17:20i think this would be a wake up call for president YAR ADUA.If those he surrounded himself with refuse to speak the truth to him at least the voice of this group will represent the feeling of the common citizen on the street.He is got no clue.so far so bad
allan b.dodondawa
24 July 2008 17:28OKOSUN VICTOR could u please identify yaradua with one significant achievement so far in nigeria.i
Don Mike
24 July 2008 17:54Who are activists?……. Who are militants?……..Longman Dictionary defines Militant as someone willing to use force or violence to change politics or society while Activist is someone who works to achieve social or political change. In Nigeria contest, all these activists are just moles.. When some of them have failled to achieve their aim of using Pro-democracy activism to achieve their Politica goals, they are converted to Millitant and thereby raking millions from hostage taken.. Therefore, I regards activist in this direction as Millitant… So if some Activist are calling for impeachement of Yar Ardua, it shown how shallo minded they are in the running of Goverment operation. They are all lay men seekin recognition. If Gani Adams, Asari Dokubo, and others are calling themselves Freedom Fighter today… it tells us what the purpose of their fight against govt. stands for. All these Activist should shut up… They are jobless touts.
jiii
24 July 2008 18:18it is a fact that yar adua may not have achieved much, but these so called activists are only looking for cheap popularity.
as activists,let them mobilize people to work against the government.
they are waiting for IV to aso rock
judge
24 July 2008 18:26I support this action.
Yar Adua should be impeached .resign or be removed by coup. even though they have told us that the worst democracy is better than the best military regin, not in Yar Adua’s case
he is not fit , he should first go and take care of his health and for OBJ, It shall not be well with him for playing with Nigerian destiny.
If protest is organised I will join
Dr Patrick Kolawole Boboye
24 July 2008 18:39Obj should be blamed and even be made to paid penalty having singlehandedly imposed Umar Yar’dua the least of the most competent amongst PDP- governors in 2007 on Nigerians in order to spite his deputy/VP-Atiku Abubakar who was his VP for eight years and knew the workings of the system and knew alot about Nigerian-problems and possible solutions to them.Obasanjo is a vicious and wicked animal with his behaviours and conducts throughout his wasted eight years in the presidency.Today,if Obj had done the right thing by ensuring the best like his vice president-Atiku Abubakar was installed into office,he would be happy and honour whereever he goes that truly Obj did his best.Umar Yar’dua had been sick for over tewnty two years still Obj put him there to score personal goal against Atiku Abubakar.Infact,i am ashamed that Obasanjo came from same tribe and country where i came from.Obasanjo is a disgrace to Owu,to Egba,Ogun state,Yoruba,Nigeria and the world over.Shame on the old ingrate.Obasanjo is the reason why Nigerians are suffering today and the nation is under-developed.He should be prosecuted and punished severely for his deliberate sins. Dr Patrick Kolawole Boboye,Canada.
OMOOLOMO KOSE PERANSE
24 July 2008 19:09WHICK ATIKU. YOU MEAM THE THIEF?
DR KURE
24 July 2008 19:38OBJ SEE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO NIGERIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
SEGUN
25 July 2008 09:39Dont blame OBJ but his succeesor …….. since he is not the one controlling Yaradua,the fault is from yaradua…………………bawo ni asele fi eniyan je oye awodi ti kole gbe adie………it is a shame on the first citizen of the country that he cannot his worths.
Ossy
25 July 2008 10:12In fact, yar adua should resign. Calling on National Assembly will not help the situation, because they are all weak.
Aijay
25 July 2008 11:56I dont support any militant in this country. Most times you find out after a while that they too only think of their pockets. Me thinks that our preisdent is comatose. Even if OBJ put him there and he finally saw on becoming the president that the issues he has to sort out in this country are so overwhelming for him, me thinks he should do the honourable thing - step aside along with his VP. The issue of how he was “elected” to be president is still fresh in our minds!
Oga President, please wake up, morning broke a long time ago.
Awuda
25 July 2008 13:11I think is time for us to let Biafrans go before this so called one Nigeria die. The faster we think about division the better for our
future and our children’s future. One Nigeria will no take us no where.
EN
25 July 2008 14:34This is dame duck president in deed! he should be shown the way out as soon as possible otherwise Nigeria is in trouble.
gerry
25 July 2008 14:42Nigeria will soon break up,the looting contest will soon get an ethnic face, which tribe stole the largest from our oil money? The Biafrans are yet to have their turn after them who next its going to be warrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
fhemie
25 July 2008 15:24Yaradua is trying. how can there be meaningful progress in niger delta when the militants are always demanding for ransom and destroying Oil installations in the region. No one including all militancy groups are fighting for the people except their pockets. Who is ready to die for same agitation. Can any good thing come out of weapons being displayed by militants daily. They hide under the watchful hands of civilian to perpetrate evil. Yaradua ride on, ur visit to Gordon brown is the best.
VICTOR OTOTO
1 August 2008 (4 weeks ago) 12:24Obasanjo is the big snake while Umaru Yar Dua is the small snake whosoever accept Obasanjo Lineage invites snakes to bite us continually same person is wanting for quicker death for long suffering Nigerian masses and Economic devastation. Victor Ototo Nigerian Based In Johannesburg.
Let us made away with these enemies for the betterness of our future children