NIGERIA MASTERWEB DAILY NEWS

*'Nigerian Army Watches' As Yar'Adua 'Aso Rocking' Back

By Masterweb News Desk

Nothing really changes the leadership of Nigeria except doubtful election and military coup. This is not to say that such military intervention changes anything in the country. It is nothing other than opportunism in a bid to maintain the status quo or loot the treasury. Acting leadership is leadership as it implies handover of duties to the deputy by the incumbent. Constitutional leadership change in Nigeria is a day dream for those expecting such to happen in the Yar'Adua impasse.

Nigerian army watches as the nation's corrupt and feudal power brokers scheme and plot. The military and civil game boards are in harmony of purpose, at times in joint conspiracy, other times divergently embracing maintenance of the status quo and/or treasury loot. The bitter truth in Nigeria is that political incumbents never hand over to their deputies. This is the case on both state and federal government levels. ( Continues below..... )

Photo Above: Seal of The President of The Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is the official symbol of the Nigerian President, first used in 1979 by President Shehu Shagari.

Nigeria being the country we know today, nobody should expect Yar'Adua to hand over to his deputy, Goodluck Jonathan. Yar'Adua is expected to hang on as president until 2011 elections. In the event of Yar'Adua's untimely death before then, Nigeria would be in turmoil as forces deploy to maintain the status quo through unconstitutional means. Such means may include: stringent hand-tying agreement with Jonathan or outrightly a military coup.

An authoritative source in the Nigerian Presidency speaking on Thursday to reporters, said Yar'Adua was expected to be discharged from the hospital very soon and would return to Nigeria to resume duties.

"There is no vacancy in Aso Rock", they always say and this time will not be different. Nigerians should always refer to the country's history when in doubt of the turn of events in the country. Some elements in the army and feudal power brokers 'are watching', unless they are successfully checked, Nigeria will never see progress.

This article is not an invitation to the Nigerian army to intervene. Military coups are unconstitutional and must be rejected by Nigerians.

Chief Judge of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Justice Daniel Abutu on Wednesday ruled that vice-president Goodluck Jonathan “cannot become the acting president but only carry out the functions of the president in his absence.” The ruling in the case filed by Christopher Onwuekwe, a lawyer by profession, allowed Jonathan to take full executive powers pending Yar’Adua’s return, denying him status as acting president on the premise that Yar’Adua had not written the National Assembly on his absence.

Justice Abutu was forced to step down from hearing a similar suit filed by Attorney Femi Falana. Falana petitioned the federal court on Thursday to declare Goodluck Jonathan acting president until Yar’Adua returned to the country from treatment. Falana's lawsuit was filed in December last year, against Onwuekwe's filed six days before its ruling. Both cases sought determination of the propriety of Yar’Adua’s refusal to transfer power to his deputy before his medical trip.

Falana requested the stepping down of Abutu, arguing that his impaired ruling on Wednesday on a similar suit to his, delved into issues raised in his own case. He argued that such a situation meant the judge had already taken position which would affect his ruling, if he were to go ahead with his case.

Photo Above: Nigeria National Assembly Complex