OPENING
SHOT:
You are welcome to
this issue of THE MANDATE MONITOR, Nigeria’s foremost political news story
platform. It is our mandate to gauge the standard of political conduct by
placing the actions and inactions of those in political leadership (both the
elected and appointed) in the front burner.
In this issue, we send
our heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Anambra state on the
Tanker fire accident which claimed over 60 lives in Onitsha. Our heart goes out
to the families of the victims; we pray that the Almighty will grant them the
fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. The government must do more to secure
the life and safety of the people at whatever level, that is the mandate for
which they occupy the positions they occupy.
Boko Haram has
continued to maintain its onslaught against the Nigerian state despite the
emergence of a much feared President Mohammadu Buhari. For now, it seems that
we as a people have become used to their senseless killings, yet it is
Nigerians, humans that die. No matter how often people die, we cannot get used
to death. We therefore call on the present government to immediately rise to
the occasion for which they were elected into office.
“Be not afraid of
change for it is constant. Believe that life is all about change and therefore
worth living, and your belief will help create the life you want.” ----- OBUESI PHILLIPS
TRENDING:
Breaking Times, an
online news portal revealed that Aisha Buhari, wife of the President of Nigeria
wore a Cartier Baignoire Folle 18-Carat White Gold Diamond Ladies Watch that
cost £34,500 to President Muhammadu Buhari’s inauguration on Friday, May 29
2015.
This
report otherwise would not have been news had it been the wife of former
President Jonathan, but for the fact that President Muhamdu Buhari was elected
riding on the wave of strong integrity platform and sentiment, it is shocking therefore
that the Buharis who are thought to be a modest and conservative family could
afford such extravagant profligacy.
We
have seen people rise to the defense of Mrs. Aisha Buhari. While some claim the
watch might just be a gift from friends or admirers (possibly from Wale Tinubu,
Femi Otedola, Mike Adenuga or any of the oil fraud cabals holding the nation
captive, others argue that discussions around Mrs. Buhari’s wristwatch is too
inconsequential to attract widespread condemnation.
Here
at THE MANDATE MONITOR, we are convinced that a country whose citizens have
been left flat-footed by undulating systemic corruption cannot afford leaders
flaunting unbridled extravagance and insatiable profligacy as this will not
represent in any way the change President Buhari preached.
NEWS PICKS:
·
Western Sahara:
Nigerian anti-colonial activists
besieged the Morrocan Embassy in Abuja calling on the north African nation to
grant political independence to Western Sahara. The group led by Mr. Femi
Falana (SAN) was forced to throw their letter of demand across the gate into
the compound of the Morrocan Embassy since they were not allowed entry into the
embassy.
We are minded to remind Nigerians that
it is time to concentrate on developing Nigeria than playing big brother roles
in Africa. We must exert our resources and energy, first, to rebuild Nigeria
before expending very scarce resources on on other countries whose core
pre-occupation is to deride, belittle, discredit and conspire against Nigeria. It
will be recalled that Nigerians led by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo led the
anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa, but today, Nigerians in South Africa
are now subjects of xenophobic attacks.
·
New Chief
Justice For Rivers State:
The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesome
Wike has sworn in Justice Daisy Okocha as acting Chief Judge of the state.
Governor Wike also appointed Justice Christiana Nwankwo as acting President of
the Customary Court of Appeal.The Rivers State judiciary has been engulfed in a
protracted crisis of interest, which stalled the appointment of a new chief
judge for the state following the retirement of Justice Iche Ndu in August 2013.
Courts in the state have remained shut
since then following the controversy caused by the legal tussle between the
National Judicial Council (NJC) and the former State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi,
as to who should be appointed as the Chief Justice.
It is our opinion that His Excellency
looks too combative in outlook and outbursts. The elections have been won and
lost, the time for gloating ought to have been over and now is time to hit the
ground and running. While we applaud this appointment, and while we celebrate
the resumption of active legal activities in Rivers State, we also call on the
governor to concentrate more on delivering quality leadership to the people of
the state than trying to undo the immediate past regime of Rotimi Amaechi.
REVERSE
GEAR:
You
cannot believe it. Our news of the day is the striking out of the suit against
Chief Timi Sylva, the former governor of Bayelsa state who is standing trial
for AUTHORITY STEALING, being prosecuted by the EFCC.
You
must recall that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had
accused Sylva of using three companies to commit the money laundering offences
between 2009 and 2012 when he was the governor of Bayelsa state. The companies
are Marlin Maritime Limited, Eat Catering Services Limited, and Haloween- Blue
Construction and Logistics Limited. Others charged with Sylva are Francis
Okoburo, Gbenga S. Balogun and Samuel Ogbuku.
As
a right hand man of Gen. Buhari who rode on the wings of popular
anti-corruption sentiments to become Nigeria’s President had appointed Chief
Timi Sylva as the Chairman of the APC inauguration committee. According to a Punch
newspaper report we monitored, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) of the
Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. M.S Diri, on Monday withdrew the N2.45bn fraud
charges instituted against the former governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Timipre
Sylva.
How could President Buhari
have allowed this, especially happening so soon thereafter the inauguration? We
are not interested in the details of what transpired in court, but suffice it
to say that Ministry of Justice and EFCC officials probably out of overzealousness
have placed a moral burden on both President Buhari and his anti-corruption
mantra on the one hand and the APC and their change mantra on the other hand.
For us at THE MANDATE
MONITOR, it’s a thumb down for the Ministry of Justice, EFCC and the entire
judicial system no matter the excuse. At least it ought not to happen so soon
thereafter.
OBUESI PHILLIPS
2014 Dream Prize Winner
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