Of Protest Merchants, And Genuinely Concerned Nigerians, By Johannes Wojuola
Posted On Aug 8, 2017
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Fairly, it is in the lawful and democratic right of every Nigerian to express themselves through peaceful protests and lawful assemblies. Mr Deji Adeyanju, the convener of the Concerned Nigerians group, currently hosting the #ResignOrReturn protests and his crowd are exercising this right. That should never be an issue.
But the question that should be of issue is to what extent and what intent does this protest by a politician want to achieve? To push a political interest in the masqueraded façade of being Concerned Nigerians?
That is simple uncharitable and pulling wool over the eyes of genuinely concerned Nigerians in the name of activism.
First: who is this Deji, the politician cum activist? He is the former Director of New Media of the PDP. He was a hireling of the then Jonathan administration – an administration that supervised perhaps the most destructive heist and looting known to this country; and endorsed hate and divisive speeches during their campaigns. Is this the same Deji that has become a concerned Nigerian? An activist?
Where was his conscience when the country was being plundered by the likes of Mrs Diezani, Col Dasuki, Air Vice Marshal Badeh, Air Vice Marshal Amosun, FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed, and their ilk, and torn apart by the hate messages of Governor Fayose and Femi Fani-Kayode?
Perhaps he was a beneficiary of the plundering, hence his blind eye then.
No one needs a soothsayer to tell that this protest is sponsored by and for politicians. The intent is simple: create an issue out of non-issues.
Let us be clear: this is not a protest of concerned Nigerians as it is being made to look like. It is a proxy protest of some politicians who have lost their link to looting our resources. First and foremost.
Concerned Nigerians are those who are asking the genuine and fundamental questions. Is there a vacuum in government? Is there a Late Yar’adua scenario, where the Vice President was unable to take decisions, and act for the government, as an Acting President? Is there anything not working due to the absence of the President on medical leave? Is the Buhari administration failing to fulfill its promises? And the answer to all these questions is a resounding NO.
It is well-known that President Buhari left the country on a medical leave. He was sick – like any human – and proceeded for treatment. It is incontrovertible that he is recuperating. His wife, the Acting President and several Governors paid him visits and confirmed this. The President would be returning soon to resume work, as soon as his doctors give him the go-ahead.
Importantly, he cured the longstanding political deficiency of President’s leaving the country without passing power to their vice, borne from the water of power thirstiness experienced in previous times. Before he left for his medical vacation, he gave official notice to the Senate – as constitutionally mandated. He consequently handed over power to his Vice, who as Acting President has proved to be the best team-mate a President could ever wish for.
If any constitutional issue could have arisen arise from the President’s medical leave, it may be have been that of the question of permanent incapacity – and we are a world apart from that happening.
The President is not permanently incapacitated. He was sick – and he told Nigerians this, even citing that he had to have a blood transfusion during his first treatment – and now he is recuperating. Soon he would return to resume work.
It is important to highlight that the only person that can make the decision to resign is the President himself. It is his exclusive right, and he may exercise it if he feels he cannot go further on the journey.
No deceitful congregation of a masked political group in the pseudonym of ‘Concerned Nigerians’ can harass, threaten, force, or cajole the President to resign.
Again, it is in their lawful right to peaceful assembly and protest. But they must not deceive Nigerians with the falsehood that they mean well.
Johannes Wojuola