DON'T STONE SARAKI, RECALL HIM!

'Vox Populi Vox Dei' (The Voice of the people is the Voice of God)-Archbishop of Canterbury,Walter Reynolds (1327)

The truth is Bukola Saraki's tenure as Senate President was always going to be an unpleasant one.The man and his cohorts abstained from a meeting convened by President Buhari, conducted an 'emergency' election and made their party look like clowns performing on a monday morning.The President ended up not attending while the lawmakers who did ended up watching the NASS elections on TV.It was a comedy that just wasn't funny.
The Modus, no one could say but we all knew Saraki had a bull's eye on him from that moment onwards.He is not a man with an exceptional pedigree as far as governance is concerned and most nigerians' first reaction when a bully cracks the whip via allegations of corruption against such elements is- "Na God Catch Them".
To make it easier to hate Saraki, the late patriarch of his family and the man to whom he owes his political career,infamously ran the family bank to the ground in an epic bid to oust an incumbent Governor and have him installed in his place.Naturally, the only people guaranteed to be in his corner are the political class and not the average nigerian on the streets still rejoicing over the effects of an improved power and fuel supply on his finances.One who can now afford slightly better clothes for his wife and kids.
One who when he wasn't certain of the same today tomorrow, is been told Saraki was busy declaring assets he was hoping to get and his wife mistook the Kwara State treasury for the defunct family bank where monies could be withdrawn and spent on anything.
While we were waiting to see how Saraki would be roped into his wife's investigation at the EFCC,things took a rather interesting turn when he was hit with a 13 Count Charge all bordering round shady declaration of assets and arraigned before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
Like I love to say, every nigerian politician is guilty until proven innocent and if they choose to use our anti-graft bodies to wage war against one another, then we are the better for it.Our leaders loot us dry and neglect the little things capable of deflecting attention from their booty sharing.It doesn't really need an extraordinary effort to make Nigeria work.This much has been proven by President Buhari in just less than 6 months in office on a budget that isn't his and is almost entirely recurrent expenditure based.
The Senate just passed a vote of confidence on Saraki with 84 Senators in support and though the CCT seems likely to nail him on at least a few of the Charges, it is pertinent to note that we are now at the mercy of Saraki's colleagues (for the time being at least) and most,quite frankly are not in the sad position he is now because they didn't get a chance to be where he was or because the searchlight hasn't been beamed on their previous dealings with us.
Nigerians rarely seize the windows our laws provide to drive home our grievances.What is the essence of the countless twitter hash tags if the support garnered isn't put to the best use?.Do we start purposeless social media campaigns only to enjoy the 'activist' feel accruing from it and then wait for the next one to evolve so we can grab our 'high'?.If as much effort is put into mobilizing his constituency to initiate a 'Recall Bukola Saraki' campaign as is being put into talking all the talk, we just might kick him out of the Senate and not just its Presidency.This would pass a strong message to all lawmakers that we would no longer be at the mercy of their 'ayes' and 'nays'.
The Saraki family is no longer the darling of Kwarans and Kwara is no longer 'Saraki Plc' where anybody other than them was just a mere shareholder.This much we can tell by the disgrace meted out to the Senate President at the eid prayer ground on Sallah day where he was pelted with stones. A lot has changed since the late scion of the dynasty got pushed back by his heir in what can best be described as a modern day Shakespearian tragedy. The person who ended up demystifing the 'Oloye' of Kwara politics was none other than his son and you know what they say about crowning a new king in the lifetime of another. The traditionalists would have a field day talking about how the chickens have come home to roost. One thing is certain -Saraki isn't a loved man there.
The Nigerian Constitution clearly spells out the procedure for a recall of a member of the National Assembly in Section 110.A petition signed by more than one-half of the persons registered to vote in that member's constituency alleging their loss of confidence in that member must be presented to INEC which then proceeds to verify the signatures and conduct a referendum within 90 days of the date of receipt of such petition and if it is approved by a simple majority of registered voters in the member's constituency, then the member ceases to be a member of the NASS.
Would a 'Recall Bukola Saraki' campaign succeed? It should if properly executed.
An individual getting pelted with stones and sachets of pure water on a festive day at a prayer ground speaks volumes of the rage and dislike people have for him.Giving them a legitimate medium of expressing such emotions should be an easy task.
Our destiny as a people should be ours to shape whenever it is in our hands.

HATE PRESIDENT BUHARI OR LOVE HIM, HE IS MAKING NIGERIA WORK AGAIN.

When former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was asked what he had been able to achieve in his first 6 months as President during a Presidential Media Chat, he said those months were for 'Laying the Foundation'.There and then I knew we were in trouble.
Whatever skyscrapper he had plans of building would last a lifetime if Nigerians hadn't witnessed any huge stride in about 180 days.He ended up leaving the nation far worse than he met it.
In the first 100 days of a Nigerian Presidency, there are usually 2 sets of voices.Those singing the praises of the President with a 'Rome wasn't built in a Day' chorus and those reminding us just how much impact could be made in that time.Both have an almost equal chance of swaying anyone with their arguments.So when every genuine well-wisher of Nigeria; ones totally devoid of negative sentiments have cause to applaud the performance of a President in roughly 4 months,it sure is a champagne moment.
President Buhari has performed exceptionally well if you are viewing from the right lens and not one tainted with political,ethnic or religious bias.
I for one have vehemently criticized his lopsided appointments and regrettable utterances in the US promising to treat those who voted for him better than those who didn't so I can conveniently say,at the risk of sounding immodest,that my lens couldn't be more clearer.
He may have his flaws but they don't seem to have taken his eyes off the prize-delivering the dividends of democracy to the people.
The most valid yardstick for assessing my assertion would be simply put-the state he met the nation and the state it is in today.He met the nation in what was unarguably its most terrible state in recent times.Power Stations were shutting down as a result of scarcity of petroleum products with banks and GSM companies at their heels and the average man on the streets was buying fuel for as much as N300 per litre.Today, there are no queues at filling stations and nigerians are celebrating a most remarkable improvement in power supply.I ask people who argue for the need to let some more time pass before reaching a conclusion based on reports doubting its sustainability and attributing it to raised water levels as a result of heavy rains if we lacked rains during the previous administrations that squandered trillions of our money in the name of improving power supply?.The fact that won't change is that we are witnessing perhaps the best power supply in recent times and this progression kicked off in just under 1 month of PMB's assumption of office as President.
We now have a President truly determined to fight corruption.One who understands focus shouldn't be on the EFCC alone but the judiciary as well to ensure the courts dispense justice speedily.
If you take into consideration the fact that the nation was as pathetic as the President saying before he was sworn-in, that he needed up to October to make any meaningful impact (just to be on the safe side perhaps),he deserves plaudits for what he has done in barely 4 months.I believe in the Buhari Government and what it is building unlike when the 'foundation' laid seemed to exist only in the sub-conscious of our former president after 6 months in office.
It is a good thing for the opposition to be restricted to the barest of constructive criticisms.This means that things are moving just as they should.They have come out to say the President hasn't laid down a viable plan for the economy forgetting that no positive economic transformation can take place without the basics-steady power and fuel supply which are been immaculately addressed and also insecurity which is a little more complicated but has been commendably contained to say the least considering our capabilities viz-a-viz what we are up against-bombers ready to die with their victims.If ever we lack weapons to fight the insurgents, I expect to hear from the defence chiefs themselves who are more or less actively involved in the war and not just dishing out orders from an air-conditioned office somewhere in Abuja as was the case.
While I may not say the President isn't late in appointing his Ministers,I ask-Can anyone effectively get around excuses that go thus: time needed to study the 800 page Ahmed Joda Committee report and streamlining it with plans to cut down the cost of governance by reducing ministries and agencies and time needed by the new SSS boss to purge the outfit of bad elements before embarking on proper screening of nominees?.While holding firm to our opinions,it is also important we keep our minds open and not argue blindly.As a lawyer and minister in the temple of justice,I watch people go scotfree for wrongs I strongly believe they committed because the law places a certain burden of proof on me and whoever I represent.What is sometimes isn't just what is.
A successful war against corrupt government officials is one in which they are not only prosecuted and jailed but also dispossessed of cash and assets they looted.Though one can't fully assess the war till the outcome of most probes are made public and we see how thorough prosecution is when the courts are back from vacation, preliminary steps taken have been quite convincing.This administration has gotten the US to commit itself to helping it retrieve stolen funds and one wouldn't doubt the potential of the union to yield fruits if US officials can categorically state that an unnamed former minister of ours stole as much as $6 billion even before the war has fully gathered momentum.
I respect the fact that PMB means different things to different people.Some parties have even refused to hang his portrait on their walls which reminds me of what President Obasanjo once said-"If I am doing what is best for Nigeria and you feel taking my portrait off the wall and smashing it would make you happy, then please do so".
You may call him an ethnic bigot or any of the sad things you deem him to be and have people nod to your reasons for doing so but in your heart of hearts and indeed every Nigerian's heart, he is making Nigeria work again.That we cannot deny.

NIGERIA BELONGS TO EVERYBODY, IT BELONGS TO NOBODY

I wasn't really what you would call a party-goer in my younger days but I had a lot of friends who were and as such,I knew what the Party terrain felt like.There were parties you could afford to attend alone because the majority were friends and you wouldn't encounter any difficulty slotting into the fun and there were also parties you didn't attend except a few friends were willing to tag along.Occupying the 'losers section' alone amidst unfamiliar faces could be very depressing.That is what President Buhari's non-northern appointees seem to be doing-Occupying the 'loser's section' in his appointment list.Its a northern party and everyone has to deal with it.
It is quite alarming that of all the 29 appointments made by President Buhari so far, there is not a single person from the South East.And in the Strict sense,he hasn't really lived up to his 'Political Reality' by placing those who voted for him in droves ahead of those who didn't if the South West can only boast of 3 appointments. 
President Buhari has long been labelled an incurable ethnic bigot by a lot of people,a lot of whom aren't actively involved in politics.His critics during the Presidential elections campaign pointed to his detention of Chief Alex Ekwueme; Shagari's Vice-President at Kirikiri Prisons while placing the leader of the Government; Shehu Shagari under house arrest after the 1983 Coup that brought him to power as Military Head of State.Vice-Presidents can't be more 'guilty' than their bosses.It didn't make sense.
Then in more recent history,some have said PTF projects favoured the North more when he was Chairman during the Sani Abacha regime.What however, put those doubtful minds to rest was the fact that this was a democratic dispensation where he would govern by the Constitution with the presence of appropriate checks on his Power and what more?.The man declared himself a born-again democrat and erased the 'General' in his name.Today as things stand,nobody can effectively defend PMB against those voices.The North West is leading the pack with 13 appointments,then the North East with 6 which is closely followed by the South-South with 5 and then you have the North Central and South West with 3 slices of the pie each.One thing is clear-justice isn't being done if the South East hasn't gotten an appointment out Of 29 made so far.
They are the worst victims of the President's 'Some are more Equal than Others depending on how you Voted' Philosophy.Our Constitution provides for Federal Character in Section 14 (3) of the Constitution and one can't possibly rationalize its absence with what is on ground.I emphasized on the South East because legally, the President can escape any fall-out occasioned by the non-abidance to this Section if anyone makes a go premised on the crux; northern domination by an argument that the North East,Central and West are different zones and that the Constitutional Provision mentions only States,Ethnic or other Sectional Groups.Hence, the South East scorn remains the most viable weapon in a purely 'Suit and Tie' argument.Some of our laws  are bad because they weren't properly drafted thereby leaving room for convenient interpretations and also because of the absence of foresight on the part of the draftsman.In a polity like ours, it is wise to be very specific and unequivocal on anything involving all ethnic interests. The phrase 'Federal Character' needs to be properly dwelt upon whenever any chance to amend our Constitution presents itself to leave no room for ambiguity and to cater for a situation like this where the 'North' are different regions,states and ethnicities. Not to take anything from the man,Buhari has performed exceptionally well so far but you can't help wanting to hate him for how he is going about things.
Even if one takes his promise to accord special status to those who voted for him en masse into consideration,it would still be hard to figure out why a less populated South-South who didn't turn up for him has more appointments than the South West who practically ensured his victory this time around.A certain degree of maturity is expected of someone of PMB's age.It is presumed that he already knows what this is capable of doing to this nation having fought in the Civil War.It could spark off some very bad sentiments that just might snowball into something else or set a trend that could ultimately lead to the disintegration of this Country.Its high time the President realizes Nigeria belongs to everybody,It belongs to nobody. 

NASS:GIVING A MASTER-SERVANT RELATIONSHIP ITS TRUE MEANING

After the Sen.James Manager led ad hoc committee on finance set up to reduce the salaries and allowances of senators submitted its report,a lot of people started counting down to the day its recommendations would be debated on the floor of the Senate.It didn't matter how rancorous it gets,we just hoped to hear what was being suggested as their new pay and to also identify the chief 'enemy of progress' who would kick-start any opposition to the recommendation that they make their financial books open.

It is sad what nature has thrust at us.Everyone is annoyingly helpless when it comes to the large sums our lawmakers command as remuneration.They cannot be compelled to do what is right by anyone including the President.
As a matter of fact,many think that helplessness birthed the calls by some to scrap the Senate in the heat of the #OccupyNASS campaign.So it was a most welcome development that they seemed serious about conforming to the 'Mood of the Nation', to borrow the words of the Senate President.
A reduction in the budget of the National Assembly from N150 Billion to N120 Billion isn't enough to make us bring out the drums, only a clear drastic pay cut would.For all we care, it may all be 'mathematical gymnastics' that will though save us some money but ultimately have a minimal effect on extravagance and that would amount to a 'beautiful nonsense'.It could end up meaning just a N2 million deduction from their salaries and less trips or miscellaneous expenses.The term 'budget' encompasses a lot.
It was most heart breaking that the Senate opted for a closed door session on Wednesday 12th August; the day slated for the debate and emerged with a decision to stand it down for further legislative input effectively making a lot of people lose hope in the process.Perhaps we needed to be jolted back to reality.
The decision to interface with the House of Reps seems most pleasant on the face of it but barely conceals the fact that they aren't favourably disposed to implementing the recommendations.Why wasn't a joint committee of both Houses formed in the first place?.My gut tells me we may have to end up settling for any amount necessitated by the cut in the NASS budget and just how would we know that amount if the lawmakers don't want to stop sharing their money behind 'closed doors'?.
The recommendation that their books be made public is one that got me highly exhilarated at first but the thought of a majority 'nays' shooting it down switched me back to straight-face mode.
The good people of Nigeria deserve to know not only how much is being sent the way of the NASS but also how it is being put to use.
It is highly embarrassing for a democratic government in this age and time and its people to whom sovereignty belongs, to have salaries of public officials and public expenditure sealed from the public even after countless applications under the Freedom of Information Act; a law made by our lawmakers themselves.
Its absurd for a Senator to earn N29.5 Million monthly and take home quarterly allocations of N45 Million where the minimum wage is N18,000.Things have to change. 
I was disgusted by comments credited to some unnamed senators in a couple of news reports.While maintaining that the cut in their budget was enough,one cited the cost of his house rent-N10 Million, in opposing a further reduction while the other said he had to 'settle' people from his constituency who visit his office.I wondered if I would have been any more suprised if another had said his wife wears only Gucci and Ferragamo.
To be candid,I don't think a Senator and his Reps counterpart ought to earn more than N7 Million and N4 Million respectively in a month.Public office holders are meant to serve the people and not the other way round.
As the Senators continue to interface with the Reps,I hope they realize its time to face reality-What is right is right and nothing can change that.
Earning what they should and making their financial records public would amount to giving their relationship with the people its true meaning; a Master-Servant relationship.We-the Masters and they-the Servants.I pray it turns out that way.

SEN.KWANKWASO V GOV.GANDUJE: ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE,THIS IS KANO!!

If I were to write on the Power of Music,I would most likely make reference to how a hausa song urging Engr.Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to return for a second stint as Governor of Kano state became a hit and endeared him to Kanonians.One can't possibly trace the root of his popularity en route the Guber polls in 2011 to anything else. This was a man who was practically disgraced out of office by the same people in 2003.Same people who sang the praises of his successor to high heavens for most of his 8 year reign only to turn on him and everything he stood for when the Kwankwasiyya movement started to gather momentum.This tells you 2 things-What a good song can do and how drastically things can change in Kano politics.
Thankfully, he hit the ground running when he assumed office and the Kwankwasiyya Movement went on to become the largest in Northern Nigeria in modern times.At least 1 out of every 5 people wearing the native attire had the Governor's trademark red cap to go with it.Every aspirant to any public office in the APC fold had his picture alongside theirs on their poster rather than Muhammadu Buhari's as was the case in virtually all Northern states.He strolled in from Abuja and had his son-in-law relinquish the APC ticket to contest the Kano Central Senatorial seat after losing the Presidential Primaries.It would be a taboo if he had been opposed.You wouldn't be wrong to say he was the P in Kano  Politics and it was so easy to forget he was the most hated person in the state at some point with no adducable reason for the transformation to the most loved other than a song.
Permutations as to his most likely successor kicked off as early as his 2nd year in office and they kept ending up with one verdict-his two term deputy; Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.He was perceived as a core loyalist to the leader of the movement who had never had cause to fall out with him in any of his stints as Governor.Kwankwaso had served Kano people exceptionally well and his deputy contesting on the 'Continuity' card would be an easy sell.He eventually clinched the ticket and put rumours of the Governor wanting someone else but being pulled back by the need to reward his loyalty to bed.
Concerns immediately arose as to the sustainability of their relationship judging from who both men really were.Kwankwaso is outspoken at all times, temperamental a lot of people say and one who has earned every right to wade into issues on the ground of wanting what is best for the people even from Abuja.You couldn't possibly see him withdrawing from the forefront of Kano politics and on the other hand,Abdullahi Ganduje didn't strike anyone as a greenhorn that would gladly assume the lucky beneficiary role and forfeit the chance to carve a niche for himself.
The public disclosure by the transition committee headed by the Deputy Governor, Prof.Hafizu Abubakar that the Kwankwaso administration left behind a 300 billion naira debt was subsequently rationalized by Governor Ganduje himself who attributed it to the drop in oil prices and further emphasized that he was in a position to know being a part and parcel of the decisions of the government.It came as a rude shock when he blamed the same government days ago for neglecting to pay the tuition fees of students studying abroad for a whole year thereby accruing a 3 Billion naira debt.No one expected a war to kick off on that note with the Governor having seemingly shut down that medium.There was no excuse on the previous Government's behalf this time rather what caught the eye were the words-'For whatever reason'.
This has heated up the political climate in the state in no small measure with both camps pondering their next move.If the Governor refuses to make another U-turn like he did after the transition committee report and proceeds to wage a full scale 'Kill or be Killed' war against Senator Kwankwaso, he will open a new chapter in Kano folklore if he emerges unscathed.
Unlike his former boss, he isn't a great mobilizer of troops and will find it difficult to woo converts to his cause especially from where it matters most at the moment-the state house of assembly. As things stand, no one would expect even the Member representing his constituency to vote against any move to impeach him if it ever gets to that.
But what the Governor has going for him is the fact that this is a new era where anyone would find it difficult to stage a 'Hollywood' impeachment under the gross misconduct ground.The most feasible means of exacting revenge if the Governor stays cautious would be denying him the party ticket in 2019 which seems too long a time for things to stay the same.I can't possibly forsee any means of making the State ungovernable for the man right now other than criticisms and more criticisms with everyone grabbing the opportunity to impress the State Party Leader as is the case presently.
He has ample time to woo the core Kwankwasiyya elements,seize control of the party and change the status quo before then.Like Walter Annenberg rightly said-"The Greatest power is Political Power".
There is a cold war between the two political gladiators in the state like a lot of observers rightly predicted.The most loved politician in the state since Aminu Kano can go back to being its worst villain overnight.This is Kano where anything is possible.

THE PRESIDENT HAS A GUN POINTED TO HIS FOOT!!

"Its one thing to shoot oneself in the foot.Just don't reload the gun"-Lindsey Graham

President Buhari's speech to the Nigerian community in South Africa during his visit there set off the alarm bells in my head.Though ours is a nation where most people are quick to tag every senior citizen a Statesman, only a few are befitting of such title.I wouldn't expect a respected elder statesman like Muhammadu Buhari, talk more a President Muhammadu Buhari to utter these words-

"Everybody is repeating what the other person has said instead of to keep their mouth SHUT".

But he did.Mere mortals like us are allowed to speak in such a manner connoting a total disrespect for the audience because we aren't   representing the most populous black nation and it most certainly won't be on the front pages of every newspaper if we did.But asides being President,PMB represents what we have being meant to believe no Nigerian politician is.
I dare say never has a politician being so loved.He has being depicted as the epitome of every positive adjective you can possibly come up with.When a lot of us complained about his age, we were told maturity is what the country needs and not someone who has turned our nation into a playground for him and his cronies.
There are a million other ways of subtly passing that message across, a lot of them sure to elicit a few laughs than outrightly telling your countrymen away in another land to "Keep their mouth SHUT".
The second part which I must say baffled me beyond words read thus:

"I am pleased that Nigerians,wherever they are whether South Africa or Saudi Arabia,Europe or even Alaska for that matter, you will make an impact both positive and NEGATIVE".

Now, whether or not the President should have left it at "Alaska" and not gone on to include the words-"For that matter" is a topic for another day.But the crux certainly is Mr President being pleased with the fact that there are Nigerians making negative impact abroad.This is most shocking.I actually expected to learn some rib cracking jokes from what I thought was an imminent Social media circus but (Un)fortunately there was none.God forbid the day a Nigerian sentenced to the gallows in Malaysia or Indonesia for drug trafficking will tell the world he is dying proud because his President is 'Pleased with the Negative impact' he has made.'Yahoo boys' in the states will start to think of forming an Association down here.No Sir!.You aren't pleased they are making a negative impact.Or better yet, i'm sure you aren't.
After another read and making sure I wasn't in need of more sleep,I switched off the bells in my head.Our parents would try to deter us from going out at night as kids by telling us scary 'Ojuju Calabar' (Masquerade) stories and if you fell ill and blamed it on 'Ojuju', they told you not to.You were just being paranoid. Perhaps I was just being paranoid.There was no cause for alarm, at least not yet.
I chose to focus more on our collective goal-a better Nigeria for all.Only a petty individual would want to run our much heralded 'Messiah' ragged before he has even moved into his office.I even chose to ignore the PR blunder he committed by coming out soon afterwards to talk about us expecting limitations to his capabilities due to his age which many felt was as a result of having rightly thought of his speech as embarrassing.I am quite sure a seasoned media practitioner like Femi Adesina knows the defence he issued on his behalf was merely 'fulfilling his duty' as Senior Special Adviser and nothing more because such stains can hardly be removed no matter how hard you spin the mess.
Then the most ludicrous assertion I have heard in recent times and trust me, I have seen quite a lot.President Muhammadu Buhari,a supposed man of Integrity, honour and self-respect,a few days ago,in a Q&A session in the US while responding to a question on the Niger-Delta particularly Amnesty,Bunkering and Inclusive Development (All sensitive issues if you ask me) said Constituencies that gave him 97% shouldn't expect as much from him as those who gave 5%.That It was fair he showed appreciation and also went on to say they would be justice for all.Whatever that meant if you consider the blatant promise of injustice and adoption of the cardinal rule in the Constitution as amended by the pigs in George Orwell's ANIMAL FARM-"All animals are equal but some are more equal than others".He had already fired the shots at himself.Everything else amounts to massaging a gun shot wound. 
President Buhari ought to know our Constitution specifies the attainment of a certain age before contesting for office.He came across as being too immature to sit on that seat.The northerners complained of marginalization during President Obasanjo's tenure and GEJ's perceived favouritism of his South-South brothers was as brazen as awarding multi-billion dollar Pipeline Security Contracts to glorified touts (Ex-Militants) in what many see as handing the keys to our house over to thieves for safe keeping.Yet they all defended these perceptions of them with all they had.OBJ never agreed with his critics and GEJ did 'give a damn' in that regard.
PMB is by miles not only the oldest President we have ever had but also the most experienced.Maturity is chief among the ingredients of the 'Change' he portends.Certain things are what he should be seen cautioning the younger leaders about and not proclaiming.Spewing such gibberish which ought to be kept inside if at all it exists is most regretable.
Every one irrespective of who they voted for should be treated equally.If that was the yardstick for dispensing the dividends of democracy,then I wonder what sort of nation we would have by 2027.
It doesn't help that his critics had several persuasive points to support their arguments of him being a long standing ethnic and religious bigot in the run-up to the elections and it certainly doesn't help that most of his appointments have been his fellow northerners.Even if he justifies that, a smart leader would know there is a need to appear impartial and the last thing he would do is to indirectly tell the South-South and South-East to expect less in unequivocal terms.To borrow his words-"it is a political reality".
I really don't envy Messrs Garba Shehu and Femi Adesina one bit.PMB is a PR nightmare, a man who has his finger on the trigger of a gun pointed at his foot.He seems to be hell bent on making you forget his huge strides and hate him outright.
I don't think this is an 'Ojuju' case.I am certainly not paranoid.The President's utterances call for concern.

SAMBO DASUKI :CONNECTING THE DOTS

Sadly,most Nigerians weren't in high spirits in the few days leading to one of its most historic events since Independence-May 29th 2015.We were witnessing what was perhaps the worst fuel scarcity ever in our history.I dashed to a bank on May 27th to make a transaction after a lot of them announced they would be closing at 1pm (effective next day) till things got better and met a full hall.
I got into a conversation with a man I was in line with and he said something I found quite intriguing.He felt the 'hardship' was a ploy to lure the military into staging a coup.If the banks and telecommunication companies shut down,the Jonathan Government would have an excuse to postpone its handover date which would then instigate the military into staging a Coup.It sounded plausible but the most part of me didn't think it true.
The DSS raid on the Immediate past National Security Adviser,Sambo Dasuki's residence in Abuja,his father's in Sokoto and the ensuing statement by the DSS made me have a rethink.Perhaps the man was right .

Maybe there was an evil plan that subsisted till that point.The PDP's statements refuting claims by the Buhari administration that we are heavily in debt only lends credence to the whole theory.First they said the Goodluck Jonathan administration left $30 Billion in our treasury and more recently, they questioned the source of the President's bailout to states having problems paying salaries to the tune of 413 Billion naira if indeed our treasury was empty.If what the PDP is claiming is true,then perhaps there are dots to be connected.
It means the GEJ Government had the money to pay the over N200 Billion debt owed the fuel marketers but held back for no obvious genuine reason.From the little I know of how these things work, even a half payment would have swayed them into resuming operations.Bear in mind also that a compromise was later reached without any official notification of money changing hands shortly after the then President-Elect, Muhammadu Buhari met with them.
President GEJ never seemed to be bothered.He remained mute in a most trying time and if that wasn't enough to warrant an explanation, then the untold hardship borne by Civil Servants in some states who were being owed several months salaries at the worst possible time definitely was.
The inauguration did hold and the DSS said it placed Sambo Dasuki under surveillance right afterwards and whether or not the full list of items recovered where the ones disclosed, the ones made public are quite disturbing.Sophisticated bullet proof jeeps capable of gaining entrance anywhere without arousing much suspicion to just the required number of high calibre weapons to arm the 'hitters' in any plot to topple the government or cause any chaos capable of leading to such.Dasuki is a fine soldier who quite incidentally happens to be an In-law of one of the most respected ex-intelligence officers in the land, Gen.Aliyu Gusau,who himself,served under GEJ as Minister of Defence.The way President Buhari approached security issues after being sworn-in oozed of wariness and its now clear why.Reports surfaced at some point revealing he wanted the entire Presidential Villa swept and ridded of hidden cameras and bugs which were said to have been planted by an Israeli Company contracted by the DSS on behalf of the previous administration and not because he wanted it renovated as we were meant to believe.He recalled a townsman of his from retirement and installed him as Boss of the DSS in a move suggesting just how distrustful he was of elements in our Security Structure.Only then were the Service Chiefs relieved of their posts in a long anticipated move.If a trial of whatever kind is held, we would know more as the Dasukis have questioned the lawfulness of their detention which in my opinion couldn't be more lawful.Search Warrants were presented and it is noteworthy that most Secret Police worldwide have the 'National Security' clause going for them and that the act of the DSS is fully covered by Section 35 Sub-sections:

B (disobedience of an order imposed by law)  and 

C (the 'Upon Reasonable Suspicion' provision) in the 1999 Constitution as Amended. 

It would take a lot to sponsor a coup or any treasonable act of similar proportions at this stage of democratic rule and the alleged withdrawals made by the Ex-NSA from his official CBN Account further added fuel to the fire of suspicions.The amount of money Dasuki alleged was taken away by his PA's driver ($5 Million) is just the type of money I am talking about.Yes, Sambo Dasuki was detained for about a day in his residence and No, it wasn't for suspicion of having any ties to Boko Haram, it was one for committing treasonable felony.The dots add up real nice even though things aren't always what they seem.We will soon find out more.