Monday, July 04, 2011
Former military president and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, General Ibrahim Babangida, has condemned the arrest of former Federal Capital Territory minister, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai by security agents.
The former FCT minister, who was arrested by the State Security Services, at the weekend had since been released.
There were speculations that he would be arraigned in court for sedition, during the week.
But reacting to the arrest of El-Rufai, through his media spokesperson, Kazeem Afegbua, General Babangida advised President Goodluck Jonathan to steer clear of those he called sycophants at the corridors of power.
The former military president noted that freedom of speech, of association, accountability were some of the essential ingredients of democracy.
“The happenings in the country in recent times call for worry if we must be sincere with ourselves. Everyday, the nation is treated with one form of political issue or the other. From security challenges to economic challenges, Nigerians are asking several questions that deserve responses from government at the various levels. That is the beauty of democracy; a people-driven government with its fundamental principles of freedom of expression, freedom of association, rule of law, accountability, probity and equal representation, amongst others.
“It is against this background that I will like to advise President Goodluck Jonathan to tread cautiously so that those sycophants in, and out of, government will not derail his focus. He needs all the comportment, resilience, perseverance, introspection and determination to be able to take the right decisions for the good of the country.
“The arrest and release of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is a deliberate distraction which the President must run away from. He must avoid gambling with decisions and he must be willing to seek a third opinion on issues before he takes his decision.’’
The PDP presidential aspirant said the only way to ensure that Nigerians gravitate towards his administration and key into his transformation agenda was for President Jonathan to allow all shades of opinions to be ventilated, while not labeling any Nigerian as belonging to the opposition group.
“It is not my tradition to use public platform to pass on my advice to any incumbent president. My choice of this forum is to allow Nigerians the opportunity to appreciate the challenges that President Jonathan is facing in the light of our current economic downturn and security concerns in the country. President Goodluck Jonathan must understand that there is a whole body of people out there who are not happy with happenings in the country. It is his responsibility as the president of the country to reach out to them and make his mission understandable to the common man in the street so that they can buy into his government.
“If his body of advisers do not understand the temperament in the country and decide to embark on arresting and releasing people on very questionable allegations, they will be making enemies for the president instead of friends. The prerogative is that of the president and no one else.
“President Jonathan should, as a matter of responsibility, listen to voices of the opposition and or dissent, as he stands to gain experience and knowledge from their well-informed criticisms rather than build hostilities around them.
“He has to ensure that he minimizes and maximizes his discretionary powers in a manner that will not be subject of abuse.
“The whole essence of transformative leadership on which platform his campaign was anchored, boils down to how the leader is able to articulate his thoughts, nuances and provoke policy options that would best suit the variables. Transformative leadership is a product of constructive criticism, constructive engagement, collective bargaining and critical self-appraisal of mission statement and pursuit of leadership essentials that would lead to accountability and positive governance.”
“This process also leads to making institutions more workable, proactive, responsive and utility-driven. It is the absence of the essential ingredients and principles of democracy to with rule of law, due process, accountability, probity, equal representation and constitutionality, that nations are described as failed state, particularly when the institutions could no longer withstand the shocks in the system.’’
Appraising the security challenges in recent time, the former military president submitted that the security agencies had not been pro-active while also warning them to stay away from political issues.
“President Goodluck Jonathan must sit back, collect himself and carry out a critical self-appraisal before he takes his decisions. He is aware without mention, that the country is presently faced with several developmental challenges. The nation’s security agencies must avoid getting involved in political issues. Modern day security has evolved to a point where you do not require seeing gun-wielding policemen on the streets. The ability to collate information and analyse same in a proactive manner will help improve the security situation in the country.
“We must carry out moral healing as well as political healing in the land. The president must make it a point of duty to reach out to people, groups and individuals with the purpose of selling his presidency. It is becoming instructive that the concept of winner-takes-all, which had pervaded the system for so long may not flourish as such again. The polity is heated up; minimum wage crisis, arrests, petroleum subsidy debate, crisis over ministerial nominees, Islamic banking, and several other issues.
“Nigerians truly need positive governance, which I think we should work for rather than dissipate energies on frivolous issues that would not lead us anywhere.’’
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