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BREAKING: I’m done! Nigerian youths know what to do to Tinubu – Atiku *Demands six-year rotational presidency
Though he claimed to be very much around, a triumphant Atiku Abubakar, who is beating his chest for exposing President Bola Tinubu as not deserving of holding Nigeria’s number one job, with the depositions he got from the US, said on Monday that he is leaving the choice of what to do with the situation entirely in the hands of the nation’s youth population.
Speaking on a day, he reacted for the first time in person to last week’s decision by the Supreme Court to throw away his petition, not only challenging the President’s declaration as winner of the February 2023 presidential election, he said it is left for Nigerians to also decide what to make of the decision of the apex court given the evidence he brought back showing that Tinubu was not fit and proper to be in power.
“His words: “Here’s my take. The judgments of the PEPC and the Supreme Court have very far-reaching grave implications, including the following: One is the erosion of trust in the electoral system and our democracy. Nigerians witnessed as the National Assembly changed the electoral law to improve transparency in the process.
“Of particular importance was the introduction of modern technology to help eliminate the recurring incidents of electoral manipulation, particularly during the collation of results. Nigerians and the world also witnessed as the leadership of the INEC, especially its Chairman and National Commissioner for Voter Education reassured Nigerians on national television multiple times that the use of that technology would be mandatory.
“Yet that same INEC undermined the use of that technology during the elections and collation process and declared as winner someone who clearly did not win the Presidential election. They then went further to take sides in the courts in a dogfight to defend their illegality. Who would convince the millions of Nigerians to vote in future elections after they suffered endlessly on queues to register to vote, to collect PVCs and to vote, based on INEC’s assurances only to see their votes stolen and given to someone they did not vote for?
“When people lose trust and confidence in elections, democracy is practically on life support. And by affirming and legitimising the continued lack of transparency in our electoral system the courts are continuing to usurp the rights of voters to elect their leaders. The other grave implication is that contestants in Nigeria’s elections should do whatever is necessary to be declared the winner. That includes identity theft, impersonation, forging of educational and other documents, perjury, and violence.
“And, as they do so, they should ignore whatever the law says and whatever assurances from the leadership of the electoral umpire about what the law says and what they would do in compliance. And they would do so knowing that our courts would approve of their behaviour or at best pretend not to take any notice of it. The third is that if you are robbed of victory, do not bother going to court for redress because your glaring evidence of the robbery will be ignored in favour of the mandate bandit.
“Also, your lawyers, however distinguished and accomplished, may be ridiculed by the judges who may also go out of their way to make even a stronger case for the so-called “winner” than even their own lawyers were able to do. These are clearly self-help strategies and actions bereft of the law and constitutionalism. Only lawlessness and anarchy will result from such, with violence, destruction and implosion and loss of our country likely to follow.”
Atiku, who admonished that the nation should not give up hope, added: “I believe that we still have a small window to prevent these from happening. I still believe that we can rescue this country from the strange imposters that have seized it illegally and are holding it by the jugular. Let me caution that the leaders of those African countries that have completely collapsed into chaos never came together one day and agreed to collapse their countries.
“Rather their countries collapsed because of the incremental and compounding individual and collective utterances and actions of those leaders. Nigerians know more about the person sitting in office as their President and how he got there, and the dangers that it portends for them and the country. It is for them, especially the younger generation whose futures are to be shaped by that man, to decide what they want to do with the knowledge.”
Supporting his position with the brief history of the democratic trajectory of Nigeria in recent years, he said it was the desire to change the political nature of Nigeria that led to the 1995 constitutional conference, in which he was a member to propose for a single six-year tenure of the President of Nigeria to rotate among the six geo-political zones to make it impossible to exclude some ethnic groups in Nigeria, a proposal which the then military killed for no reason.
Hear him: “In the build up to the current democratic dispensation, agitation was rife amongst members of the political class and a large number of civil society bodies to envision a constitution that would operate a democracy in a functional order after the nasty military regimes. These agitations and necessities of the circumstances of that time led to the convocation of the 1995 Constitutional Conference, which I was privileged to be a part of, alongside other prominent political actors.
“The Constitutional Conference was expected to create the frameworks upon which a new constitution would be built in order to make the dreams of a democratic society. A number of far-reaching reforms and recommendations were made, which drew from our past experiences and aimed at safeguarding the new constitution from the mistakes of the past.
“One such headline recommendation was the concept of rotational presidency anchored on the principle of 6 years single term among the 6 geopolitical blocks. Even the notional idea of delineating the country along geo-political blocks was a creation of the 1995 conference. Another thematic recommendation at the conference was that the Federal Capital Territory should be given the democratic opportunity to elect for itself a mayor who shall emerge from popular franchise. These two recommendations were part of the landmark reforms that were submitted to the military government that convoked the Constitutional Conference.
“However, and rather disappointingly, the government that midwifed the current democratic dispensation and enacted what is now known as the 1999 Constitution, expunged these two recommendations from what eventually became the body of legislation to govern our fledgling democracy.
“As for me and my party this phase of our work is done. However, I am not going away. For as long as I breathe I will continue to struggle, with other Nigerians, to deepen our democracy and rule of law and for the kind of political and economic restructuring the country needs to reach its true potential. That struggle should now be led by the younger generation of Nigerians who have even more at stake than my generation.
“So, let me make a few proposals that I believe will help. We can urgently make constitutional amendments that will prevent any court or tribunal from hiding behind technicalities and legal sophistry to affirm electoral heists and undermine the will of the people. Our democracy must mean something; it must be substantive. Above all, it must be expressed through free, fair and transparent elections that respect the will of the people.
“Firstly, we must make electronic voting and collation of results mandatory. This is the 21st century and countries less advanced than Nigeria are doing so already. It is only bold initiatives that transform societies. Secondly, we must provide that all litigation arising from a disputed election must be concluded before the inauguration of a winner. This was the case in 1979.
“The current time frame between elections and inauguration of winners is inadequate to dispense with election litigations. What we have currently is akin to asking thieves to keep their loot and use the same to defend themselves while the case of their robbery is being decided. It only encourages mandate banditry rather than discourages it.
“Thirdly, in order to ensure popular mandate and real representation, we must move to require a candidate for President to earn 50% +1 of the valid votes cast, failing which a run-off between the top two candidates will be held. Most countries that elect their presidents use this Two-Round System (with slight variations) rather than our current First-Past-the-Post system.
“Examples include France, Finland, Austria, Bulgaria, Portugal, Poland, Turkey and Russia, Argentina, Brazil, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Namibia, Mozambique, Madagascar and even Liberia where a run-off is expected to hold in the coming days.
“Fourthly, in order to reduce the desperation of incumbents and distractions from governing and also to promote equity and national unity, we need to move to a single six-year term for President to be rotated among the six geo-political zones. This will prevent the ganging up of two or more geo-political zones to alternate the presidency among themselves to the exclusion of other zones.
“@inecnigeria should be mandated to verify the credentials submitted to it by candidates and their parties and where it is unable to do so – perhaps because the institutions involved did not respond in time – it must publicly state so and have it on record.
“A situation where a candidate submits contradictory credentials to INEC in different election cycles and the electoral umpire accepts them without question points to gross negligence, at best, or collusion to break the law by the leadership of the INEC, at worst. The submission of contradictory qualifying documents by a candidate as well as those found to be forged or falsified should disqualify a candidate even if the falsification or forgery is discovered after the person had been sworn into office.
“The burden of proving that a document submitted to INEC is forged should not be on the opposing candidates in the election. It is never the responsibility of an applicant for a job to prove that the person who eventually got the job did so with forged documents.
“In addition to these proposed constitutional amendments, the Electoral Act should be amended to provide that, except where they explicitly violate the Constitution and other laws, the rules and procedures laid down by the electoral umpire and made public for the benefit of the contestants and the voters will be treated as sacrosanct by the courts in deciding on election disputes.
“A referee cannot be allowed to set the rules for the game only to change or ignore them when one side has scored a goal or is about to win the match. We must restore confidence in our electoral system which the current leadership of INEC has completely eroded and undermined. Also, we need well-thought out provisions in the legislation and regulations to reform the judiciary, including the introduction of an automated case assignment system; transparency in the appointment of judges; a practice directory that stresses that the goal of judges in election cases should be to discover and affirm voters’ choice rather than disregarding voters’ choice for the sake of technicalities.
“There should also be publicly available annual evaluation of the performance of judges using agreed criteria. By improving the transparency of the electoral process and reducing the incentives to cheat, in addition to transparency in the appointment of judges and other judicial reforms, the number of election petitions as well as corruption in the judiciary will be significantly reduced. More importantly, we would have succeeded in taking away the right to elect leaders from the courts and return it to the voters to whom it truly belongs.”
For Diezani Alison-Madueke, there is nothing more to prove to anyone as God has finally fought her battle and restored her dignity, with here exoneration from allegation of massive looting on Nigeria during her years as Minister of Petroleum Resources.
Emerging from the Southwark Crown Court in London, where she was eventually exculpated from blames after many months of trial, the former Minister, who had been living in the UK since 2015, as a fugitive, having escaped the claws of the government of Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria’s former President, which had accused her of multiple cases of sleaze, she told reporters that everything would be kept in abeyance to enable her enjoy her freedom which had been denied for so long.
But before then, she attributed her acquittal on bribery charges which said had ended years of “unjust vilification,” to the handiwork of God while thanking those who stood by her during the trial period she described as “arduous” and “traumatic.”
The court had freed the once very powerful Minister, who ended up in the petroleum ministry after hitherto serving in different capacities of all six charges after hours of deliberation on Wednesday, after six months of trial, which began in January when the UK government charged her in August 2023 over an alleged £100,000 bribe.
Part of the prosecution in the UK court was that she accepted bribes in the form of luxury goods and use of high-level properties from industry figures in return for awarding multi-million-pound oil and gas contracts during her time in office.
But in her defence, the former Minister through her lawyers, told the jury that she had limited control over oil contract approvals during her time in office, as most decisions were made before reaching her desk.
After the court agreed with her, she told reporters: “I’m just thankful to God. It’s been a very, very arduous and long, almost 11 years. It’s been traumatic not just for me but for my family, for friends, for all those who have stayed and supported, for my 93-year-old mother in Port Harcourt, for my son, and for all those who love us, friends and family. We’re surrounded by friends here. So it has been a hard journey.
“But I tell you this, God will always do as God wills, and God will be God. God is not a man that he should lie. So, when he promises you something, he will see it through.
“It has been almost 11 years I’ve been here. I did my job to the best of my ability, but like I said, God is not a man that he should lie. God is God, and we thank him.”
Also, in a statement issued by Bolouere Opukiri, her representative, Alison-Madueke said “a decade of unrelenting and unjust vilification, condemnation, and scrutiny has finally concluded.
“I give thanks to Almighty God for His faithfulness and for the complete vindication I have received. I am grateful to my legal counsel for their diligence and to my family and friends for their steadfast support and encouragement throughout this period. I am profoundly relieved. My name has been cleared, and this ordeal has come to an end.”
Allison-Madueke said she would speak about the events of the past decade and her future plans “in due course” but, in the meantime, would focus on embracing what she described as the freedom she had been unjustly denied for many years.
Nigeria is sure to witness an impending doomsday sooner than later if the Federal government fails to take definite and decisive steps to arrest the current parlous state of the nation’s medical system.
Association of Medical Doctors (ARD), which dropped the warning, cited how Nigeria currently boasts of just 55,000 doctors to serve a population of more than 220 million people, warning that with the current paucity in its healthcare system, an impending doomsday was only a matter of time.
The doctors, who raised the alarm at the Ordinary General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the association, held at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital (FNPH), Yaba, Lagos, the doctors, among whom were mental health experts, also said the present situation was worsening access to psychiatric care and leaving millions of vulnerable Nigerians untreated.
Citing no fewer than 16,000 Nigerian doctors, who have emigrated in the last five years, had worsened an already dire manpower shortage in the country’s health sector, they warned that the sustained exodus of healthcare workers under the “Japa” syndrome had severely depleted the country’s mental health workforce, widened treatment gaps, increased the cost of care and placed enormous pressure on the few specialists remaining in the system.
Vanguard quoted Omoti Ernest, President of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), as saying that recent data showed that the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), had registered over 130,000 doctors but noted only about 55,000 are actively practicing within Nigeria.
Stressing that with a population exceeding 220 million, this translated to roughly one doctor for every 3,600 to 4,000 people, he added: “This ratio is far below the World Health Organisation’s recommended threshold of one doctor to about 600 people, highlighting the significant shortage of medical personnel and the strain on healthcare delivery.
“Many Nigerian-trained doctors have emigrated or are no longer engaged in active clinical practice, contributing to the country’s healthcare workforce shortage. The emigration of skilled professionals in search of better opportunities abroad has had a significant impact on Nigeria’s hospitals and healthcare workforce.
“Thousands of doctors and other healthcare professionals have left the country in recent years, leading to severe staff shortages, increased workload for those who remain with many suffering from burnout, longer waiting times for patients, and declining quality of care in many public hospitals.
“Rural and under-served communities have been particularly affected, as they already struggle with limited access to healthcare services. ’The reasons behind this migration include poor remuneration, inadequate working conditions, insecurity, limited opportunities for career advancement, and insufficient investment in healthcare infrastructure, among others.
“Many professionals are attracted by better pay, improved facilities, and more stable environments in countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.”
‘What can be done’
To address the trend, he said the Federal Government should prioritise salaries and welfare packages for healthcare workers, invest more in modern medical equipment and hospital infrastructure, expand residency and specialist training opportunities, and create clear career progression pathways.
“Strengthening security, ensuring timely payment of wages, and providing incentives for professionals to work in under-served areas will also help retain talent. ’In addition, partnerships with the private sector and diaspora engagement programmes could encourage Nigerian healthcare professionals abroad to contribute their expertise and support development of the country’s healthcare system.”
Yesir Kareem, a Consultant Psychiatrist at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, also lamented how Nigeria’s doctor-to-patient ratio had fallen to about one doctor for more than 10,000 patients, far below the World Health Organisation’s recommended ratio of one doctor to 600 people.
The consequences, he argued were particularly devastating for mental healthcare, he said, adding: Only about 55,000 doctors remain to serve a population of over 220 million Nigerians. More than 40 million Nigerians suffer from mental health disorders, yet about 85 per cent of them do not have access to mental healthcare services,” Kareem said.
He noted that Nigeria’s shortage of psychiatrists and other mental health specialists has reached alarming levels, warning that untreated mental illnesses contribute to family breakdowns, substance abuse, unemployment, delayed diagnosis and premature deaths.
“The economic consequences are equally devastating, with billions of dollars lost annually due to untreated mental health conditions. Over 94,000 doctors and nurses have left Nigeria since the Japa syndrome started some years ago due to poor remuneration and delayed salaries, competitive salaries in destination countries, overwhelming patient loads (1:10,000+), better work-life balance and conditions, and inadequate medical equipment & facilities.
He listed access to modern medical technology, limited career advancement opportunities, professional development and training, unsafe working conditions and long hours, unstable political and economic environment and insecurity and socioeconomic instability as factors encouraging migration of doctors from the country.
Vanguard, also quoted Veronica Nyamali, President of the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN) as saying that the manpower shortage was a crisis that had forced consultants to abandon higher-level responsibilities, such as research and specialist care, in order to fill gaps left by departing doctors.
She said: “There are gaps everywhere. Work that should be done by four psychiatrists is now being handled by one or two people. Consultants are increasingly forced to work at lower levels because the doctors they are supposed to supervise are no longer there.
“Those we train are leaving. Junior registrars, senior registrars, many complete their examinations and return abroad. The result is that we have shortages at every level of care. Nigeria has less than 150 psychiatrists. The dwindling number of specialists is making mental healthcare increasingly expensive and inaccessible, especially for patients in rural communities where psychiatrists are virtually non-existent.
“When specialists become scarce, services become more expensive. Access becomes difficult because patients must travel long distances to find care. This is contrary to the principle of universal health coverage, where mental health services should be available, affordable and accessible to everyone.
Lagos State Police Command, has thrown a security cordon around university communities in the state to prevent any form of mishap as a result of recent concerns that they could come under attack.
On Wednesday, Olohundare Jimoh, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, gave the hint while conducting an on-the-spot security assessment at Pan-Atlantic University, Lekki, following the circulation of a viral video showing two masked individuals emerging from a forest area adjoining the institution.
The visit, carried out alongside operational personnel of the command, was part of efforts to evaluate the security situation around the university and reassure students, staff and parents of measures being taken to ensure their safety.
The police boss, in a meeting with the university’s management while stressing the need to continually strengthen the institution’s security architecture to forestall potential threats, also advised on practical steps to enhance security within and around the campus, cautioning against actions that could inadvertently weaken existing security structures.
Emphasising the importance of adopting proactive security measures, particularly in the areas of perimeter protection, access control and collaboration with relevant security agencies, he said as part of efforts to boost security operations in the area, the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), had deployed surveillance drones to support law enforcement activities around the university and neighbouring communities.
The measure facilitated by the Lagos State Government, is expected to enhance aerial surveillance, intelligence gathering and crime-prevention efforts within the axis, he said stating that the command was fully committed to protecting lives and property across the state.
He assured the management, staff, students and parents of Pan-Atlantic University of the police’s readiness to respond swiftly to security concerns and maintain a safe environment conducive to learning and other lawful activities, urging the institution to sustain close collaboration with security agencies and remain vigilant in addressing emerging security challenges.
“The Command remains committed to the protection of lives and property across Lagos State. The university community must support security efforts by promptly reporting suspicious activities. We are resolved to maintain peace, public safety and security across the state. We urge residents to remain security-conscious and provide credible, timely information to law enforcement agencies. Residents are also encouraged to make use of the Command’s emergency lines to report security-related incidents and suspicious movements.
The assessment followed heightened public concern generated by the viral video, with authorities moving swiftly to reassure the public and strengthen surveillance around the institution and its environs.
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