Between the late Sniper and the deposed Governor
Sunny Chris Okenwa
November 17, 2008
The very last has definitely not been heard of the infamous electoral heist of April 2007 organised in Nigeria by INEC's Prof. Maurice Iwu and ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo. The judiciary as the third estate of the realm is doing justice to the injustices meted out to those who bluntly refused to join or 'belong' to the OBJ immoral bandwagon.
The sick President Yar'Adua Obasanjo imposed on the nation as a parting gift is still exercising power illegitimately in Aso Rock as we await the final judicial pronouncement on the multiple charges of electoral fraud levelled against the ruling party, the PDP, by the 'defeated' opponents (ex-VP Atiku and ex-Head of State Gen. Buhari). In the States across the federation the gubernatorial house of fraud constructed since April last year is still coming down, collapsing from Port Harcourt to Awka to Benin City.
Olusegun Obasanjo (described by his estranged first wife in her recently-launched powerful book as a chronic philanderer and a curious vindictive element) remains, in the estimation of millions of Nigerians, a tragic character in the tragi-comedy that is Nigeria's confusing march towards greatness. Hear Mrs Oluremi Obasanjo in her book "Bitter-Sweet -- My Life With Obasanjo: "Obasanjo is complex and a master of the art of deception. He is a curious subject. He is self-opinionated. This has become worse nowadays. Unfortunately, he does not forgive nor does he forget. He is a bohemian and can be an exploiter. I remember how he outmanoeuvred me in a business deal." She also accused him of consorting with sorcerers even as he pronounced belief in God!
After eighteen months or thereabout in the political wilderness Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole finally succeeded in his dogged struggle to defend the votes of his supporters. The Appeal Court vindicated the ruling of Election Petition Tribunal which had held that INEC had wrongly declared the loser as the winner. The Court of Appeal sitting in Benin City presided over by its President Justice Umar Abdullahi, had delivered judgement in the appeal brought by the ex-Governor Oserheimen Osunbor of Edo State challenging the Election Petition Tribunal's verdict that voided his 'election' and validated Adams Oshiomhole of the AC as the rightfully elected Governor of Edo State in the April 2007 Guber elections.
When Maurice Iwu declared Prof Osunbor as winner of the guber polls in Edo State last year a flabbergasted Oshiomhole had said: "Obasanjo ought to know that Edo State is not a wristwatch either to be given to Chief Anthony Anenih as a long service award for his retirement in politics nor to be used as a bride price to settle his in-laws; that will be insulting the good people of Edo State". That was vintage Adams!
A couple of factors could be said to have aided Comrade Adams in his quest for justice. One is the rule of law and due process mantra of President Yar'Adua. And the other is his radicalism and intrepidity. But by far the greatest of them all happens to be the implosion in the PDP which helped to disorganise the party in Edo State with the Anenih camp battling the Osunbor faction for the control of the political machinery of the state. The godfathers who had held the destiny of a people down were fighting themselves with Osunbor struggling to establish himself politically.
Prior to the triumph of truth over falsehood, light over darkness no institution was spared including the reverred Benin monarchy in the PDP political madness in Edo. Edo State was left to rot away with so-called leaders brawling over the spoils of office as though a major war had been won. Poverty became the lot of many with infrastructures like roads, hospitals, water and provision of jobs left to deteriorate. But a new day has come, a new era has been established to the happiness of the vast majority.
Before the Edo democratic evolutionary event similar blows by the judiciary against electoral roguery and impunity has been happening elsewhere across the federation. While the ruling Party has had its manufactured guber victories challenged and overturned in many States it has deployed vast state resources in ordered re-run elections to grab back power in Adamawa, Kogi, Bayelsa and Cross River. In Anambra State Obasanjo's desire to generously award the State to his notorious presidential aide Andy Uba suffered a major setback as the Supreme Court ruled in Governor Peter Obi's favour declaring the Government House non-vacant. Obi had sought the constitutional interpretation of his tenure having lost many months seeking justice against Chris Ngige who was rigged into power by a godfather.
In Rivers State Peter Odili and his stooge Celestine Omehia were routed by the same Supreme Court which declared Rotimi Amaechi winner of the gubernatorial election on technical grounds even though he never contested the election. Governor Amaechi had scaled the hurdle of primary election and won with his name submitted to Abuja as the PDP nominee. But suddenly Odili, then Governor, in criminal connivance with Obasanjo and other PDP bigwigs found the face of Amaechi unbearable and substituted his name with that of Omehia, his kinsman from Ikwereland.
And in Ondo State Olusegun Mimiko's crime according to the almighty 'Baba' Obasanjo was that he 'disobeyed' him and went ahead to contest the election against the incumbent Olusegun Agagu whose election has been declared null and void by the Election Petition Tribunal with the verdict subject to arbitration by the Appeal Court in January. Mimiko popularly called 'Iroko' was declared the victor like Oshiomhole by the Tribunal but Agagu like Osunbor is still hanging on, playing reprehensible political games and waiting on time.
What a great news for democracy from the ancient city of Benin after just one week of the history made in America by 'our brother' Barack Obama! This is congratulating 'Mr Labour' in Edo and wishing him well as he assumes duty. Bravo the Court of Appeal Justices! Justice has been done and indeed seen widely to have been done!
The welcome removal of ex-Governor Osunbor reminds one of the Anini/Osunbor audaciously criminal era in Benin City in particular and Edo State in general. Early 90's during the Ibrahim Babangida despotism late Lawrence 'The Law' Anini and his gang which included one Monday Osunbor was terrorising the then Bendel State. Strategically and logistically aided and abetted by the late DSP George Iyamu the Anini gang were able to make names for themselves for wrong reasons. They would visit banks, eliminated every opposition and emptied the vaults only to drive back to the city and headed straight to the market square or streets to share out some of the stolen money publicly.
Late Anini was the boss quite alright but he was a master driver who ensured that no other vehicle overtook them on their way to any mission or back. The sniper in the gang was Monday Osunbor who massacred many men in black! Osunbor was said to be too good in handling guns that he often sat fearlessly at the bonnet of their retreating car on top speed from where he launched and warded off any encroachment from any quarters. They were benevolent with the cash they stole and helped a lot of poor people unsolicited.
Deposed Governor Osunbor may not have had any biological relationship with the late Monday Osunbor even though their surnames are the same. But if the former lawmaker has ever heard of the dead criminal then he must know that his name rings a terrible bell and sends shivers down the spines of many people including ex-IGP Etim and IBB.
Between Osunbor the deposed Governor and late Osunbor the sniper a world of difference could be argued to be existing -- in the sense that Prof. Osunbor, the sacked illegal occupant of the Government House in Benin City is an urbaine intellectual versed in law while the late sniper, Monday Osunbor, was more or less an illiterate bandit. But they have one certain thing in common: they are both robbers, criminals, enemies of a decent society!
Whereas the late Osunbor was a benevolent armed robber the fallen Governor Osunbor is an electoral robber. While the late sniper suffered crude execution via firing squard the surviving deposed Governor can only suffer political infamy and misfortune (and he may be politically rehabilitated the Nigerian way soon enough). And that, to me, is not good enough. The brutal fate that befell late Osunbor should have been made to be the portion of the bespectacled Iruekpen-born ex-Senator.
SOC Okenwa
soco_abj_2006_rci@hotmail.fr
The sick President Yar'Adua Obasanjo imposed on the nation as a parting gift is still exercising power illegitimately in Aso Rock as we await the final judicial pronouncement on the multiple charges of electoral fraud levelled against the ruling party, the PDP, by the 'defeated' opponents (ex-VP Atiku and ex-Head of State Gen. Buhari). In the States across the federation the gubernatorial house of fraud constructed since April last year is still coming down, collapsing from Port Harcourt to Awka to Benin City.
Olusegun Obasanjo (described by his estranged first wife in her recently-launched powerful book as a chronic philanderer and a curious vindictive element) remains, in the estimation of millions of Nigerians, a tragic character in the tragi-comedy that is Nigeria's confusing march towards greatness. Hear Mrs Oluremi Obasanjo in her book "Bitter-Sweet -- My Life With Obasanjo: "Obasanjo is complex and a master of the art of deception. He is a curious subject. He is self-opinionated. This has become worse nowadays. Unfortunately, he does not forgive nor does he forget. He is a bohemian and can be an exploiter. I remember how he outmanoeuvred me in a business deal." She also accused him of consorting with sorcerers even as he pronounced belief in God!
After eighteen months or thereabout in the political wilderness Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole finally succeeded in his dogged struggle to defend the votes of his supporters. The Appeal Court vindicated the ruling of Election Petition Tribunal which had held that INEC had wrongly declared the loser as the winner. The Court of Appeal sitting in Benin City presided over by its President Justice Umar Abdullahi, had delivered judgement in the appeal brought by the ex-Governor Oserheimen Osunbor of Edo State challenging the Election Petition Tribunal's verdict that voided his 'election' and validated Adams Oshiomhole of the AC as the rightfully elected Governor of Edo State in the April 2007 Guber elections.
When Maurice Iwu declared Prof Osunbor as winner of the guber polls in Edo State last year a flabbergasted Oshiomhole had said: "Obasanjo ought to know that Edo State is not a wristwatch either to be given to Chief Anthony Anenih as a long service award for his retirement in politics nor to be used as a bride price to settle his in-laws; that will be insulting the good people of Edo State". That was vintage Adams!
A couple of factors could be said to have aided Comrade Adams in his quest for justice. One is the rule of law and due process mantra of President Yar'Adua. And the other is his radicalism and intrepidity. But by far the greatest of them all happens to be the implosion in the PDP which helped to disorganise the party in Edo State with the Anenih camp battling the Osunbor faction for the control of the political machinery of the state. The godfathers who had held the destiny of a people down were fighting themselves with Osunbor struggling to establish himself politically.
Prior to the triumph of truth over falsehood, light over darkness no institution was spared including the reverred Benin monarchy in the PDP political madness in Edo. Edo State was left to rot away with so-called leaders brawling over the spoils of office as though a major war had been won. Poverty became the lot of many with infrastructures like roads, hospitals, water and provision of jobs left to deteriorate. But a new day has come, a new era has been established to the happiness of the vast majority.
Before the Edo democratic evolutionary event similar blows by the judiciary against electoral roguery and impunity has been happening elsewhere across the federation. While the ruling Party has had its manufactured guber victories challenged and overturned in many States it has deployed vast state resources in ordered re-run elections to grab back power in Adamawa, Kogi, Bayelsa and Cross River. In Anambra State Obasanjo's desire to generously award the State to his notorious presidential aide Andy Uba suffered a major setback as the Supreme Court ruled in Governor Peter Obi's favour declaring the Government House non-vacant. Obi had sought the constitutional interpretation of his tenure having lost many months seeking justice against Chris Ngige who was rigged into power by a godfather.
In Rivers State Peter Odili and his stooge Celestine Omehia were routed by the same Supreme Court which declared Rotimi Amaechi winner of the gubernatorial election on technical grounds even though he never contested the election. Governor Amaechi had scaled the hurdle of primary election and won with his name submitted to Abuja as the PDP nominee. But suddenly Odili, then Governor, in criminal connivance with Obasanjo and other PDP bigwigs found the face of Amaechi unbearable and substituted his name with that of Omehia, his kinsman from Ikwereland.
And in Ondo State Olusegun Mimiko's crime according to the almighty 'Baba' Obasanjo was that he 'disobeyed' him and went ahead to contest the election against the incumbent Olusegun Agagu whose election has been declared null and void by the Election Petition Tribunal with the verdict subject to arbitration by the Appeal Court in January. Mimiko popularly called 'Iroko' was declared the victor like Oshiomhole by the Tribunal but Agagu like Osunbor is still hanging on, playing reprehensible political games and waiting on time.
What a great news for democracy from the ancient city of Benin after just one week of the history made in America by 'our brother' Barack Obama! This is congratulating 'Mr Labour' in Edo and wishing him well as he assumes duty. Bravo the Court of Appeal Justices! Justice has been done and indeed seen widely to have been done!
The welcome removal of ex-Governor Osunbor reminds one of the Anini/Osunbor audaciously criminal era in Benin City in particular and Edo State in general. Early 90's during the Ibrahim Babangida despotism late Lawrence 'The Law' Anini and his gang which included one Monday Osunbor was terrorising the then Bendel State. Strategically and logistically aided and abetted by the late DSP George Iyamu the Anini gang were able to make names for themselves for wrong reasons. They would visit banks, eliminated every opposition and emptied the vaults only to drive back to the city and headed straight to the market square or streets to share out some of the stolen money publicly.
Late Anini was the boss quite alright but he was a master driver who ensured that no other vehicle overtook them on their way to any mission or back. The sniper in the gang was Monday Osunbor who massacred many men in black! Osunbor was said to be too good in handling guns that he often sat fearlessly at the bonnet of their retreating car on top speed from where he launched and warded off any encroachment from any quarters. They were benevolent with the cash they stole and helped a lot of poor people unsolicited.
Deposed Governor Osunbor may not have had any biological relationship with the late Monday Osunbor even though their surnames are the same. But if the former lawmaker has ever heard of the dead criminal then he must know that his name rings a terrible bell and sends shivers down the spines of many people including ex-IGP Etim and IBB.
Between Osunbor the deposed Governor and late Osunbor the sniper a world of difference could be argued to be existing -- in the sense that Prof. Osunbor, the sacked illegal occupant of the Government House in Benin City is an urbaine intellectual versed in law while the late sniper, Monday Osunbor, was more or less an illiterate bandit. But they have one certain thing in common: they are both robbers, criminals, enemies of a decent society!
Whereas the late Osunbor was a benevolent armed robber the fallen Governor Osunbor is an electoral robber. While the late sniper suffered crude execution via firing squard the surviving deposed Governor can only suffer political infamy and misfortune (and he may be politically rehabilitated the Nigerian way soon enough). And that, to me, is not good enough. The brutal fate that befell late Osunbor should have been made to be the portion of the bespectacled Iruekpen-born ex-Senator.
SOC Okenwa
soco_abj_2006_rci@hotmail.fr
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