ANAMBRA STATE: JUSTICE AT LAST!
“Some men see things as they are and say ‘why’. I dream of things that never were and say ‘why not’”
-Robert F. Kennedy.
Today, the 14 th day of May in the year of our lord, 2007, I am a happy man! The judgment of the country’s Supreme Court reinstating Peter Obi as the governor of Anambra state is a vindication that justice will always prevail in every circumstances. Justice takes slow but measured steps, but will always reach its destination.
In one of my articles titled “Before the Court of Appeal Rules on Governor Peter Obi‘s Tenure“ published in Nigeriaworld.com on Wednesday 16 th May 2007, I said:
“The justices cannot decide a case of this magnitude without looking at its socio-political and economic consequences. In other words, the survival both political, economic and social welfare of our state is at stake here. This is not just any other political matter, this case is one of its kind because nothing like this has ever been decided in the history of our legal system. This means that there is no precedent for the justices to follow to guide them to a just and equitable determination of this case. Therefore, the justices should be guided not only by the constitution which is the supreme law of the land, but also by their conscience, their morality and their sense of justice.
“The court is the last hope of the common man, the last hope of the oppressed and the last hope of the hopeless. The court is not only a court of law but also a court of justice and equity. It is an age long principle of law that the law is not interpreted in a vacuum. The law was made by man for the benefit of the society. The drafters of the constitution anticipated a friction about tenure of elected men and women. That was why they made an express provision for the period from which a tenure of a governor is calculated. Even if section 180 of the constitution is not express about this, the implication of this cannot be far-fetched by the justices. They should seek to find the intent of the drafters and what they were trying to correct while making the law.
“The most sensible judgment of the Court of Appeal should be to rule that Gov. Obi’s tenure would end not on the 29th of May, 2007 but 17th March, 2010. This will give him his full mandate that was unjustly and brazenly taken away by the people that never wished Anambra state well. Gone are the days when anything goes. Democracy has come to stay in Nigeria. The courts should always remain the indispensable pillar of democracy
.
“The courts have shown commendable courage in discharge of their sacred duties. All these while, the court has shown that the masses can trust them to give them justice. The judiciary is now faced with another test”
I am glad that they tow the line of this reasoning. My guts had always told me that Peter Obi’s mission is divine, no matter what we think about him as a politician. Though, still human and subject to human frailties and imperfections, I believe that his struggles are those of all progressive-minded people of Anambra state in particular and Nigeria in general. I am not writing about his achievements or lack of it. I am neither pro-Obi, anti-Ngige nor anti-Uba. I am always pro-Anambra state and the rule of law. In another one of my articles titled: “Re: Governor Obi and the Aftermath of Impeachment” and published in Nigeriaworld.com on Tuesday November 14, 2006, I said:
“To be clear, I am not a mouthpiece of Gov. Peter Obi, neither did I campaign for nor voted for him. Even if I wanted to, I could not, judging from the fact that Nigerians in Diaspora have no right to vote through absentee ballot. Had we been allowed to cast absentee ballot, I would have voted for Chief Joe-Martins Uzodike, the UNPP candidate; whom I know personally over the years and can vouch for his capabilities. I am writing as a concerned citizen of Anambra state and as a son asking for justice………….I am not pro this governor or pro that governor. I am pro-Anambra state. I take personal anything that is inimical to peace and development of my state”
In this struggle for the enthronement of justice, peace and progress of my state, not for a second did I expect my own efforts to make a difference. However, I did nurse the hope that my own voice might combined with those of others, teachers, lawyers, writers, activists and ordinary folks to educate and sensitize the public about what is at stake. I had hoped that those efforts might produce a political climate conducive to change in socio-economic benefit of my state. I am happy and indeed fulfilled and I am confident that whatever happens, my state is now in a strong footing to soldier on and enjoy the fruits of democracy, accountability, probity and transparency. I am always a firm believer like Martin Luther King Jr. said, that injustice no matter how slight anywhere, is a threat to justice anywhere.
This landmark judgment has restored the hope that our democracy is matching on and that there is no going back. The Supreme court once again has shown tremendous courage, and made a strong testimony as it has done before, that the rule of law is the bedrock of every decent society; that rule of law must be preferred to the rule by force. The supreme court has maintained its age long stance that substantial justice is preferred to every twig of technicalities. They have laid to rest, the interpretation of section 180(2) of the constitution that the tenure of an elected governor begins on the date of his oath of office and oath of allegiance. With that, it has boldly stated that rigging of election would not be rewarded either now or in the future.
Peter Obi should be commended for his doggedness in fighting for what rightly belonged to him. He should get kudos for being yet another champion of democracy. He was serene but confident, unruffled and unafraid, and if he felt any emotions, he kept them to himself while he went from one court to another in search of justice. He is a hero of democracy and the rule of law. In the words of Henry Kessinger,
“The modern politician is less interested in being a hero than a superstar. Heroes walk alone; stars derive their status from approbation. Heroes are defined by inner values, stars by consensus”
The stories of his journey for justice keeps hopes alive for majority of good men and women of Anambra state and in fact, the whole of Nigeria who are longing to contribute their quota to the development of their state and the country but were discourage after seeing how dirty that political game is being played in our country. Many people are disenchanted that politics has taken over from governance, and that mediocrity has taken over from competence. To those silent majority of Anambrarians scattered all over the world, there is hope.
My ‘little’ niece wrote me in response to one of my articles and said:
“While at home I was thinking. Have you ever thought of having a political plunge someday, considering your profession and exposure. I know it is not always easy for good people like you to win elections and I know you will come up with the ‘I don’t have money‘ alibi, but I think you have all it takes to contribute your own little quota to the lives of (y)our people. You can start from the House of Assembly. And who knows…..Forgive my ambition but I believe that you are better off than all these people parading themselves as politicians. And I know you will be different. And come to think of it, if the good men continue to shy away from politics, then the evil men will continue to hold sway”
My answer to her was quite obvious as she fired back:
“I got your reason for not wanting to join politics and I will want to see reason with you, but it will only be to an extent. Like I said before, when good men shy away from politics, the evil men will continue to have a field day. And that is what is happening in Nigeria at the moment”
The same answer I gave her is what many Nigerian professional and intellectuals all over the world always give whenever they are faced with this kind of question. Peter Obi’s victory has opened the door to lots of ’unbelievers’ that good people can still come out in politics and with determination and the their faith in God make an impact in the development of the country. Not many people have the wherewithal like Obi, but it is not always about money. It is about faith in the Supreme Being and believe that you do not win unless you play. You miss 100% of shots you did not take. According to former president Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, in his most respected speech, “Never be afraid to take a decision, history will forgive you for taking a decision, but history will never forgive you for not taking a decision at all”
However, this victory is not just for Peter Obi and his APGA. It is a victory to the citizens of Anambra state who exercised their franchise on that sunny day of April 19 th, 2003. It is a victory to all lovers of the rule of law. It is equally a victory to every peace loving person of Anambra state who has been yearning for selfless service in line with democratic dividends. It is victory to all Anambra people that had witnessed abuse by cabals in the name of UBA & BROTHERS PLC since 2003! It is freedom at last.
Anambra must know peace and progress! With this supreme court judgment, all other actions pending at the Election Tribunal in relation to the gubernatorial election in Anambra state in April 14, 2007 is now moot. This means that the supreme court judgment has extinguished all other actions concerning the governorship election since INEC should not have conducted any election for governor in Anambra state in the first place since by Section 180(2) of the constitution, there is no vacancy in the governor’s mansion in Anambra state.
By extension, it is peace at last as former Gov Chris Ngige has vowed to support Gov Obi should he succeed in winning his tenure interpretation case at the supreme court. All hands must be on deck to move our state forward. But come 2010, it should be a contest between civilized politicians in the name of Dr. Chris Ngige, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu and Gov Peter Obi. It would no longer be business as usual. This is the beauty of democracy!
Now that politics is over, it is time for governance. Anambra state should now be left alone to prosper. All these bickering by self-seeking politicians who never wished the state well should be put to an end. The members of the newly constituted House of Assembly should know that our dear state is bigger than any single individual. Even though that they know that there was no election in the state and that their inauguration was an exercise in illegality, yet they are currently representing the people by default. That being the case, they should discharge their duties in the interest of the state. They should learn from the mistakes of the past members of the house who pledged to be pro-Anambra state but yet turned out to became pro-godfather, Andy Uba in his machination to be governor by all means.
Today is a day of joy to the lovers of due process. Above all, the big lesson from this is that there is power in prayer. The prayers of good people of Anambra state asking God to take over the affairs of men in our state has materialized. The people of the state has been quite prayerful in these past years, and today’s judgment has strengthened out hope that God does not desert His people. Rogues and selfish people holding our state to ransom are put to shame to the glory of God.
