The All Progressive Congress
Party (APC) mouths “change” as its major mantra; they claim that their primary
mission is to institute change, and also to reinforce the people’s belief in workable
democracy; they said their vision is a Nigeria where the rule of law prevails
over dark forces, over corruption, unfairness and injustice. But today, June
12, the very day that the nation is trying to atone for the rape of democracy
when the freest election was conducted and the winner denied, the APC choose
this day—of all days—to massacre the very act of restitution the nation is
trying to enforce; the message they have sent out is that we have learnt
nothing. The message by ignoring the implications of disqualifying Mr. Godwin
Obaseki from contesting his constitutional rights at this time of national
remembrance is that we are all pretenders; there is no repentance. Since the emergence
of the APC on the national scene the only evidence of their governance is the overwhelming
supremacy of powerful individuals over their constitution; these individuals
hold sway and manage to control the treasury of the States under their
jackboot. They are adept at manipulation,
arm twisting and even peddling outright lies. Through their supreme grip and over bearing attitude
against the powerless States, they subjugate our hard earned democracy to
rubble, create fear, intimidation and hunger. Since June 12 1993, more than 27
years ago, the action of these individuals in the Nigerian Politics have only
largely stagnated the country. Those at the top may pretend, but the truth is
clear: the nation is in peril. Honor and integrity is lost; The place of hard
work, honesty in the generation of growth have been overturned by sheer greed, avarice and brigandage; The
basis for Obaseki’s disqualification is alleged certificate forgery; but those
who masterminded this evil act are also guilty of the same thing—if not on a
larger scale. This is not Obaseki’s
loss; it is a mockery of our hard earned democracy and a desecration of the
real intention of June 12 Day celeb. Sadly, the “tomorrow” that we so much hoped for;
the tomorrow that the late titans like Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Ahmadu Bello the
Nnamdi Azikiwe’s –real democrats—has now obviously been tarnished. A situation where the courts cannot
adjudicate; where the rule of the law counts for nothing except the whims and
caprice of the overlords; this is not the democracy we yearn for; where a
people’s vote no longer counts…not even the intervention of fellow governors
and the hue and cry of the electorate could save the situation. June 12! What a
memorable day. 27 years after, we are
now seeing another violent denial of another Nigerian rights. I can only shake
my head at the antics of the pitman weiding certifcate holder massive implication of this drama.
Appointed since 1 st April, 2015 till date, Prof. Adepoju Adeshola Olatunde, Director-General of the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) has left no room to chance. The Ph.D holder in Agricultural and Environmental Economics (2002) from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State has taken extra-ordinary steps to see the Forestry Institute to the next level of existence. One of such steps is the repositioning of FRIN outstation for better research focus. Others include renovation of dilapidated structures, repositioning of staff members for optimum performance, reclaiming/security all encroached land and resources of the Institute, successfully enacting on Act to Establish Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria for Forestry Research; Education and Training; establishing Six strategic Rural Resource Centers for communities engagement, capacity building and extension services. Prof. Adepoju who also holds B.Agric (Agricultural Economics), 1995 ...
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