Did I Hear Government Warn Foreign Countries Off Nigeria’s Electoral Affairs? By; Ozekhome,SAN

Help me, someone, did I hear rightly, Mallam Garba Shehu, the
SSA to President Buhari warn America, UK and EU countries to stop
meddling in Nigeria’s warped electoral process that is already
being rigged? Did I hear him well?

Is Garba not a part and parcel of the APC government that
deployed massive Hitlerite Goebeller propaganda during the
2014/2015 elections, enlisted the aid and cooperation of the
international community that literally determined the outcome of
the 2015 election? Was it not the APC that influenced John Kelly to
come to Nigeria to hold series of clandestine meetings with the
then APC opposition party, without meeting with government
officials?

Was it not Garba and his like that bamboozled Nigerians with a
litany of false and fake promises to enter their “one chance”
vehicle of opaque government, anchored on cluelessness,
directionless, outright lies and massive corruption that have made
Nigeria the world headquarters of poverty and one of the 168 most
corrupt nations in the world?

Was Garba ever thinking that the international communities will
fold their hands, legs akimbo, and ignore government’s totalitarian
and despotic tendencies, particularly towards the forthcoming
eletions?

Did Garba ever conceive that the international community is not
aware that Nigerians are literally held down in servitude, under
jackboot and gunboat democracy?

Perhaps, Garba does not live on planet Earth, but on planet
Neptune, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, or even Mars, not
to realize that the international community will take more than a
passing interest in an election being conducted by the 200 million
people biggest black democracy on Earth.

Governments usually speak in calm diplomatese, more often using
ambiguous language lased with sophistry that ruffles no feathers.
But, the US, Uk and EU were frontal in raising the red flag against
the PMB government, not only on the Onnoghen matter, but also on
the already being flawed general conduct of the forth coming
elections.

The United States specifically expressed deep concerns over
Onnoghen’s suspension, and deplored the executive’s decision to
suspend and replace the CJN and head of the judicial branch,
without the support of the legislative branch, on the eve of
national and state elections: “We note widespread Nigerian
criticisms that this decision is unconstitutional and that it
undermines the independence of the judicial branch… That undercuts
the stated determination of government, candidates, and political
party leaders to ensure that the elections proceed in a way that is
free, fair, transparent, and peaceful – leading to a credible
result”.

It added: “We urge that the issues raised by this
decision be resolved swiftly and peacefully in accordance with due
process, full respect for the rule of law, and the spirit of the
Constitution of Nigeria. Such action is needed urgently now to
ensure that this decision does not cast a pall over the electoral
process.”

On its own part, the UK was even more frontal.

“We have heard a wide range of credible and independent
voices, including in the Nigerian legal profession and civil
society, who have expressed concern over the constitutionality of
the executive branch’s suspension of the chief officer of the
judiciary.

“We respect Nigeria’s sovereign authority and its right
to adjudicate on constitutional provisions, but as friends of the
Nigerian people, we are compelled to observe that the timing of
this action, so close to national elections, gives cause for
concern. It risks affecting both domestic and international
perceptions on the credibility of the forthcoming
elections.”

“We, along with other members of the international
community, are following developments closely. The UK government
therefore urged all actors to maintain calm and address the
concerns raised by the development through due process,
demonstrating their commitment to respecting the Constitution and
the impartial administration of the rule of law. It further urged
the actors to take steps to ensure that elections take place in an
environment conducive to a free, fair and peaceful
process.”

The European Union believes strongly that the decision to
suspend the Chief Justice has led to many
Nigerians, including lawyers and civil society observer
groups questioning whether due process was followed, and
the timing- just before the swearing in of justices for
electoral tribunals, and the hearing of election-related
cases. They are dead right in their observation.

This development, the EU noted, has also
“raised concerns
about the opportunity for electoral
justice.” A statement by Sarah Fradgley said the EU EOM
had earlier been invited by the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) to observe the 2019 general elections,
“but is now very concerned
about the process and timing of the
suspension.”

The EU insisted that with 20 days to the presidential
and National Assembly elections, political parties, candidates
and voters must be able to have confidence in the
impartiality and independence of the judicial
system, independence of the election administration, the
neutrality of security agencies and the extent to which the
judiciary can, and does fulfill its election-related
responsibilities. “The EU EOM calls on all parties to
follow the legal processes provided for in the Constitution and to
respond calmly to any concerns they may have.”  

It ended its strong statement that “the EU EOM will
continue observing all aspects of the election, including the
independence of the election administration, the neutrality of
security agencies, and the extent to which the judiciary can and
does fulfill its election-related responsibilities.”

Shredded of all diplomatic niceties, these countries are raising
the red flag and warning of the clear and present danger ahead.
They are literally telling the government to its face, “you
are already rigging this election by the illegal suspension of the
CJN. You are terrorizing the judiciary. We do not believe you will
organize free, fair and credible elections. We are watching and
monitoring you. we will not accept the outcome of any flawed
elections”.

Rather than shut up and exercise caution from the usual
brinkmanship and verbal diarrhea, at least for once, the combative
government through its garrulous spokesman, Garba, went for the
jocular of the international community daring it. He warned against
foreign interference into the nation’s affairs, “capable of
creating apprehension, distrust among citizens or undermining the
transparency and acceptability of outcomes of the nation’s
electoral process.”

Garba’s statement, reads in part, “Nigeria reserves the
right to be insulated from suggestions and or interference with
respect to wholly internal affairs and commends international laws,
customs and norms that mandate and require nations and the comity
to respect this prerogative to all.”

“Nigeria is confident of its electoral processes and her
preparation for the imminent elections and the federal government
has supported the independent electoral umpire in both its
independence and resources needed to accomplish our desire and
insistence on free and fair elections’’.

Garba added that the government had ensured the independence of
all organs, institutions and arms of government to “perform
their functions in a manner that is transparent, and not lacking in
integrity whether institutionally or by persons within such
institutions or organs.’’ Really? This must be in another
country, not this one I live in.

The statement further reiterated “the readiness of the
nation’s security forces to confront any plan or attempt to
interfere with or disrupt the process whether by elements within or
from outside the country.” Garba is saying that Nigeria’s
security forces are ready to “confront any plan or attempt
to interfere” with Nigeria’s electoral matters. Which
security forces? The ones the government and its cronies are
corruptly embezzling monies meant for purchase of arms and
ammunition for them? The security forces that are left at the mercy
of Boko Haram onslaught on a daily basis?

With this warning, the PMB government repudiated the
“strong concerns” (an euphemism for “grave
worries” in diplomatic language) made by the entire EU
countries, US and UK. Some native proverbs may help Garba here:
“Anyone who breaks the coconut with his head may not live
to eat it”. “When a person is overfed, he challenges his chi”
(god). “The stubborn fly follows the corpse into the grave”. “He
who brings a maggot-infested piece of firewood into his house
should not complain when he is visited by a colony of
lizards”. I have spoken. A word is enough for the wise.
Those who have ears, let them hear and avert the imminent
catastrophe and dark clouds ominously gathering and hovering over
Nigeria. It is not too late to pull the prized palm kernel from the
furnace of the fire. To say more will be otiose.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

“One of the reasons people hate politics is that truth is rarely
a politician’s objective. Election and power are”. (Cal
Thomas).

LAST LINE

Nigerians, as you begin a new week, let us pray for peaceful
elections. Keep faith with our weekly national conversation on the
Sunday Sermon on the Mount of the Nigerian Project by Chief Mike
A.A. Ozekhome, SAN, OFR, FCIArb., Ph.D, LL.D.