- Africcon News
Africcon Report: When Emergency Rule In Adamawa Produces Heroes, Villains
Africcon New Media – News
From: Africcon Media – Nigeria
Cover by Africcon Media - When Emergency Rule In Adamawa Produces Heroes, Villains
There is no gainsaying that the emergency rule imposed on Adamawa state by President Goodluck Jonathan has ruffled many feathers in the state especially in view of the heated debate that arose about its desirability, constitutionality or even its potency to resolve the lingering insurgency bedeviling mainly the north eastern axis of the country which Adamawa state is a part. MOHAMMED ISMAIL writes.
The emergency rule in Adamawa State quite threw up more questions than answers as many people in the state believe that it was unjustly imposed to score political points against Governor Nyako whom has been embroiled in a war of wits with powerful forces ahead of the 2015 general election that has become a recipe for political unrest between the governor and those who want to wrest power from his grip.
The battle was so fierce that the gladiators deployed all practicable arsenals to win the battle while the general populace largely remained on the fence, watching the onslaught with intense consternation as it lasted.
However, while the onslaught was ongoing, nobody thought that it will degenerate to the extent that because of it or so to say, a state of emergency would ever be enforced in the state. Therefore, the people of the state were mostly taken off balance when President Goodluck Jonathan announced the imposition of a state of emergency on the state alongside two other neighboring states of Borno and Yobe that were noted as the hot bed of the Boko Haram crises in the country.
Although a lot of people were not surprised by the inclusion of Borno and Yobe states in the emergency rule, however, the inclusion of Adamawa state has caused a lot of tongues to wag because many say the insecurity indices in the state does not measure up to the indices
of many other states that were unfortunately not in the list of the affected states. Even the explanation that the action was taken to prevent insurgents from Yobe and Borno states from securing abode in Adamawa could not appease the people as many were quick to counter that if the imposition of the emergency rule was due to that singular reason, then other states like Bauchi and Gombe that share borders with Yobe another hotbed of Boko Haram activities should have been similarly included in the emergency rule.
But while the raging debate was ongoing, a town hall meeting was organized by Gotel Television, a media enterprise owned by the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar. The participants who were drawn from the academia, political arena, civil society groups and technocrats, seemed to reveal the innate feelings of Adamawa citizens, as about 99 percent of them believe that the emergency rule was wrongly applied on Adamawa State even as they said it smacks of political vendetta.
Because of the belief that the emergency rule in Adamawa was at the instance of powerful politicians from the state, governor Nyako became an instant hero as many said they preferred him to those who instigate trouble in the state for political gains, unmindful of its dangers or even its negative consequences on the body polity.
And that notion was not helped by the seeming failure of Nyako’s adversaries who in the government circle were believed to include the adviser to the President on political matters, Alhaji Ali Ahmed Gulak, the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and Alex Badeh, to challenge the presidential decision or even to make the mildest effort to distance themselves from the accusation that has trailed the imposition of the emergency rule leading many people, especially religious leaders to mount a series of prayer sessions against them, especially in mosques as many muslims believe that they were responsible for the malady that prevents them from observing three important congregational prayers following the curfew imposed on the state.
But while Nyako’s adversaries who were mainly accused of being behind the imposition of the emergency rule failed to do anything to appeal to the sensibilities of the citizenry, governor Nyako on the other hand, has since the imposition of the emergency rule, did not rest on his
oars using local and national media to appeal for calm in the state even in the face of its seeming provocation. In one of the state broadcast he made to the people, the governor said some people who wanted the youths of the state maimed were behind the imposition of the
emergency rule just as he urged the people to indulge in ferrent prayers to guard against its adverse effects. He also warned the youths to be more security conscious as they are in most cases, worst affected by the emergency rule as witnessed in Borno and Yobe states.
In the same vein, the Sarkin Matasan Adamawa launched a rigorous sensitization campaign across the 21 local governments of the state about the need for the youths to exercise restraint about their conduct as the emergency rule in the state, even as he called on traditional rulers, religious leaders and opinion leaders to continue sensitizing the populace about the need to respect constituted authority so as not to worsen the fragile atmosphere in the state.
Many people interviewed by Africcon Media have expressed appreciation over the manner in which the state government alongside the Sarkin Matasa played significant roles in dousing tension which they attributed to the success of the emergency rule in the state in view of the hitch free nature it is being conducted.
Pastor Sunday Joshua was of the opinion that even though he felt that the emergency rule on Adamawa misapplied, he said the governor’s approach has gone a long way to pacify the people of the state, as a result of which the emergency rule is being observed peacefully.
A clergyman who does not want his name in print, said the clergy have elected to pray for the success of Governor Nyako who became their new hero in view of the efforts he is putting to secure life and properties of innocent citizens of the state. “I and some of my
colleagues in the state and even beyond, have formed a league to support Governor Nyako with prayers because of his concern for the safety of the people of the state. We have also resolved to pray against the enemies of the state who are ready to set the state in flames to achieve their selfish end”, the cleric said.
Also many participants at the town hall meeting organized by Gotel Television believe that constitutional provisions were not followed by the presidency before the emergency rule was imposed as the presidency had seemed to be in a hurry to impose the emergency rule circumvented the procedures provided by the constitution before enforcing the emergency rule.
In his view, the Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to Governor Nyako, Mr. P.P Elisha, said Nyako’s adversaries resorted to the imposition of emergency rule in the state because they see it as the only means of illegally ousting the governor from power. He said some politicians who failed to remove the governor through the ballot box are now resorting to the use of illegal means to get the governor out of power but they were all shamed because their efforts have come to a nullity.
“Some disgruntled politicians who failed to remove the governor through the ballot box were responsible for the latest attempt to use the state of emergency to remove governor Nyako
through the back door but their efforts have met a brick wall”. He said the reason why the action was vociferously rejected by all well-meaning people of Adamawa state was due to its unpopularity hence it was unanimously rejected by even those who do not always share
the same political view with the governor.
“Although we share different political view with my brother, Dr. Umar Ardo, the way he
expresses reservation against the emergency rule in Adamawa shows that the rejection was done in the interest of Adamawa people who are at the receiving end of the rule”.
Elisha called on President Goodluck Jonathan to reverse the decision as it has already taken a negative toll on Adamawa people who are mostly operating in the informal sector. “Adamawa State is a civil a ciil service state where residents mainly collect salaries and the greater part of the population depend on doing petty businesses in order to keep body and soul together like frying bean cake, roasting fish and meat by the road side and what have you. All these businesses with the dusk to dawn curfew imposed on the state have been forced to close shop adding to the raging poverty afflicting the people”. He called on the President to have a change of heart in view of the call from the majority of Adamawa people who feet the emergency rule
was politically motivated to score a political point against governor Nyako.
“We recently conducted a town hall meeting where majority of the stakeholders drawn from the academia, civil societies, political parties, all conceded to the fact that the emergency rule was not in tune with the realities of Adamawa’s insecurity”, he added, calling on the people to continue to obey the curfew so as not to fall victim of molestation as the state government is doing everything possible to get the situation regularized.
Africcon News
Africcon Report: When Emergency Rule In Adamawa Produces Heroes, Villains
Africcon New Media – News
From: Africcon Media – Nigeria
Cover by Africcon Media - When Emergency Rule In Adamawa Produces Heroes, Villains
There is no gainsaying that the emergency rule imposed on Adamawa state by President Goodluck Jonathan has ruffled many feathers in the state especially in view of the heated debate that arose about its desirability, constitutionality or even its potency to resolve the lingering insurgency bedeviling mainly the north eastern axis of the country which Adamawa state is a part. MOHAMMED ISMAIL writes.
The emergency rule in Adamawa State quite threw up more questions than answers as many people in the state believe that it was unjustly imposed to score political points against Governor Nyako whom has been embroiled in a war of wits with powerful forces ahead of the 2015 general election that has become a recipe for political unrest between the governor and those who want to wrest power from his grip.
The battle was so fierce that the gladiators deployed all practicable arsenals to win the battle while the general populace largely remained on the fence, watching the onslaught with intense consternation as it lasted.
However, while the onslaught was ongoing, nobody thought that it will degenerate to the extent that because of it or so to say, a state of emergency would ever be enforced in the state. Therefore, the people of the state were mostly taken off balance when President Goodluck Jonathan announced the imposition of a state of emergency on the state alongside two other neighboring states of Borno and Yobe that were noted as the hot bed of the Boko Haram crises in the country.
Although a lot of people were not surprised by the inclusion of Borno and Yobe states in the emergency rule, however, the inclusion of Adamawa state has caused a lot of tongues to wag because many say the insecurity indices in the state does not measure up to the indices
of many other states that were unfortunately not in the list of the affected states. Even the explanation that the action was taken to prevent insurgents from Yobe and Borno states from securing abode in Adamawa could not appease the people as many were quick to counter that if the imposition of the emergency rule was due to that singular reason, then other states like Bauchi and Gombe that share borders with Yobe another hotbed of Boko Haram activities should have been similarly included in the emergency rule.
But while the raging debate was ongoing, a town hall meeting was organized by Gotel Television, a media enterprise owned by the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar. The participants who were drawn from the academia, political arena, civil society groups and technocrats, seemed to reveal the innate feelings of Adamawa citizens, as about 99 percent of them believe that the emergency rule was wrongly applied on Adamawa State even as they said it smacks of political vendetta.
Because of the belief that the emergency rule in Adamawa was at the instance of powerful politicians from the state, governor Nyako became an instant hero as many said they preferred him to those who instigate trouble in the state for political gains, unmindful of its dangers or even its negative consequences on the body polity.
And that notion was not helped by the seeming failure of Nyako’s adversaries who in the government circle were believed to include the adviser to the President on political matters, Alhaji Ali Ahmed Gulak, the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and Alex Badeh, to challenge the presidential decision or even to make the mildest effort to distance themselves from the accusation that has trailed the imposition of the emergency rule leading many people, especially religious leaders to mount a series of prayer sessions against them, especially in mosques as many muslims believe that they were responsible for the malady that prevents them from observing three important congregational prayers following the curfew imposed on the state.
But while Nyako’s adversaries who were mainly accused of being behind the imposition of the emergency rule failed to do anything to appeal to the sensibilities of the citizenry, governor Nyako on the other hand, has since the imposition of the emergency rule, did not rest on his
oars using local and national media to appeal for calm in the state even in the face of its seeming provocation. In one of the state broadcast he made to the people, the governor said some people who wanted the youths of the state maimed were behind the imposition of the
emergency rule just as he urged the people to indulge in ferrent prayers to guard against its adverse effects. He also warned the youths to be more security conscious as they are in most cases, worst affected by the emergency rule as witnessed in Borno and Yobe states.
In the same vein, the Sarkin Matasan Adamawa launched a rigorous sensitization campaign across the 21 local governments of the state about the need for the youths to exercise restraint about their conduct as the emergency rule in the state, even as he called on traditional rulers, religious leaders and opinion leaders to continue sensitizing the populace about the need to respect constituted authority so as not to worsen the fragile atmosphere in the state.
Many people interviewed by LEADERSHIP have expressed appreciation over the manner in which the state government alongside the Sarkin Matasa played significant roles in dousing tension which they attributed to the success of the emergency rule in the state in view of the hitch free nature it is being conducted.
Pastor Sunday Joshua was of the opinion that even though he felt that the emergency rule on Adamawa misapplied, he said the governor’s approach has gone a long way to pacify the people of the state, as a result of which the emergency rule is being observed peacefully.
A clergyman who does not want his name in print, said the clergy have elected to pray for the success of Governor Nyako who became their new hero in view of the efforts he is putting to secure life and properties of innocent citizens of the state. “I and some of my
colleagues in the state and even beyond, have formed a league to support Governor Nyako with prayers because of his concern for the safety of the people of the state. We have also resolved to pray against the enemies of the state who are ready to set the state in flames to achieve their selfish end”, the cleric said.
Also many participants at the town hall meeting organized by Gotel Television believe that constitutional provisions were not followed by the presidency before the emergency rule was imposed as the presidency had seemed to be in a hurry to impose the emergency rule circumvented the procedures provided by the constitution before enforcing the emergency rule.
In his view, the Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to Governor Nyako, Mr. P.P Elisha, said Nyako’s adversaries resorted to the imposition of emergency rule in the state because they see it as the only means of illegally ousting the governor from power. He said some politicians who failed to remove the governor through the ballot box are now resorting to the use of illegal means to get the governor out of power but they were all shamed because their efforts have come to a nullity.
“Some disgruntled politicians who failed to remove the governor through the ballot box were responsible for the latest attempt to use the state of emergency to remove governor Nyako
through the back door but their efforts have met a brick wall”. He said the reason why the action was vociferously rejected by all well-meaning people of Adamawa state was due to its unpopularity hence it was unanimously rejected by even those who do not always share
the same political view with the governor.
“Although we share different political view with my brother, Dr. Umar Ardo, the way he
expresses reservation against the emergency rule in Adamawa shows that the rejection was done in the interest of Adamawa people who are at the receiving end of the rule”.
Elisha called on President Goodluck Jonathan to reverse the decision as it has already taken a negative toll on Adamawa people who are mostly operating in the informal sector. “Adamawa State is a civil a ciil service state where residents mainly collect salaries and the greater part of the population depend on doing petty businesses in order to keep body and soul together like frying bean cake, roasting fish and meat by the road side and what have you. All these businesses with the dusk to dawn curfew imposed on the state have been forced to close shop adding to the raging poverty afflicting the people”. He called on the President to have a change of heart in view of the call from the majority of Adamawa people who feet the emergency rule
was politically motivated to score a political point against governor Nyako.
“We recently conducted a town hall meeting where majority of the stakeholders drawn from the academia, civil societies, political parties, all conceded to the fact that the emergency rule was not in tune with the realities of Adamawa’s insecurity”, he added, calling on the people to continue to obey the curfew so as not to fall victim of molestation as the state government is doing everything possible to get the situation regularized.
