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Obasanjo Declares Emergency in Plateau

Vanguard (Lagos)
NEWS
May 19, 2004
Posted to the web May 19, 2004

By Taye Obateru, Sufuyan Ojeifo, Charles Ozoemena, Chris Ochayi & Akor
Sylvester
Abuja
Suspends Dariye, deputy, State House of Assembly; Ex-Army Chief, Chris Ali
appointed administrator; No cause for alarm, says Joshua Dariye; Obasanjo
writes Senate, House of Representatives; Suspends Dariye, deputy, State House
of Assembly; Ex-Army Chief, Chris Ali appointed administrator; No cause for
alarm, says Joshua Dariye; Obasanjo writes Senate, House of Representatives
PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo, invoking Section 305 of the constitution,
yesterday, declared a State of Emergency in Plateau State and suspended from
office Governor Joshua Dariye and the state legislature for six months in the
"first instance."
This, according to the president in a nationwide broadcast, was on account of
the May 2 attack by Tarok youths on Yelwa, Plateau State in which about 200
were killed. The mass murder triggered off last week's mayhem in Kano.
The president immediately appointed a one time Chief of Army Staff, General
Chris Mohammed Alli (rtd), as administrator of the state.
The president's action drew instant reactions from across the country,
including the suspended governor, Chief Dariye, who said there was no cause for
alarm.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said the president's decision was okay by it
while Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, described the development as "a most
dangerous moment in the life of this nation."
Reactions also came from the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria
(CAN), the Most Reverend Peter Akinola who asked that the state of emergency
should be extended to Kano State, and the opposition Alliance for Democracy
(AD) which described the imposition of emergency rule in Plateau as the
"beginning of the end."
President Obasanjo in his broadcast said he took the last option of declaring
the State of Emergency in Plateau because of the failure of the governor and
his government to arrest the disturbing situation in their domain. He said the
decision was recommended by the National Security meeting held in Abuja on
Monday.The situation in Plateau, he noted, constituted a challenge to the
nation's democracy, "negates thenorms of rational human interaction,
contradicts the tenets of civil society, and devalues opportunitiesfor peace,
stability, coexistence and social justice. It constitutes a grave threat to law
and order and a great danger to the security in Plateau State and the
neighbouring states of Bauchi, Nasarawa, Taraba and Benue. It is, therefore, a
great threat to the security and unity of Nigeria."He blamed Governor Dariye
for his disappointing role in settling the raging problem, stressing:
"As at today, there is nothing on ground and no evidence whatsoever to show
that the state governor has the interest, desire, commitment, credibility and
capacity to promote reconciliation, rehabilitation, forgiveness, peace, harmony
and stability. If anything, some of his utterances, his lackadaisical attitude
and seeming uneven-handedness over the salient and contending issues present
him as not just part of the problem but also as an instigator and a threat to
peace. Plateau State cannot and must not experience another spate of killings
and destruction of property. If allowed, the crisis would engulf the nation.
"At every point, the governor of Plateau State either made himself unavailable
on the ground to take appropriate action to stem the tide of violence or when
he was available he was simply incompetent to take action. His personal conduct
and unguarded utterances have inflamed passions.
"Therefore, by virtue of Section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria 1999, I hereby declare a State of emergency in Plateau
State. This declaration has been published in a Federal Gazette as of today.
The governor and his deputy, by this declaration, will go on suspension and
cease to be in charge of the affairs of Plateau State for six months in the
first instance."
..not a suprise --REV PAM
In Plateau State itself, it was generally calm yesterday with the state
chairman of CAN, the Reverend Yakubu Pam saying the president's action was not
unexpected. Rev. Pam who was rebuked by the president during his visit to Jos
last week said: "The declaration of a state of emergency is not a surprise to
us. It is the agenda they have been nursing which they have now actualised. The
president has taken side and it is unfortunate. We shall make our position
known at the appropriate time," he said. He asked Christians to remain calm and
not to do anything capable of breaching the peace.
Shagaya, Dongoyaro speak
Generals Joshua Dogonyaro and John Shagaya said they had no quarrel with the
action since the president must have weighed the matter properly before taking
a decision. General Dongoyaro said "God's plan is the best. God knows why a
state of emergency was declared. I can only pray that God should give us the
wisdom to do the right thing at the right time."He urged the administrator,
Gen. Chris Alli (rtd) to educate the people so that sentiments were not read
into the action.
In his own reaction, General Shagaya said President Obasanjo as the chief
executive of the country must have taken the decision in the best interest of
the state and the country. According to him, "I cannot blame the president on
the step he has taken. You cannot query and you cannot question it if the
constitution allows that. He is the chief executive of the federation and one
would believe that Obasanjo felt for the state and felt that such a step would
serve as a deterrent to the crises-prone states of the federation, believing
that state of anarchy that militant groups brought to bear on the country."
Govt House deserted
Government House, Jos was deserted while activities at the government
secretariat were paralysed. The family of the governor moved out of the
Government House yesterday morning.
No cause for alarm, Dariye
"It shall be well, there is no cause for alarm". With these words, the
suspended Governor of Plateau State, Chief Joshua Chibi Dariye, consoled
teeming supporters who thronged the state governor's lodge in the Asokoro
District of Abuja yesterday. The embattled governor who arrived the lodge in a
Peugeot 306 marked AT 141 RSH about 2.35p.m., however, shunned several attempts
by newsmen to draw him into an elaborate interview on the development.
Dariye, who donned a cream coloured kaftan without a cap, was seen smiling in
response to words of consolation and encouragement from his supporters,
interjecting with intermittent "there is no problem". Inside the magnificent
lodge into which people and journalists were allowed free access, Dariye held
private meetings with some of the visitors, who quoted him as saying that he
was watching the development. He was also quoted as wondering why a state of
emergency should be declared only in Plateau State.
But the security situation at the lodge was a bit relaxed with seven uniformed
mobile policemen taking positions in and around the premises of the lodge.
There were also a number of plain-clothes security personnel on the premises.
However, it could not be confirmed whether Governor Dariye was being held under
custody or not. The mood at the lodge was generally solemn as supporters of
Dariye gathered in groups, wearing long faces. Dariye's occasional smiles
provided a sharp contrast to the mournful mood.
NLC backs Obasanjo
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said it had followed the development and had
found it difficult to reject President Obasanjo's decision.
The Congress in a statement signed by its President, Adams Oshiomhole said:
"The NLC has followed with concern development in Plateau State since 2001,
which has now culminated in the declaration of a State of Emergency in the
state.
"Congress regards the protracted breakdown of security and the bitter religious
and ethnic/communal clashes in various states of the federation as a cumulative
failure of leadership at all levels, manifest especially in the lack of will to
deal with perpetrators of such clashes through the criminal justice system.
Since 1999, such crises have occurred in places as Kano, Kaduna, Ogun, Taraba,
Bauchi, Delta, Benue and Nasarawa States.
"However, given the magnitude of the situation in Plateau State and the
collateral spillages, Congress is unable to reject the drastic decision by the
Federal Government to declare a State of Emergency to restore normalcy and pave
the way for a more dynamic approach to addressing the issues in contention."
CAN president surprised
Primate of the Anglican Church in Nigeria and CAN President, the Most Reverend
Peter Akinola in his reaction said: "Kano ... has pursued with fervour the plan
to exterminate non-Muslims at the slightest opportunity. We believe that what
is good for the goose is equally good for the gander.
"We heard of the state of emergency declared in Plateau State, which took us by
suprise. For now we are wondering why only Plateau State, why not Kano, Kaduna,
Delta, Bauchi where there have been incessant crises?" Akinola asked.
It is dangerous -- Soyinka
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, on his part said: "While on the subject
of fascism, a very real and present danger that we have warned against, the
recent dramatic development in Plateau State must alarm all lovers of
democracy. This is a most dangerous moment in the life of this nation. I cannot
support the notion that the declaration of a state of emergency in Plateau was
inevitable at the present stage. The Citizens Forum will, however, announce its
position on the crisis after due consultations."
Beginning of the end -- AD
The opposition Alliance for Democracy (AD) in a statement said: "President
Obasanjo from his very first day in office has never hidden the fact that he
detests the nuances, procedure and the checks and balances of the democratic
system. He hates multi-party democracy and would jolly well prefer to have the
maximum power which he enjoyed during his tenure as military Head of State.
Time and again we had alerted the nation to his invidious attempt to institute
a brutal dictatorial one man rule in Nigeria. For the doubting Thomases we were
merely raising a false alarm. But now they know better.
"The declaration of state of emergency in Plateau is wrong. It is ill-
motivated, plainly unjust, dictatorial and in the end will be counter
productive."
"The blame for the violence and unprecedented blood-shed that Nigeria has
witnessed in the last five years of the Obasanjo administration rests squarely
at his door step."

   

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