[allAfrica.com]  [Africa_2004]


'State of Emergency, an Indictment On Obasanjo'

This Day (Lagos)
NEWS
June 9, 2004
Posted to the web June 9, 2004

By Daniel Ior
Makurdi, Benue
Benue State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Abu King Shuluwa, has
described the imposition of State of Emergency on Plateau State as both a
defeatist position and an indictment on President Olusegun Obasanjo's
administration.
Shuluwa said the declaration of a state of emergency on Plateau State after
several years of violence, killings and destruction of property worth billions
of Naira has only raised questions regarding the ability of President Obasanjo
to honour his promise to protect the lives and property of all Nigerians.
In an interview with THISDAY, he wondered why Obasanjo who controls the Police,
the military and other security agencies failed to utilise the massive
apparatus at his disposal to check the crisis in line with his oath to protect
lives and property of all Nigerians.
The PDP leader said the president cannot claim to have been ignorant of the
crisis or that he doesn't command powers far above the state governor's.
"He, therefore, said for the president to wake up one day and declare a state
of emergency in Plateau without clear proactive action on his part amount to
using the state as a scapegoat to cover his own inefficiencies."
Said he: "the president took an oath that he will protect the lives and
property of Nigerians, and if Joshua Dariye has failed, it simply means the
president has failed, because he has the Police and the Army which Dariye
doesn't have. So for him to declare a state of emergency is just like he is
indicting himself.
The former PDP governorship candidate in Benue State cited other religious and
political crisis in the country ranging from the religious crisis in Kaduna,
Kano, to ethnic crisis in Shagamu, including the protracted violence in Niger
Delta as well as the crisis in Taraba State and questioned why they did not
attract such action.
Besides, he said declaration of a state of emergency is an indication that
politicians have failed.
According to him, it is also wrong for an elected officer to declare a state of
emergency and sack another person who was elected by the people.

   

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