JONATHAN’S ADMISSION ON MOROCCAN STANDOFF: A MORAL LIABILITY

14^th March, 2015

PRESS RELEASE:

JONATHAN’S ADMISSION ON MOROCCAN STANDOFF: A MORAL LIABILITY

President Jonathan yesterday admitted that he did not speak personally with the Moroccan king as claimed by the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ministry had claimed one week ago that the Nigerian president spoke on telephone with his Moroccan counterpart.

The claim was immediately denied by the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Nigeria retorted with an affirmation of her claim. The ensuing diplomatic row resulted in Morocco recalling its ambassador to Nigeria.

Like many other patriotic individuals and groups in the country, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) is seriously embarrassed by this avoidable diplomatic conundrum into which the Federal Government (FG) has driven Nigeria. It reflected our infantile diplomacy, administrative ineptitude and irreversible leadership failure.

The Jonathan-led administration has been characterized by a litany of lies and broken promises. It only recently became too clever by half when its local propensity to mislead gullible Nigerians assumed an international dimension. The manufacturers in FG’s factory of lies simply overreached themselves by taking on foreign countries.

Morocco is not alone in rebuffing Nigeria in recent times. American security officials allegedly clashed with their Nigerian counterparts two days ago because the Americans were angry that Nigeria lied by claiming that America supported the postponement of elections.

It is rather unfortunate that President Jonathan is yet to appreciate the full implication of his admission that he actually did not have a telephone conversation with the Moroccan king. It means that Nigeria lied and if Nigeria lied it means our president lied. This is what Mr. President underestimated.

The underestimation syndrome has eaten deep into Mr. President’s character. Afterall he shocked Nigerians by saying that stealing was not corruption. He underestimated the kidnapping of the Chibok girls and for weeks he did not believe any girl was abducted. The girls are yet to be found to date.

He also underestimated the Boko Haram insurgency. He reportedly admitted this much. It cost us thousands of lives and untold suffering. Yet Mr. President said the Moroccan saga in which his government has been caught lying was “less important”. He considered drawing the opposition into the gay debate as more important. It is nauseating.

Yet the Moroccan affair is yet to take its full toll. Nigerians in the diaspora may soon start facing the music. It has happened before. They may be subjected to contempt and dehumanization. Nobody is going to trust citizens of a country whose government takes pleasure in telling lies to both its citizens and the international community.

In the meantime President Jonathan owes us an explanation. The Presidency always reacts with the speed of light to statements made by opposition parties, why did it take him a full week to refute the allegation?

Will he say he was in total darkness regarding the raging controversy between the Nigerian Foreign ministry and its Moroccan counterpart? Was he also unaware of the recall of the Moroccan ambassador?

We urge FG to urgently discard its garb of deceit. The international community will address Nigeria the way the country is dressed. Nigerians deserve transparency. We are a people rich in the culture of integrity. This government is an embarrassment and President Jonathan has become both a political and moral liability on Nigeria.

MURIC appeals to Nigerians at home and abroad to bring back the nation’s glory by dint of hardwork, honesty and high moral standard. We urge the international community not to judge Nigerian citizens by their leader’s yardstick but by individual merit.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

2015 POLLS: OMINOUS SIGNS ON THE HORIZON

11^th March, 2015

PRESS RELEASE:

2015 POLLS: OMINOUS SIGNS ON THE HORIZON

With only seventeen days to the 2015 general elections, there is no unanimity among the political parties regarding the sanctity of March 28 as the date for the commencement of the elections. On the contrary, the political arena is characterized by war songs, hate speeches and an anti-election mien, particularly on the side of the ruling party and its subsidiaries.

Governors of the ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), met yesterday and unanimously rejected the use of card readers by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). This is a dangerous signal since the election is just two weeks away.

The ruling party has also never hidden its anti-INEC stance. Though it pretended to be neutral ab initio on the issue of postponement of the elections, the party eventually revealed its true colour when the military spearheaded the move. It is key actors in the PDP camp who are now most vehement in the call for the sack of the chairman of INEC.

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) is perturbed by this ugly scenario. How can a ruling party consistently send out signals indicating that it is not ready for elections? How can a ruling party become so hostile to an electoral body which was essentially set up by the same government of which it is an integral part?

Nigerians do not need to be told that INEC is a product of the Federal Government. The success or otherwise of INEC’s operations must be shared by the Nigerian government. We assert clearly, unambiguously and unequivocally that if INEC fails it is the Nigerian Government that has failed.

It is therefore curious that the ruling party does not see eye to eye with INEC. It is even more curious that the ruling party is crying foul over the adoption of card readers which are supposed to prevent rigging. Who wants election riggers to have a field day? Who is uncomfortable with an anti-rigging device?

While these dark clouds hover above us, a court ordered INEC to register a new political party just three weeks to the elections! To make its presence felt as a spoiler, the new party demanded that new ballot papers should be printed to accommodate it.

Despite the peace accord signed by all the political parties, Nigeria’s First Lady told PDP supporters to stone anyone who shouted the opposition’s slogan, thus providing the ingredient needed for an all-out political violence. It was the height of political barbarism.

MURIC invites the Federal Government to put its cards on the table for Nigerians regarding the 2015 poll. We affirm that the credibility of the elections will be substantially diminished if INEC chairman is removed or if the exercise is postponed a second time. Nigeria has crossed the Rubicon. We therefore charge all stakeholders to manifest utmost sincerity, to exercise self-restraint, to shun hate speeches, to eschew bitterness and to embrace peace and the spirit of sportsmanship.

We must not allow these ominous signs hanging above our heads like the sword of Damocles to destroy our dear country. They are neither good for the economy nor beneficial for the image of our country.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

DONT FREEZE OPPOSITION ACCOUNTS

1^st March, 2015

PRESS RELEASE:

PLAN TO FREEZE OPPOSITION ACCOUNTS:

INVITATION TO ANARCHY

The Nigerian ruling party is allegedly putting finishing touches to a grand plan to cripple the campaign camp of the main opposition by freezing the bank accounts of its financiers and grounding their private jets.     

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) deems it necessary to alert Nigerians and the international community to the dangers inherent in these tyrannical, oppressive and diabolical moves. Nigeria may be sliding into a one-party cum police state. By embarking on such desperate maneuvers after being in power for sixteen years, the Peoples Progressive Party (PDP) has exposed itself as an intolerant institution.

We cannot envision a free and fair election in an atmosphere of suppression. There can be no true democracy if the opposition cannot enjoy a level playing ground, nay, if the opposition is being strangulated. 

If the ruling party cannot sow seeds of nobility in its political path, it should not break the pot of integrity from where others can water a new, purer and safer political culture.  We strongly condemn a political landscape that lacks the spirit of sportsmanship and totally devoid of integrity.

MURIC therefore invites the Federal Government to consider the serious implications of freezing the accounts of members of the opposition for no justifiable reason. This will amount to abuse of power. It is illegal, unconstitutional and therefore unacceptable. It is an invitation to anarchy.

Democracy is a farce when government pursues a policy of exclusiveness. No section of the community must be alienated in a democracy. Equal participation, liberty, justice and fair play are the key words in any democracy worth its salt. The founding fathers of the Nigerian nation laid emphasis on participatory democracy.

Any attempt to turn governance into the right of only one political party will be a declaration of hostilities on the citizens of Nigeria. We therefore warn against freezing the accounts of known financiers of the opposition or tampering with the flights arranged by them.

In addition, we advise the Federal Government to leave the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as presently constituted until after the elections. 

All eyes are currently on Nigeria and the whole world will cry foul particularly if INEC chairman is removed as being contemplated in certain circles. It is like changing the referee after the game has started. It stands in contradistinction to international best practices.   

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)