IN OFFICE AND IN POWER

1.      The fuel subsidy controversy, if one can call it that, is yet another milestone in what appear to be the country’s gradual slide into anarchy. Pundits have often referred to the military era as a time when military dictators often demonstrated that they were not only in office but also in power. Think of the state terrorism applied to Ken Saro Wiwa and the Ogoni nine in November 1995, the state terrorism used to eliminate the veteran journalist Dele Giwa in 1986, the razing of Fela Anikpulakpo’s studio at Jibowu Lagos in 1976 and so on. Between May 29^th 2011, the inaugural date of the current administration and now, the executives of The PUNCH newspapers have been arrested and imprisoned by the police without an arrest warrant of a judge and without a trial in a court of law, the head of the EFCC has been summarily and unexpectedly fired, the gubernatorial primaries in Bayelsa state have seemed to have the footprints of high level political interference and now the fuel subsidy removal imposition. In the first and third instances when people pointed accusing fingers at the President, he issued a denial which was largely taken with a pinch of salt. In the particular case of Bayelsa gubernatorial primaries, it was difficult to rationalize because there were indications that the incumbent was unpopular and would most probably be thrown out by electorate with or without help from above. Past experience shows that the Bayelsa electorate is quite capable of this. Till date no one knows for sure why Mrs. Farida Waziri was removed from the EFCC chair. Normally such removal ought to herald a strengthening of the agency to more effectively deliver on its mandate but there is no evidence yet that such is the case. The last incident, the Presidential Xmas/New Year gift ,the surprise removal of fuel subsidy has to be the latest incident in just seven months which confirm a worrisome pattern; a pattern that shows that President Jonathan, although otherwise a mild -mannered person is always quick and bold to act in the interest of the political right. In short the government’s brooking-no-opposition stance on fuel subsidy removal marks Dr Jonathan as a veritable agent of the right, or even extreme right, a situation that irrevocably spells instability. As with the roughing up of The PUNCH executives and the unnecessary intervention in Bayelsa primaries Dr Jonathan seems to have bared his presidential fangs in a show of power on the removal of fuel subsidy issue. It shows that our democracy remains merely nominal and that one arm of the federal government, the executive continues to act with impunity, particularly in pursuit of right wing interest at the expense of not only the other arms but also the electorate. In the particular case of the National Assembly, the legislative arm, however they are the ones who have invited such ignominious treatment because they have abdicated their constitutional duties to checkmate and over see the executive in favour of compliance and oversize perks.

2.      I will like the hordes of fuel subsidy removal supporters to help me resolve the following fallacy. Those advocating the removal of fuel subsidy are selling this great fallacy; that an inefficient and unproductive government will become efficient and productive if it has more cash to play with. It is a fallacy because it is the antithesis of a well known truth. Since Dr Jonathan was elected President last April it is hard to mention any major progressive domestic policy instrument that his government has made despite numerous major policy challenges his government faces. It appears that what Dr Jonathan and his economic team are telling Nigerians is that the reason for the policy stasis of his government almost since inception is because fuel subsidy has not been removed. Since he has now removed the subsidy my answer to that is, well, that, that remains to be seen.

3.      What Dr Jonathan and his cohorts need to understand is that the sudden and precipitous removal of the fuel subsidy, if in fact there has really been any such subsidy, amounts to a political bomb just as violent or even more violent and irresponsible than that of Boko Haram bombs. Their effects are the same. They create instability and insecurity. Because of this subsidy removal, thousands if not millions will die prematurely because they cannot afford basic needs such as food and medicines, and they cannot afford the cost of transportation as they go about whatever business they are doing to eke out a living. I know that such consequences do not matter to the political right which controls the federal government and for whom the likes of Dr Jonathan and Dr Iweala work. To them the masses of Nigeria are invisible and are best forgotten although they can be useful for elections.

Lieutenant Colonel Peter Egbe -Ulu (rtd)

Okokomaiko

Lagos.

08023049789

08131940313