14th January, 2025
SENATOR BOLA AHMED TINUBU
THE PRESIDENT & COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF,
Of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Presidential Villa,
Three Arms Zone,
Abuja.
Your Excellency,
LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, SENATOR BOLA AHMED TINUBU GCFR, ON THE STATE OF THE NATION AND TO PROFFER THE WAY FORWARD.
I have chosen this my 72nd birthday anniversary and for the first time to write this letter to you over the state of the nation and to proffer which way forward. I believe this my letter will meet you in a good state of health.
By way of introduction, AMOBI NZELU is my name, born on the 14th day of January, 1953. I am also a private legal practitioner and the principal partner of the law firm of Amobi Nzelu & Co. I was called to the Nigerian Bar on the 19th day of July, 1980. I have been and still been in active private legal practice spanning over a period of 44 years. Going by available records, you were born on the 29th day of March, 1952 meaning you are ten (10) months older than me.
The purport of stating our ages is to let you know that both of us benefitted immensely from the Nigerian nation and therefore owe it as a duty to this present generation good governance and sound decision making to enable them enjoy what both of us enjoyed. Age bracket is usually three years.
No one including those in the womb will feign ignorance of what is happening in our beloved country today, ranging from hunger to wilful denial of rights, to insecurity, the posture of the judiciary in any topical issue, hounding of citizens who dare say the truth, skyrocketing of food prices, avoidable debts etc just to mention a few.
I remember vividly at the age of seven (7) years when school children including myself lined up the streets of Enugu in the present Enugu State and others parts of Nigeria to usher in Nigerian Independence. It was marked by the lowering of the union jack flag and the hoisting of Nigeria flag. A memorable day indeed. Our founding fathers, the gladiators and martyrs of our independence, and the template upon which it was fought, can they say from their graves that this is the Nigeria they fought and died for? Your guess is as good as mine.
With the incursion of the Military into our body polity in 1966, sent most of our founding fathers that could have shaped, designed and tailored Nigeria to what is supposed to be, to their early graves. The so called reasons behind the coup were attributed mostly to corruption or what late Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu called “ten percent” politicians. Corruption did not start today. The military held sway for more than three decades destroying all known political structures and democratic tenets. Before and within the military rulership, there were nine coups in Nigeria from 1966 to 1998. All these coups further decimated the political structures of our country and effectively created tribal consciousness which hitherto was not there.
Due to the military incursion into the body polity of Nigeria which led to incalculable differences, civil war broke out that lasted for thirty (30) months. I don’t know about you Mr. President but I took part in the civil war. I was an orderly to Chief Dan Ulasi who was the commanding officer 18 battalion Biafran Army. Chief Dan Ulasi is still alive today, he is also a known vocal political figure. The civil war I took part in made me at a tender age of 16 years to see what I never bargained to see in life at that age. It was an experience I will never wish my worst enemy to go through, however it sharpened my life and brought me closer to God.
When democracy was given birth to in 1999, Nigerians including myself heaved a sign of relief believing that the worst democracy is better than any military rule. With the facts on ground I wonder whether this proposition is still tenable.
A little journey down the memory lane using myself as an example will suffice to prove my point. In 1974 when I left secondary school. I worked for one year before going to University of Ife now ObafemiI Awolowo University, to study law. My monthly salary as a school certificate holder was N41.00 per month. In November, 1974, salaries were reviewed by a panel headed by late Chief Jerome Udorji and the salary of school certificate holders went up to N91.00 per month.
In 1975 I went to University of Ife to study law when law was four years. In the said University, an Iboman was the Vice Chancellor late Professor Cyril Onwumechili. This cannot happen today in Nigeria. Reasons best known to the politicians. During this period under reference, 1975-1979, breakfast was 10k, Lunch 20k and dinner 20K, twice a week Thursdays and Sundays we were served quarter of a chicken for the same 20K.
When General Muritala Mohammed was killed in an abortive coup, General Olusegun Obasanjo took over as head of State, feeding money was increased to 50k per meal. The students went on a riot tagged “Ali must Go” but we still paid that amount of 50k per meal. The meals served were nutritious and delicious also rich with the relevant minerals.
What you are required to do then upon securing admission to go to University and your parents are insolvent was to go to Federal Government Loans Board in Surulere Lagos and you will be given a loan of N500 (Five Hundred Naira Only). Out of this money, for us studying law, you pay N144.00 as school fees for a year, N200.00 for meal tickets for a year and N30.00 accommodation for one year. We were three in a room during the period under consideration.
Upon graduation from University of Ife, I left for the Nigerian law School for my Bachelor of Law (BL) degree. In the law school, we were given N750.00 (Seven Hundred and Fifty Naira Only), as loan/bursary from the Federal Government. This amount covers your tuition, accommodation and purchase of legal regalia. I bought my wig, wig carrier, gown, gown carrier, bibs, two white shirts, collars, cufflinks, all imported from Ede & Ravenscroft London, for N150.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Naira Only). The cost as at today is in the neighborhood of N2-N2.5 million. I am still using my wig since 1980
After been called to Bar, I did my NYSC in Maiduguri Borno State for an allowance of N200.00 per month. The first law firm I worked in Maiduguri after my NYSC was Baba Baaba & Co. and my salary was N250.00 (Two Hundred and Fifty naira only) per month. After my NYSC, I had two employment opportunities with customs and Nigerian Army. My late father dissuaded me from joining the Nigerian customs service and totally barred me from joining the Nigerian Army, according to him, I will be involved in a coup. I practiced for 14 years as a lawyer in Maiduguri Borno State before relocating to Abuja in 1995.
Naira then was stronger than US Dollars exchanging for 65k for 1 US Dollar, Pounds ranked side by side with Naira E1 to N1.00. My airfare to go to London on vacation was N481.00 Maiduguri-to Kano to London and back. At the point of entry at Heathrow Airport London or Gatwick airport you are given visa. You don’t need a visa from Nigeria before travelling to London. This was stopped in 1989.
The first car I bought after my NYSC was a Peugeot 504 GR fully air conditioned which I bought from SCOA motors Maiduguri for N7, 450. The registration number of the car was BO 8800 MC. Volks wagon car was sold for N1500, 1.8 blue Bird Nissan car was N9,000 as at that time. A bag of rice was N18.00, 1 kilo of meat was N4.00, life chicken was N3.50 I cannot remember the actual cost of petrol but it was in the neighborhood of 20k to 70k per liter in the 80’s.
I have gone down the memory lane to enable you see that both of us and others within our age bracket and before us enjoyed Nigeria and we owe it as a duty to do everything possible for our younger ones to have a country they will enjoy and call their own. Where both of us are going to is nearer than where we are coming from. You and I can’t live another 73 years or 72 years respectively again.
This our country is blessed all round but what we lack are visionary, committed and dedicated leaders. Someone with the will power to say no to any ill doing and stand by it. Someone who has the will power to stand against injustice. What is the moral justification in buying SUV for the National Assembly members at the cost of N160 million each? Does that justify the bleeding/hemorrhaging economy of the country nor does it justify in a country where 70% of its inhabitants go to bed without knowing how and where their next meals will come from.
You stand at a strategic position now to rewrite the history of Nigeria and your name will forever be engraved on a marble. The greatest enemy of advancement is pretension. Don’t pretend that all is well in our country. it is not. The ship of state is drifting and rudderless.
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
I don’t know what the National Assembly budget as for 2025 .When I know then I will comment. Suffice it to say at this stage what is appropriated to them does not justify the work they are doing. They are overpriced and the salaries and allowances they are taking constitute a reap in the national treasury.
On two occasions, I wrote to the Senate President concerning the state of the nation, as it is expected, no acknowledgement let alone response. In one of the letters, I reminded him how for the past 25 years he has been feeding from the sovereign feeding bottle. From being a commissioner to being a governor, to being a senator under Peoples Democratic party (PDP) and when he was invited and showed his result sheet as a governor, he decamped to the All Progressive Congress (APC). In All Progressive Congress (APC) he became a Minister, then to Senate and now Senate President. His unguarded language was one of the reasons I wrote a letter to him.
One would have expected you sir to come out clean regarding the salaries and allowances of the National Assembly members but your silence smacks of complicity in the matter. Your graveyard silence on issues of this magnitude where a senator take home is N21 million or thereabout per month offends every moral standard, associated with good governance.
At the risk of being referred to as a Mathematics teacher, let us look at the humongous salaries and allowances been taken by National Assembly members and state assemblies and see how they have grossly affected the living standard of Nigerians and by extension created unemployment.
At the risk of being referred to as a classroom teacher, let me with every humility and respect do a little arithmetic with you. Starting from Senate to House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly. If a Senator that is paid N21 million per month drops N16 million and take N5 million as his monthly salary and allowances the following will occur:
The N16 million dropped by a Senator will at the salary of N150, 000.00 per month give 106 graduates employment. Recall there are three senatorial zones in each of the 36 States in Nigeria. By simple calculations, the cut down on the three Senators salary and allowances will give 318 graduates employment at N150, 000.00 per month in a state.
To the House of Representatives, if they take N3 million per month as salary and allowances and drop #17 million for ten members of the House of Representatives on average per state #170 million will be saved. The said #170 million saved from the cut down on salary and allowances of Members of the House of Representatives at #150,000.00 per month will give 1133 graduates employment.
If you add cut down on salaries and allowances of both Senators and the members of the House of Representatives in a state, same will provide employment for 1,451 graduates at the salary of #150,000.00 per month.
To the State Assemblies, I cannot say for sure what their take home is but for the purposes of argument, let us agree that each member of the State Houses of Assembly take home per month is #7.5 million, salaries and allowances inclusive. If they take #2 million as salaries and allowances per month and drop #5.5 million the following will happen using Anambra State as yardstick.
In my State Anambra for example, there are 30 members of the House of Assembly. By simple arithmetic #165 million will be realized from the cut down on the legislator’s salaries and allowances. This #165 million will at the rate of #150, 000.00 per month provide employment for 1100 graduates.
By simple addition from the cut down on salaries and allowances of Senators, Members of the House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly, 2551 graduates will be gainfully employed for each State.
If this figure of 2551 is multiplied by 36 States, a total of 91,836 graduates will be gainfully employed from the cut down on the salaries and allowances of National Assembly (Upper and Lower chambers) and State Houses of Assembly.
The only logical inference from the above calculations is that the National Assembly and State Assemblies are majorly causing unemployment because of the unreasonable, humongous and wicked salaries and allowances they are collecting. After all they sit three times or maximum four times in a week with a lot of breaks and recesses. A civil servant who goes to work five times a week earns about 5% of their salary.
Another port of call is the constituency projects padded into the budget for the National Assembly Members. That money could be used in other avenues including employment. States have State Governors who governs the states. Constituency project is a duplication. Whatever amount that is been budgeted for constituency projects could be deployed elsewhere. Constituency projects encourages corruption and constitute a perfect conduit pipe for siphoning public funds.
Known or unknown to you the National Assembly has made ministries, departments and parastatals appendages to them. For one to secure employment, the ministry or paratatals etc will request a letter from either the senator representing your zone or House of representative, member representing your constituency. In most occasions after compromising, their phones will be unreachable. Before such letter will be obtained if you are a girl, you must compromise.
My sincere advice as it affects National and State assemblies are as follows:
Should be on part time basis with maximum take home of N3 million and N2 million respectively for the Senators and Members of the Hose of Representatives;
They can be alternatively paid a “sitting allowance” since they sit only thrice in a week for an amount not exceeding N200,000, N150,000, 100,000 per sitting for National Assembly and State House of Assembly;
The number representing each state in the senate trimmed down to 2 instead of 3
The number representing each states in the House of Representatives to be between 5-8 members;
State Houses of Assemblies not more than 12 members.
Looking at the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly, they are over crowded, most of them making no contributions to any debate, even some sleeping. Most of them constitute legislative nuisance, others do not even come for sitting. The entire scenario looks like Dugbe or Onitsha markets. The fewer they are, the more effective they can legislate. Make it less attractive to discourage looters and encourage people that will go there in the interest of their people.
JUDICIARY
This is my constituency for the past 45 years- to this end, I am eminently qualified to say things about it. We were about 500 that were admitted in 1980 as solicitors and advocates of the supreme court of Nigeria and my roll call number is 004029c. Today it is over 2000 per call and the roll call is now in six digits. What is going on in the judiciary today is very worrisome. Worrisome in the sense that the last hope of an ordinary man is on trial and the accuser is the oppressed masses. The image of the judiciary of late has been badly dented arising from self-inflicted injuries.
The glamour of the judiciary is waning day by day. The uncertainty of judgments to be delivered by courts of coordinate jurisdiction on the same issue can no longer be predicted. Originally, when you are seized with the facts of a matter, look at the applicable laws not forgetting the advocacy of the lawyers, you will be able to state with exactitude what the judgment will be in the matter. Today, the situation is not true, the same facts, the same applicable laws, the same advocacy, different judgments. Sometimes provocative judgments or rulings. As it stands today in Nigeria, all of us are entitled to judgments but few are entitled to justice. Justice is being rationed for whatever consideration and this is not good for our nascent democracy. The cliché “go to court” has become a mockery statement against the judiciary because the mockers know that justice will never be obtained in a court of laws in Nigeria.
However, some judgment like Caesar’s wife are above board. They have performed creditably well in the administration and dispensation of justice. They have stood their grounds in seeing that justice is not only done but manifestly seen to be done. I doff my hat for them.
Let that day not come when an ordinary man in the street of Nigeria is made to understand that he can no longer get justice from our courts, that day will signal a warning short for chaos, anarchy and civil disobedience which will be better imagined than experienced. It could also lead to self-help where angry Nigerians will purchase cutlasses and guns to settle their scores on the ill maintained roads in Nigeria rather than go to court.
The reasons why the quality of judgments from the bench has greatly depreciated cannot be far-fetched. Over bearing pressure on the judiciary by their pay masters, lack of courage to say no to those pressures and the character and quality of those recruited and are been recruited into the bench. The rot in the judiciary can be attributed to all these.
I appeared before a High Court Judge in Abuja when you needed leave of court to commence an action under fundamental Human rights. At the stage of exparte seeking the leave of court, the judge granted me all the prayers including N500 million damages against the Police. I sought for an audience with the Judge in chambers and educated him on what to do and the appropriate order to be made at that stage. He thanked me and I have to refile my processes.
Again I was in court while a matter was going on, a lawyer stood up and said to the Judge that he was asking for an adjournment to enable him file processes for joinder. The judge without any process before him ruled “parties sought to be joined are hereby joined” and gave a date for the hearing of the matter. Processes not before him, no name of persons to be joined before him, yet the trial Judge proceeded to join the parties. Being the most senior lawyer in court, I stood up and asked the Judge to see him in chambers. He obliged me and in the chamber I corrected him and told him the proper thing to be done. He thanked me and said “I did not want the job but I was forced to take up the job”. I prefer administration where I was before being made a Judge. To me there was no passion for the job. What you see you take. The greatest enemy to enduring, focused and seasoned judiciary is quota system which enthrone mediocrity.
It will interest you to know sir that as at 2024, the Supreme Court of Nigeria is still handling cases of 2011 to 2013, making them to be in deficit of more than 10 years. The slow nature in the dispensation of justice in Nigeria has led to self-help in many cases which is inimical to our legal system.
Rightly or wrongly, there are six geopolitical zones in Nigeria created by the military –Late General Sani Abacha dispensation. The beauty of such creation is now coming out. I suggest for justice delivery and quick dispensation of justice that we have seven Supreme Court in Nigeria:
Supreme Court of Nigeria
Supreme Court of Nigeria North Central zone
Supreme Court of Nigeria North East Zone
Supreme Court of Nigeria North West Zone
Supreme Court of Nigeria South West Zone
Supreme Court of Nigeria South East Zone
Supreme Court of Nigeria South-South Zone
Each of them to be headed by Chief Justice of Nigeria South East Zone etc to the Zone-Interestingly no geopolitical zone has less than three (3) Courts of Appeal. All the cases from Federal High Courts including National industrial courts will terminate at the Supreme Court of Nigeria. All other cases from each geopolitical zone will terminate in the Supreme Court of that geopolitical zone. The magistrate Court in that zone, the customary courts in that zone, the High Courts in that zone, the Courts of Appeal in that zone will have their cases terminated at the Supreme Court of that zone.
Recall sir that we have the history of every four years election in Nigeria. A year before the election, courts are inundated with pre-election matters that go up to the Supreme Court. Then the main election proper which go upto the Supreme Court in most of them. All these are excess baggages on the Supreme Court at the expense of normal cases.
The above require amendments of the constitution to accommodate these suggestions. Kindly sir sponsor executive bill to that effect.
CORRUPTION AND NEPOTISM
Corruption which is the baptismal name of our country travels in the direction of Nepotism and should be discouraged where people from a particular area are placed in strategic positions, it makes corruption easier. Our former president General Muhammadu Buhari single handedly midwifed that monster called Nepotism. Being a military man, he may not have known the import of his actions. You are by your actions, nourishing and garnishing nepotism. May be the next President will codify it by making a law that when anyone is in power, only his/her people will occupy juicy strategic positions. People are doing state capturing but for you sir, it is appointment capturing.
How can you justify this appointment-capturing in a country of more than 200 million people, majority of juicy appointments are given to a particular tribe. This in itself offends the constitutional provisions on federal character. The former president did it with impunity and walked away with it. You should have departed from that totally. How can you justify the following appointments to wit:
Inspector General of the Police – South West
Executive Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission – South West
Chief of Army Staff – South West
Director General Department of State Services – South West
Comptroller General of Customs – South West
Comptroller General of Immigration – South West
Governor Central Bank of Nigeria – South West
Finance Minister – South West
Executive Chairman of Federal Inland
Revenue Service – South West
Head of Service of the Federation – South West
Just to name a few. Where are the other tribes factored into this equation.
The difference between you and General Muhammad Buhari is that the later is a conscripted politician whereas you are a core politicians who should be better informed. The federal character is a sine quo to good governance. It enthrones excellence based on the content of your brain as against your colour, tribe or religious affiliation.
Corruption is the greatest bane of this our beloved country and it cuts across every spheres/strata of governance. It is pronounced everywhere. Unless and until we start asking the source of monies been expended by certain individuals that does not add up to their legitimate income, the worse we will continue to become. The punishment for corruption is too mild and romantic and should be revisited.
It appears to me sir that the accusatorial system of our criminal jurisprudence is not helping matters especially where an accused is presumed innocent until the contrary is proved. I advocate that we adopt the French system of inquisitorial criminal justice system where an accused is not presumed innocent but has to prove his innocence. In French system once you are accused of an offence, you remain in custody until you prove your innocence.
In Nigeria, this is not so, someone who has deeped his hands into the treasury of the nation and collected billions of naira is granted bail and he walks around as if nothing has happened.
For states to survive and thrive, tribes must die. Unless we shade ourselves of tribalism and acquire this toga of stateism the journey to the Promised Land will continue to be a mirage. Where the contents of brain does not matter, mediocrity is enthroned.
CHANGE OF NAME:
Who gave us this name Nigeria? When a name has been decimated and compromised for one reason or the other, the need arises for the name to be changed. The name Nigeria appears to be a spent force with numerous uncomplimentary attachments. The name Nigeria has turned out to be a liability to Nigerians. In ordinary life, when a person is not doing well or his given name appears to be militating against him, the name can be changed.
Upper Volta changed her name to Burkina Faso, Gold Coast changed her name to Ghana, Tanganyika and Zambezi changed their name to Tanzania. Dahomey changed her name to Togo. Ivory Coast changed her name to Cote D’ Voire. The change of name is not a new thing and must be encouraged.
Even in the Bible, names were changed from Abram to Abraham, Jacob to Israel, Saul to Paul etc. Sincerely, speaking, there are things that are associated with names. I recall vividly when you said in one of your visits to the Redeemed Christian Church of God during your wife’s ordination, our father in the Lord, Pastor E.A Adeboye gave you the name Abraham. Abraham means father of the nation. Today you are the father a nation called Nigeria. There is something in a name.
I support and suggest strongly that the name of Nigeria should be changed likewise the green passport including the flag. If you can resurrect the national anthem that was buried since 1978, I see no problem in the changing of the name of Nigeria. Any International airport you arrived, immediately you bring out the green passport, a red flag is shown to you making you to go through rigorous screening. You have all it takes to set up a Committee to suggest new names for Nigeria, flag design etc.
Originally, we were using pounds, shillings and pence until 1st January, 1973 when the then Head of state General Yakubu Gowon changed our currency to Naira and kobo. Nigeria was driving right hand until 2nd April, 1972 when the then head of States General Yakubu Gowon changed it to left hand drive, we were originally using feet and inches, it was changed to metres. The former capital of Nigeria was Lagos, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida changed it to Abuja via a decree.
Nigeria used to have Regions before –the North , East, West and Mid-West on the 27th of May, 1967, General Yakubu Gowon the then head of states created twelve (12) states out of what used to be four regions. Today, we have thirty six (36) states plus FCT all creations of previous Heads of state.
The only thing that is permanent is this journey of life is change. I submit with every humility that the name of Nigeria should be changed to a new name. If I am asked to suggest which is not binding, I will suggest Democratic Republic of southern and Northern protectorates, United States of Southern and Northern Protectorates.
SECURITY REPORTS/INSECURITY
Urban migration, scarcity of food etc are direct consequences of insecurity which has taken over our country. The monster called insecurity can never be an albatross (bird of good omen) but a dangerous trend that has found its way into our country. To successfully fight this insecurity, it must be everybody’s business. The security architecture must be re-designed to effectively combat the menace of insecurity. The changing of the security architecture must include but not limited to state policing. All hands must be on deck for us to effectively tackle insecurity but you have to take the lead. Hunger is starring on our faces due to insecurity. Food stuff prices have gone beyond the roof tops. This is largely informed by insecurity as famers cannot go to their farms because of fear of terrorists or herdsmen.
Is it not in the interest of our dear nation that we convoke a sovereign national conference to determine the way forward or dust up the previous reports of previous conferences to see what we can make out of them? It is evidently clear that the principles upon which our founding fathers founded our country are no longer feasible? Let us have a rethink on the actual way to move our country forward. Our country is drifting and state ship is rudderless.
The land has been saturated with innocent blood, all of them crying for atonement. Precious lives have been wasted due to insecurity and Nigerians live by day. Most people in Abuja are refugees because they cannot go home and some are in exile in Abuja. If we don’t confront insecurity head on, it will confront and defeat us.
Let us speak to issues without minding whose ox is gored. Any insecurity no matter under any guise that lasted for more than one week, some people are benefiting from it. You need no afa or soothsayer to tell you Mr. President, that people are benefitting from this insurgency or insecurity.
Looking at the budget, Defense and Security got N4.9 trillion, the highest representing almost 10% of the entire budget. The budget for Defence and Security is high because of insecurity. If this amount so budgeted at N200,000 per month will give 2,250,000 graduates employment in one year. If this number of graduates is shared among thirty six (36) states that made up Nigeria and Abuja making it thirty seven (37) states, each states and Abuja will get 60,180 graduates employed out of the budget for Defense and Security.
There must be holistic look at the Security architecture in our country to cut down our expenses that end up in personal pockets.N4.9 trillion for defence and Security is whopping and a big drain in the treasury of our country. Therefore insecurity must be addressed with the marching gloves it deserves.
ESTABLISHMENT OF DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION IN VARIOUS GEOPOLITICAL ZONES
Of recent, successful moves have been made for the establishment of development commissions in various geo political zones. The battle before its creation has started for the soul of the Commissions. Readily in our mind is that of South East Development Commission wherein lists are being changed like wrapper. My fear is let the Commission not be a cash cow for politicians who use such Commission to unreligiously enrich themselves at the detriment of development. The establishment of the said Commission is a welcome development but their terms and conditions must be elegantly and strictly spelt out. This Commission is for interconnectivity of states within that zone and not a cash cow for politicians to enrich themselves.
The greatest bane of any developmental stride is the greed and insatiable appetite of politicians. To them, it is business as usual, and safari suit party always. What is been given to the commissions to function is tax payers money and monies from oil revenue. I did not see in the offices created for the Commission, office of Executive Director Legal and Corporate Services. The office if created will overlook what is being done there legally especially the award of contracts. If there is any lacuna in the contract awarded, he should be held liable and he must be a signatory to every contract awarded.
You must put in place checks and balances to ensure judicious expenditure of monies appropriated to the commissions. There must be an end to irresponsible spending. This development Commissions is a master stroke however, you have to stand firm not to allow the motive defeated.
NNAMDI KANU
A lot has been said and is still being said about the confinement and incarceration of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. You are standing at a strategic junction to rewrite the history of that young man’s incarceration by doing the needful. The needful, being releasing him from the ghetto and asking your Attorney General who is a lawyer of repute to enter nolli in the matter.
I will refrain from making any comment about the merit or demerit of the case since it is still pending in court. To comment on a pending matter in court will bring me to the threshold of contempt of court which will not speak well for myself considering my age at the bar.
Nonagenarian late Mbazuluike Amaechi led a delegation of eminent Ibos to see former President Muhamadu Buhari with a simple request to release Nnamdi Kanu to him. That request was not granted until the man died. Let that remain on record for history to judge. The government of the day then hid under the guise that the matter is court. They are not talking to children. There is always a political angle to any crisis and I want you sir to adopt that political angle by releasing that Youngman. He has been over incarcerated and enough is enough.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari is a conscripted politician but you are a core politician who knows and understands political terrain. It will therefore not be lacking in your political dictionary the word “political angle” to an issue. That young man has overstayed and I lend my voice to calling for his immediate release.
You will achieve more fame now than using him for political horse trading. He is a determined person, focused and resolute. set him free now and whatever you want to talk with him go ahead later but don’t use him for political horse trading it will not work.
Jasper Adaka Isaac Boro led a twelve day revolution, which was crushed, tried and condemned but was released by General Yakubu Gowon. What he fought for is still staring us on our faces today- Marginalization. He was the Nostradamus of Ijaw People, he saw the tomorrow of his people and went ahead for the liberty of his people but met a brick wall. Yet God spared his life and he did not die in the hands of hangman. General Yakubu Gowon released him.
Pa Obafemi Awolowo was hauled into jail by tax masters on allegations that cannot be substantiated. Judiciary has not stopped doing violence to people that stand out for their people. “My hands are tied” were the words that sent a nationalist of repute to jail even when justice did not say so.
On the assumption of office, one would have thought that your pre-occupation was to clear the system of the stench odour created by previous administration by setting free all political prisoners and starting on a clean slate. Why the delay.
The price for bad governance in any society is dissenting voices, opposition and threat to break away. After all freedom of association and movement are constitutionally guaranteed. Self-determination is equally a fundamental human right constitutionally guaranteed.
Cry for freedom and liberation of his people is not peculiar to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Sunday Igboho said so and did so where is Sunday Igboho? He is in his house.
On this issue of Mazi Nnmadi Kanu, I join others and well-meaning Nigerians to ask for his immediate release. He has overstayed and there is no justification for it.
OTHER RELATED MATTERS.
Late justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Chukwudifu Oputa said concerning politicians “What they tell you in the morning is correct, in the afternoon is doubtful and in the evening, it is false”. With this rainbow colour of what politicians says, how do you believe them? Winston Churchill said that “Politicians don’t believe what they tell you”, so they laugh at you when you believe them”.
Your rise in political sphere is meteoric from Senator to Governor and now President. Having gone from legislature to executive, no one will doubt your integrity and capacity to handle issues decisively. Note also that your meteoric rise is for a purpose and that purpose is to reposition Nigeria for a greater height.
You are not looking for money, God has blessed you and your generations after. What is left and desired of you is to reshape, remodel, reposition and restructure Nigeria. Do this, your name will be engraved in gold, generation to come will forever be grateful to God for producing a man like you. You will pass through this way but once, if therefore there is anything you will do, do it now, do not defer or neglect it, for you will not pass this way again.
Beneath our feet are trillions of minerals given to Nigerians by God for the benefit of everybody. Selfishness and greed did not allow our leaders to harness the God given resources for the benefits of us. Who is fooling who? Sir, it will take you only one thing to put our country on the right path of enduring wealth. That thing is will power. Muster the willpower today and say no to the drifting of the ship of state. If we continue the way we are going, children unborn and those already born will continue to pay debts, they did not owe or borrow.
Sir, prayer is not in the success equation but in the spiritual equation. Decision making is in the success equation. You can take decision that will turn around this country by putting your legs on the grounds and saying no to avoidable wastes.
By the time you assumed office, the economy was in a very bad shape, indeed, it was beyond comatose. To deny this fact is to do violence to history and injury to sacred facts. I also agree that it is more difficult and expensive to amend a house than build a new one. In so doing, you have to recruit the best brains and individuals that are patriotic enough. I know such people are difficult to come by but they exist in our society.
Election is a process and that process at all levels must be interrogated to ascertain its transparency. Elections in Nigeria, and you cannot feign ignorance of the fact that they are heavily compromised. It is this grossly rigged and heavily compromised elections that throw up people without conscience and character. Once an election is compromised, the occupant donates himself or herself to blackmail. This our country thrives on blackmail.
To get electoral processes right, there must be the willpower to unbundle INEC and make it a strong institution with corresponding powers to resolutely discharge their statutory functions. Three commissions should be created from INEC, each having a Chairman with specific functions. Though the three Commissions will be interdependently dependent, they will act as checks and balances amongst themselves.
Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua said that the system that threw him up as President of Nigeria was crassly faulty and assured Nigerians he will give them a sustainable and dependable electoral process and body. Death came knocking and took away his life. Kindly sir embark on electoral reform that will guarantee free and fair elections.
Remember also sir that the bottled anger of Nigerians principally stem up from rigged election and the failure of Judiciary to do justice in any given situation. Where there is injustice, there is always resistance from the people which will eventually lead to breakdown of law and order.
Institutions in Nigeria must be strengthened to the level of their independence in carrying out their statutory functions. Till today, American court is insisting that the incoming president Donald trump must be sentenced. How dare you say so in Nigeria else you find yourself in perpetual confinement if you are lucky otherwise you will be sent on permanent transfer. When Donald Trump lost election, he was reluctant to leave White House, the whole American Security agencies were on alert to evict him and try him. No institution in Nigeria can do that.
Sir, build a strong institution and not strong individuals. Individuals manipulate the system to suit themselves and their loyalists whereas strong institution stand in defence of the people. Strong institutions are what we need to confront this hydra headed monster called corruption and to make people behave rightly.
There is need to act fast. The country is hemorrhaging, hunger all over the land and youths in despair, adult totally confused and children crying without any comforter, women and young girls on the street compromising their bodies for food to be on the table. Churches and mosques praying for help from God. Drugs for elderly people are out of reach, basic food unreachable because of the prices. Cost of everything above roof tops. I asked when will help come from God and I was referred to the book of Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verse 11 which said “God maketh things good in His own time not our time. When I asked further when will the time come,, I was referred to the book of Prophet Isaiah 55 verse 12 “Our ways are not His ways meaning that what He said He will do, He will do but at His own time.
I have spoken in this letter like a Pentecostal pastor, what I did not remember to say, May God Almighty say it to you in the language and manner you will hear and understand.
I am signing this letter in three colours, black signifying the mourning state of our dear nation, Red signifying the bleeding/hemorrhaging state of our economy and Green signifying that all hope is not lost for I see light at the end of the tunnel.
Accept the assurances my highest regards.
Yours faithfully,
Amobi Nzelu Esq.
Amobi Nzelu & Co. PP
