NNDJ ISSUES: November 20, 1999: ISSUE - Senate President Okadigbo'sAscension

[Mobolaji E. Aluko]

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Nigerian News Du Jour ISSUES
November 20, 1999
ISSUE - Senate President Okadigbo's Ascension

Features:

1. At Senate, It's Dawn Of A New Day [A Story of the Legislative Moves]
2. Okadigbo: Home to Roost [A Story of the Man Called Okadigbo]
3. Enwerem's Removal Shocks Owerri Residents [Expectedly]

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Guardian
Saturday, 20 November 1999

Cover

At Senate, it's dawn of a new day

From Abiodun Adeniyi, Abuja

SUDDENLY and unexpectedly, the political equation changed again. This
time on the floor of the Senate, in what signifies the essence and
intricacies of democracy.

Thursday witnessed the swiftest moves in the practice of Nigeria's
young, new democratic. The legislators hardly thought it would happen.
Those who removed Chief Evan Enwerem were not prepared for it as well.
One thing simply led to another. One step gave birth to the other and
one action culminated into more serious actions. The direction was
unmistakeable-the Senate needed another leader.

Before the twist, senators felt their reputation had suffered greatly
because of the endless controversies over Chief Enwerem's alleged past
and improprieties. Even if they had over the months managed to be
silent on charges, the last decision by the House of Representatives
rendered unpleasant blow. The senators were concerned. Many were
angered. A lot more were firm on the fact that the former Imo State
Governor, must be removed before all could be well with the
institution.

Much as the Representatives' position that the impeached Senate
President will not preside at any joint session being morally
incapable to so do, tripped some senators, it was not strong enough to
push them to action. But at least, in their reckoning, "we will remove
him on our own volition, when we are ready," Gbenga Aluko said,
adding," we did not ask that Salisu Buhari (former Representatives'
speaker) should go. His records saw him off. So the question of
revenge should not come like I have heard in some circles. We are not
saying Enwerem is the best man, but we should be allowed to move at
our own pace." The reasoning of Senator Aluko was common place. It was
shared by senators Lekan Balogun (Oyo), Tokunboh Afikuyomi (Lagos)
Kura Mohammed (Kano) and many senators of the people's Democratic
Party (PDP) which Enwerem's party.

The impact of the Representatives' stance sunk when the Canadian Prime
Minister, Jean Chretien visited. He was to address a joint session of
the National Assembly. But the lower house's decision on
non-recognition for Enwerem as chairman of joint session was
subsisting. Senators would, according to Aluko, have to swallow their
pride if speaker Ghali Na'abba will have to preside. No way, the
senators thought. Remarkably, they were unanimous on this. But a deep
feeling reigned that something would eventually be done. The question
was when?

On Wednesday right, Alliance for Democracy (AD) senators had an
extensive consultation over goings-on in the senate at the Apo village
residence of their leader, Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa. The senators,
regarded as a crop of vocal men, easily for their commitment to
principles were for once, concerned about their regular defence of
Enwerem, even in the face of alleged glaring bankruptcy. What to do?
They resolved to back any further move as long as basic groundworks
are prepared.

The 18 AD senators whose thinking was regarded as basis for opinion
framework were immediately sounded out on Thursday morning when
Enwerem reportedly created grounds for his removal. AD senators told
those championing his impeachment that their concern was for a
successor. They reportedly desired a successor who would not be
confrontational as to rock the boat to the new democracy, captained by
Olusegun Obasanjo.

Senator Chuba Okadigbo was called before them. Having been advertised
as the consensus successor, the AD senators barred their minds.
Okadigbo, the man of the moment, assured them that he would not be
confrontational, but would keep the integrity of the senate. While
lobbying was also on in the chamber, AD leaders led some of the
party's senators to meet Okadigbo again. He reiterated his assurance.
They congratulated him in advance thereafter.

Importantly, the stand of AD senators was the last obstacle that paved
the way for Enwerem's fall. Senator Hairat Abdulrasaq (Federal Capital
Territory) who jointly coordinated the collection of anti-Enwerem
signatures consequently had an increased reception from her peers. The
stage was now set. The die was pretty close to being cast. Enwerem's
job was on the line.

A few of the men including Ibrahim Mantu, John Waku, Isa Mohammed, and
Hyde Onuaguluchi were of the view that the man should not be
outrightly disgraced. They thought he should be given the resignation
option. After all, he said long before now that he would resign
whenever senators wanted him to do so. On the strength of these words,
his "friends" were told to prevail on him to step-down, voluntarily.
They went but he rebuffed them. South-Eastern senators were also asked
to go and plead with him to leave. To Enwerem, that was out of the
question. Next, principal officers were told to go. He turned down
their requests. The only grounds he reportedly conceded to was that he
should be given up to next Tuesday. when pressures persisted, he said
yesterday (Friday) would be alright.

The senators may not have acted so fast if they were not immediately
triggered. How? Enwerem, who had almost exhausted the goodwill from
senators walked into the assembly chamber minutes past 10 a.m.
Quickly, he judged that there was no quorum. Meanwhile, senators were
already sensitive to growing criticisms that they are absentee
legislators. Enwerem was told to patiently await his men. No, he
ruled. He adjourned quickly for "lack of quorum". The politicians
became impatient.

One after the other, they called themselves, 94 of them were already
in the chamber. Enwerem was called to come and preside, and let there
be session. He ignored the call saying he has constitutionally
adjourned the House. Further pleas to the contrary were
discountenanced. Trouble brewed thereafter.

With that overwhelming majority, the senators were encourage. The
clerk was called to organise the mace-the house symbol of authority.
He did. Deputy Senate President, Alhaji Haruna Abubakar was asked to
mount the exalted seat. He did. A fully recognised constitutional
session was therefore in place.

After the committee of the whole house session where Enwerem's alleged
obstinacy was reviewed, the chamber was opened to the public. Idris
Abubakar (Gombe South), unarguably one of the most regular
contributors in the chamber, began discussions by invoking order 15 of
the Senate Rules which talked about privileges and allows matters of
urgent importance to be raised.

He declared: "In raising this issue of privileges, section 4 of the
1999 Constitution states that legislators can legislate on any matter.
That oversight functions can be performed. That the National Assembly
is an independent arm of government which can take over governance if
the situation calls for it. As such, the legislature needs every
confidence to perform. No doubt, the President of the Senate has
rightly or wrongly acquired the disenchantment of the senate. The
confidence is no longer there. And the mandate he enjoys is the
mandate of the senate. The senate has a duty to review it as the
senate should not fail as a body because of inabilities."

Abubakar thereafter asked that the rules of the senate be sustained
while they should discuss whether or not the removed president should
continue. The motion was seconded by Senator Tokunboh Afikuyomi.
Senator Abdulrasaq also gave her blessings before the presiding Deputy
Senate President drew the curtains on supports. It was clear where the
overwhelming position was. Every contributor thereafter advanced
discussions towards Enwerem's fall. No tears were shed when it
eventually happened. Generally, Enwerem is believed to have fallen
because:

* he allegedly failed to complete the process of defending himself
against all allegations raked up by Tell magazine on his past
misdeeds;

* he downplayed the depth of the outcome of House of
Representatives judicial Committee's investigation of the charges by
not meeting with them as was required;

* he lacked the required dynamism that would have enabled him rise
above the presidential sponsorship stigma and control the legislature
as a true, natural leader

* he wrongly moved to take them (senators) for a "ride and for
granted" by adjourning at will on a false premise of absence of
quorum;

* his alleged incompetence was exposed by the qualities of his
deputy whose session as presiding officer witnessed an energised,
humorous and well-controlled senate.

Reacting to the development, however, the Presidency which has been
rightly or wrongly accused of being an 'Enwerem backer,' said through
Presidential Liaison Officer (PLO) (Senate) Alhaji Kashim-Imam that
the wish of the senate is most respected. His words: "You are all
witnesses to what happened this afternoon. I have the authority of the
president to say that the decision of the senate be respected. We
congratulate Okadigbo on his unanimous election. I extend President
Obasanjo's regards. We are one. We shall remain one. And we shall
always be one." For now, the senate will surely not be the same again.

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Guardian
Saturday, 20 November 1999

Okadigbo: Home to roost

By Wale Fatade

Unlike Enwerem his predecessor, Okadigbo was not in the forefront of
an Abacha presidency. He managed to wriggle himself out of the
dictator's iron grip. He was to disclose that he was offered a good
money, big, big money "to support Abacha" but the spectacle of Chuba
Okadigbo as a plain national and international beggar, sycophant and
bootlicker was to me unimaginable, unacceptable even at the risk of
suicide or death." A tactical withdrawal was the next option for
Okadigbo and this he did.

THE chicken has finally come home to roost. Like a weasel that emerged
from the drainpipe shinier than it went in, Chukwumba Okadigbo, doctor
of political science finally became the Senate President on Thursday.
The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

Enter political gladiator and orator, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo.

Dressed always in a red cap over traditional attires, with a horse
tail in hand and an innocuous mien, you get the feeling of the old
wise man in African fables. Deep. Sombre. Reflective.

However, Okadigbo is not only all of these. Over the years, he has
also acquired a reputation of a brilliant and sharp shooter who not
only aim at his preys but rather ironically alert his target of the
coming missile. With Okadigbo, you know where you stand and since they
say politics is a game suited only for those who can engage in the art
of pretence, one begins to wonder how he has made a success of his
political career over the years.

As he himself asserts, politics is a science of the possible, not that
of the outmost desirable. How he lost out in the race that produced
Enwerem as Senate President would surely remain a very good study
material for political scientists. Many believed it was a straight
forward race between him and Senator Ike Nwachukwu only for Enwerem to
not only surface at the close of the race but also going ahead to win.

Okadigbo's dip into the murky political waters was in the First
Republic. Then he was a member of staff of the National Council of
Nigeria and Camerouns (NCNC) employed as organising secretary in
charge of Surulere and Yaba. As ardent Zikist, he faithfully supported
the mentor of the movement, the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.

Okadigbo later got into national prominence when in 1977 he resigned
his job as a lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka to contest
election into the Constituent Assembly. This enabled him to
participate in fashioning the 1979 Constitution. Subsequently, he
became national deputy secretary of the defunct National Party of
Nigeria (NPN) and Special Adviser on Political Affairs to President
Shehu Shagari in the Second Republic.

His metamorphosis from NCNC to NPN, later the Peoples Democratic
Movement (PDM), one of the groups which later fused to become Social
Democratic Party and later two of "five fingers of the same leprous
hands", as parties under the late Sani Abacha were called.

After seeing the trend of political events which is believed to have
favoured the UNCP then seen as the "official party", Okadigbo
abandoned the sinking ship of DPN, casting his aspirations with UNCP
and later GDM. He later explained this as being on the side of his
people: "Why must I be working against their interest," Okadigbo
wondered.

He was even cast in the moulds of political opportunists who love
clustering around corridors of power parroting ideologies and
principles. For such people, Okadigbo defends himself by saying:
"There is no political party based on ideology in Nigeria. The
Nigerian political culture is today basically conservative. It is not
revolutionary and apart from that conservative tendency, there is a
dominance of ethnicity and religious loyalties.

"These are not signs of a radical or revolution beat. No political
party has ever gone that far to push them beyond this natural
conservatism," he added.

Ironically to some, the new Senate President is a courageous and
fearless political scientist turned politician whose major asset is
not compromising on matters of principles. Indeed, they believed this
knack for rigidity and unwillingness to be a stooge cost him the
Senate Presidency in June. He similarly lost the seat to Dr. Iyorcha
Ayu in the failed transition programme of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida,
which also plotted Ayu's removal, paving the way for Ameh Ebute.

Curiously, he abandoned the struggle for validation of June 12, 1993
presidential elections of which he was one of the architects. The well
oiled PDM political machine then headed by the late Shehu Musa
Yar'Adua was instrumental to the emergence of the late Chief Moshood
Abiola as SDP's presidential flag bearer at the historic Jos
convention of the party. Okadigbo would however blame the Yoruba,
particularly Alhaji Lateef Jakande, as one of the Yoruba advisers who
misadvised Abiola on how to pursue the actualisation of his mandate.

Okadigbo subsequently became a strong proponent of the Interim
National Government (ING). "I supported the idea of an interim
government because I thought that the best thing was to agree to a
civilian arrangement, the different shades of opinion can then come
together to resolve the matters so that in the process, Abiola would
find it easier to regain or reclaim his well-deserved mandate. I have
come to understand that politics, as defined by Aristotle, is a
science of the possible, not that of extremely desirable".

Unlike Enwerem his predecessor, Okadigbo was not in the forefront of
an Abacha presidency. He managed to wriggle himself out of the
dictator's iron grip. He was to disclose that he was offered a good
money, big, big money" to support Abacha "but the spectacle of Chuba
Okadigbo as a plain national and international beggar, sycophant and
bootlicker was to me unimaginable, unacceptable even at the risk of
suicide or death." A tactical withdrawal was the next option for
Okadigbo and this he did.

Okadigbo has remained constant on two major issues. First is his rabid
hatred for military in governance. To him, the evil that has befallen
Nigeria is caused "by the military. They brought civil war, they
brought marginalisation and destroyed the Nigerian federation handed
down by our founding fathers.

"Under their hegemony, the people became criminally minded because
heroes they see on television are the people who got there by power of
arms. So they want to get there through arms to acquire people's money
and properties," he enthused.

Expectedly, he does nothing without weighing the interest of his
kinsmen, the Igbo. He initiated the 1982 state pardon granted former
warlord Chief Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu and also mobilised Igbo to fight
for additional states in 1991 under Babangida.

His Lagos house which is located close to Tin Can port is not an
accident. It was designed to favour his people. "My people are
involved in container business, they come to me and I broker a deal
for them and if they require some amount of dollars to get a container
or two and I know my profit will be proportional to my investment and
time, I help them and when they sell, they give me my profit," he
said.

His predilection towards veering off the mark with his words may have
beeen another obstacle towards his having a smooth sail as Senate
President. In 1983, he vilified the late Azikiwe for criticising
Shagari, describing his comments as the "rantings of an ant", though
he apologised claiming he was "quoted out of context". To the surprise
of many, he sponsored a motion during the week to honour Zik and
complete his mausoleum and other structures built to immortalise him.

During the race for senate presidency in June, Okadigbo averred in
advertisement in newspapers that all his "academic credentials
manifest the truth and are open to imperial evaluation, in any shape
or form, country or nation, asking anybody to publish any evidence to
the contrary of the foregoing, subjecting whoever and whatever that
can contradict the foregoing to the strictest proof with a clincher: I
ask for the maximum punishment under any law or laws of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria by the evidence of the strictest proof of any lie,
falsehood or shrink of the aforementioned facts and truth.

Born on December 17, 1941, in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, he attended
schools in Asaba, Irrua, Onitsha, former East Germany and United
States of America. He taught in University of Distinct of Columbia,
Centre for Inter-Disciplinary and Policy Studies. Married to juliet
Ifeoma Nwokoye with 10 children, Okadigbo is an author, businessman
and publisher.

His book Power and Leadership in Nigeria remains a classic text on
Nigeria politics. He was also publisher of the defunct Platform
magazine.

Undoubtedly,the senate is going to be a more interesting political
arena as Okadigbo finally climbs the saddle.

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Guardian
Saturday, 20 November 1999

Enwerem's removal shocks Owerri residents

From Chukwujekwu Ilozue (Owerri), Sunny Igboanugo (Enugu), Uduma Kalu
(Lagos)

OWERRI, the Imo State capital was calm yesterday morning as residents
tried to come to terms with the impeachment of Chief Evans Enwerem as
Senate President, Enwerem hails from the state.

In most homes, residents stayed glued to either their radio or
television sets to monitor developments. At the newsstands too,
readers scrambled for the newspapers that had the story.

Reactions from Kwara, Oyo and Enugu states on the impeachment were
both cautious and direct.

Elsewhere in Owerri, Enwerem's acolytes met to discuss the incident.
They had planned to protest his travails a fortnight ago but were
stopped by the Senator. One of them, Chief Obdediah Ugochukwu said:
"This (removal) is a terrible news. All the efforts made to have the
Senate see reason and rethink its plans are abortive. There is nothing
else we can do.

Looking gloomy, Ugochuchukwu who was Works and Transport commissioner
when Enwerem was Imo State governor wished that the Senators had
allowed his boss to continue as their president.

Leader of Enwerem's committee of friends in the state, Dr. Joseph
Iroegbu expressed similar feeling as Ugochukwu.

Iroegbu, a Health Commissioner during Enwerem's tenure as governor,
regretted that Enwerem was not allowed to enjoy his tenure as senate
president. He berated Tell magazine for exposing the former Senate
President's past, saying Enwerem's opponents are the masterminds of
the publication.

However, there is the Anambra twist to the issue with the belief in
some quaters that though Enwerem accepted his fate, his successor Dr.
Chuba Okadigbo worked assidiously to oust him from office.

Mr. Paul Egesi, a photographer believes that Okadigbo and Chief Arthur
Nzeribe should be held responsible for Enwerem's ouster. In his view,
the battle for the senate presidency was far from being won at the
first election.

In Enugu, Enwerem's removal was the subject of discussion yesterday.
Though most newspapers in Enugu did not carry the story, many who
anxiously awaited the arrival of The Guardian, the only newspaper that
circulates in the city same day, discussed in high tones, the
development which, though had been speculated, obviously took many by
surprise.

The issue also doominated discussioon at drinking spots and offices.
Majority of the people were happy that an Igbo man was chosen as
Enwerem's successor.

Igboezue Cultural Association (ICA) hailed the development, saying
that if Enwerem's removal was all it took to bring the crisis of
leadership at the National Assembly to a stop, it was a welcome
development.

Chief Chekwas Okorie, national leader of the association, apparently
referring to the refusal of the House of Representatives to attend any
joint session of the National Assembly presided over by Enwerem hoped
that the legislature would now sit down for business.

The group is particularly happy with the smooth change of leadership.

"The Senate has redeemed itself. Because the Senate put itself there
in the first place, but it has redeemed itself," he stated, adding
that it was gladdening that the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Alhaji Umar Ghali Na'abba watched the development and
embraced Okadigbo.

This, in his view, indicates a harmonious relationship between the two
chambers of the National Assembly. "We are therefore, looking forward
to the Assembly re-focusing itself to its primary assignment so that
Nigerians can at least benefit from their presence there and realise
the objectives for which they were elected in the first place," Okorie
said.

The ICA advised Okadigbo to prove to the nation that the Igbo are
capable of providing purposeful leadership at the national level.

It said: "Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe did it, Dr. Nwafor Orizu also did it at
that level and in the same position. We are looking forward to his
(Okadigbo) improving on their peformances, so that both Ndigbo and the
nation will be proud of him.

"It is said that Chief Enwerem did not quite live up to that
expectation and that is what resorted to that change. But at least our
fear of a major dislocaiton that would deny us that position has been
removed by the transition from one Igbo son to another," the group
added.

National Vice-Chairman of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Chief Ayo
Fasanmi lauded the sanators' action.

Fasanmi who disagreed with calls on Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu
to resign, described Enwerem's impeachment as a welcome development
for the nation's nascent democracy. "I feel very happy about the news.
It shows we are having the spirit of accountability. A man convicted
of perjury and forgery should not be allowed to preside over the
senate," he said in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The AD leader who declined comments on Okadigbo said the senate should
have a capable leadership.

He pointed out that "a number three citizen of the country must be
someone with unquestionable character."

On the alleged falsification of age and certificate by Tinubu, Fasanmi
advised against comparing the case with that of Enwerem. "What else do
you want, Tinubu's case rests only with the state House of Assembly
and they have decided on the matter," he concluded.

In Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, a former Works and Housing
Minister, Alhaji Abdulkarim Adisa cautiously reacted to the incident,
saying it as "a dicey development".

"If his (Enwerem) removal is for the growth of democracy, good, but if
it is not, bad", he told The Guardian On Saturday.

Conceding the beauty of democracy to military regime, Adisa urged the
senators to jealously guard democracy in the country.

Earlier, All People's Party (APP) chairman in the state, Professor
Albert Ogunshola said the impeachment is a good development for
democracy.

He said: "We are now trying to operate democracy as it should be. One
element that is obvious is that Enwerem's election became a
contentious issue especially after series of allegations were made
against his personality.

"But one would have expected him to resign honourably rather than
allowing himself to be impeached. Again, he should feel the pulse of
his people at home now to know whether they may recall him, ... and
bow out honourably, to avoid double tragedy."

A member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Tony Anyanwu said the
move was long overdue. He blamed the delay on the different positions
taken by Senators on the issue.

"Based on what we heard, and based on the investigations that we had
made, and as a member of the judiciary committee that conducted the
investigations, undoutedly, the evidence was overwhelming to the
extent that we could reasonably conclude that those allegations were
true," the House of Representative member added.

Anyanwu who represented the Speaker of the House of Representatives at
the launching of "NUPENG: An Example in Porgressive unionism" in Lagos
yesterday, assured that the legislature would now concentrate on its
duties.

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