Although 2017 has rolled away, the events of that shaped the year will certainly have impact in 2018, especially in political circles and even beyond as ELEOJO IDACHABA highlights in this report.
Last year came with lots of promises, hopes and greater expectations for Nigerians, especially under the All Progressives Congress(APC)- led government of President Muhammadu Buhari. Specifically, the government came on board on May 29, 2015 and it had hardly settled down before the year ran out. Largely, 2016 was regarded as the learning curve of the administration, when it is expected to prepare the ground for a smooth take off. However, many Nigerians expected the change that they voted for to start manifesting in 2017. The year has come and gone and it has left sweet and bitter memories in several aspect of the nation’s life. Below are some of the events that shaped 2017.
Buhari’s medical vacation
President Buhari’s medical vacation in London which took him away from the country for almost 104 days, beginning from May 7 to August 20, 2017, was a defining moment for the nation as sparked off a litany of speculations. Even though Vice president Yemi Osinbajo held forth in an acting capacity, government machinery was nonetheless in a near standstill.
Significantly, Osinbajo ran the administration to the admiration of many Nigerians but he kept shuttling between Abuja and London in order to seek clearance from Buhari on certain sensitive matters. Some powerful ministers and aides allegedly shunned Osinbajo, preferring to take instructions from the ailing president. The secrecy surrounding the nature of sickness and when Buhari will return, also unleashed uncertainty and rumour in the country.
Babachir / Oke’s sack
In April 2017, following the indictment of the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr David Babachir Lawal, by the senate over the abuse of government financial regulation in the Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE), President Buhari suspended him in order to pave way for investigation on the matter. Similarly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), acting on a tip off, discovered huge sums of money in a flat at Osborne road Ikoyi, Lagos.
Later, the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) claimed that $43 million belonged to it and that the flat in question belonged to the wife of the Director General of the agency, Ambassador Ayo Oke. Subsequently, President Buhari had set up a three man Committee, comprising the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and the National Security Adviser Mohammed Monguno, under the chairmanship of Vice president Osibanjo. Significantly, the committee was saddled with the responsibility of investigating both Babachir and Oke. The committee finished it’s work within the 14 days given to it but the president was not available to receive and act on the report. At that time, Buhari was in a London hospital. Subsequently, both Oke and Babachir were sacked.
Choosing the CJN
Another remarkable event in 2017 was the drama associated with the appointment of the current Chief Justice of the Federation (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen. Following the expiration of the tenure of CJN Mahmud Mohammed, a vacuum was created. Constitutionally, the president was meant to transmit the name of Mohammed’s successor for confirmation in the senate but for inexplicable reasons, no name was submitted until he left on medical leave.
At this point, the onus lied on Acting president Osinbajo to do the needful in the spirit of what analysts called the doctrine of necessity. As a result, Osinbajo forwarded Onnoghen’s name to the senate for confirmation, dousing tension as he did. Before then, the matter was assuming an ethnic colouration as Igbos were alleging that Buhari wanted to punish them by denying Onnoghen the CJN position because they didn’t vote for APC in the 2015 elections.
IPOB threats to secede
Last year, the agitation for self determination got to its peak as evidenced by the threats of the Indigenous People of Biafra(IPoB) to secede from Nigeria reached a frighten dimension. While every part of the country was calling for a restructured country to reflect true federalism, IPoB wanted the south east geo-political zone to break away from Nigeria.
In fact, they asked their kith and kin in other parts of the country to return home on or before October 1, 2017, when Biafra will be declared. IPoB spokesman Emma Powerful wroted to the United Nations, urging the global body to conduct a referendum on whether or not Igbos want to remain in Nigeria, a place which they pejoratively referred to as a Zoo.
According to reports, IPoB had allegedly printed its currency, flag and named some individuals as its ambassadors and emissaries to other countries. In fact, their threat was constituting serious security risk to the corporate existence of the country.
Northern Youths quit notice
As a counter move, some youths of northern extraction, acting under the auspices of Coalition of Northern Youth Groups, led by Comrade Shettima Yerima, met in Kaduna in July and gave a three months ultimatum to all Igbos resident in the North to leave on or before October 1, 2017. A series of meetings followed as Ohaneze, the apex socio-cultural Igbo group, south east governors and Igbo opinion leaders all denounced IPoB and its secessionist agenda. On August 24, after a meeting with Alhaji Kashim Shettima, the governor of Borno state and chairman of Northern Governors’ Forum, the Coalition of Northern Groups withdrew its quit notice.
Operation Python dance, crocodile smile
Apart from the military operation to crush Boko Haram in the north east, the military also showed its strength in 2017, by engaging in a series of operations aimed at restoring peace, especially in the South east and South south zones.
Specifically, these operations helped in quelling regional insurrections in those areas. By the end of September 2017, after the president had a private meeting with the service chiefs, it was clear that the government was prepared to use military strength to crush IPOB and other militant groups in the country. The operation began in Umuahia in Abia State and moved to Imo and Anambra States in the South East, especially as the Anambra governorship election was around the corner in October.
It could be recalled that IPOB had threatened that the election will not hold but following Operation Python Dance , peace was restored and the people went to polls without threats or intimidation. In the South South where similar agitators were blowing up pipelines, Operation Crocodile Smile chased out the militants from the creeks.
Kidnapping peaked
The year 2017 will be remembered as the year that kidnapping reached its peak. On three separate occasions, Inspector General of Police(IGP), Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, went to Rijana and Katari towns, the most notorious black spots, to find out the true situation of things. Similarly, Minister of Interior, retired General Abdulrahaman Dambazzau was also at Rijana. In 2017, several high profile kidnappings have occurred along Kaduna-Abuja road. Similarly, a retired director of State Security Service, Mike Ejiofor, was also kidnapped along the Okene/Lokoja road last year. So many serving and former law makers were kidnapped and released after payment of ransom in the outgoing year.
However, luck ran out for a notorious kidnapper, Mr Chukwudumeje Onwuamadike, who goes by alias ‘Evans’ as he was apprehended last year in Lagos. Evans who was so elusive, operated with impunity and his victims were people of high standing in society.
Release of Chibok girls
Last year, a large chunk of the students of Government Secondary School Chibok, Borno state, who were abducted by Boko Haram insurgents in 2014, were released after an alleged settlement between the government and the terrorists. Just before President Buhari went on his second medical vacation in May, 82 of the girls were released, out of the 244 girls initially kidnapped. Although some of them had regained freedom earlier, but the number of them released in April was surprisingly high as against the previous ones.
EFCC clash with DSS officials
Last Novemeber, officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) had stormed Mr Ekpenyong Ita, the former Director General of DSS’s residence, trying to effect his arrest.
According to reports, EFCC had invited the ex DG for questioning but Mr Ita had spurned the anti graft agency’s request. Similarly, the commission had written to Mr Ayodele Oke, the immediate past DG of National Intelligence Agency(NIA), regarding the N15 billion loot. Like Ita, Oke also refused to honour the invitation.
However, things came to a head as EFCC officials stormed Ita’s #46, Mamman Nasir street residence, armed with search and arrest warrants, determined to take in the former DSS head around 6.30 am. Similarly, the officials went to Oke’s house, a few blocks away, on the same mission. However, the EFCC operatives met as stiff resistance as DSS officers, in record numbers, had surrounded both residences. Specifically, tension rose as the stand off charged the serene neighborhood. After arguing back and forth, the EFCC officials retreated from the mission and once more, calm returned to the highbrow Asokoro District.
PDP elects officials
On December 9, 2017, the largest opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), held its convention and chose its National Working Committee (NWC) members who will pilot its affairs for the next four years.
Prior to that, there were botched attempts to hold the convention in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital on 17th of August, 2017, where the party ended up with the National Caretaker Committee (NCC), led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi. Among other things, the committee was mandated to conduct an elective convention.
However, Senator Ali Modu Sherrif claimed he was the authentic chairman. Thereafter, a legal long and winding tussle ensued, resulting to a Supreme Court judgment, which declared Makarfi as the authentic chairman of the party.
After the Supreme Court verdict, the caretaker committee quickly organized a non- elective convention which held on 12th August, 2017 at the Eagle Square in Abuja, where Makarfi’s tenure was extended. Thereafter, the NCC started putting structures for the December 9, elective convention, where Prince Uche Secondus was elected National Chairman amidst protests and controversy.
Atiku returns to PDP
When the All Progressives Congress(APC) was being formed, Mr Labaran Maku, as Minister of Information, had labeled former Vice president Atiku Abubakar and his co-travellers as political nomads.
This categorization, more than anybody, fits the Wazirin Adamawa’s political trajectory. On Novemeber 24, 2017, the Fulani-born politician proved Maku right when he defected from APC, citing marginalization and derailment of the party’s core principles. Within a week, Atiku had returned to the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) where he was amongst the founding father in 1999.
Significantly, Atiku was one of the few patriots that defied the Abacha military regime and formed G34, which metamorphosed into the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP). Thereafter, he provided the platform that catapaulted Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, just out of prison, to the presidency. In turn, Atiku became vice president after being duly elected as Adamawa state governor. At first, the relationship between Atiku and his principal was rosy as Obasanjo reportedly said that not even a woman can come between them. However, in 2003, the relationship turned sour as Obasanjo accused Atiku of betrayal and sidelined him in their second term.
Thereafter, he defected to the Action Congress of Nigeria(CAN), a platform that was floated by Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Atiku’s political soul mate. He contested and lost the 2007 election on that party.
However, in 2009, Atiku retraced his steps back to PDP, an action that was greeted with condemnation. From there, the wealthy politician contested the party primaries with Dr Goodluck Jonathan nad was floored by the Ijawman from Otueke. In January 2014, Atiku jumped the PDP ship again and teamed up with others to form APC, a party on whose platform he contested and lost the primaries to General Muhammadu Buhari.
After government was formed, he felt sidelined and yet again, he voted with his feet , citing populist like sideling the youth in governance, clamping down on internal democracy and derailment of APC’s principles. Atiku returned to PDP on December 4, 2017
Although 2017 has rolled by, the events that shaped the year will have impact in 2018, especially in political circles and even beyond.
