OSINBAJO AND IKPEAZU MAKE HISTORY

OSINBAJO AND IKPEAZU MAKE HISTORY

 Prince Abyssinia Akweke Nwafor Orizu PHD (1920-1999) was the first acting President of Nigeria. When the then President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria took a vacation in late October 1965 to the Carribeans, Dr Nwafor Orizu who was the Senate President, automatically became the acting President. I do not think Zik needed to remit any letter to the Senate. It was not a discretionary action. Dr Nwafor Orizu acted as acting President which was then essentially ceremonial since the executive power resided with Alhaji Tafawa Balewa the Prime Minister until January 15, 1966 when the first Military coup occurred. His major achievement as acting President was to invite Major General Aguiyi Ironsi,the then army chief of staff to take over the reins of power, following the confusion precipitated by the incomplete coup de etat.

   The second person to become acting President in Nigeria was Goodluck Ebele Jonathan PHD. After the absence of President Umaru Yar'adua from the Country for 79 days on health grounds without remitting any letter to the Senate as demanded by the constitution, thus creating a crippling leadership vacuum that resulted in court cases,protests and confusion, Vice President Goodluck Jonathan was declared acting President of Nigeria. On February 9, 2010, all the 36 State Governors met with the VP and informed him of their decision to have him as the acting President. The Governors then met with the Senate in a meeting that resulted in the Senate voting to make Jonathan acting President. The House of Representatives also passed a similar motion and this brought to an end the political uncertainty that had seized the Nation over many months. Senator David Mark, then senate President said they adopted the" doctrine of Necessity "to make Goodluck acting President against the wishes of the 'cabal' that acted as proxy to Yar'adua . Though Yar'adua was 'smuggled' back into the Country on February 24, 2010 in an effort by the 'cabal' to make Jonathan's stint as acting President short, their gambit failed as Jonathan remained acting President until May 5, 2010 when Yar'adua eventually died and he then went on to be sworn in as the President and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

   On Jan 19, 2017, President Muhammadu Buhari(PMB), began what was supposed to be a two week vacation during which he was to do his normal Medical check-up. He promptly transmitted letters to the National Assembly making Yemi Osinbajo PHD,SAN,the third acting President in Nigeria's political history. PMB did not return until 50 days later. But in his absence, Yemi Osinbajo acquitted himself creditably. His visits to the Niger Delta helped to calm the restiveness of the Avengers, improving oil production.He encouraged the CBN to start a regime of liberalization of forex supply resulting in the appreciation of the Naira against foreign currencies. He quickly sent acting CJN Onnoghen's name to the Senate for confirmation,averting a constitutional gridlock and paid unscheduled visit to the Lagos International airport to help wake up the anti- business gang at the airport. He actually impressed Nigerians in the 50 days or so  he acted. 

  PMB returned home and took power back, though it was clear that he was delegating a lot more responsibilities to the Vice President as his handlers played hide and seek with his health status. But last week PMB decided to heed the advice of many who love him that he should take a proper medical vacation and went back to his doctors in the Uk. Again he quickly remitted a letter to the National Assembly as requested by law handing over power to Yemi Osinbajo as acting President! The second time in one year! That's a record. And the first time that a Vice President has been appointed two times as acting President. Another record!! Will he do better than he did first time? That is our prayer and hope. We expect him to continue to work to keep tensions low in the polity and to continue the effort to further liberalize the economy and attract highly needed investment into the Nation. How long will he act? That depends primarily on God the Healer, secondarily on his doctors and thirdly on the power mongers in Abuja who wished he was the 'co-ordinating Vice President' rather than the acting President.

  Okezie Victor Ikpeazu PHD, was elected as the ninth Governor of Abia State in April 2015 on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP).Before he was announced as the elected governor after the April 11polls he had to go throu gh a rerun in three local government areas in the Aba zone on April 25 2015. He was sworn in as governor on May 29, 2015 but on Dec 31, 2015, a Federal Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri sacked him, saying that the 2015 gubernatorial election was won by Alex Oti of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). He appealed to the Supreme Court and got reinstated as the Governor. Everyone thought that was the end of the electoral disputations and was hoping that Governor Ikpeazu would settle down to give Abia State the sorely needed good governance.

  But on June 27, 2016, Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja again sacked Okezie Ikpeazu and asked that the certificate of return should be issued to Uche Sampson Ogah on the allegations of false information and forging of Tax documents. Both Ikpeazu and Ogah belong to the same party and this was a pre-election matter.  Subsequently Ikpeazu appealed to the Appeal Court and in August 2016, the Court of appeal quashed the judgement of Justice Abang, describing it as a rape on democracy and reinstated Ikpeazu as Governor of Abia State. Not satisfied with this, Ogah approached the Supreme Court and last week on May 12, 2017, the Supreme Court upheld the judgement of the Appeal court. 

  To be sacked twice and be reinstated twice, Ikpeazu has made History in Abia state. His election must be the most disputed and the most litigated in the political history of Abia State. I know that he shares honours with Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State who lost his position twice and regained it, but in slightly different circumstances. I believe that Governor Ikpeazu has really gone through a lot of torture and major distractions which has certainly affected good governance in Abia State. Now that the matter is finally laid to rest (I hope!), I believe all Abians must come on deck to support the governor to help catch up lost time. Uche Ogah , Alex Oti, Friday Nwosu and all other political opponents need to cease fire and possibly wait till the next electoral cycle. Abia State cannot afford further disputations as much ground has been lost. I applaud Ikpeazu for offering the olive branch to all And I wish to urge the Governor to encourage himself to justify why God has disappointed all the efforts to take him out. Again, I believe he can learn a lot from Governor Peter Obi, who despite all the electoral battles and distractions, gave Anambra what many commentators have called sterling performance. I believe that if he focuses on seeking the good and welfare of the Abia people while providing  good Security( as Governor TA Orji did), investing heavily on Infrastructure and attracting  significant Private sector  investment in the two years left in this first term, he would be well on his way to consolidating his place in Abia governance and history.

Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa OFR.