Peter Obi of Anambra State impeached, vows to stay put!

Today, state legislators of Anambra State
this morning in Awka, Anam...Read the full...

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[Nkire]

Auspicious, thanks for your reply.

Yes, there are community leaders in every society outside of the constituted governmental authority that can make moral appeal on government to effect or moderate official action. However, at the end of the day, that’s all they can do. We do not have a House of Lords in Nigeria and these individuals have no authority beyond making a moral appeal. How does Abraxas know that such appeal was not made innumerable times w/o success? If their moral appeal goes unheeded, which appears to be the case here, what other options do they have, constitute themselves into an outfit like MEND and start kidnapping people left and right?

If we had a democracy where the people’s votes decided the outcome of elections, then these legislators would have faced the wrath of the people and the likes called out by Abraxas in the next “election� cycle, unfortunately that’s not the case. You see, that’s our country and our country is our country, what else is there?

I have no idea what motivated the Anambra state legislators to start the impeachment of the governor. In situations like this, there is usually a push and a pull scenario: while something or some people are pushing the legislators to impeach the governor, others are pulling on them not to. Obviously the push was too much for them bear, that’s if they ever gave a hoot about the plethora of appeals not to impeach. The question is what was the push?

Now, while Abraxas is entitled to his njakiri (buffoonery disguised as theatrical comedy act), others have a right to tell him that his gyrations and minstrel act stinks up to the skies. I am not being defensive in the least because I have no reason whatsoever do so. Asking Abraxas a question or two about his well-worn masquerade does not qualify as being defensive.

Bye

[Zhul- qarnain]

This poem captures the story of Anambra. It was copied from today's Thisday newspaper (online).


11.02.2006 18:50

IGBO KWENUN NIGERIA KWEZUONU.

THE UBAS HAVE WON
THY ARE CALLING FOR OUR SUPORT
LET\'S GO AND JOIN THEM
WE CAN NOT WIN THEM.

THEY HAVE THE NATIONAL CAKE
THEY SHARE THE STATE CAKE
THE DISTRIBUTORS ARE NARTO MEMBERS
THE BEGGERS ARE OUR PROFESSORS

MIKE BALONWU IS A SHARE HOLDER
OZOR UHAMMADU IS THE CLERK
WE ALL ARE ON THE FLOOR
ANDY IS ON THE HIGH TABLE

LET\'s GO LET\'S GO
THEY ARE CALLING
OUR BISHOPS WILL STAND OUTSIDE
THE TRADITIONAL RULERS WILL BE BY THE GATE

THE ISSUE IS 2007
LIGHT OF THE NATION IS UNACCEPTABLE
LET\"S GO BACK TO HOME FOR ALL
WERE UBAS RULE THE STATE


By National Alliance For Youths Orientation

[tonsoyo]

There is no longer any reason for us to quarrel on this issue, at least we all agree that this show of shame going on in Nigeria must stop. Thanks to those great Justices of the Appeal Court in Ibadan, they have taken care of all this legislative rebellion against democracy and legislating from Parks and Garden going on in Nigeria. I expect a Supreme Court pronouncement on same very soon. The battle line has been drawn by this judgement, I will enjoin all villagers to read the full judgement, it is wonderful. The Anambra impeachment is already declared illegal before it was carried out by this judgement, the system has started working . We shall chase these crazy people away and out of town!

[kvin33]

BODY BLOW, DOWN, BUT NOT OUT!!

Governance is about consent of the governed. PDP has underestimated the task, do jump for joy but not too high. You won this battle the day the NASS consented to the SOE in Ekiti. What happened last night became a mere formality, if the impeachment of a sitting governor can ever be a mere formality, so is politics in Nigeria. Last week as the decision came down from the NASS, strategists were already working on plan B and it will play out in front of all our eyes. The war continues!

An event occured two days ago in Anambra state which strangely, went largely unreported. An Ohaneze led sit-at-home protest was in effect after a short media campaign that started early last week. Contrary to what it sounds like, the main aim was to test the extent of support for a potentially sustained resistance to what became an inevitability after the special session in Abuja. The event was considered successful but not as much as expected, it is hoped however that the shock of waking up to marshal music in Anambra this morning has clarified the stakes for everyone who has so far been sitting on the fence.

21 is a very important number. As security operatives started moving last night into Asaba many people were tipped off and my understanding was that only 15 members were available and on-board for the "meeting" in Awka. The Ladoja case is the main reason why they keep saying that there were 21, constitutionally, they need 20. Lawyers I asked say the Impeachment would not stand 2 mins if Obi went to court. The press needs to report this as an unconstitutional, criminal impeachment and Balonwu needs to be seen as the traitor he is.

Obi should reject this impeachment. Etiaba should reject calls to jump ship. The other faction of the state assembly should vacate the impeachment. Balonwu should then swear himself in as parallel governor. Then he will understand that governance is about consent of the governed. Nobody should recognize his governorship, no one should call him governor, no traditional leader, religious leader, civil society leader, elder statesman, civil servant, school children etc. He can govern the sand, bushes and trash heaps in Anambra until the next election where Anambra will show their fury to PDP once again and none of these state reps will be able to find Awka ever again. OBJ can declare a state of emergency -if he likes, whoever he appoints will meet the same fate. In any case, the Senate will not approve it. So, Jump for joy PDP, but you have escalated this out of your control. Nobody, Nobody will accept this impeachment.

Balonwu has been used! Soon he will be dumped. What a fool. He was told he could take both of them out and become governor. In the end, they "convinced" him to take just the governor. So all those lies and he is still speaker, APGA still has the governorship, PDP Anambra has been split, all of the erring state reps still can't enter Igboland. All for nothing. This man has destroyed his name in Igboland, his family should be ashamed to produce such an unprincipled son. Speaker Balonwu is the biggest fool in this whole sorry episode.

[SBI]

People should calm down.

Politically Anambra is an active Volcano threatening to spew lava unto the rest of Nigeria.

If due process was followed then its all ok, but if not then it would boomerang on the plotters.

There were allegations and Obi could not convincingly quash them.
Legislators have the right and duty to impeach a governor who in their opinion mis-conducts himself grossly.

Despite all the hype, the fact is that Obi is a political neophyte, besides one must be equipped with certain political skills to handle a state like Anambra where everybody is 'smart'.
You must enchant like a snake charmer, and be dogged like a rodeo rider and most importantly as hard to catch as an electric eel.
Skills that Obi does not seem to possess, afterall it was the same House that the Abuja connection tried to use to dramatically remove Ngige unsuccessfully.

So if Obi has to go, he has to go.

But no one should assume that his ouster represents the subjugation of the Anambra people or the Igbos generally. Government House Awka may not be a walk over for Andy Uba and co yet.


SBI

[tonsoyo]

This comment is belated! Where is the due process, when 15 lawmakers out of 30 sat down out of state to pass impeachment resolution? Did you read the Court of Appeal judgement on Ladoja's case yesterday. That is the latest authority on how impeachment may be carried out in Nigeria today. You do not have to be cunny like you profess to exercise a mandate freely given by the people. Anambra or no Anambra.

[Abraxas]

Obi and Deputy Visit with Ikemba
Written by Jonathan Elendu
Thursday, 02 November 2006
Deputy pledges allegiance..
Source: http://elendureports.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=297&Itemid=33

Gov. Peter Obi of Anambra State who was impeached this morning by twenty-one members Anambra State House of Assembly is visiting with the Ikemba of Nnewi and chieftain of APGA, Dim Odimegwu Emeka Ojukwu. The impeachment of the Governor was carried out at 5:00 AM this morning.

Though expected, the impeachment took the people of Anambra State by surprise as they woke up to the announcement that their Governor had been removed by what many Anambra people and Ndiibo consider a rouge Assembly.

The Deputy Governor, Dame Virgy Etiaba, who should be the beneficiary of the impeachment has denounced it. According to our sources, Deputy Governor Virgy Etiaba described Obi as her boss and the State Governor.

In a show of solidarity, the Governor and the Deputy are visiting with Ikemba currently. In a statement covered by the media the Deputy Governor pledged her allegiance to Peter Obi. She said the Governor of Anambra State is still in charge.

The Anambra State Executive Council is about to go into an emergency meeting. Asked what who would chair the meeting given that the Governor and his Deputy were away, Chuks Illoegbunam, the Chief of Staff to the Governor said, “When we get there we will know who will chair it. If the Governor meets us he will take over.�

Elendureports.com prevailed on Illoegbunam to give his views on the ongoing saga in Anambra State. He would only say: “If you want democracy to survive you have to play by the rules.�

The Obi impeachment is seen in Anambra, and Nigeria as a whole, as something that was preordained by the Obasanjo Administration to grab power in Anambra, something that had been denied the President by Chris Ngige, the former Governor. Elendureports.com had predicted the ouster of Chris Ngige through the Election Tribunal. We also predicted that Obi would be removed from office this week.

These predictions were made based on exclusive access we have to certain information which leads us to believe that the Anambra saga from the beginning was an Obasanjo setup in cohorts with the Uba brothers—Chris and Andy. They both want to be Governor but right now Chris has been relegated to the back seat by Andy.

Email: jonathan@elendureports.com

What we have been waiting for is here, at last. Behold, the nnuku mmaun (big masquerade), His Excellency, General of the People, Dim Chukwuemeka ODUMEGWU-OJUKWU (Ikemba 1 of Nnewi), the father of modern Igboland, himself!

Let the rofo-rofo fight proceed with maximum entropy, and automatic alacrity!

Muchas gracias, mi Generalissimo, Ojuza!

Don Juan Carlos ABRAXAS (III)

[No Smoking]

Show of shame indeed. Out of State, kangaroo court impeachments. First practised against Alams. Latest victim Peteru. OBJ and his agents are busy, fashioning out their agenda.

Fee-de-fee should know that no be efry day monkey dey fit come back from market...

[Londoner]

As i read sad stories always coming out of that great continent and country of ours Nigeria i am reminded by the speech reportedly made about two decades ago by the now late former president of South Africa P.W. Botha about the black race please see below

The following is a speech made by former South African
> President P.W. Botha to his Cabinet in 1985. The
> reprint was written by David G.Mailu for the Sunday
> Times, a South African newspaper, dated August 18,
> 1985. Read it carefully and take a close look at
> yourself.
>
> " Pretoria has been made by the White mind for the
> White man. We are not obliged even the least to try to
> prove to anybody and to the Blacks that we are
> superior people. We have demonstrated that to the
> Blacks in a thousand and one ways. The Republic of
> South Africa that we know of today has not been
> created by wishful thinking. We have created it at the
> expense of intelligence, sweat and blood. Were they
> Afrikaners who tried to eliminate the Australian
> Aborigines? Are they Afrikaners who discriminate
> against Blacks and call them n******s in the States?
> Were they Afrikaners who started the slave trade?
> Where is the Black man appreciated? England
> discriminates against its Blacks and their "Sus" law
> is out to discipline the them. Canada , France ,
> Russia and Japan all play their discrimination too.
> Why the hell then is so much noise made about us? Why
> are they biased against us? I am simply trying to
> prove to you all that there is nothing unusual we are
> doing that the so called civilized worlds are not
> doing. We are simply an honest people who have come
> out aloud with a clear philosophy of how we want to
> live our own White life.
>
> We do not pretend like other Whites that we like
> Blacks. The fact that Blacks look like human beings
> and act like human beings does not necessarily make
> them sensible humans. Hedgehogs are not porcupines and
> lizards are not crocodiles simply because they look
> alike. If God wanted us to be equal to the Blacks, he
> would have created us all of a uniform colour and
> intellect. But he created us differently: Whites,
> Blacks, Yellow, Rulers and the ruled. Intellectually,
> we are superior to the Blacks; that has been proven
> beyond any reasonable doubt over the years. I believe
> that the Afrikaner is an honest, God fearing person,
> who has demonstrated practically the right way of
> being. Nevertheless, it is comforting to know that
> behind the scenes, Europe, America , Canada ,
> Australia and all others are behind us in spite of
> what they say. To prove my point, Comrades, does
> anyone of you know a White country without an
> investment or interest in South Africa ? Who buys our
> gold? Who buys our diamond? Who trades with us? Who is
> helping us develop our nuclear weapon? The very truth
> is that we are their people and they are our people.
> It's a big secret. The strength of our economy is
> backed by America , Britain and Germany . It is our
> strong conviction therefore, that the Black is the raw
> material for the White man. So Brothers and Sisters,
> let us join hands together to fight this Black devil.
> I appeal to all Afrikaners to come out with any
> creative means of fighting this war. Surely God cannot
> forsake his own people whom we are. By now every one
> of us has seen it practically that the Blacks cannot
> rule themselves. Give them guns and they will kill
> each other. They are good in nothing else but making
> noise, dancing, marrying many wives and indulging in
> sex. Let us all accept that the Black man is the
> symbol of poverty, mental inferiority, laziness and
> emotional incompetence. Isn't it plausible? The White
> man is created to rule the Black man. Come to think of
> what would happen one day if you woke up and on the
> throne sat a Kaffir! Can you imagine what would happen
> to our women? Does anyone of you believe that the
> Blacks can rule this country?
>
> Hence, we have good reasons to let them all the
> Mandelas rot in prison, and I think we should be
> commended for having kept them alive in spite of what
> we have at hand with which to finish them off. I wish
> to announce a number of new strategies that should be
> put to use to destroy this Black bug. We should now
> make use of the chemical weapon. Priority number one,
> we should not by all means allow any more increases of
> the Black population lest we be choked very soon. I
> have exciting news that our scientists have come with
> an efficient stuff. I am sending out more
> researchers to the field to identify as many venues as
> possible where the chemical weapons could be employed
> to combat any further population increases. The
> hospital is a very strategic opening and should be
> fully utilized. The food supply channel should be
> used. We have enveloped excellent slow killing poisons
> and fertility destroyers. Our only fear is in case
> such stuff came into their hands as they are bound to
> start using against us if you care to think of the
> many Blacks working for us in our homes.
>
> However, we are doing the best we can to make sure
> that the stuff remains strictly in our hands.
> Secondly, most Blacks are vulnerable to money
> inducements. I have set aside a special fund to
> exploit this venue. The old trick of divide and rule
> is still very valid today. Our experts should work day
> and night to set the Black man against his fellowman.
> His inferior sense of morals can be exploited
> beautifully. And here is a creature that lacks
> foresight. There is a need for us to combat him in
> long term projections that he cannot suspect. The
> average Black does not plan his life beyond a year:
> that stance, for example,should be exploited. My
> special department is already working round the clock
> to come out with a long-term operation blueprint. I am
> also sending a special request to all Afrikaner
> mothers to double their birth rate. It may be
> necessary too to set up a population boom industry by
> putting up centres where we employ and support fully
> White young men and women to produce children for the
> nation. We are also investigating the merit of uterus
> rentals as a possible means of speeding up the growth
> of our population through surrogate mothers.
>
> For the time being, we should also engage a higher
> gear to make sure that Black men are separated from
> their women and fines imposed upon married wives who
> bear illegitimate children.
>
> I have a committee working on finding better methods
> of inciting Blacks against each other and encouraging
> murders among themselves. Murder cases among Blacks
> should bear very little punishment in order to
> encourage them.
>
> My scientists have come up with a drug that could be
> smuggled into their brews to effect slow poisoning
> results and fertility destruction. Working through
> drinks and manufacturing of soft drinks geared to the
> Blacks, could promote the channels of reducing their
> population. Ours is not a war that we can use the
> atomic bomb to destroy the Blacks, so we must use our
> intelligence to effect this. The person-to-person
> encounter can be very effective.
>
> As the records show that the Black man is dying to go
> to bed with the White woman, here is our unique
> opportunity. Our Sex Mercenary Squad should go out and
> camouflage with Apartheid Fighters while doing their
> operations quietly administering slow killing poison
> and fertility destroyers to those Blacks they thus
> befriend.
>
> We are modifying the Sex Mercenary Squad by
> introducing White men who should go for the militant
> Black woman and any other vulnerable Black woman. We
> have received a new supply of prostitutes from Europe
> and America who are desperate and too keen to take up
> the appointments.
>
> My latest appeal is that the maternity hospital
> operations should be intensified. We are not paying
> those people to help bring Black babies to this world
> but to eliminate them on the very delivery moment. If
> this department worked very efficiently, a great deal
> could be achieved.
>
> My Government has set aside a special fund for
> erecting more covert hospitals and clinics to promote
> this programme. Money can do anything for you. So
> while we have it, we should make the best use of it.
> In the meantime my beloved White citizens, do not take
> to heart what the world says, and don't be ashamed of
> being called racists. I do not mind being called the
> architect and King of Apartheid. I shall not become a
> monkey simply because someone has called me a monkey.
> I will still remain your bright star...His Excellency
> Botha."
>

[emj]

hmmmmmmmmmm..........a case of what goes round comes around.

Despite all the hype, the fact is that Obi is a political neophyte, besides one must be equipped with certain political skills to handle a state like Anambra where everybody is 'smart'.
You must enchant like a snake charmer, and be dogged like a rodeo rider and most importantly as hard to catch as an electric eel.
Skills that Obi does not seem to possess, afterall it was the same House that the Abuja connection tried to use to dramatically remove Ngige unsuccessfully.

I hear you SBI.......when a man/woman has arrived and is loaded, the next thing they seek is power(remember Abiola).........and what exactly do they do with the power so acquired, even when mandate that was lost was restored?.........uneasy lies the wahala of the head that wants to rule on the neck..........Anambra sorry...........and dis too shall pass.......

[N.A.R.]

Londoner,
That is one of the most difficult things that I have had to read recently. But you know its so painful? Becuase of so many "truths" in the text. I repeat what I worte a while back on thsi same issue, when i read that Dim Ojukwu stormed Anambra and called the assembly men "rascals". Well those same rascals have kicked his boy out of office. In their extreme rascality. And again instead of looking inward, most people here are blameing the "outside" influences from Aso Rock! Ironically unlike the other weird cases, this was diferent.

Also I hope you all remember that this is not the first time similar is happening. Balarabe Musa of the then PRP was similarly impeached by a majority NPN state assembly Peter Obi should have truncated this situation before it got this far. Dim Ojukwu should have found a solution to their rascality rather than allow them a chance to flex their muscles in full.

From all reports so far, except a few legislators come out and say they signed under duress, Obi is gone. Chikena. I went to the Nanka website and read through the responses to the accusations. The responses still allowed loopholes to get to Obi. For example in may accusations that he gave contracts to his friends, this was actually not denied. Rather it was argued that the friends were running legitimate and reputable businesses and went through due process in getting the jobs. This does not take into account that its the same Obi administration that would set up the due process to evaluate his friends!

Finally, the deputy I believe is being to sentimental, she cxould have accpeted the appointment and did her best to mainatin the Obi agenda (with a few modificatons naturally) now she is giving them the oppurtunity to have the speaker emerge governor. Anyhow, I am sure we have not heard the last of this just yet. Meanwhile, lets wait and see Dim Ojukwu's next move.

[Soul Sista]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

* * *
Soul Sista, where you dey? I guess the Madam Legislator you called in Anambra and spoke with the last time lied to you when she said "Oh it's not going to come to an Impeachment - we just want to teach him a lesson". Nah-ahn, it came to an impeachment ooo - a 5am impeachment, just after the 2nd cockcrow! Like thieves, they came under the cover of darkness and carried out their shameful deed.

Auspicious.

Auspy:

Present Sir!

She don lied to me. She sure wuz lying. I tried to call her today, but I could not get through plus I had very little time to keep at it. But, I am going to try again tomorrow and I will say: Sista, why did u treat a broda like dat? You know you guys ain't got s**t on the broda, at least not enough for impeachment? Hook a sista up into why you and the hommies did this. Why? Come on Sista. Why? I will keep you posted; that is if she does not curse me out first.

It is like the categories of illegality that Nigerian law makers will perpetrate in their pursuit of naked personal ambition are never closed. You have got to hand it to them. A 5:00 a.m. impeachment? I would bet an arm and a leg that the House Rules have a provision on hours of business and something tells me that 5:00 a.m. is not likely to be a time in those hours. It just boggles the mind how they can live with themselves.

It is the long suffering people of Anambra State that deserve our sympathy now. Something tells me that a Balonwu regime will not last until May 2007 so they are set to experience loads of motion without movement. The post 05/07 prognosis does not look much better with main contenders like Andy Uba.

Soul Sista a/k/a Soul Sizzling

[DoubleWahala]

http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/...103112006.html

The legislators’ decision was unanimous and came ahead of the conclusion of the sitting of the panel set up by Chief Judge Chuka Okoli to investigate the 11-point allegations of gross misconduct against the governor...

...“The House members who must have done this were not more than 15 and it does not in any way constitute the 2/3 majority as enshrined in the 1999 constitution. This criminal act was executed at 5.30 a.m under the cover of darkness. Impeachment is a weighty issue that can only be done in a daylight so that people can follow up. But the panel has not concluded. So, how can we hear of impeachment?"

Why are the Assembly men so desperate as to declare an impeachment, under cover of darkness, before the conclusion of the panel?

Why?

Methinks a State of Emergency is being engineered here.

DW

[felix]

For some, this is the final phase of a perfect plan to wrench power from the people of Anambra state and give it to their attack dogs ,..but for those who can see beyond their noses, this is just the begining of a process that will lead to the demistification of the nauseating political deities that a wayward Obasanjo has sorrounded eastern politics with this past horrific seven years.....This is not the time to lick wounds ...., it is the time to fight back , and I am sure the people will win this one , though it may take time....Dont miss the unfolding developments, it is a continuation of events not an end.

[N.A.R.]

Hang on,
I did not know that the panel had not concluded its investigations. Hmmmm, due process really? And I did wonder about that 5am session. Well another set of stupid legislators may have just thrown Obi a carrot...

[techsista]

@Londoner
Thanks for posting Botha's speech. Far from making me upset, it shows how far South Africa has come. In his lifetime Mandela became president. The people he deemed too stupid to rule are ruling. The people he viewed as destined to rule have for the most part accepted the change. South Africa's current leaders will make mistakes and learn from them, like any other human beings (just like Botha et al made the mistake of apartheid and learned the hard way from it, losing some of their humanity in the process). When mere mortals decide they are gods and can see way into the future and predict all possible outcomes of human behavior forever, know that they are setting themselves up for a big shock. The world hasn't ended yet. Africa's state today is not an indication of how it will be for ever and ever, unless people like you and I give up after reading speeches like Botha's. I know I won't :-).

In Nigeria we will also make mistakes and learn from them like other humans. One thing that's coming out of this impeachment business in Nigeria is that we're learning how to legally fight corruption and other problems in high office and how not to (witness the overturn of Ladoja's impeachment, not because he is a saint but because it was illegal). The same may apply to Fayose and Obi. This is progress oh even if it is upsetting as we go through it. Ultimately, we will learn what needs to be improved in the judiciary and in our constitution (the US has constitutional amendments precisely because they found that they needed them). Unless we allow the military to step in again and prevent us from learning. No one said learning would be easy and that we would always avoid a mess along the way.
Where do you want Nigeria to be 20 years from now? Act on that vision today and we'll get somewhere close.

[Zhul- qarnain]

Wetin Ekiti women no fit do, Anambra women don achieve.

When Fayose was about to be 'impeached’ in Ekiti, Olujimi, his lady deputy governor said she will swim, float and sink with the man. But wetin happen after? The woman no waste time to declare herself governor. Unfortunately sha, both the Ekiti speaker and OBJ refused to allow her make history as the first female governor.

Just yesterday, Shebi the yeye woman (sorry deputy governor of anambra) say she no want the thing before. My people una don see say no be only men dey engage in treachery. We also get plenty plenty Judess Hercariot (Judas Ischariot) in Naija.

Anyway sha, me I congratulate her husband as the first gentleman of Anambra State. Make dem quick enjoy am why it last, becos if dem no end for okija shrine, dem go end for the emergency ward or state of emergency which ever comes first.

[Papino]

..techsista,
I concour to your reaction.It is a learning process and i am happy with the recent turn around in Oyo state.It would turn out to our benefit, methinks

[Shoko Loko Bangoshe]

Techsista,

Leaving aside its content, I'm doubtful about whether Botha actually delivered that speech. I googled around for it to find out the occasion on which the speech was delivered and the response to the speech, but all I could find were just sites which reproduced the speech verbatim. I find it hard to believe that such a speech would have been given and not reported by news agencies worldwide.

[Oghre]

Good, the more these people are recycled the better chances I have that one day I fit be local Government Chairman or State Governor