Akunyili as an impartial umpire

And the moral compass has fished out another casualty in the person of Abdullahi Adamu, one-time governor of Nasarawa State and Secretary of the party’s Board of Trustees. Adamu, who is on trial for corruption, did not wait to become the next butt of media jokes. He dropped the gauntlet paving way for him to […]

And the moral compass has fished out another casualty in the person of Abdullahi Adamu, one-time governor of Nasarawa State and Secretary of the party’s Board of Trustees. Adamu, who is on trial for corruption, did not wait to become the next butt of media jokes. He dropped the gauntlet paving way for him to clear his name in the courts of law. One can only hope that all those fingered in the infamous Halliburton scandal and who hold either elective or appointive offices would follow the trend and clear the political space of this Augean stable. That is the demand of their conscience and the way of honour. If this benign virus infects the political arena, Nigerians would truly begin to breathe refined air. It would be a gradual process of re-grafting conscience into the governance process and we sure can do with that.

One was tempted to call all these the Goodluck streak in the political sphere until the worst form of grit was thrown into it all with the incredible story that Information and Communications minister, Dora Akunyili was going to be nominated as chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. This, to any watcher of Nigerian politics, is the biggest hogwash to have emanated from the political rumour mill. It’s like a sneak preview from a tragic movie being made in the Presidential Villa. It perished the thought of a new awakening. It’s like taking one giant step forward only to plunge back into the darkest recess of the abyss.

If a kite it was, it is the worst kite to have been flown since the adoption of the doctrine of necessity and a grievous insult against the collective psyche of Nigerians. Whoever decided to test the political waters with such a horrible idea does not mean well for Nigeria. If, as the rumour mill has it, this is a kite flown from the new Presidential Villa; those who flew it do not mean the new occupant, President Goodluck Jonathan well and that it was flown on the eve of the swearing in of a new vice president, was meant to rubbish the entire process and to obliterate what should be a landmark event in the annals of our political evolution as a people. It leaves a sour taste in the mouth and obviously fouls the air in a way that no deodorant can cleanse it better than an immediate and prompt denial. So far, we haven’t heard the denial and the silence calls for national outrage.

For all she is worth, Dora Akunyili is a fine professional with a beautiful, if controversial track record in public service. She was already a wave maker; a living example of rustic feminine courage where men have failed. Then she traded that for an ambitious romp in the Yar’adua campaign train while holding on to public office. No public officer would have done that without risking her job, but Akunyili read the political calculus very well and got rewarded handsomely for it until the Yar’adua train began to somersault. Again, she latched on to the Goodluck train like a clairvoyant adventurer and again got rewarded. The best award she could add to a star-studded cap is a fellowship from the on-going African Public Relations Conference.

For crying out loud, Akunyili is a card-carrying member of this despicable ruling party. How anybody could picture her midwifing the reforms needed in an organization meant to deliver a free, fair and credible election beats any rational imagination. Somebody should caution Goodluck Jonathan not to insult the persevering heart of Nigerians or their corporate intelligence. Nigeria may be a nation of graft, but within it is an island of integrity small enough to produce credible persons suitable for moral rearmament – our president should look therein and find us a man or woman we can all thumb our chest and say – yes s(h)e can!

If all he can see is an Akunyili to deliver him to the Nigerian public in 2011, he could just as well recall Iwu, apologise to him and issue a fresh mandate for him to be pronounced president for life. Frankly, one would hope that if this rumour becomes real, that Nigerians would give this government the Thailand treatment and remain on the streets in defiance of any order from the Commander-in-Chief to his troops to shoot, kill and maim. By the time the entire nation is wiped off the map, perhaps Jonathan would import robots from any Banana republic to whom he can ramrod his will without as much as a whimper from any quarters. It’s incredible how Nigerian leaders insult their citizens and take them for granted. Nigerians are weak with an eternally elastic tenacity but this joke; I believe would bring out the beast in us.