I have carefully read the response of George Kushi the press secretary to the deputy governor of Adamawa state on his response on the role played by Governor Fintiri in the suspension/vacation of the membership of the state parliament on the 19th October, 2022 of the following members, Honorable Joseph Ayuba Kwada Michika, Honorable Simon Isa Song and Honorable Hamman Tukur Yettisuri respectively, which we consider as a total breach of illegality to constitutionalism, motivated by brute sense of a rouse rabble action in handling democratic issue.
We want to inform the general public and the defenders of Governor Fintiri and their cohorts that Adamawa state is endowed with liberal dose of well-read citizens in the North East Geo-Political region. By this we mean, we have geniuses who must be given some respect due to their dept of knowledge about what happens in government. Therefore, for us not to be thrown into the political chess pool of humiliation about what happen in government and how they are governed, this debate becomes necessary.
To us, the defense of an unfortunate self-narcissistic government is usually characterized by self-importance, grandiosity and omnipotence which is based on grandiose fantasy rather than reality. For my brother, John Kushi and his cohort on the other side of the divide, they shouldn’t forget that no matter how rigid, the false self is always deep down in false fragility.
It is indeed fundamental for our people to know that it is only a political Neophyte in a parliamentary democracy that does not know that the governor or president of a country is the number one law maker in real terms without his approval or accent to any law or bill, the law is rendered useless. In fact, both arms of government are usually complimentary in law making. Therefore, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri cannot be exonerated in this debate whenever it comes to his interest.
We wish to reiterate the fact that political hangers-on who are in the lime light of defending the undefendable are merely romanticizing with what is not true in the manner this government has been mishandling individuals and colleagues in running the affairs of this state. It is therefore necessary to unmask the government on its grand illusion of being a democratic government. We are therefore tempted to add that Governor Umaru Ahmadu Fintiri is a clear demagogue or an authoritarian leader motivated by erratic, irrational orientation in solving contending issues in the practice of our new democracy. In unmasking the narcissistic conduct of Governor Fintiri in the handling of the legislative arm of government which he formerly presided over, one can say the least that this action has exposed his bankruptcy in the grasp of legislative procedure, especially as regards to privileges and immunities contained in our status books, which we inherited from our colonial masters in 1953 and subsequently the 1960’s to date. The privileges and immunities to ordinary members as individuals in our constitutions are over and above the rights of an ordinary citizen as listed in chapter IV in the 1999 constitution as amended.
It is indeed mind boggling that despite the fact that Governor Ahmadu Fintiri was a former speaker, he failed to appreciate the glaring fact that CAP 102 of the law of the federation 1958 on legislative houses (Powers and Privileges ordinance is designed to provide privileges and immunities to parliamentarians as seen in all our constitutions). A brief summary of this privileges includes the following elements:
1. Freedom of Speech (Immunity from proceedings)
2. Give evidence before committees (Power of committees to order attendance of witnesses and to issue summons and warrants)
3. Conduct of strangers (Entry to precincts of chamber, greetings and disturbance etc)
4. Power to arrest and remove anybody from the precincts of house, acceptance of bribe by members and the contempt of the house by members.
5. Other miscellaneous offenses that are punishable by the house are notification, issuance of summon during plenary session and arrest of honorable members accordingly. With the exception of criminal and felony cases. There is no provision for punishment of defectors in our constitution (Members who defect from one political party to the other). The unfortunate manner this issue is being handled by our parliament.
As we engage in this debate, nowhere in practice of our democracy in Nigeria has any competent court of jurisdiction ever vacated any seat of an elected member, the case of Senator Ali Ndume who had problem with his party, sentence to prison was later vindicated and returned to the senate without being sacked by the President. Another interesting case in our political and legal lexicon is the case of our former vice president who defected from the PDP to ACN and the supreme court of Nigeria ruled in his favour (he was not removed from office).
It is therefore our humble submission that His Excellency and members of the Adamawa State parliament have erred in their judgement by engaging in a fraudulent illegality of vacating the seats of their colleagues. We are therefore calling on our electorates to wake-up and fight this ugly monster looming in the state in the name of democracy.
In conclusion, the pedestrian accusation that our press statement smirks desperation at drawing opposition for government that is doing exceedingly excellent is to underscore the basic fact that criticism is part and parcel of building democratic tenets. Without objective criticism and self-criticism democracy is dead and buried. By the way our movement is still on the way of collating necessary information towards approaching the judiciary for justice.
Long Live Movement for Good Governance.
Long Live Adamawa State.
Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Signed
Honorable Mathias Yohanna
