By AFFY AFOMO
There is an incestant mobilisation of negative press against the prerogative of President Muhammadu Buhari to hire. The constitution has bestored specific rights on him, as the president of this country. The insults and abuses are more common coming from Delta state than any other state in Nigeria.
Last week, I asked who was afraid of Lauretta Onochie. And what are the reasons for this attack on one of the best hands we have in this nation. I decided to take a look at the internet, on Facebook in particular to find out the answer to those who are afraid of Miss Onochie.
It did not take time, just a few searches before I found out the persons behind all the attacks on President Buhari for appointing a Nigerian citizen as a federal commissioner of INEC. You merely need to do the small search before the name Ovie Omo Agege comes up. His AIDES have busied themselves with the task of insulting President Muhammadu Buhari as is their habit.
But this will not be the first time. Some months back the issue of NDDC arose and shook the nation. The same aides made a full-time job out of insulting President Muhammadu Buhari on the social media and in conversations. What does Senator Ovie Omo-Agege want? I will explain a little bit.
You see, Ovie Omo Agege is a cock that insists that another cock cannot crow in the yard. Contrary to what meets the eye, Ovie holds President Buhari in contempt. Not because his loyalty is elsewhere, but because he is terminally self centred. HE WANTS TO BE THE ONE WHO NOMINATES APPOINTEES OF THE PRESIDENT FROM DELTA STATE. He must nominate and approve before Buhari appoints anyone from Delta state.
Omo Agege fought hard to ensure that Dr. Emmanuel Kachikwu was not reappointed. To his utter disappointment, he was not given the opportunity to nominate the Delta state Minister from his political family as Mr. Festus Keyamo SAN emerged. According to one of his aides, he held Festus Keyamo in contempt and still does even after Keyamo crawled back to him, recently, pledging “loyalty”.
These same Facebook minions, went after Dr. Cairo Ojougboh. Stories were cooked up. Unfounded Allegations were levelled against the person and the office Dr. Ojougboh holds. Sen. Omo Agege, unsuccessfully, battled to install his surrogates at the NDDC. President Buhari would have non of it. He is still clenching his teeth and fists at President Buhari’s constitutional rights to hire and fire.
And now with the nomination of INEC Federal Commissioners, he feels slighted, once again, that President Buhari has gone over him and appointed Lauretta Onochie, an independent minded woman of integrity from Delta state. To add to the “insult”, Lauretta is neither from his political family nor an Urhobo from Omo-Agege’s local government nor his ethnic group. Although an Urhobo, he discriminates against Urhobos who are not from his local area. To then come from Anioma, an ethnic group despised for having the State capital in their area, and hold such a position, is seen as unthinkable and an affront on his fiefdom.
Now you know. What do Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh and Lauretta Onochie have in common? They all have great regards for President Buhari and yes, yes, they are Anioma people too. They are not part of the political family who must be given the first choice in Delta state.
Again, Sen. Peter Nwaoboshi, a core member of the Political Cabal in Delta state, has plans to be running mate to Sen. Omo Agege in the gubernatorial race for Delta State in 2023. He too, hates his sister, Lauretta Onochie’s guts in the way she discharges her duties as a presidential aide. Nwaoboshi is a regular customer of the EFCC so how can he back President Buhari’s nomination?
A senator who spoke to me on the issue said he was appalled that the only reason he was given by the anti Buhari camp for their tantrum, was that the opposition are petitioning Onochie’s nomination. He said their petitions were watery and partisan in nature and cannot hold. Another senator said his only pain was that Onochie is not from his region and that he envied the South South.
Has anyone questioned Onochie’s ability to be a great part of the team at INEC? NO!
Who has questioned her intelligence? NO ONE
Is she Honest? YES!
Is she Fair? ABSOLUTELY!
Is she Just? OH YES
Who has faulted her integrity? NO ONE!
It’s even terrible that known Lawyers in our nation, guided by their hatred for President Buhari, have misinterpreted “Paragraph 14 of Part 1 of the third Schedule to the constitution as amended by Section 30, Act No 1 of 2010, which states,
“a MEMBER of the Independent National Electoral Commission “shall be non-partisan……”.
A nominee is NOT a member of the Commission. Lauretta Onochie and others remain nominees and only become members of the Commission after they have been:
(a) Cleared by the National Assembly
(b) Approved by the Council of State
(c) Sworn under oath by the President.
From that point of oath taking, they become members of the Commission and consequently, are bound by the oath of non partisanship administered by the President.
President Buhari is a law abiding citizen of this wonderful country. He thinks through all his actions. He has not broken any laws in appointing Miss Lauretta Onochie or any other. The minority in the Senate has had their say guided by their disdain for President Muhammadu Buhari. Let the majority have their way, guided by patriotism and respect for Mr. President. No law has been broken. It’s nothing but spite for the constitutional rights of the President to hire.
Affy Ayomo ©
