Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Yar'Adua Again

"Enough is Enough" Rally! Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Pastor Tunde Bakare of the Latter Rain Assembly, constitutional lawyer, Femi Falana and other prominent Nigerians today led hundreds of Nigerians to protest in Abuja over the long absence of President Umaru Yar’Adua from the seat of power. The president has been away from the country since 23 November 2009 and has been receiving treatment in King Faisal Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi-Arabia. Soyinka, Bakare, lawyers and other activists are protesting the power vacuum created by Yar’Adua’s absence from Aso Rock for the past 50 days. As early as 8.30 a.m protesters had started gathering at Unity Fountain, opposite Transcorp Hilton Hotel in readiness for the kick-off of the protest which will end at the National Assembly complex. While there was also the massive presence of policemen at NICON area in Abuja, where the protest took off at about 10am In the crowd of protesters were Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin and her husband, Mr. Yinka Odumakin; Mrs. Ayo Obe; Salihu Lukman and Pastor Esther, a popular preacher in Abuja. There will also be protests in Port Harcourt, South Africa,London, New York It is being organised under the aegis of Save Nigeria Group comprising Soyinka and over 100 prominent Nigerians who felt that there was the need to rescue the nation urgently from its present quagmire. Soyinka and his group had met in Lagos recently to X-ray the consequence of the president’s absence for a very long time from the country and decided to protest against it. Meanwhile, posters in support of Yar’Adua flooded the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) this morning. The posters were believed to have been pasted overnight by supporters of the sick president. Unconfirmed reports said that the Federal Government was trying to organise a counter rally in Abuja to drum support for the president. Many Nigerians have called for the take over of the helm of affairs by Vice President Goodluck Jonathan pending the return of the ailing president. Against: Power Vacuum in Nigeria: Where is President Yar'Adua? Vacillation over Electoral Reforms Terror-Tag on Nigerians Corruption in the Country Date: Tuesday, January 12, 2010 Venue: From Unity Fountain, Near Transcorp Hotel, Central Business District, Abuja; terminating at the National Assembly Complex. SPEAKERS: Prof. Wole Soyinka, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu, Dr. Tunde Bakare, Hon. Farouk Aliyu Adamu , Mr. Solomon Asemota (SAN), Mallam Uba Sani, Mr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), Hajiya Najatu Mohammed, Prof. Pat Utomi, Pastor Sarah Omakwu, Mr. Femi Falana, Hon. Olawale Oshun, Dr. Tunji Abayomi, Mrs. Ayo Obe, Mallam Naseer Kura, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, Hon. Uche Onyeogocha etc. CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE 10 POVERTIES Poverty of Ideas - a dictatorship Constitution brought about by a Treasonable power clique which tells lies about our rights is unfit for us. We want a people's Constitution. Poverty of Performance - inability to conduct a free and fair election only allows the wrong people to lead us. We suffer when we are disabled from changing leadership fairly. Poverty of Resource - water, light, road no dey! The health of our people is imperiled by lack of care of government. Poverty of Hope - education has collapsed at primary, secondary and university levels. Consequently, there can be no national progress. Not one decent public primary school exists in Nigeria not to talk of secondary schools or universities. Poverty of Honor - our people don't even know where in the world a supposedly elected President is or how he is. Haba! Poverty of the Mind - we are governed by an oppressive, corrupt and pitiless clique who consume 95% of national resources and are disdainful of us. Poverty of Regard - we are embarrassed and diminished in the world community by the abnormal passion of one of us who wanted to murder 300 innocent citizens of 17 nations, internet scammers, money launderers, 419ers, bank fraudsters who desecrate the value of our ancestors and our nation. Poverty of Spirit - we kill each other at home in the name of God because of abnormal religious confusion and passion, which should have no place in the house of God. Poverty of Commerce - majority of our citizens have no food to eat, starvation is rife and common, consuming the commoners who own Nigeria. Meanwhile unemployment of youths dominates the land. Poverty of Environment - the cities are dirty, disorderly, crowded, unplanned and crime prone! Insecurity has become the order of the day while leaders condone state power for total self-protection. "Nigeria can only know justice, peace and progress when her citizens will work for it. Join the campaign against the 10 Poverties. "Join the campaign take-off on January 12, 2010 in Abuja.