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Senator Ibrahim Mantu: love him or hate him !
By Cornelius Oyedele/Posted Sunday 21 June, 2009
The administration of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR, former President and Commander-
in-Chief, Federal Republic of Nigeria was not without its peculiar features typical of any
administration. These features, no doubt, tremendously contributed in shaping the political
landscape of the Country.
The emergence of Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua GCFR as the President/ Commander in
Chief in the April 2007 General election under highly controversial circumstances and the
Supreme Court verdict upholding the electoral victory was the culminating events that
finally nailed the ambition of other prominent Nigerians who contested the same election
under different political parties.
Two years into the tenure of the present administration, President Yar’Adua’s slow
leadership style and Nigeria’s weak electoral process has been under serious criticisms
with a view to pressurizing the government to address some of the salient issues that
portrayed Nigeria’s Democracy as Garrison one under the dictatorial tendencies of Chief
Olusegun Obasanjo, Chairman Board of trustees of the Peoples’ Democratic Party PDP.
The Vice President of Nigeria, Dr Jonathan Good luck GCON sometimes at public function
agreed that the problem of the present administration is legitimacy meaning that the VP is
also mindful of the fact that the election that gave birth to the present regime was not
devoid of some fraudulent acts. In trying to fix this problem which today is Nigeria’s
greatest headache, the justice Uwaise committee was set and had since submitted its
report to the government for necessary implementation. Today, the Justice Uwaise report
has generated another issue as it concerns government refusal to accept some vital
aspects of the recommendation and this has set the public and the government against
each other in war of words; giving the impression that government may not afterwards be
committed towards implementing a transparent electoral system in the subsequent
elections.
Before getting to this stage, some events had played itself out to give one the benefit of
prior knowledge of what the Nation is experiencing today. The issue of tenure elongation
which Obasanjo wanted at all cost was the beginning of Nigeria’s electoral problems. The
way and manner the third term project was vigorously pursued and aborted by the
Nigerian Senate under the leadership of Senator Ken Nnamani GCON indicated that under
the right atmosphere the people can always determine what is good for them. The senate
decision to throw out the third term deeply injured Obasanjo to the bone marrow to the
extent that it was obvious during the first public outing of the former president that
calamities had befalling the man. As a wounded lion, the options before the former
President was to take his pound of flesh from those who truncated the third term Process
and dictated the pace of the transition program that produced President Umaru Yar’Adua
GCFR and the consequences of this is the failure of the electoral process as reflected in
the several annulments and rerun elections the country as witnessed in recent time.
There is no doubting the fact that Obasanjo’s bid for a third term may have been for a
good reason, but the aggressive manner applied to drive the process raised many issues
that suspected the dictatorial tendencies that would have been the hallmark of the
administration if he had gotten the tenure elongation cheaply.
In trying to refresh memory on this issue, the principal actor comes to mind. Senator
Ibrahim Nasiru Mantu CFR, the arrowhead of the campaign, is, no doubt, an interesting
politician whose intentions at any point in time are never hidden. Some of the key events
that played out during his tenure as Deputy Senate President of the Senate dictates that
the Senator could be mean and determined when pursuing a course he strongly believed
in. The issue of the constitutional amendment was one of the numerous National
responsibilities assigned to the Distinguished Senator, but turned out to be the most
tasking putting the senator at several risks of his career as the entire exercise was
reduced to mere third term campaign. Accepting this responsibility was not Mantu’s
problem as his status as Deputy Senate President constitutionally confers on him the
Chairmanship of the Joint Committee of the National Assembly on Constitutional review, a
platform he used successfully to mobilize parliamentarians and other section of the Nigeria
public to push for constitutional amendments; probably not specifically for tenure
elongation, a point he later affirm in his first public outing at the Lagos Country Club Guest
Lecture.
As one of the critics of Senator Mantu, I suspected that his failure to return to the senate
may be that he has to pay dearly for the smart role he played at the last point in truncating
the tenure elongation process, after all, how do we understand the riddle that only Mantu
did not get the PDP ticket, while others who promoted the tenure elongation were
compensated and duly elected as reflected in their various elective positions.
The Lagos public outing provides the opportunity to listen to his side of the story and then
get back at him, but mere sighting the man, beaming with confidence and listening to his
opening remarks in his usual characteristic paved way for my rapt attention, not knowing
that the Senator was using what he knows best to drill the audience along using his
charismatic attributes.
The historic guest lecture delivered by Distinguished Senator Ibrahim Nasiru Mantu CFR at
the Lagos Country Club, Ikeja on 26 March 2009 sent a new signal that the senator may
as well be perfecting and sharpening his political structures for possible re-entry into the
National polity. The distinguished senator’s brilliant performance at the lecture reminded
someone of the enviable talents and stuff the astute politician is made up of. In fact, the
courage and high sense of humour displayed confirms the fact that the Senator must have
had enough rest and time during which he ruminated over all that transpired during his
tenure as the Deputy Senate President of the federal republic of Nigeria and Chairman,
joint Committee on the Constitutional review (JCCR).
Beaming with courageous smiles laced with confidence, the senator did not hide his
seriousness concerning the facts he dished out his to the audience; but with a caveat that
details of what transpired and role played by some individuals will be made public in similar
event when the time comes.
The lecture which dwells on the need for constitutional review provided Senator Mantu the
right platform and most conducive environment where he displayed his political prowess ;
dishing out little facts of his controversial tenure. No doubt, the event was an opportunity
for many who loved and hate the Distinguished Senator to have a glimpse of the man who
was at a time closest and dearest to the heart of the former President Obasanjo GCFR;
and who according to him, Chaired the constitutional review exercise that scuttled
Obasanjo’s bid for a third term in a very skillful manner.
At the colorful and well attended event, the distinguished Senator did not , but speared his
audience a dose of his love for his country, his intellectual ability, deep understanding of
Nigeria’s political situation and his humorous human relations even to the extent that , the
audience observed a brief standing ovation after the lecture in honour of a man once
believed to have been misunderstood for his role during the controversial tenure
elongation ; and who to the surprise of everybody used the occasion to declare his new
born again status and renewed his commitment to serve while also asked for forgiveness
for what his misunderstood role must have caused the Nation.
By Cornelius Oyedele/Posted Sunday 21 June, 2009
The administration of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR, former President and Commander-
in-Chief, Federal Republic of Nigeria was not without its peculiar features typical of any
administration. These features, no doubt, tremendously contributed in shaping the political
landscape of the Country.
The emergence of Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua GCFR as the President/ Commander in
Chief in the April 2007 General election under highly controversial circumstances and the
Supreme Court verdict upholding the electoral victory was the culminating events that
finally nailed the ambition of other prominent Nigerians who contested the same election
under different political parties.
Two years into the tenure of the present administration, President Yar’Adua’s slow
leadership style and Nigeria’s weak electoral process has been under serious criticisms
with a view to pressurizing the government to address some of the salient issues that
portrayed Nigeria’s Democracy as Garrison one under the dictatorial tendencies of Chief
Olusegun Obasanjo, Chairman Board of trustees of the Peoples’ Democratic Party PDP.
The Vice President of Nigeria, Dr Jonathan Good luck GCON sometimes at public function
agreed that the problem of the present administration is legitimacy meaning that the VP is
also mindful of the fact that the election that gave birth to the present regime was not
devoid of some fraudulent acts. In trying to fix this problem which today is Nigeria’s
greatest headache, the justice Uwaise committee was set and had since submitted its
report to the government for necessary implementation. Today, the Justice Uwaise report
has generated another issue as it concerns government refusal to accept some vital
aspects of the recommendation and this has set the public and the government against
each other in war of words; giving the impression that government may not afterwards be
committed towards implementing a transparent electoral system in the subsequent
elections.
Before getting to this stage, some events had played itself out to give one the benefit of
prior knowledge of what the Nation is experiencing today. The issue of tenure elongation
which Obasanjo wanted at all cost was the beginning of Nigeria’s electoral problems. The
way and manner the third term project was vigorously pursued and aborted by the
Nigerian Senate under the leadership of Senator Ken Nnamani GCON indicated that under
the right atmosphere the people can always determine what is good for them. The senate
decision to throw out the third term deeply injured Obasanjo to the bone marrow to the
extent that it was obvious during the first public outing of the former president that
calamities had befalling the man. As a wounded lion, the options before the former
President was to take his pound of flesh from those who truncated the third term Process
and dictated the pace of the transition program that produced President Umaru Yar’Adua
GCFR and the consequences of this is the failure of the electoral process as reflected in
the several annulments and rerun elections the country as witnessed in recent time.
There is no doubting the fact that Obasanjo’s bid for a third term may have been for a
good reason, but the aggressive manner applied to drive the process raised many issues
that suspected the dictatorial tendencies that would have been the hallmark of the
administration if he had gotten the tenure elongation cheaply.
In trying to refresh memory on this issue, the principal actor comes to mind. Senator
Ibrahim Nasiru Mantu CFR, the arrowhead of the campaign, is, no doubt, an interesting
politician whose intentions at any point in time are never hidden. Some of the key events
that played out during his tenure as Deputy Senate President of the Senate dictates that
the Senator could be mean and determined when pursuing a course he strongly believed
in. The issue of the constitutional amendment was one of the numerous National
responsibilities assigned to the Distinguished Senator, but turned out to be the most
tasking putting the senator at several risks of his career as the entire exercise was
reduced to mere third term campaign. Accepting this responsibility was not Mantu’s
problem as his status as Deputy Senate President constitutionally confers on him the
Chairmanship of the Joint Committee of the National Assembly on Constitutional review, a
platform he used successfully to mobilize parliamentarians and other section of the Nigeria
public to push for constitutional amendments; probably not specifically for tenure
elongation, a point he later affirm in his first public outing at the Lagos Country Club Guest
Lecture.
As one of the critics of Senator Mantu, I suspected that his failure to return to the senate
may be that he has to pay dearly for the smart role he played at the last point in truncating
the tenure elongation process, after all, how do we understand the riddle that only Mantu
did not get the PDP ticket, while others who promoted the tenure elongation were
compensated and duly elected as reflected in their various elective positions.
The Lagos public outing provides the opportunity to listen to his side of the story and then
get back at him, but mere sighting the man, beaming with confidence and listening to his
opening remarks in his usual characteristic paved way for my rapt attention, not knowing
that the Senator was using what he knows best to drill the audience along using his
charismatic attributes.
The historic guest lecture delivered by Distinguished Senator Ibrahim Nasiru Mantu CFR at
the Lagos Country Club, Ikeja on 26 March 2009 sent a new signal that the senator may
as well be perfecting and sharpening his political structures for possible re-entry into the
National polity. The distinguished senator’s brilliant performance at the lecture reminded
someone of the enviable talents and stuff the astute politician is made up of. In fact, the
courage and high sense of humour displayed confirms the fact that the Senator must have
had enough rest and time during which he ruminated over all that transpired during his
tenure as the Deputy Senate President of the federal republic of Nigeria and Chairman,
joint Committee on the Constitutional review (JCCR).
Beaming with courageous smiles laced with confidence, the senator did not hide his
seriousness concerning the facts he dished out his to the audience; but with a caveat that
details of what transpired and role played by some individuals will be made public in similar
event when the time comes.
The lecture which dwells on the need for constitutional review provided Senator Mantu the
right platform and most conducive environment where he displayed his political prowess ;
dishing out little facts of his controversial tenure. No doubt, the event was an opportunity
for many who loved and hate the Distinguished Senator to have a glimpse of the man who
was at a time closest and dearest to the heart of the former President Obasanjo GCFR;
and who according to him, Chaired the constitutional review exercise that scuttled
Obasanjo’s bid for a third term in a very skillful manner.
At the colorful and well attended event, the distinguished Senator did not , but speared his
audience a dose of his love for his country, his intellectual ability, deep understanding of
Nigeria’s political situation and his humorous human relations even to the extent that , the
audience observed a brief standing ovation after the lecture in honour of a man once
believed to have been misunderstood for his role during the controversial tenure
elongation ; and who to the surprise of everybody used the occasion to declare his new
born again status and renewed his commitment to serve while also asked for forgiveness
for what his misunderstood role must have caused the Nation.
Surprisingly, during the question and answer period, some of the guests at the event
even apologized for misunderstanding him as a person and his perceived role in the
aborted third term project. As if this is not enough, Mantu dazzle his audience with
brilliant answers to all the questions that was asked, most of which was on the third
term, Plateau state emergency rule, Obasanjo’s impeachment, constitutional review
and the 50Million bribery scandal alleged by Mallam Nasir El-rufai, former Minister of
FCT who is now a wanted man by the EFCC.
This piece is not to eulogies Mantu, but to extract some lessons from his Lagos
Country Club Lecture and the Media interview he granted some Political editors of
some National news paper a day after the lecture. During the media chat, reports
have it that Senator Mantu reenacted his love for the media. It was a no holds barred.
Editors freely asked questions that had long bordered their minds. This is not in the
character of most politicians who would declare some issues as no go areas.
At least, in recent times, I am yet to see a politician whose news lasted for almost one
month in the print media reporting the same activity from different perspectives.
Again, most of Mantu’s position in his speech and the media interview did not
generate any serious opposition. As an understanding politician, whose rise to the
top was with the support of the media, Mantu did not bate an eye lid event at a piece
by one of Nigeria’s profffessional reporter, Mr Levy Obijiofor .
One would recall Mantu’s comment that he was forced to cut short his long sabbatical
to honour the Country Club Invitation thereby putting paid to speculations that he is
too scared to dabble into the mucky political waters at this crucial stage. Mantu is
undoubtedly one of the most colorful politicians Nigeria has ever produced; a man
whom the most critic person would love to meet; a philanthropist and indeed a friend
of the youths as exemplified by many young persons that have benefited from his
goodwill and philanthropy.
Responding to the compliments from his old associates who came to grace the
occasion, Mantu did not hide his feelings and appreciation for the honour and
tremendous support extended to him during his tenure as deputy senate president
and now as an elder statesman. As an astute politician, Mantu did not leave the
venue without his usual trademark of donation towards the Club’s activities and
reminded them of the need to get set for a new political showdown that would usher in
a new political dispensation come 2011. This admonition seems to have sent the right
signal through the spines of all his political associates who now have the confidence
that their leader would signal action at the right time.
Be that as it may, Senator Mantu like a golden fish does have a hiding place again
and so it is expected that more political actions would be seen from him as the
political tempo heats up in the country. There is no doubting the fact that the
Distinguished Senator would be an asset to the polity of this country in the next
dispensation considering his courage, experience, exposure and political intellect /
astuteness.
After listening attentively to Mantu, One cannot also rule out the fact that the failure of
the Distinguished Senator to return to the Senate may have been the ploy and plot of
many of his detractors, including the PDP, to whittle down his intimidating rising
popularity and political profile. This same category of people will not also at this time
hesitate to do everything possible to scuttle the proposed triumphant entry of the
politician into the polity as we now observed that several political activities are on-
going to pull their energy and resources together to put up a fight against the ruling
party.
Although nobody could say precisely what Senator Mantu’s thinking and interest is in
the next political dispensation, one can categorically state that as a loyal member of
the PDP board of trustee / founding member of PDP, the distinguished Senator would
not work against his part; even though he has every reason to fight back considering
how the party humiliated him during his Senatorial re-run election. But instead Mantu
has publicly express his determination to join forces with other progressives to fight all
retrogressive forces with a view to ensuring that internal democracy is fully
entrenched in the ruling party and to avoid the pitfalls of the bad implementation of
the 2007 General election which has made the country a laughing stock in the
international committee.
Looking beyond tenure elongation, Senator Mantu has proclaimed his new born
again status and should be seen as such. We also expect others like him to follow suit
and make themselves available for the great task of moving Nigeria forward on the
path of peace.
even apologized for misunderstanding him as a person and his perceived role in the
aborted third term project. As if this is not enough, Mantu dazzle his audience with
brilliant answers to all the questions that was asked, most of which was on the third
term, Plateau state emergency rule, Obasanjo’s impeachment, constitutional review
and the 50Million bribery scandal alleged by Mallam Nasir El-rufai, former Minister of
FCT who is now a wanted man by the EFCC.
This piece is not to eulogies Mantu, but to extract some lessons from his Lagos
Country Club Lecture and the Media interview he granted some Political editors of
some National news paper a day after the lecture. During the media chat, reports
have it that Senator Mantu reenacted his love for the media. It was a no holds barred.
Editors freely asked questions that had long bordered their minds. This is not in the
character of most politicians who would declare some issues as no go areas.
At least, in recent times, I am yet to see a politician whose news lasted for almost one
month in the print media reporting the same activity from different perspectives.
Again, most of Mantu’s position in his speech and the media interview did not
generate any serious opposition. As an understanding politician, whose rise to the
top was with the support of the media, Mantu did not bate an eye lid event at a piece
by one of Nigeria’s profffessional reporter, Mr Levy Obijiofor .
One would recall Mantu’s comment that he was forced to cut short his long sabbatical
to honour the Country Club Invitation thereby putting paid to speculations that he is
too scared to dabble into the mucky political waters at this crucial stage. Mantu is
undoubtedly one of the most colorful politicians Nigeria has ever produced; a man
whom the most critic person would love to meet; a philanthropist and indeed a friend
of the youths as exemplified by many young persons that have benefited from his
goodwill and philanthropy.
Responding to the compliments from his old associates who came to grace the
occasion, Mantu did not hide his feelings and appreciation for the honour and
tremendous support extended to him during his tenure as deputy senate president
and now as an elder statesman. As an astute politician, Mantu did not leave the
venue without his usual trademark of donation towards the Club’s activities and
reminded them of the need to get set for a new political showdown that would usher in
a new political dispensation come 2011. This admonition seems to have sent the right
signal through the spines of all his political associates who now have the confidence
that their leader would signal action at the right time.
Be that as it may, Senator Mantu like a golden fish does have a hiding place again
and so it is expected that more political actions would be seen from him as the
political tempo heats up in the country. There is no doubting the fact that the
Distinguished Senator would be an asset to the polity of this country in the next
dispensation considering his courage, experience, exposure and political intellect /
astuteness.
After listening attentively to Mantu, One cannot also rule out the fact that the failure of
the Distinguished Senator to return to the Senate may have been the ploy and plot of
many of his detractors, including the PDP, to whittle down his intimidating rising
popularity and political profile. This same category of people will not also at this time
hesitate to do everything possible to scuttle the proposed triumphant entry of the
politician into the polity as we now observed that several political activities are on-
going to pull their energy and resources together to put up a fight against the ruling
party.
Although nobody could say precisely what Senator Mantu’s thinking and interest is in
the next political dispensation, one can categorically state that as a loyal member of
the PDP board of trustee / founding member of PDP, the distinguished Senator would
not work against his part; even though he has every reason to fight back considering
how the party humiliated him during his Senatorial re-run election. But instead Mantu
has publicly express his determination to join forces with other progressives to fight all
retrogressive forces with a view to ensuring that internal democracy is fully
entrenched in the ruling party and to avoid the pitfalls of the bad implementation of
the 2007 General election which has made the country a laughing stock in the
international committee.
Looking beyond tenure elongation, Senator Mantu has proclaimed his new born
again status and should be seen as such. We also expect others like him to follow suit
and make themselves available for the great task of moving Nigeria forward on the
path of peace.
Senator Mantu