Carol Ajie
Lagos, Nigeria
Jan 11, 2016 — Monday January 11, 2016
President Barack Obama
President of the United States
Whitehouse
Washington D.C.
Transmitted by Email From:
carolajie@yahoo.com; carolajielaw@yahoo.co.uk
Mr. President,
With profound humility, I call your attention to reports on the state of our democracy in Nigeria, most populous country in Africa, 178 million great people perhaps the size of six countries notably Tanzania 52 million, Kenya 46 million, Uganda 40 million, Ghana 26 million, Southern Sudan 12 million, Sierra-Leone 6 million, Gambia 1.8 million and Cape Verde is 508,000.
Bearing in mind the World’s Greatest Democracy, the United States would assist in guiding Nations to achieve great potentials, in contributing to shape democratic norms around the World, so that Nigerians in the North East, North West, North Central, South East, South South and South West would, as a matter of national priority, cultivate a true sense of Federalism modeled along US Confederate path; humbled by my legal experience in Georgetown University Law Center, Washington D.C.
THE FOLLOWING FACTORS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS JUSTIFICATION FOR THE CLARION CALL.
Sectional Tension:
President Buhari’s unfair tactics, expression of prejudices and hostility towards the people commonly known as “Biafrans”, in the South Eastern region of Nigeria, is a bad precedent against our peaceful co-existence. The gravamen of his complaint is that the Igbos did not vote for him in March 2015. His supporters now tag the South East derogatorily as “Biafraud”. Elected as President, he must be magnanimous in victory.
President Buhari was quoted as saying those who didn’t vote for him will be punished and sadly demonstrated this in a modern society:http://www.naijaloaded.com.ng/2015/07/23/pres-buhari-says-he-wont-treat-people-who-didnt-vote-for-him-equally-with-those-who-voted-for-him-see-video/
A recent report, underscores the “politics of divisiveness”:http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/01/sagays-comment-on-biafra-blanket-abuse-of-igbo-nation-iym/
The Nigerian civil war lasted for 29 months and one million lives were lost. Still not had enough of blood spilling; on 2nd Dec., 2015 some defenceless citizens who were protesting repression, degrading treatment and detention of the Leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, were mowed by the Joint Military Taskforce.http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/12/nine-shot-dead-over-8-injured-as-taskforce-open-fire-on-protesting-ipob-members-in-onitsha/
Buhari’s presidency and agents despise subsisting Order of the Federal High Court, Abuja per Honourable Justice Adeniyi Ademola to release IPOB Leader Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally, who is still being held in chains, in dungeon cell since Oct., 14th this the 4th month!
Deliberate Acts of Inhumanity and Dehumanization:
The Tutsis were also reduced to cockroaches before they were killed. For genocide to occur it must be preceded by the dehumanization of a group, and denials, reducing them to sub-humans so extermination becomes the natural next step. In Nazi Germany, the Jews were called the inferior race and malicious claims blamed them for Germany’s economic and social woes. Thereafter millions of Jews were gassed or subjected to mass execution through extreme work during the evil episode of the holocaust.
In the years leading up to the 1994 genocide, the government of Rwanda used all its propaganda machinery to spread bigotry and hate speeches. Tutsis were called “cockroaches” and the term ingrained in the public sphere. Tutsi men, women and children were denied rights to dignity and killed, the last phase of genocide. Let us protect the Igbos from victimization, hate semantics and denial under the gleeful watch of Buhari.
On 12th and 13th December, 2015, seeming presidential disdain for Shiites Muslims in Nigeria, led the Nigerian army to Zaria massacre. The Burundian civil war was an armed conflict that lasted for twelve years from 1993-2005, and 300,000 killed no thanks to ethnic tension; in one or two days in Nigeria the army slaughtered more than 300 Shia Muslims as stated in reports published by Human Rights Watch 22nd Dec., 2015. https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/12/22/nigeria-army-attack-shia-unjustified
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/196311-zaria-massacre-%E2%80%8Bshiite-group-releases-own-video-says-attack-by-military-planned-deliberate.html
The Herald reports that Nigerian soldiers tortured Shia women in Northern Nigeria, raped them and then killed them, horrific violations. Clickhttp://www.theheraldng.com/soldiers-raped-and-tortured-our-members-before-killing-them-shiite-women/ Whilst President Buhari looks away!
Gender Injustice:
Women constitute half of our population and should be fairly represented; in cognizance of Buhari’s campaign pledge to uphold the affirmative action with a view to attaining Vision 20:2020 in order that Nigeria joins the largest economies of the World; aware that no nation can achieve meaningful development unless men and women are given the opportunity to participate in the political and socio-economic spheres, in line with the national gender policy. For obscure reasons, President Buhari ceded only 15% to women in his cabinet, without remorse or apologies. Hence must be held to keep this and his other campaign promises and pledges, please.
Presidential Profligacy and Budget 2016
“Corruption destroys nations and its workforce, reduces productivity, hinders development, worsens poverty, marginalizes the poor, and hence it becomes a human rights issue…” – Carol Ajie Blog post in June 2014
When President Buhari rode to power on the crest of a Spartan lifestyle, anti-corruption activism was and still is a lofty goal, achievable. Surprisingly, after he was sworn-in, Buhari no longer practices what he preached. Seven months after he took the Oath of office and the Oath of allegiance on 29th May, 2015 and against the principles of transparency and accountability President Buhari has declined to disclose sums he said he recovered from Nigeria’s treasury looters and projects he intends to fund with his mentor Dictator Abacha’s loot returned.
Furthermore, President Buhari’s failure to downsize excessive presidential fleet; and his prodigious spending of N1.8Billion monthly on maintenance costs for 11 aircraft viz Falcon 7X Jets, Falcon 900, Gulfstream 550, Boeing 737 BBJ, Gulfstream IVSP, Gulfstream V etc., majority of Nigerians live in squalor in the cruel face of splendor where the lives of IDPs could be transformed with as little as 10% of the monthly air fleet maintenance costs. What does it cost President Buhari to provide modest housing for poor? Personal sacrifice!
Shocking extravagance displayed in 2016 budget presented to a joint session of the National Assembly on 22nd Dec., 2015 surpass previous regimes as Buhari’s frugal proclivity and Spartan predilection suddenly disappear. Scrutinized by the media including a media outlet controlled by a lead stalwart of the ruling political party, the Nation, Punch newspapers and others, Buhari’s budget proposal 2016 is indicative of a regime not prepared for prudence and inglorious willingness for prodigal spending.
http://www.punchng.com/buhari-osinbajo-to-spend-n2-2bn-on-travels-food-others/
President of Tanzania, Magufuli -vs- Buhari
Whilst the President of Tanzania John Magufuli, leads by example in fighting corruption and pursues austere programs since coming to office;http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/tanzania/12041788/John-Magufuli-Tanzania-president-sweeps-the-streets-outside-state-palace.html
President Muhammadu Buhari finds ostentatious living alleviating, hence he has refused to lead by example. In the course of former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki’s statements not a few persons were named. According to Dasuki, President Buhari received 5 SUVs and $300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand US Dollars) in cash after his SUV was damaged in July 2014. However, by his own admission, Buhari said he received two luxuriant land cruiser SUVs one armored, the other not; whereupon President Buhari retains the ‘swigs’. Our anti-corruption warrior should not condone or keep gifts or other benefits tainted with corruption.
Presidential Media Chat: Disobedience of Court Orders:
On Wednesday 30th Dec., 2015 President Buhari held his first media chat televised live on national TV stations, wherein he evinced traits of tyranny in saying that his regime will not release persons in detention despite several court orders because according to him, they could jump bail, if allowed freedom. This caused an uproar, and outright condemnation.
Because it is an encroachment on the judicial arm, calculated to humiliate Judges, and consistent with the principles of human rights work and decades of public interest advocacy campaigns, I created an online petition on Thursday 31st Dec., 2015 to protest Buhari’s deliberate disobedience of court orders, to respect the Constitution under which he took his Oaths, to protect our laws or resign from office if he was unable to comply else impeachment proceedings could be taken against him by our Legislators.
Target for the Online Petition: PMB Respect Court Orders or Resign:
1,000 signatures were targeted considering there are 360 members of the house of representatives, 109 Senators and 300-400 members of the National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association and the civil society. However, we exceeded our target by 400% plus. Here is the link:https://www.change.org/p/president-of-the-united-states-respect-court-orders-or-resign-president-buhari-2
Buhari’s Online Supporters Begin Campaigns for Tenure Elongation?
Once President Buhari and his supporters saw the said online petition of 31st Dec., 2015, they fought back and started a counter petition on 3rd Jan., 2016. Although they have received a paltry 2% (two percent) less of their one million target at the time we recorded 400% success in excess of our target, not surprising Nigerians prefer peace to impunity, a colossal failure.
The language of profanity and violence the counter-petitioner/signers and Buhari’s other online supporters deploy with President Buhari’s picture on signature pages shaking hands with them endorsing lawlessness, repression, intolerance to criticism, leaves none in doubt as to why Buhari’s regime appear to promote chaos, anarchy, the injustices of marginalization, inhuman and degrading treatment and violence against women, girls and children as typified in the 2011 post-election violence whereat Buhari’s supporters raped and killed in open daylight some female youth corpers over allegations that they rigged the 2011 election in favour of Jonathan against candidate Buhari at the time, all these documented for analysis, being ostensibly dangerous signs capable of taking us Back to Burundi.
Also curious, online posts chanting “Say Baba Buhari carry go till 2023” “President forever” in contravention of section 135(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 that compels the President to vacate his office in 2019, one year down three more years to go!
Wondering if President Buhari has plans for “self-succession” as a number of African heads of states and Presidents with the exception of President Goodluck Jonathan who heroically transferred power in a smooth and peaceful transition from one political party to a rival on May 29, 2015.
Absurd:
Why is Buhari muzzling opposition tarring them with those corruption brushes fit for members of both the ruling political party APC and their counterparts in PDP; they lock-up the spokesperson of the opposition party in underground cell, without trial, under the pretense of fighting corruption only of the main rival when some members of Buhari’s cabal and even Mr President Buhari got a mention in Dasukigate, and get scot free?
The Clarion Call:
1. Respectfully Call President Buhari to Order!
2. To Prohibit Violence from Politics and Rights Advocacy Campaigns!
3. Please Ask President Buhari to Respect Court Orders Or Resign.
4. Support Nigeria and Nigerians to Achieve True Federalism Or
5. Support the Path to a Confederation of Independent States in Nigeria.
Thanks in anticipation.
Sincerely,
Carol Ajie
Carol Ajie, LL.B(Hons) Benin; B.L(Lagos); MCIArb(UK); LL.M (Int’l Legal Studies) Georgetown
Legal Practitioner, Constitutional and Human Rights Lawyer
IBA Human Rights Working Group Africa Regional Officer 2014, 2015
Vital Voices Lead Fellow, Washington D.C. 2013-2016
Copy to: His Excellency,
1. Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation
2. Dr. Olubukola Saraki, President of the Senate
3. Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, The Hon. Speaker of the House of Reps.
President Barack Obama
President of the United States
Whitehouse
Washington D.C.
Transmitted by Email From:
carolajie@yahoo.com; carolajielaw@yahoo.co.uk
Mr. President,
With profound humility, I call your attention to reports on the state of our democracy in Nigeria, most populous country in Africa, 178 million great people perhaps the size of six countries notably Tanzania 52 million, Kenya 46 million, Uganda 40 million, Ghana 26 million, Southern Sudan 12 million, Sierra-Leone 6 million, Gambia 1.8 million and Cape Verde is 508,000.
Bearing in mind the World’s Greatest Democracy, the United States would assist in guiding Nations to achieve great potentials, in contributing to shape democratic norms around the World, so that Nigerians in the North East, North West, North Central, South East, South South and South West would, as a matter of national priority, cultivate a true sense of Federalism modeled along US Confederate path; humbled by my legal experience in Georgetown University Law Center, Washington D.C.
THE FOLLOWING FACTORS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS JUSTIFICATION FOR THE CLARION CALL.
Sectional Tension:
President Buhari’s unfair tactics, expression of prejudices and hostility towards the people commonly known as “Biafrans”, in the South Eastern region of Nigeria, is a bad precedent against our peaceful co-existence. The gravamen of his complaint is that the Igbos did not vote for him in March 2015. His supporters now tag the South East derogatorily as “Biafraud”. Elected as President, he must be magnanimous in victory.
President Buhari was quoted as saying those who didn’t vote for him will be punished and sadly demonstrated this in a modern society:http://www.naijaloaded.com.ng/2015/07/23/pres-buhari-says-he-wont-treat-people-who-didnt-vote-for-him-equally-with-those-who-voted-for-him-see-video/
A recent report, underscores the “politics of divisiveness”:http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/01/sagays-comment-on-biafra-blanket-abuse-of-igbo-nation-iym/
The Nigerian civil war lasted for 29 months and one million lives were lost. Still not had enough of blood spilling; on 2nd Dec., 2015 some defenceless citizens who were protesting repression, degrading treatment and detention of the Leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, were mowed by the Joint Military Taskforce.http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/12/nine-shot-dead-over-8-injured-as-taskforce-open-fire-on-protesting-ipob-members-in-onitsha/
Buhari’s presidency and agents despise subsisting Order of the Federal High Court, Abuja per Honourable Justice Adeniyi Ademola to release IPOB Leader Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally, who is still being held in chains, in dungeon cell since Oct., 14th this the 4th month!
Deliberate Acts of Inhumanity and Dehumanization:
The Tutsis were also reduced to cockroaches before they were killed. For genocide to occur it must be preceded by the dehumanization of a group, and denials, reducing them to sub-humans so extermination becomes the natural next step. In Nazi Germany, the Jews were called the inferior race and malicious claims blamed them for Germany’s economic and social woes. Thereafter millions of Jews were gassed or subjected to mass execution through extreme work during the evil episode of the holocaust.
In the years leading up to the 1994 genocide, the government of Rwanda used all its propaganda machinery to spread bigotry and hate speeches. Tutsis were called “cockroaches” and the term ingrained in the public sphere. Tutsi men, women and children were denied rights to dignity and killed, the last phase of genocide. Let us protect the Igbos from victimization, hate semantics and denial under the gleeful watch of Buhari.
On 12th and 13th December, 2015, seeming presidential disdain for Shiites Muslims in Nigeria, led the Nigerian army to Zaria massacre. The Burundian civil war was an armed conflict that lasted for twelve years from 1993-2005, and 300,000 killed no thanks to ethnic tension; in one or two days in Nigeria the army slaughtered more than 300 Shia Muslims as stated in reports published by Human Rights Watch 22nd Dec., 2015. https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/12/22/nigeria-army-attack-shia-unjustified
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/196311-zaria-massacre-%E2%80%8Bshiite-group-releases-own-video-says-attack-by-military-planned-deliberate.html
The Herald reports that Nigerian soldiers tortured Shia women in Northern Nigeria, raped them and then killed them, horrific violations. Clickhttp://www.theheraldng.com/soldiers-raped-and-tortured-our-members-before-killing-them-shiite-women/ Whilst President Buhari looks away!
Gender Injustice:
Women constitute half of our population and should be fairly represented; in cognizance of Buhari’s campaign pledge to uphold the affirmative action with a view to attaining Vision 20:2020 in order that Nigeria joins the largest economies of the World; aware that no nation can achieve meaningful development unless men and women are given the opportunity to participate in the political and socio-economic spheres, in line with the national gender policy. For obscure reasons, President Buhari ceded only 15% to women in his cabinet, without remorse or apologies. Hence must be held to keep this and his other campaign promises and pledges, please.
Presidential Profligacy and Budget 2016
“Corruption destroys nations and its workforce, reduces productivity, hinders development, worsens poverty, marginalizes the poor, and hence it becomes a human rights issue…” – Carol Ajie Blog post in June 2014
When President Buhari rode to power on the crest of a Spartan lifestyle, anti-corruption activism was and still is a lofty goal, achievable. Surprisingly, after he was sworn-in, Buhari no longer practices what he preached. Seven months after he took the Oath of office and the Oath of allegiance on 29th May, 2015 and against the principles of transparency and accountability President Buhari has declined to disclose sums he said he recovered from Nigeria’s treasury looters and projects he intends to fund with his mentor Dictator Abacha’s loot returned.
Furthermore, President Buhari’s failure to downsize excessive presidential fleet; and his prodigious spending of N1.8Billion monthly on maintenance costs for 11 aircraft viz Falcon 7X Jets, Falcon 900, Gulfstream 550, Boeing 737 BBJ, Gulfstream IVSP, Gulfstream V etc., majority of Nigerians live in squalor in the cruel face of splendor where the lives of IDPs could be transformed with as little as 10% of the monthly air fleet maintenance costs. What does it cost President Buhari to provide modest housing for poor? Personal sacrifice!
Shocking extravagance displayed in 2016 budget presented to a joint session of the National Assembly on 22nd Dec., 2015 surpass previous regimes as Buhari’s frugal proclivity and Spartan predilection suddenly disappear. Scrutinized by the media including a media outlet controlled by a lead stalwart of the ruling political party, the Nation, Punch newspapers and others, Buhari’s budget proposal 2016 is indicative of a regime not prepared for prudence and inglorious willingness for prodigal spending.
http://www.punchng.com/buhari-osinbajo-to-spend-n2-2bn-on-travels-food-others/
President of Tanzania, Magufuli -vs- Buhari
Whilst the President of Tanzania John Magufuli, leads by example in fighting corruption and pursues austere programs since coming to office;http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/tanzania/12041788/John-Magufuli-Tanzania-president-sweeps-the-streets-outside-state-palace.html
President Muhammadu Buhari finds ostentatious living alleviating, hence he has refused to lead by example. In the course of former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki’s statements not a few persons were named. According to Dasuki, President Buhari received 5 SUVs and $300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand US Dollars) in cash after his SUV was damaged in July 2014. However, by his own admission, Buhari said he received two luxuriant land cruiser SUVs one armored, the other not; whereupon President Buhari retains the ‘swigs’. Our anti-corruption warrior should not condone or keep gifts or other benefits tainted with corruption.
Presidential Media Chat: Disobedience of Court Orders:
On Wednesday 30th Dec., 2015 President Buhari held his first media chat televised live on national TV stations, wherein he evinced traits of tyranny in saying that his regime will not release persons in detention despite several court orders because according to him, they could jump bail, if allowed freedom. This caused an uproar, and outright condemnation.
Because it is an encroachment on the judicial arm, calculated to humiliate Judges, and consistent with the principles of human rights work and decades of public interest advocacy campaigns, I created an online petition on Thursday 31st Dec., 2015 to protest Buhari’s deliberate disobedience of court orders, to respect the Constitution under which he took his Oaths, to protect our laws or resign from office if he was unable to comply else impeachment proceedings could be taken against him by our Legislators.
Target for the Online Petition: PMB Respect Court Orders or Resign:
1,000 signatures were targeted considering there are 360 members of the house of representatives, 109 Senators and 300-400 members of the National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association and the civil society. However, we exceeded our target by 400% plus. Here is the link:https://www.change.org/p/president-of-the-united-states-respect-court-orders-or-resign-president-buhari-2
Buhari’s Online Supporters Begin Campaigns for Tenure Elongation?
Once President Buhari and his supporters saw the said online petition of 31st Dec., 2015, they fought back and started a counter petition on 3rd Jan., 2016. Although they have received a paltry 2% (two percent) less of their one million target at the time we recorded 400% success in excess of our target, not surprising Nigerians prefer peace to impunity, a colossal failure.
The language of profanity and violence the counter-petitioner/signers and Buhari’s other online supporters deploy with President Buhari’s picture on signature pages shaking hands with them endorsing lawlessness, repression, intolerance to criticism, leaves none in doubt as to why Buhari’s regime appear to promote chaos, anarchy, the injustices of marginalization, inhuman and degrading treatment and violence against women, girls and children as typified in the 2011 post-election violence whereat Buhari’s supporters raped and killed in open daylight some female youth corpers over allegations that they rigged the 2011 election in favour of Jonathan against candidate Buhari at the time, all these documented for analysis, being ostensibly dangerous signs capable of taking us Back to Burundi.
Also curious, online posts chanting “Say Baba Buhari carry go till 2023” “President forever” in contravention of section 135(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 that compels the President to vacate his office in 2019, one year down three more years to go!
Wondering if President Buhari has plans for “self-succession” as a number of African heads of states and Presidents with the exception of President Goodluck Jonathan who heroically transferred power in a smooth and peaceful transition from one political party to a rival on May 29, 2015.
Absurd:
Why is Buhari muzzling opposition tarring them with those corruption brushes fit for members of both the ruling political party APC and their counterparts in PDP; they lock-up the spokesperson of the opposition party in underground cell, without trial, under the pretense of fighting corruption only of the main rival when some members of Buhari’s cabal and even Mr President Buhari got a mention in Dasukigate, and get scot free?
The Clarion Call:
1. Respectfully Call President Buhari to Order!
2. To Prohibit Violence from Politics and Rights Advocacy Campaigns!
3. Please Ask President Buhari to Respect Court Orders Or Resign.
4. Support Nigeria and Nigerians to Achieve True Federalism Or
5. Support the Path to a Confederation of Independent States in Nigeria.
Thanks in anticipation.
Sincerely,
Carol Ajie
Carol Ajie, LL.B(Hons) Benin; B.L(Lagos); MCIArb(UK); LL.M (Int’l Legal Studies) Georgetown
Legal Practitioner, Constitutional and Human Rights Lawyer
IBA Human Rights Working Group Africa Regional Officer 2014, 2015
Vital Voices Lead Fellow, Washington D.C. 2013-2016
Copy to: His Excellency,
1. Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation
2. Dr. Olubukola Saraki, President of the Senate
3. Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, The Hon. Speaker of the House of Reps.
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