July 01, 2003
A Dictator's Agenda
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After his inauguration as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces for a second four-year term, General Olusegun Obasanjo (retired) began to unfold his administration’s agenda for the governance of Nigeria. This agenda has been somewhat controversial; particularly the planned reform of the local government system as well as the recent hike in prices of petroleum products for domestic consumption.
The Obasanjo administration has again arbitrarily increased the prices of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) from N26 to N40 per litre, Automotive Gas oil (diesel) from N24 to N38, and Dual Purpose Kerosene (kerosene) from N22 to N38.
Before the increase, General Obasanjo had in a media chat stated unequivocally that there was no going back on the government planned increase in the pump price of petroleum products but did not throw any light as to what the new price regime would be. This decision has been widely condemned by the Nigerian masses and civil society groups rejecting it in its entirety. The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has commenced a warning strike action while the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) (an umbrella organization for workers in the public service) has also given a notice to commence a nationwide strike action on Monday 30 June 2003. In response, government has already called for the files of all federal civil servants directing them to stay at their respective offices for a verification exercise. This is largely viewed as a ploy to victimize workers that may participate in the industrial action.
Considering the sensitivity of this issue in our polity and the central place it occupies in our minds, every Nigerian had expected that the government would embark on a wide consultation with major stakeholders, particularly the civil society and not just business interests, before increasing the prices of the products. But ironically, the President consulted with the Council of State who claimed to have endorsed the increase. A relevant question here is: “When did the Council of State become the mouth-piece of the Nigerian masses”? Perhaps, it is also instructive to state that the powers of the Council of State are well spelt out in the Third Schedule, Part 1 of the 1999 Constitution and advising the President on petroleum matters does not fall within the ambit of those powers.
The attitude of the Obasanjo administration on this issue, as in many others, depicts its draconian approach to major national issues and its insensitivity to the plight of the Nigerian masses that will be most agonized by the hike. This will in turn further traumatize our society with a consequential increase in the rate of social vices arising from the effect of the increment on the basic necessities of life. The government explanation of channeling the subsidy removed into other areas of the economy with direct benefit to the masses is not plausible, given the lack of transparency and accountability with which government activities are shrouded.
President Obasanjo need not be reminded that the controversy and legitimacy problem caused by the ubiquitous irregularities in the conduct of the 2003 general elections are still raging and as such should not allow this issue to overheat the polity.
CRP therefore calls on the government to rescind this unpopular decision and tow the line of dialogue with critical stakeholders of the Nigeria enterprise and avoid a possible breakdown of law and order that may sweep away our hard-earned democracy.
Copyright© 2005 Constitutional Rights Project (CRP). All rights reserved.
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