by Alexander O. Onukwue

Nigeria’s political climate is probably at its most tense state since the annulment of the June 12, 1993, Presidential elections.

A combination of ethnic tensions all around the country and the instability around the President’s health and ability to maintain the mantle of leadership have masked all other issues in the country, creating an atmosphere of a nation under a threat to its existent. In the heat of politricks, concerns for issues such as unemployment or hunger, or the spree of killings and human burnings ongoing in places like Ikorodu get little traction.

For the most part, though, the attention being paid on the state of the State is necessary, and with the apparent attempt to make Senate President Bukola Saraki the Acting President in the very temporary absence of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the need for such focus has become even more necessary.

The Constitution is very clear on what should happen in terms of power transition if there ever should become a need to relieve Muhammadu Buhari of his role as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; the Vice President, who has played the role of Acting President for more than 110 days of 2017, should take his place. However, politics is probably the only industry where you can be in the stream and your eyes will be filled with soap.

While he has not made any public declarations for the position of the President, there are persons whose interests are that Bukola Saraki become the President, and they are not willing to wait till 2019 for Osinbajo to complete the tenure of the 2015 ticket. Reports of posters going up the walls of streets in Kwara are making rounds in the media, signalling the readiness by some group(s) to push through a takeover agenda.

Needless to say that such an occurrence would require the contrivance of some offence on Osinbajo to make him ineligible to rightfully become President, just as there was one to deny MKO Abiola in 1993. Osinbajo may not have the “vote” of Nigerians as Abiola did, but not many are in doubt that he has done a reasonable job of being the President in the absence of Buhari.

It is unconscionable that a nation which hopes to advance in democracy would be flirting with the prospects of re-enacting dark and dangerous scenes from its forgettable past.

Editor