OATH TAKING IN ASO ROCK!!

Is this what we need in this country? Read below the story of the secrecy pact sworn
to by the president's men.

"More than one year after they assumed duties, political office holders serving in the
Presidential Villa, Abuja, were on Tuesday, administered the oath of secrecy and
declaration of secrecy. The appointees, including the Principal Secretary to the
President, Mr. David Edevbie, Principal Secretary to the Vice President, Chief Mike
Oghiadome, the Chief Economic Adviser to the President, Dr. Tanimu Yakubu, the
Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to the President, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, Chief
Physician to the President, Dr. Salisu Barau Banye, and Senior Special Assistant
(Media and Publicity) to the Vice President, Mr. Ima Niboro, were told, President
Umaru Yar’Adua gave the directive to that effect.

The occasion attracted the Permanent Secretary, State House, Amb. Babakura
Kaigama, who in addition to conveying the president’s order, pointed out that
the civil servants in Aso Rock had already taken the oath. Justice Husseini Yusuf
Baba of the Abuja High Court, who administered the oath, urged all the
appointees to respect the solemn promises they had made before God, as they
discharged the enormous tasks before them.

The Daily Sun learnt that it was the first time that all categories of political office
holders in Aso Rock would be administered the oath of secrecy since the return of
democracy in the country. Before now, political office holders were only subjected to
oath of office and allegiance on assumption of office. A statement on Tuesday’s
development from the office of the Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to the
President was, however, silent on why the exercise was ordered at this time.

According to the official record, there are all together 70 political appointees in
the Presidential Villa, Abuja, serving in the offices of the president, vice president,
the first lady, as well as the vice president's wife, among others."

What do you all make of all this? Comments are welcomed.

What Manner of Democracy?

Men of the State Security Services raided one of the media houses in Nigeria, locking
up the staffs and harrassing everybody in sight. Taking cue from this illegality, Nigeria
Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), the body that regulates the practice of broadcasting
in Nigeria suspended the license of this same media house. The offence commited by
the media house was the supposedly resignation of the president from office.

For a government that professes rule of law and claims to allow freedom of speech
and information, this act by the two government agencies smacks on outright
hypocrisy and disregard for the constitution of the nation.

I personally dont see anything wrong or any security breach made in
announcing even if it turns out to be false that a sitting president is about to resign!
This government should stop chasing shadows and irrelivances and face up to the
more pressing issues that is bedevilling our beloved country. The Niger Delta is
boiling, the Stock Market is crashing further everyday just to mention some of the few
problems at hand.

Two years into this administration and they are still crawling on all aspects of governance.

LYING FOR THE GOOD OF THE NATION

Am experiencing what writers call a block right now.
But seriously, how should governments react or act when a sitting president is experiencing serious health problems that could be life threatening in nature. Should they come out and tell the whole citizenry what the problem with the president is or just keep a sealed lip about it for the sake of 'National Security?'.

What is happening in Nigeria presently concerning the President has got people divided on whether the government was right to have kept the whole nation in the dark concerning the health condition of their president or not.

What is your own honest opinion? comments are invited.

More will be written on this in the days coming by as I try to shake this block off.