Politics of emergency rule

AS the nation forges ahead in its
strenuous struggle against Boko Haram
insurgency with the imposition of
emergency rule in Borno, Yobe and
Adamawa states, one can confidently
say that we are out of the state of
seeming indecision that characterized
the government's response to the
challenge of insecurity.
Prior to the widely-applauded
declaration of state of emergency in
three states by President Goodluck
Jonathan the nation was gripped with
agonizing anxiety over the apparent
deadly resilience of the insurgents to
what was supposed to be a robust
military intervention. This
disillusionment spurred the concerted
calls for dialogue and possible amnesty
in palpable desperation.
Unfortunately, there was no reciprocal
response from the insurgents who
defiantly doubled their attacks in the
North-East sector where they had
retreated to but certainly not for
surrender purposes.
By the time reliable reports confirmed
that up to 14 of the 27 local government
areas in Borno State had practically
fallen to the forces of insurgency, there
could not have been any alternative to a
drastic intervention to re-assert Nigeria's
sovereignty and decisively halt and
eliminate the entrenched insurgents.
Since the massive deployment of the
military with all its arsenals to the three
worst-hit states no one can deny that
the battle has indeed been taken to the
doorsteps of the terrorists with salutary
effects on the situation.
While all these scenarios are reasonable,
logical and progressive in pursuit of the
national interest, it was somehow
objectionable to some groups of
Nigerians for reasons that are patently
unpatriotic to say the least.
Signs of the presence of hypocrites,
blackmailers and allied refuseniks
lurking around came up even before the
state of emergency broadcast by
President Jonathan as orchestrated
opposition to the option erupted even
from such unlikely quarters as the
Northern Governors' Forum.
All sorts of contrived arguments were
bandied about dedicated to
discouraging the government from
moving in the right direction. It is to the
credit of the President that he was able
to execute the policy swiftly and deftly,
thereby earning the re-considered
endorsement of the nay-sayers soon
after his broadcast.
Now we know that the Northern
governors' unexpected cold feet
reaction was propelled by their selfish
interest which was fixated on the
likelihood of emergency rule ousting
some of their colleagues, recalling what
happened in the Obasanjo era.
Others who rallied round the governors
in objecting to the imposition of
emergency rule must be similarly
motivated. Appropriately, the majority
of Nigerians who supported the
imposition of emergency rule in Borno,
Yobe and Adamawa states have
correctly concluded that the critics could
not care less if the country gets overrun
by the insurgents because it is so
glaring that the nation was tottering on
the brinks of destabilization.
Not even the pro-dialogue advocates
can successfully sustain an objection to
the necessity for emergency rule. The
carrot of dialogue and negotiated
ceasefire and even amnesty have all
along been on the table but was
unattractive and unproductive due to
the condemnable failure of the state
governors concerned to muster their
supposed local clout and connection as
chief security officers of their states to
effectively check the deadly activities of
the insurgents in their midst before
everything went hay-wire.
Even in pursuit of the dialogue and
amnesty option the governors
performed woefully and had no
encouraging results to show. The case
for ousting them from office during the
period of emergency rule was
unassailable! As if to score another
point, the President again directed for
the release of all women and certain
category of the insurgents to complete
the circle of the carrot and stick
initiative.
The inclusion of Adamawa State in the
emergency rule cover was also the
subject of agitated comments
questioning the rationale. Even
Governor Nyako who, as a retired
military top shot, ought to know better
went on air to express misgivings even
as he had no choice but to submit to
superior authority.
It should not be difficult to understand
that the borders of the three states now
under emergency rule are strategically
critical to the success of any military
offensive in the areas affected, given
the increasing evidence of cross-border
incursions and foreign elements'
involvement in boosting the insurgency.
As with the emergency rule it is not
surprising that the people of Adamawa
have since come to terms with the
strategic sense of it all.
All said, President Jonathan has cleared
any lingering doubt about his capacity
to act decisively when the occasion
arises and has proven his innate
patience and focus to address emerging
issues copiously.
He should use the lessons of the politics
of imposition of emergency rule to put
governors in their proper place down
under whenever the national interest is
the subject matter.
After all at the end of the day, he is the
Commander-in-Chief as well as the
President of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria and on his shoulders rest the
fate of the nation, especially in times of
adversity. Posterity will prove him right!
Mr. MUSTAPHA MINJIBIR, a commentator
on national issues, wrote from Kano,
Kano State.