Civil war Looms

Former Oyo State
governor, Lam Adesina, has
warned northern elements
determined to frustrate Vice
President Goodluck
Jonathan from assuming
office as Acting President
that they could plunge the
country into another civil
war.
In an exclusive interview
with Sunday Sun, he
reasoned that the way
some people are carrying
on “the people of the Niger
Delta would soon ask
whether they are only good
at producing oil but not
competent to rule Nigeria.”
Adesina, a chieftain of the
Action Congress (AC),
lamented: “In other civilized
countries, whenever the
President or a governor is
away, his deputy steps in
automatically. I did it when I
was in office. To make
matters worse they are
keeping us in the dark over
the man’s health issue.
“In place of the president,
they said the Vice President
couldn’t act. Is there no law
in Nigeria? Is there no
constitution in place? How
can some people hold us to
ransom in this country? Let
them not forget the past;
we don’t want to go into
another civil war. That is
where they are pushing us
to if the people of Niger
Delta decide to react.
He blamed the leadership of
the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) for the raging
controversy that has
trailed President Umaru
Yar’Adua’s absence from
the country 55 days after
he travelled to Saudi Arabia
for medical treatment.
Said Adesina: “The PDP
wants to push Nigeria into
another civil war. Let them
tell us the full details of
what is happening to him.
The PDP must be careful. In
a banana republic, such
things will not even happen.
The people will rise and ask
that a new person be sworn
in.
“That is why I say that the
PDP must be very careful.
They are pushing us too
hard and they will soon
push the people to the wall.
“In the absence of
Yar’Adua, Jonathan should
be allowed. I was in office
before and when I went on
leave I delegated power to
my deputy. It is in the
Constitution. So why are we
toying with the
Constitution?”