17the December, 2009

The attention of the Good Governance Group has been drawn to a news item published in Daily Trust of Wednesday 16th December 2009 to the effect that former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari had denied being part of 53 prominent Nigerians who recently called for the resignation of President Umaru Musa Yar’adua on health grounds.
The statement, credited to a certain Alhaji Sunusi Muhammad Sunusi who claimed to be an associate of the former Speaker was said to have told a Voice of America Hausa program that Alhaji Masari was out of the country when the advertorial was signed, and therefore could not have been part of the call for President Yar’adua’s resignation.

While it is true that Alhaji Masari has no ill-feelings towards the President as quoted in the statement, the truth of the matter is that Sunusi Muhammad is neither known to, nor is he an associate of Masari, and therefore could not have been speaking on his behalf.
For the avoidance of doubt, Alhaji Masari stands by his position that President Yar’adua should stand down as stipulated by the Constitution in the event that he is unable to discharge the duties required of the President of the Federal Republic. This position is not indictment on the part of the President, but a call for Constitutional Supremacy which is central to the administration’s cardinal objectives.

3G notes with concern, various forms of attacks directed at the person of Alhaji Masari since he, along with over 50 prominent Nigerians signed the statement calling on the President to do the right thing by putting the country first. It is sad reflection on the state of democracy in our country today that standing up for truth is automatically translated to mean opposition to vested interest groups who then sponsor such attacks and even threaten violence.

As a member of the Steering Committee of the Good Governance Group, Alhaji Masari also stands by the Group’s call for President Yar’adua to address the nation via video conference with the view to quelling the unhealthy speculations and permutations that have taken over national discourse. That way, the inherent divisions gathering momentum would be dissipated, and the country can in the least, return to a state of stability and certainty.  

Salihu M. Lukman
Group Organzing Secretary

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