Nigeria’s national assembly has yet to produce anything tangible this year (some say since 1999) except distractions and more distractions.
This Tuesday, the Senate took its hobby to a new height: It postponed by two weeks confirmation of 27 resident electoral commissioners sent to it by the executive until it sacks EFCC acting chairman Ibrahim Magu whose nomination it had rejected twice.
The action has angered many Nigerians. Some demanded that the “sinnators” be chased out of the chambers, for they are only after money in their own pockets and not the public good.
A journalist, Joseph Inokotong, put the issue clearly in a post on Facebook: “After all the exchanges and debates over why Magu was not cleared by the Senate, Dino’s certificate, Saraki’s involvement in bulletproof car import, Ali’s refusal to wear Customs uniform, et al, take time off your busy schedule to reflect on real issues in Nigeria today. These are unnecessary distraction. Remember we have ONLY two tribes in Nigeria – the rich and poor. Reflect deeply on this and stay focused. Don’t allow ‘them’ to keep ‘us’ busy on frivolities while they concentrate on milking us dry. Think about this.”
Nigeria has been the loser. President Muhammadu Buhari appears sick and unable to lead. His party APC is enmeshed in a power struggle, as it becomes clearer that Buhari may not seek re-election in 2019.
