This week continues the series on insecurity in Nigeria

In a letter to the President, Chief Awolowo said, as far as he was concerned, the President had destroyed the efficacy of the meeting by making the intention for the meeting public. He said he would nevertheless attend the meeting in spite of what he called “the President’s political stunts.”

Chief Awolowo, the leader of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), said it was clear that President Shagari or his advisers were out to score a political advantage. Chief Awolowo said when he studied the President’s letter of invitation to the meeting, he read no ulterior motive of politicking into it. This, he added, was because the letter, which was marked ‘secret,’ spoke of ‘security’ checks ordered by the President and a desire to establish a forum for a regular consultation at the highest political level.

Besides, he said matters relating to the nation’s security and the preservation of law and order were usually discussed secretly. The UPN leader said his impression of the letter was that the President was convening an informal private meeting of political leaders to discuss matters affecting the security of the nation. The motive being to arrest immediately any deteriorating security situation which might be factually identified and verified and to establish a private and informal forum for similar action in future, he said.

According to Chief Awolowo, a portion of President Shagari’s New Year message belied his impression. He said the twice-repeated public utterances of the President on the grave issue of the preservation of law and order made it clear that the President or his advisers were out to score a political advantage. He quoted a reported speech of the President that reads: “The provision of fundamental human rights in our constitution is an act of faith and I am determined to uphold it to the letter,” and described it as excellent politics. He said that the President was entitled to make such statements but said the duty the President claimed was vested in the judiciary.

Chief Awolowo noted that it was nonetheless difficult in the Nigerian context to discern where the functions of the executive ended and those of the judiciary began.

On January 6, 1980, the President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, replied Chief Obafemi Awolowo and said he was not scoring any political point by announcing his intention to meet with party leaders. “I hasten to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of your letter of January 5, 1980 in which you expressed some misgivings over the real motive behind the proposed meeting of political party leaders at State House, Ribadu Road, on Tuesday, January 8, 1980.

“While noting with pleasure your misgivings, you have not altered your earlier position to attend; I feel obliged to disabuse your mind about the existence of any motive other than the genuine desire to find a political solution to what essentially is a political problem affecting security as well as preservation of law and order.

“As stated in the letter of invitation, I feel concerned about the reports of victimization and intimidation on political grounds reaching me from all over the country and naturally felt duty-bound to bring the serious development to the notice of all party leaders with whose co-operation and understanding the deteriorating situation can be arrested before it gets out of hand.

“The fact that I issued my invitation letter under ‘secret’ mark should not of necessity suggest that every arrangement would be secretly conducted. It is, as you very well know, common practice in government to initiate action on such delicate and explosive matters under secret cover to prevent leakage which will frustrate the efforts being made or may lead to outright failure. I felt obliged to inform interested members of the public about the meeting. I had the awaited response from the five leaders including your goodself agreeing with my proposed course of action to tackle the worrying problem together. 

I might not have made the public announcement about the meeting if I had received any discordant voice, and happily, members of the public received the news with acclaim. The very fact that we have agreed to meet is a credit not to me alone but to all of us and it is important that you view the matter from this angle as well.

On the question of scoring political points, I wish to reiterate my belief that the subject of discussion at the meeting transcends partisan politics and that it is the duty and indeed, in the interest of all of us to ensure that peace and tranquility prevail in Nigeria in the year 1980 and beyond.

Eric Teniola, a former director at the Presidency wrote from Lagos.