By Eric Teniola

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 (Chief Awolowo) 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 Shahgari’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 Nigeria 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 victimisation 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 deterioration 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 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 point, 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 prevailed in Nigeria in the year 1980 and beyond.

May I remind you that I took and subscribed to the oath of office during which I pledged that to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the constitution. In view of this, any effort to steer the path of constitutionality is not to my mind, beyond the bounds of my responsibility.

I sincerely hope that I have erased any shred of doubt in your mind about my genuine desire to bring about peace and harmony in our country as being the only motive behind this all important meeting with you and all other political party leaders who along with the chief executives of the twenty governments in the federation share the same aspiration to evolve truly democratic government in Nigeria.

It remains for me to say that I very much look forward to meeting you on Tuesday morning for frank and cordial discussions which will demonstrate to your conviction, my genuine intention in the matter. Be reassured that I do not seek to serve the personal interest of any particular person or community lesser than Nigeria.

Once more, I like to wish you a happy and prosperous New Year.”

On January 8, the five political parties in the country met. The President informed the meeting that he had received a report from various parts of the country about political or politically-motivated acts of victimisation and injustice suffered by members of opposing parties in all the states. The meeting reviewed the report exhaustively and came to the conclusion that there was no real cause for anxiety about the security of the country. It agreed that reports of this nature should be made available from time to time to the party leaders and the governors by the President.

Earlier in his address, the President had said that he was not happy that barely three months after the inception of the Presidential System of government, there were people infringing on the rights of political opponents in all parts of the country. Alhaji Shehu Shagari stressed that everyone must recognize that the solidity of the nation transcends political partisanship. The meeting was attended by Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim of the Great Nigeria People’s Party, GNPP; Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe of the Nigerian People’s Party, NPP; Mallam Aminu Kano of the People’s Redemption Party, PRP; and Chief Obafemi Awolowo of the Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN. Each party leader was accompanied by five advisers.

All the five political parties in the country agreed on the need for co-operation amongst themselves and creating a forum for the exchange of views on matters of public importance. A communique issued at the end of the meeting between President Shehu Shagari and the leaders of the five political parties in Lagos expressed the agreement of all sides to the continuation of this dialogue. It said an all-party summit meeting comprising the President, Vice-President and leaders of the five parties will be held as and when necessary. The party delegations would also include all the State governors and one other delegate.

The communique said the meeting agreed that public attention should be drawn to the existence of the public complaint commission of all the States of the Federation, so that all aggrieved person could make effective use of them. It emphasised that all public media should give full and fair coverage to all political parties and the entire mass media should be temperate and exercise discretion in their comment on public issues and national institutions. The meeting also expressed its full adherence to the Constitution of the country, and noted with pleasure the determination of the President and Government to uphold the Constitution.

I look forward to the time when the power to love will replace the love of power in this country. If we want peace in Nigeria, we must search for peace. Establishing a lasting peace should the main concern of our leaders at this hour.

We must device a system in which peace is more rewarding than war. Nigeria is a beautiful country and all of us must play our part in bring about the deserved peace in our fatherland.

I think we need each other.

Concluded.

Teniola, a former Director in the Presidency, wrote from Lagos.