Lagos, Nigeria - The war of words between former leaders Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida (IBB), the battle between the two top judicial officers in the country and the successful launch of two satellites were the top stories in Nigeria this week. Babangida, speaking to reporters at his Minna home on Tuesday, the eve of his 70th birthday ceremony, condemned Obasanjo’s eight-year tenure as not only a waste, but also lacking focus. But Obasanjo, replied right back, saying that IBB should be “pitied” and not “condemned” or visited with “anger” for railing at his (Obasanjo’s)  eight years administration because Babangida’s criticisms  “were, unfortunately, not well thought-out”. The Nation headlined its story on the 'war of words' as 'Obasanjo: IBB a fool at 70' with the rider 'IBB: Nigerians know the fool'. The Nation reported that former military President Babangida on Thursday received an 'acidic' birthday gift from former President Obasanjo, who hurled a stream of invectives at him.

Babangida, who ruled Nigeria between 1985 and 1993, stirred the hornets’ nest of vituperation when he dismissed Obasanjo’s achievements as low. He said Obasanjo failed to improve the power sector, despite the huge cash available to the government. 

Obasanjo, the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said it was unfortunate that Babangida could embark on an unwise journey of condemning him for not doing enough in the power sector whereas between 1985 and 1993 when he ruled Nigeria, he built no power plant.

The Guardian, whose headline was 'Obasanjo replies, says Babangida ran worse regime', reported that Obasanjo had condemned the stinging attacks on his administration by Babangida whom he accused of presiding over a worse regime as military president, saying contrary to Babangida’s views, “my administration performed better than his”.

But in a swift reaction on Thursday, Babangida said the records of their administrations could speak for themselves as to who actually destroyed the country’s economy.

The other headlines are as follows: The Punch -- 'IBB, a fool at 70 – Obasanjo ... OBJ is a greater fool - IBB'; the Sun -- 'War of Generals IBB, a fool at 70 – Obasanjo'; Thisday -- 'OBJ to IBB: You’re a Fool at 70, IBB to OBJ: You’re a Plunderer'; the Trust -- 'OBJ, IBB trade insults' and the Vanguard saw it as 'You ‘re a fool @ 70 — Obasanjo...You, a failure, witless comedian — IBB'.

On the judiciary, the papers reported the suspension of the President of the Court of Appeal (PCA) and the nation's number two judicial officer, Justice Ayo Salami, by the Nigerian Judicial Council (NJC), which alleged that Salami had lied on oath.

NJC, tasked with issues concerning appointment and discipline of judges, also recommended Salami's retirement to President Goodluck Jonathan.

The NJC decision followed a meeting in the capital city of Abuja on Thursday, after the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to Justice Salami to apologise to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, for allegedly lying on oath against him.

Justice Salami had accused Justice Katsina-Alu, the nation's top judicial officer, of asking him (Salami) to thwart the course of justice in a governorship election petition in northern Sokoto state.

NJC, which set up a panel to investigate the allegation, said it found that the CJN did not issue such a directive.

Justice Salami had refused to apologise and instead headed to court to challenge the decision of the NJC panel.

But the NJC ignored the court summons and went ahead to meet and suspend Salami, triggering accusations from certain quarters that the judicial body has undermined the integrity of the judiciary.

The Guardian's headline on the story was 'Nigeria’s Judiciary, Not Salami, On Trial, Declares ACN'. The paper reported that the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) had described the purported suspension of Justice Salami as the “height of judicial mischief that has only succeeded in putting the country’s judiciary, rather than Justice Salami, on trial.”

ACN, in a statement in Lagos on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, also advised President Jonathan not to get himself embroiled in the saga, especially against rumours that the body’s action could be part of a plot to get rid of Salami, who is presiding over the election petition filed by Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) against Jonathan, with a view to stalling the case.

It condemned the suspension order by a few members of the NJC at the meeting, in disregard of pending suit against it by Salami.

The Nation headlined its story 'Salami fights suspension in court', reporting that Justice Salami has gone to the Federal High Court, Abuja, to challenge his purported suspension by the NJC.

According to the paper, Salami wants the court to restrain the NJC, the Senate President, David Mark, the National Assembly and other defendants from taking any step on the recommendation made by the council at its meeting held in Abuja on Thursday, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

Other defendants in the case are the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu; NJC Deputy Chairman, Justice Dahiru Musdapher; the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN) and the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Salisu Maikasuwa.

'ACN, CPC, Balarabe flay NJC,' the Punch headline read on Saturday. The paper said the opposition ACN and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) had condemned the suspension.

The political parties and the chairman of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Friday described Salami’s suspension as prejudicial, crude and unethical.

The parties said that the NJC had only succeeded in putting the country’s judiciary, rather than Salami, on trial.

The Sun headline was 'NJC: Salami Refuses To Handover' with the rider 'CNPP Plans Mass Action Monday'. According to the Sun, contrary to the directive of the NJC Thursday asking Justice Salami to hand over the affairs of the Court of Appeal to the next most senior Justice of the Court, he had refused to do so.

The paper said that the CNPP had equally called for a mass action against the NJC action and urged Salami to head to court and assert his inalienable right.

The Vanguard on Saturday ran the same story under the headline 'Rumble in the judiciary as Salami goes to court'.

On the launching of satellite, the Independent headline was 'Nigeria launches two satellites in space.' The story said Nigeria on Wednesday made history in the global community in Russia as NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X satellites were launched into orbit at exactly 8:12 a.m. local time.

It said the Federal Government delegation to the launch, led by Minister of Science and Technology, Professor Ita Okon Bassey Ewa, was on hand to witness the launch.

NigeriaSat-2 would be the most advanced satellite of its kind in the global community whose imaging mode is unique, due to the agility of the spacecraft, sources said, indicating that the satellites will allow imaging in the various modes, and pave the way for data sets for more application which are not possible with most satellites of its kind.

The satellites are also expected to provoke data revolution of high resolution in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

The potential areas of application of the two satellites are agriculture, forestry, land use and mapping, environmental and disaster monitoring, mitigation and management, geological mapping and transportation.

Others are hydrology and water resources, population and urban development, National Geospatial Data Infrastructure (NGDI), as well as military, security and tourism.

The successful launch of NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X will no doubt re-echo the strategic position of Nigeria as a leading space faring nation in Africa, but it would also represent a landmark achievement of the government and people of Nigeria in the field of space science and technology across the globe.

The other papers also ran the same story under the following headlines -- Guardian (NigeriaSat-2 goes into orbit today); The Nation (Nigeria launches two new satellites) and Thisday said 'History as Nigeria Finally Launches Two Satellites'.

NigeriaSat-X is the product of 26 Nigerian scientists and engineers.       

This is not the first time the West African nation will launch a satellite into orbit. A multi-million dollar Nigerian satellite launched in May 2007 was shut down to prevent it from spinning out of control and damaging others in orbit.

Also during the week, the papers quoted the nation's electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as announcing the de-registration of seven political parties -- the Democratic Alternative (DA), National Action Council (NAC), National Democratic Liberty Party (NDLP), Masses Movement of Nigeria (MMN), Nigeria Peoples Congress (NPC), Nigeria Elements Progressive Party (NEPP) and National Unity Party (NUP).

INEC chair, Prof. Atahiru Jega, said the de-registration of the seven political parties reduces the number of recognised political parties in the country from 65 to 58.

He said the seven political parties did not field any candidate anywhere across the country in the April general election.

The Guardian, Thisday, Trust and Tribune all ran the story under similar headlines -- (INEC Deregisters Seven Political Parties), but the Vanguard, with the headline 'Political parties disagree over de-registration by INEC', reported that some political parties have expressed mixed feelings over the position of INEC.

Party chieftains slammed the INEC action, saying the action was not healthy for Nigeria’s democracy.

“Except we understand the concept behind registration of political parties, we will not get it right by delisting parties on the account of not fielding candidates,' the officials said, arguing that parties are not registered on the sole account of winning elections or fielding candidates in an election.

But the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) said the de-registration should not be seen as witch hunting if it was done in accordance with the Electoral Act.

Alhaji  Buba Galadima, National Secretary of the party, said 'I really do not have a problem with it so long it is done in accordance with the law”.

The parties are by reason of their de-registration precluded from engaging in electoral activities, including but not limited to canvassing for seats in any electoral process.

INEC said that in view of the development, the certificate of registration earlier issued to the affected parties would be withdrawn.

The Electoral Act 2010, as amended, specifies that any political party that contests elections and loses or did not win any electoral seat in the elections to either the State or National Assembly,  governorship or presidential elections stands to be de-registered.

And on a sad note, the papers reported the death of retired Vice Admiral Augustus Aikhomu, the former Military Vice President to General Babangida.

Curiously, he died on Wednesday, the day Babangida was celebrating his 70th birthday in Minna. The cause of his death could not be immediately ascertained, but reports said he had been down with a terminal ailment, which had taken him in and out of the country, especially to the United Kingdom for treatment.

Pana 20/08/2011