A few hours ago, Colonel Ely Ould Mohamed Vall, the National Director of Security of Mauritania, launched himself into power and shut his boss, President Maaoya Taya, out of Nouakchott.
This action, brought the 21-year rule of Taya to a dramatic and calculated end, in this 3 million peopled desert of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.
It must however be early, quickly and clearly pointed out before the euphoria subsides, that Colonel Vall and his 16-member Military Junta for 'Justice and Democracy', have arrived a little too late, on the stage of political history.
Much as the people of Mauritania may have been wearied by the lack-lustre regime of Taya, as it was begining to show through an unprecedentedly free and fair elections of 2003, the unconstitutional overthrow of this elected government is nothing but a hijack of due democratic process by an ambitious self-appointed messiahnic group of the specialized paramilitary gendarmerie, known as Presidential Guards, headed by Vall.
Though, Taya's Democratic Social Republican Party (PRDS) still holds sway with a 79% majority in the legislature, the begining of real opposition by about 15 political parties that contested the last elections with growing sympaties amongst the populace, has dawned on Mauritania. There is no way Taya and his party would have won a fourth straight victory at the next elections using the yardstick of the last polls of 2003.
It this growing popular democracy that the ambitious elements in the Mauritanian Army attempts to abort. It is very probable that colonel Vall and his junta would try to seek popular base of support by anti-western sentiments, but this political line, if towed, would spell untold disaster for the new regime. Ask Sadam, who tried it in 1991 and was humiliated for it.
The questions which this self-styled 'Justice and Democracy' Messiahs of the 3 million poverty-sapped people of Muritania could not or ever answer in the days to come are: What happens to the legislative elections due next year, 2006? What happens to the 20 seats- 21%of the National Assembly and the Senate, controlled by the opposition parties? Is the 2-year time-table of restoration of 'true elections' by the junta not a ploy to gain a breathing space and legitimise its own rule? After 18 years in the saddle as National security Director, Is Colonel Vall just realising now that Taya is 'dictatorial and repressive'?
Could it be that the real lure for the junta to take over power is the recently discovered one billion barrels deposit of crude oil? Can we be assured that junta greed for self-enrichment is not traceable to the 30 billion cubit feet of natural gas just discovered? Wont this make the junta to prolong and postpone the promised 'true elctions' like in the case of its Nigerian counterpart which plauged and devoured national and peoples resouces for 30 years before being forced to abdicate power? Can Colonel Vall boldly tell the world that this coup was not the climax of his carefully planned ambition of 6 years ago that got a fillip when he travelled to all the 12 regions(Wilaya) of Mauritania in 1999, as the commander of the militarized police force, to inspect and reinforce (prepare) them for this day?
One thing though is certain, our people in Africa are tired of the musical chairs of dictators. We yearn for true development and progress. We are not ready for another experimental adventure in failure in the hands of some opportunistic leaders.
Aderemi Ojikutu (Aderaskeey) is a Motivational Author and Youth Mentor. He is a minister of the Word of God. A political economist and political leader. He is President of the TREASURE WRITERS CLUB in Nigeria (http://treasurewriters.50megs.com). He is also the current President of the National Democratic Forum (N.D.F). He was National Mobilisation Officer of the National Association of Nigerian Students (N.A.N.S) for several years. A revolutionary of over two decades, he was also the political secretary of the defunct Nigerian Labour Party in 1991.
efficient cleaning crew Northbrook ..Earlier this month, I heard President George W. Bush and... Read More
The news media will regularly present views from Democratic (liberal),... Read More
We presently have adequate sniffer devices in this country to... Read More
Prosecutors with political ambitions are known to modify the truth... Read More
With the recent shakeups in the presidential cabinet, it has... Read More
Water Conservation in larger cities is less of an issue... Read More
The Presidents Before Washington:From the moment that the first Declaration... Read More
Most government agencies cannot pass an audit of their expenses.... Read More
The United States and other first world nations have been... Read More
Year Item Price Rate of Inflation 03/80 Gasoline (per gallon)... Read More
Einstein when ask how did he believe WWIII would be... Read More
Recently I got to talking with a gentleman at a... Read More
The prosecutors in the Martha Stewart Case used testimony from... Read More
United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), one of the most... Read More
Do you really want to get ahead in your life?... Read More
You, the reader, should be aware of my affluence of... Read More
We are seeing some trade wars brewing as American trade... Read More
Conor MacDari was a Mason but his Masonry deplored the... Read More
Aren't you glad you purchased Alaska? You got a bargain,... Read More
Long Term Environmental Effect of Plastics, Composites and Other Materials... Read More
Kudos goes out to the George Walker Bush's Administration and... Read More
Those of us hundreds of miles from ground zero sat... Read More
China is serious about breaking into the bio-tech field and... Read More
In the future when we decide to help nations vote... Read More
We recently saw another ferry accident, this one in NY... Read More
cleaning lady near Wilmette ..Many had made mention of the problems of business opportunities... Read More
Osama bin Laden probably needs to get a pay raise,... Read More
Aspartame activists are constantly being attacked because all data are... Read More
After the dance the piper must be paid. To help... Read More
The first reaction of economies in transition is a sharp... Read More
We know we can cloak a giant airship from those... Read More
Rufus King: (Said to be the fifth most important person... Read More
"Rugged individualism" is actually a euphemism for Thomas Hobbes' baseless... Read More
When this president's father was in the Oval Office, he... Read More
When were the forms of media created? When did advertising... Read More
We are currently seeing a build up in China of... Read More
MUD ? Much Unnecessary DisclosureThe Federal Trade Commission recently asserted... Read More
Is Ohio Manufacturing Sector really unable to compete in the... Read More
When I was growing up, I actually considered a career... Read More
The idea is to have all the important items with... Read More
Political strategists, branding gurus and image consultants could learn a... Read More
Aren't you glad you purchased Alaska? You got a bargain,... Read More
I like Bill O'Reilly. I do. I have read two... Read More
Recently the Los Angeles Transit workers are on Strike and... Read More
-The Protocol plan 'will remain invisible until the moment when... Read More
Societies have always had a problem of what to do... Read More
The clause (c) of Electronic Crime Act 2004 has been... Read More
Michael Moore asserts the following in his political film Fahrenheit... Read More
1. United States of America (USA)In the United States, legislation... Read More
Entrepreneurs can clean up the environment if we would let... Read More
Political |