Nigeria’s Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has been advised to sack all the “unserious” ministers in the federal cabinet when he eventually becomes a substantive Acting President if the sick President Umaru Yar’Adua should tender his resignation letter some day this week to fully attend to his life threatening
ailment. Making the call on Boxing Day holiday, Apostle Eugene Ogu of Abundant Evangelical Mission, ALEM, in Port Harcourt, Rivers state of south-south Nigeria said the Vice President should not hesitate to relive the country’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa, the Minister for Petroleum, Dr Rilwanu
Lukman, chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Maurice Iwu and other “obstinate” ministers who for any reason have refused to live up to the expected standard.  
   

Ogu, the immediate past chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, Rivers state chapter who spoke with newsdiaryonline exclusively said the activities of the Justice Minister in the money laundering saga of the former Governor of Delta state, Chief James Ibori in London court last month leaves a sour taste in
the mouth of Nigerians. The Justice Minister was widely condemned for his untowardly support of the former Governor in what was crystal clear that the ebony politician was culpable. Only a fortnight ago, Aondoakaa drew the flak of already angry Nigerians when he said President Yar’Adua could rule the country from anywhere in the world including his sick bed in the Jeddah hospital, Saudi Arabia.
         Apostle Ogu who two years ago correctly predicted the election of Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, Governor of oil and gas-rich Rivers state, south-south Nigeria said in view of the President’s long absence from his duty post due to health challenge, “the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of the federation should guide the leadership of the country on the way forward”. He said as the custodian of the nation’s constitution, the Attorney General should officially instruct the Vice President to take over the full mantle of governance in view of the long absence of the President.  
          The clergy however called for a stiffer penalty to the Minister for Petroleum, Dr Rilwanu Lukman for flouting the Vice President’s order that all ministers whose offices are related with power and energy should
sacrifice their Christmas holidays to ensure that the harsh condition orchestrated by non availability of fuel is adequately addressed. Few days after the order, Lukman was reported to have left the country for Austria
where he is attending to some private concerns. Many Nigerians are highly disappointed in the minister’s behaviour as the scarcity of fuel bites harder across the country. Commuters waited patiently at bus stops for
vehicles to travel home for Christmas and had to return back to their stations because of over bloated transport fare. Nigeria is one of  Africa’s chief producers of oil with only four dilapidated refineries functioning far below average.
         According to Ogu, the flouting of Vice President Jonathan’s orders by Lukman confirms the allegation that the number two man is not respected by some ministers “because he has no much constitutional powers to call theshots”. Ogu said Jonathan has “no nerves to rule the country because he has no constitutional powers”. He noted that some of the ministers like that of the Petroleum, Information, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the Central Bank Governor among others are more powerful than the present Vice President. This, the clergy explained is due to the laxity of the “Nigerian system” which is tied to one man, the president.
       He blasted the President’s resolve not to write to the National Assembly to confer full power on Jonathan as an Acting President. Ogu cited an instance of the former President of America, George Bush who went for a minor surgery, yet was able to make his Vice, Dick Cheney an Acting President, noting that henceforth, the nation’s electoral body, INEC should also give attention to the health of any candidate that vies for any elective position in the  country during screening.

The clergyman seems to have a wake call on our leaders who may have taken an earlier warning lightly.The vocal Apostle re-affirmed that the America’s prediction that Nigeria may break up in fifteen years is showing a sign of fulfillment. “There are clear indices that the country may break up soon”, he said.This may be a timely warning for Nigerian leaders to take appropriate steps to avert this unwanted situation.
     

Apostle Eugene Ogu has just been appointed chairman of National Security of PFN.