1/2 News: Black Leadership

USA: Security: Blacks Worry Obama's Not Well Protected

Virginia socialites Tareq and Michaele Salahi's crashing of President Obama's first state dinner in the White House on Nov. 24 prompted a ripple of concern among black Americans nationwide that lingers still. "You are talking probably 100 percent concern about the president's safety from my listeners," said Joe Madison, known as "the Black Eagle," who is host of a popular nationwide radio program that attracts mostly black listeners. "People are worried. My callers think there's not the intensity to protect this president given his unique history. It shouldn't be business as usual." On the streets of Washington, D.C. last week, the concern was palpable. Joseine Applewhite, a 40-year-old legal assistant, said she is worrying about President Obama's safety. "I think the Secret Service needs to step up their game a little bit," she said. "After all, the first lady was there on the night of the state dinner, and I believe the kids were also. I think a lot of black folks are angry about it. And why weren't the Salahis arrested? Black folks are asking themselves that question. I am just upset about all of it."

A poll conducted Dec. 9 by Fox News/Opinion Dynamics showed that 48 percent of black respondents were just somewhat or not at all confident in the Secret Service's ability to protect the president, compared with 37 percent who answered the same question in a poll Jan. 9, less than two weeks before Obama's inauguration. The comparable figures for white respondents were 37 percent and 32 percent.

Nigeria: 100 Lawyers Give Yar'Adua January 31 Ultimatum To Resign

One hundred legal practitioners under the auspices of Lawyers of Consciences have given President Umaru Yar'Adua (pictured) till January 31 to resign or be removed by the National Assembly, or they will take legal action. The president has been away in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the past 40 days owing to ill health brought on by an inflammation of the membrane surrounding his heart. The president also has a history of kidney disease. Arising from its Annual General Meeting held on December 30, 2009, the organization stated that it had arrived at the decision after undertaking "a surgical appraisal of the comatose state of the nation and the abysmal performance of the present government in Nigeria in 2009, due to the ill health and the resultant incapacity of the president."

The Lawyers of Conscience added that the absence of President Yar'Adua from the country for more than a month, without any honest information on his current condition, on account of his ill-health; the current fuel scarcity; the confusion being brewed by the swearing in of Justice Katsina-Alu as the new Chief Justice; and alleged signing of the 2010 Appropriation Act by the President are a clear manifestation of the incapacity of President Yar'Adua to perform the functions of the president. It also identified lack of seriousness on the part of National Assembly particularly with respect to issues of Constitutional Amendment/Electoral Reform; the lachrymal hardship/growing poverty in the country; the near collapse of governance; and increasing constitutional crises in Nigeria among others, as part of the problems bedeviling the country as a result of the president's continuing absence.