President Barack Obama has ordered far -reaching
changes to the US immigration system that will
protect nearly 5 million people from deportation ,
testing the limits of his presidential powers and
inviting a showdown with newly emboldened
Republicans .
In a speech on Thursday night , Obama announced
plans to protect nearly 5 million immigrants living
illegally in the United States from deportation by
granting them work permits ; millions more would
remain in limbo .
Obama said his executive actions were a
" commonsense" plan consistent with what
previous presidents of both parties had done .
" To those members of Congress who question my
authority to make our immigration system work
better , or question the wisdom of me acting where
Congress has failed , I have one answer : Pass a
bill ," Obama said .
Republicans , who take full control of Congress in
January after capturing the Senate from
Democrats , warned that Obama would face serious
consequences for what they described as an
unconstitutional power grab .
" The president will come to regret the chapter
history writes if he does move forward , " declared
Senator Mitch McConnell , the Republican who is
soon to become the Senate majority leader, hours
before Obama primetime address .
Republicans were united in opposing Obama's
move but divided on how to respond. Lawmakers
have raised options including lawsuits, a
government shutdown and even impeachment.
Party leaders who are seeking to avoid a
government shutdown say such moves could
backfire and anger voters ahead of the next
presidential election in two years .
This is a part some people will not like to hear, but we will say it here for historical purposes. When the great Biafran leader, Col. Dim Emeka Odimegwu Ojukwu was granted a state pardon by President Shehu Shagari in 1982, the Ikemba soon contested for Senate under the then National Party of Nigeria (NPN), but did his people vote for him? Lest we also forget, he contested for the presidency, how many votes did he got even in Anambra? Let us bring in Chief Alex Ekweme. We recall, despite being founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),he contested for the party nomination for president in 2002. We all remember how the South-East governors then did all they could to outdo themselves to be seen to be more loyal to President Olusegun Obasanjo than even his own ministers. There was nothing wrong in all these for these people as long as it all guarantees fat bank accounts and unmerited rewards. No one talks about Biafra when contract figures are inflated; Biafra makes no sense ...
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