Tag: Goodluck Jonathan

Some three years ago, former President Goodluck Jonathan expressed a simple and kind gesture that rescued Nigeria from the brink of collapse. The gesture involved no reconciliation committee, no negotiation roundtable, and no coalition whatsoever, unlike what is obtainable in other climes in Africa. When it was clear to Jonathan he had lost his re-election bid, he simply picked up his the phone and has a conversation with President Muhammadu Buhari on his own accord; he conceded defeat and congratulated his opponent. This was the first of its kind in Nigeria.

Sometimes, it takes such a simple but courageous act to save a country from bloodshed and strife. In the case of Nigeria, a phone conversation came as a better option to promote peace than setting up sophisticated panels to bring opposing forces to the negotiation table.

If Jonathan had considered the parochial interest of his party over national interest, he would not have made that telephone call. For a man who sat on the most powerful throne, one could easily predict what he could have done. If he hadn’t left honorably, the nation would have witnessed a reenactment of the 1993 post-election crisis.

Now, Buhari became the first person to oust an incumbent president. The former military leader had run for president in a democratic dispensation three times, unsuccessfully. Situation brought him back the fourth time and he won. There is a tendency that the man, who relentlessly sought to be president for 12 years, will not be satisfied with the four-year tenure.

His quest for power was borne out of love for Nigeria, given the rot in the system which he said it would take rigorous, long-term cleansing to clear out. This is the simple logic that may probably inform President Buhari’s decision to re-contest.

However, it behoves on the septuagenarian to consider some few things before he blows the trumpet of himself ahead of 2019 general elections. He must consider those things on the basis of the goodwill he received from not only his predecessor and people, but also on his political credentials as adjudged by the citizens.

Prominent among the reasons Nigeria turned their back on Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were the issue of corruption, insecurity and economic hardship.

Granted, President Buhari had put up a good fight in taking up a two-edged sword to ensure the prosecution of corrupt politicians and public office holders who looted our treasury. He made serious efforts to strengthen the judiciary and create robust relationship with the legislature on the standard of transparency to maintain checks and balances, and also make the anti-graft agencies more independent to perform better. But, his government seems not to be inoculated against cankerworms.

Incredibly, Buhari took up the personal responsibility to head the Ministry of Petroleum in order to stop corruption in the nation’s oil sector, which has the highest corruption rating.

It will be highly pertinent to establish that these highlighted features still dwell in the illusion of what Nigerians largely entrusted the ‘messianic’ Buhari with. Budget padding is equal to none in the history of Nigeria’s democracy. Prosecutions of the fellows who grounded the nation’s economy have not been actualised but stalled in court while our looted funds are still out there.

Under Jonathan, Nigerians suffered hardship in getting fuel. This mess is yet to be fully addressed under the “Change” government. The country still suffers fuel scarcity and the debate to either subsidise fuel or not has returned. All these added together, it would be easy to say there is no much change under the current administration.

On economy, whether the Nigerian government is willing to admit or not the report of International Monetary Fund (IMF) that Nigerians are still poor despite National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), saying the nation had exited its worst economic recession in more than two decades; the obvious thing is that, all of the government’s efforts have not transmitted to improved wellbeing for the citizens, who are at the receiving end for every economic policy implemented.

On security, President Buhari may have done well in crushing Boko Haram, but the way he handles security matter is aggravating security situation in the country. For instance, Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) was banned for threatening the unity of the country, but the murderous Fulani herdsmen whose activities crossed the redline by same standard are allowed to carry out their trades. These fellows have audaciously butchered innocent Nigerians for no reason. Yet, they haven’t been tagged terrorists. The same law that binds IPOB should be applied to murderous herders.

Boko Haram made a surprise comeback last month. In the manner the terrorists abducted schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State in 2014, suspected Boko Haram members invaded Dapchi in Yobe State and abducted 110 schoolgirls into the wilderness. How does President Buhari want to explain this after he assured the terrorist group had been technically defeated?

To say the last three years have not been eventful is to say Buhari has not done anything at all. The president has, indeed, delivered Nigerians from political ignorance, especially by making them realise how to hold office holders accountable. He has helped rebuild the political structure. All of his efforts through the Treasury Single Account and Whistleblower Policy are resonant.

But, his major concern should be towards rebuilding Nigeria and leave good legacies. The enumerated challenges facing his administration show that he still has a lot to do.

He may also be undecided about whether or not to re-contest; he fully has knowledge on many things not yet done by his government. While his re-election bid is still being mired in speculation, President Buhari should bear in mind that the citizens are wiser now to know the difference between his party and the PDP.

If the president still wants to be our hero, he must do away with sycophants and political opportunists who are shamelessly blowing his trumpet while the country is still far from the change he promised. He would be a hero when he sacrifices his personal ambition for common good.