Candidate Goodluck Jonathan: Statesmanship or timidity?
This, indeed, is a great pity for a nation that should be gasping, as it were, in the excitement of a major generational change in leadership. Hitherto, our politics has been dominated by the old tradition of garrison mentality moderated by some sanguinary mafia godfathers and spurious alliances driven by greed, cronyism and clan-centered opportunism. […]
This, indeed, is a great pity for a nation that should be gasping, as it were, in the excitement of a major generational change in leadership. Hitherto, our politics has been dominated by the old tradition of garrison mentality moderated by some sanguinary mafia godfathers and spurious alliances driven by greed, cronyism and clan-centered opportunism. This has been altered in the last nine months. What are we saying? One is saying that for the first time ever, there is now a greater space for everybody to make a bid for practically any office and be assured of a fair treatment in so doing.
For the first time, many candidates are actually bracing up for victory against the candidates of the godfathers. It is this upsurge of the new pluralism that is been interpreted as internal crisis in the political parties. The fact is there is really no crisis. The real challenge is in the management of internal democracy that is the crisis not the crisis of political pluralism. The fact is that it is actually the manifestation of the new political pluralism that has enabled disadvantaged individuals vie for the position of their choice. One is not surprised because President Jonathan’s accusers are those who make pretension at democracy but are ruthless autocrats. These are people who used to brook no opposition to their secretly chosen candidate and will use all resources of the state to crush contrary view. Jonathan has allowed saints and scoundrels to make a bid for any office of their desire. He has not allowed anybody to arm-twist him into using the instrumentality of the state to settle political score. He has not allowed any godfather to use Aso Rock connection to crush his opponents as was the case in the recent past when we virtually run a command and control center in the Villa which determines who gets what in the states and everywhere else in the polity.
From all indications, it is obvious why everybody is very hopeful that despite the much orchestrated time constraints, it is still very possible for the Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC] will conduct a free and fair election in on schedule in 2011. We may have our fears and our reservations on a number of other things, this does not stop a definite and certain assurance that this will be done. In effect, there is really no need any anxiety in the nation.
What one is saying is that the existing cord of peace and stability in the nation ought to be strengthened by all and sundry.
The time has come to re-emphasize that there are clear signals that this democracy is working as intended. What are the signals? For the first time in the history of this country the principle of separation of powers between the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary is working to perfection as intended by the founding fathers of this country. For the first time in this country, the sitting President is not making any attempt to destroy and liquidate the opposition. For the first time in the history of this country , the nation’s judiciary is not being intimidated by the overwhelming powers of executive incumbency to give a favorable judgment even when the paramount interests of the ruling party is being apparently compromised.
Obviously, this is a working democracy and the credit must be given to the statesmanship leadership style of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan which has made such things to be possible. All these are clear indications that the nation is indeed on the threshold of a truly working democracy. The nation is being steered away from the mentality of a regimented authoritarianism which had more often than not undermined our developmental potentials.
Onilede wrote this piece from Abuja