Re: Jonathan’s quest for re-election
Mr President is exhibiting nonchalant attitude towards security. Nothing has been done concerning Mediator Stephen Davis’s allegations implicating the two prominent people in the country. Apart from the well known abduction of the Chibok school girls, other abductions of women have continued in that area of our country, and nothing is being done about it. […]
Mr President is exhibiting nonchalant attitude towards security. Nothing has been done concerning Mediator Stephen Davis’s allegations implicating the two prominent people in the country. Apart from the well known abduction of the Chibok school girls, other abductions of women have continued in that area of our country, and nothing is being done about it. At short intervals, we hear news on radio of how insurgents are overrunning town after town in that part of the country with little or no resistance from our military because the military is not properly armed. This I believe is deliberate so that there is ample room to rig the elections.
The Nigerian economy is not doing well. The gap between the “haves” and the “have nots” is widening. One should not consider seriously the Nigerian re-based GDP. Indices should be backed by practicality on ground. The Sudanese-British telecom magnet, Dr Mo Ibrahim’s Foundation, ranked Nigeria in 2014 37th out of 52 countries of Africa. By the way, Mo Ibrahim is a member of the Africa Regional Advisory Board of London Business School. So by extension Jonathan has been ranked 37th position in a class of 52 students. This is shameful. It is well known that Dr Jonathan and his government pay lip service to the fight against corruption. This is buttressed by the 2013 Country Report on Nigeria by the United States, wherein it was stated that the Nigerian Presidency is frustrating the EFCC’s efforts at reaching some people in addition to the state pardon granted Alamiesegha who was convicted by a court abroad.
Our president, who has refused to declare his assets, is seeking re-election. I was irked by the statement on radio of one Engineer from Kano, member of Jonathan’s TAN, who described Jonathan as the most patient leader Nigeria ever had. This Engineer must be joking. Is it not Jonathan who suspended then CBN governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido, for ratting on the administration’s financial recklessness? In spite of Chief Obasanjo’s bellicosity, he accommodated the late Alhaji Abubakar Rimi and left him in office in spite of criticism of Obasanjo and his government. Patience should include tolerating the opposition and demanding justice in situations no matter who is involved. Jonathan has not got that patience with the opposition within and outside his political party.
I recall an interview Dr Majekodunmi, the Personal Physician to Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa granted the Nigerian Television Authority’s programme ‘Chance to Meet’ where he said that he was with the Prime Minister when they met with the then Chief Justice of Nigeria, and Balewa asked the Justice about a case between their political party, NPC, and another party. Balewa was said to have told the CJ to do his job without fear or favour and in the PM’s words “punish our party if we are guilty”. I leave the reader to conclude if Jonathan could possibly ever act in like manner. The erratic electricity supply and failure in generation of power as he has promised us is one reason, in addition to the others mentioned above, why Jonathan should not seek for re-election; if he does, he should not have his way.
Abbas Liman <[email protected]>;