The Jonathan Misadventure

As such the one hundred days in office was not celebrated as much as it should in the ordinary. A clear case of either postponing the celebrations or getting confused as to what to do in a nation that is on a political edge as a result of the inordinate ambition of some individuals and […]

As such the one hundred days in office was not celebrated as much as it should in the ordinary. A clear case of either postponing the celebrations or getting confused as to what to do in a nation that is on a political edge as a result of the inordinate ambition of some individuals and groups who are desperately out to deal a decisive blow on the fragile peace of Nigeria.

As a Nigerian of Northern extraction, and an elite, I feel shortchanged by the events that are happening in the polity especially in the ruling PDP, a political party that has defied all political reasoning and has forced itself down the throat of Nigerians in the last over eleven years. They were initially elected in 1999, but later took the initiative of rigging and bastardizing the nation’s electoral process to the extent that Nigerian election as it stands today ranks amongst the worst in the entire world.

I would ordinarily not be worried if the electoral process was sound because, the people would have the opportunity to vote freely and fairly and at the end of the day, we would vote people like Goodluck Jonathan out because they lack the political sincerity to contest elections under a system that has favored them through an agreement reached by the elites in the party only to turn the other way now just because certain historical and structural realities have changed the course of such agreement.

Most of those people who are now shamelessly singing the Jonathan song are simply doing it out of the desire to tap economic advantage from the government of the day. It is on record and the nation sees very clear their dirty deals at the expense of national peace and stability. They may think that what they are doing is in secret, No! it is in the open and they shall be held responsible for any negative consequences that their abuse of process would cause the nation and its peoples.

When the PDP came up with the zoning debacle, a lot of us opposed and criticized it but were forced to give it a chance just because we were over powered. Now that President Yar’adua is no more and naturally his vice took over, the entire arrangement is thrown to the dogs and what we hear is a new sing song all together. The PDP has further complicated the matter out of the confusion and desperation that it has found itself in. yes, they said to zooming but that Goodliuck will fly their flag at the next election.

The confusion is enormous and points to the fact that after eleven years of civil rule, the nation is not yet on the path to building institutions like the political party and its supremacy. The personalities in politics are still more powerful than any institution or structure in the country. This was shown clearly by the PDP’s confusing stand on the reality of its and Nigerian politics of today.

I am not interested in the dialogue as regard the process that led the party into this confusion, but one fact remains, those who lead the Jonathan campaign especially those from the North and call themselves minorities, must have realized the futility of their earlier stand in relation to the possible outcome of the election in 2011. Will they be able to deliver Jonathan? No! not at all. They can only make noise.

I have argued time again that Nigerian politics has its traditional flow and pattern unless if elections are not conducted. Out of all the crowd of the so-called ‘minorities from the north’ singing the Jonathan hymn, none of them has any meaningful political pedigree and standing in his locality. Call them and let them count their blessings one by one.

The confusion now is palpable, what those who are rooting for Goodluck Jonathan are doing is simply to rush the nation into another bitter electoral experiences so that they will declare their candidate elected when the next presidential election holds. I m afraid. I am worried about the fate of civil rule in the country given the anticipated confusion that is likely to accompany any possible conscription as has been the case since 2003.

I am of the view that even if we have to go to the trenches to ensure that this brazen abuse of our collective intelligence by a few political zealots is fought to standstill if Goodluck Jonathan insists he will run for the presidency in 2011, we will have no choice. The reason is simple; it shows clearly how some people can take a whole system for a ride. Otherwise, how would any reasonable politician jettison such an agreement that was in the first place not in favor of this very section of the country?

I am of the view that we have reached the time as was the case in 1993 that Nigerians form whatever section can be voted in as president if they possess the national acceptability. What the PDP in 1999 was simply to make it doubly sure that for the sake of peace from those who make the most noise and are economically more prosperous and highly educated that the presidency in Nigeria would for some time to come rotate amongst the artificially contrived six geo-political formations.

Nigerians especially in the PDP accepted that, and even those in other political parties are at home with what is now famous as zoning arrangement. In the beginning of the arrangement, those who in the first place forced to happen are reneging just because they find themselves in a temporary advantage. This is ridiculous and must not be condoned by all lovers of democracy.

I hope those who want to cause confusion in the country have an idea of the extent and magnitude of the unfortunate events that may occasion their selfishness. Politics is reason and rationality. It is about institutions and doing what is right and not blind loyalty to individuals who are dispensable. We must strive to make our institutions and structures indispensable and not the actors and person that are periodic actors. Where is President Yar’adua today? One day we will wake up and no matter how long it takes, we will not find President Jonathan in the Vila and will even one day be no more, but the institution of the presidency and the office of the president we hope will continue as long as Nigeria will be.

My view is that Goodluck Jonathan should not run. In the event that he is instigated into running, we will have no option to deploy our capacities to stop him from taking what in a gentleman’s agreement does not belong to him. Nigeria must be greater than all of us. This is a fact that we must accept if the nation is to know peace an make necessary progress now and in the future. What is going on today in the corridors of power and amongst the hangers on is in my view a misadventure and must be stopped.