Why I made the choice for change

I knew General Muhammad Buhari’s antecedents and track record, that of the upright, somewhat rigid no-nonsense former military man who did not compromise his values or his integrity. He had always run on an anti-corruption campaign platform with the aura of someone who did not mind to go it alone if that was what was […]

I knew General Muhammad Buhari’s antecedents and track record, that of the upright, somewhat rigid no-nonsense former military man who did not compromise his values or his integrity. He had always run on an anti-corruption campaign platform with the aura of someone who did not mind to go it alone if that was what was required of him. I admired that, but I was not convinced that was all that was required for me to give him my vote.  Especially not after the massacre that took place during the 2011 elections and all the inciting statements that were attributed to him.
Up until February 8th, I had not decided whom I would vote or rather, I had decided I would vote neither Buhari nor the incumbent, President Goodluck Jonathan but I did not have any other candidate. As for Jonathan, I did not vote him in 2011 and it felt like in the 4 years since then he had proven why I thought it was a bad idea to not vote him. From mismanaging the economy to mishandling that nation’s security challenges, he has proven to be incompetent.
The abduction of the Chibok girls and the loss of Nigeria’s territories to insurgency due to mostly a lack of political will to tackle it convinced me that Jonathan does not have what it takes to remain president. I have a 5 year-old somewhat precocious daughter, she has a mouth on her. Recently whilst we were driving somewhere, Kaline’s song ‘Bring Them Home’ (a tribute to the Chibok girls) came on the radio. My daughter said to me somberly,  ‘Mommy, if somebody took me away from you, I would miss you so much!’
It saddened me that Nigeria had become a country where a 5 year-old could live under the apprehension that some unknown persons could come steal her away from her family. Who should get the blame for that if not the nation’s chief security officer, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan? On top of all of this, to me the biggest testament to Jonathan’s failure as a president is the fact that Buhari has become a viable alternative.
However, Buhari has not just become the viable alternative because of Jonathan’s incompetence but also because this time he has aligned himself with a competent, accomplished team.  His campaign team has the right mix of technocrats and politicians. His choice of Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Professor of Law and a former attorney general of Lagos, as vice presidential candidate speaks volumes. I was impressed when Buhari chose him as running mate. My vote will not be based on religion. I am a nationalist, so my vote will not be based on ethnic sentiments. Yet my vote will be based on sentiments, it will be based on emotions, on love for my country, love for my child and for myself. I still want my daughter to have a place she calls home 20 years from now. Buhari, with his current team, can stop this journey towards destruction.
Ogwuegbu wrote from Victoria Island, Lagos State.