Presidential Letter To My Countrymen

Fellow Nigerians,

I have no doubt that many of you have closely followed and possibly assessed my political career since I resigned from my position as a university don in 1998 to take a plunge into the murky waters of Nigerian politics.

It is sixteen years now. And many things have happened since then.

I was Deputy Governor of my home state until my boss was impeached by the State House of Assembly after he was accused by the British Government of money laundering.

I subsequently became Governor of the State on 9 December 2005.

When I reflect now, I am minded to believe that my predecessor may have been deliberately set up by his political adversaries for the purpose of discrediting him. To a large extent they succeeded in damaging his political career at the time. But now, all that is history.

In December 2006, I was selected by my party, the Peoples' Democratic Party, as running mate to its Presidential flag bearer.

My party won the 2007 general elections and I became Vice President of the Federal Republic.

I loved my boss, the President, with all my heart. I was there for him at every beck and call. I was on hand at every imaginable occasion to ensure that not only did our tenure succeed, but more importantly, that the dividends of our fragile democracy reached the doorsteps of every Nigerian citizen throughout the length and breadth of our dear country.

While the President was away for medical treatment in Saudi Arabia, a Federal court had ruled that I should act as President, a position the National Assembly ratified in a motion it passed on 9 February 2010.

I remember that the passing away of Mr. President on 5 May 2010 was a personal and painful loss to me. Nigeria lost a rare gem in him.

Fellow Nigerians, I completed the tenure of my predecessor in office, which ended in 2011 and was elected as President.

The Office of President in any country can be quite stressful. I have been President of this great country since 2010 and would have loved to complete my second tenure, as our democratic tradition demands.

But for a while it crossed my mind that for someone, anyone, who has attained the stature of President of any nation, what should matter most to him must not be the material gains that could be associated with his office, but the quality of love he has for the country he has had the rare privilege of leading.

I love Nigeria and I love Nigerians. I am sure we all know this. I am also sure we all know how difficult it could be for Mr President to please all the citizens all the time. In the course of meeting our political challenges, it is obvious, albeit natural, to step on some toes.

Having said this much, I want to use this opportunity to add that I have considered it a more worthy course, come 2015, to follow in the footsteps of Madiba Nelson Mandela, widely regarded as the greatest statesman Africa has produced.

In taking this decision, I hope Nigerians and indeed posterity will recognise the enormous sacrifices I have had to make.

Fellow Nigerians, honour and integrity, they say, are the hallmarks of a true democrat.

I want to thank you all, as you stand by me in this decision.

Thank you.

God bless us and bless our dear Nigeria.

Sincerely,

Your President,

Good Lock

Mr Asinugo Is A London-Based Journalist
And Editor Of Trumpet Newspaper