Let reason prevail over emotional sentiment – This president deserves another term

Source: pointblanknews.com

By Bernard Doro ( [email protected] )
I would like to start with a disclaimer, no one has paid for this article. I have a date with history as one of the privileged citizens of our beloved country, Nigeria.

Come Saturday 28th March 2015, Nigerians will have the opportunity to elect the Fifth President of the Fourth Republic. The choice before us is between the incumbent, president Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic PartyPDPand the opposition All Progressives CongressAPC candidate, General Mohammadu Buhari. Expectedly the stake is very high because the opposition is much more invigorated compared to the previous elections since the advent of the current Republic in 1999. While some Nigerian electorates are getting too sophisticated to be predicted as they become more politically aware as reflected in the discourse on social media, it is sad that majority of the citizens are motivated by sentiments, barefaced lies and innuendos. It has therefore become necessary to sensitise Nigerians to beware of making mistakes of cosmic proportion. Change is good but not just any change! The change mantra on offer is not the change I would like to see for my dear country, Nigeria. For change to be good and well embraced, it must present to us something different and a clear alternative  – the political actors, the ideology, antecedents, the social contract and so on. The problem is that the 'change' on offer is nothing other than a psychological discount.

Definitely the current affairs in our country is far from ideal, arguably four years is not enough time for us as a country to reach an imagined state of affairs that is perfect. But the good news is that judging from the way things have been managed so far by the current administration, although scope exists to do more to improve the lots of the Nigerian people, the country is on its way to measurable achievements. Rome they say was not built in one day – ours cannot be an exception. We must not encourage fast-food or microwaveable approach to governance as this will not afford strong foundation for sustainable development. Well planned and executed programmes and policies may take time to show in empirical terms. My verdict is that the Jonathan administration is on course albeit gradually and should be giving another opportunity to continue what has been started. I am sure that one more term would afford the Jonathan administration the opportunity to consolidate on its laudable policy initiatives, to create even more jobs, build a stronger economy, reach out to many more farmers and secure a better future for Nigerian citizens.

I have nothing against APC as a party, I do not believe though that its presidential candidate has what it takes to be the chief executive of Nigeria. We deserve better. Truth be told, a clique in the APC have left no one in doubt as to their quest to grab power at the centre in the next election irrespective – the manner of their electioneering campaigns and approach to sensitive national issues support this viewpoint. This overriding interest in APC has brought together strange bed-fellows. It is no secret that most of the prominent players in this party are dissatisfied PDP members. General Buhari, the presidential candidate of the opposition APC, is being marketed to Nigerians as an agent of change. But I must ask – what change? The great people of this country loudly rejected this same 'change' agent in 2003, 2007 and 2011. What is different this time around? My fear is that some powerfully vestedinterest have since realised that because Buhari was able to gather approximately twelve-million votes in the 2011 general elections, largely from his cult-like followers in parts of Northern Nigeria, they can now polish him and provide the necessary propaganda machines for him to officially actualise his perennial ambition to rule Nigeria again.  As payment for his position, Buhari would be a willing servant in their scheme to remotely control thecentral government for pecuniary reasons. I do not think Nigerians should allow them. You be the judge.

I sincerely believe that president Jonathan is a highly misunderstood political figure.  The man is: an unassuming, humble and gentle listener and a true democrat par excellence and this is misconstrued as a weakness. Years of subjugation and military rule has created a culture of command and control, top-down leadership style in our country. Many have come to see it as the norm. This should not be the rule, leadership is being influential and not necessarilyauthoritarian. How can we stoop to a level so low that the Obasanjos of this world are now, by the standards of many, celebrated because of his anti-Jonathan stance? I would hate to think that our minds have let us down so soon and from our memories wiped off all Obasanjo's antecedents, and Jonathan's achievements. The president has reached huge successes in running the country and this remains evident through hismanagement of the economy, agricultural revolution, reform of the aviation sector, road construction and creation of a civil culture in our country which now enriches political discourse and offers freedom of choice and expression. The fact that the Jonathan-led administration has allowed a vibrant opposition to thrive, is testament to his democratic credentials. We should celebrate  this success and encourage commendation of the president from people of good will in this country.

The problem is that the current security challengesblighted these developmental strides. Recent military successes against the terrorist group Bokom Haram have shown that this president has the capacity to listen to the cries of the people he cares so much for and take corrective action in order to better the country, in all of its ramifications. Moreover, I do not believe president Jonathan's handlers have done a good job promoting his humungous achievements. Some Nigerians would want to see the country changed overnight to a developed status, while such aspirationsare noble, we must remind ourselves that there is a process to everything and time is a crucial but limiting factor. The president is a product of free and fair elections even when he was in a privileged position to influence the process otherwise. He appointed Professor Jega, the current INEC chairman, without knowing him 'ab initio' – from the beginning. Political motivated killings have drastically reduced. The taste of the pudding is in the eating – both Jonathan and Buhari have had a stint in governance, Jonathan is obviously the better candidate of choice from the two options placed before us.

The choice before us to lead the central government lies within strong leadership   that pertains to a clear, long-term economic plan and definitely not an unarticulated ,narrow cabalistic interest. It's stability verses uncertainty; religious tolerance verses bigotry; modernity verses medievalism; a better, more secure future verses vote-grabbing, short-term fixes;  and a democrat verses a dictator.

It's your decision.
Your consequence.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The post Let reason prevail over emotional sentiment – This president deserves another term appeared first on Pointblank News .