President Jonathan Show Your Resiliency to Self-Confidence with a Yes or No to the 2011 Presidency

President Jonathan recently expressed that should he declare his candidacy now either in the positive or negative towards the 2011 Presidential election , his statements could ignite instant political readiness in others including the Governors.   The President noted that some of them could quickly take their respective stand with regard to their candidacy for the next round of elections. What is wrong with such move, Sir?

  That is the way it should be in any right thinking democratic society.  What has your active or inactive declaration got to do with a State government and a Ministerial agency in terms of governmental functioning on behalf of the people?

  Why a ministerial or any other governmental work should, becomes suddenly inactive because the political season is on?

  Sir, this concern of yours, while it could correctly validate the sentimental nature of Nigeria 's political mindset and state, it also shows the picture of a society with lack of political commonsense and directions.

 
  Sir, the fact that you expressed grave concern about the possibility of the shortage of functional output in government work during election activities, sends an awful message to any person who believes he or she is capable of simultaneously and efficiently handling any line of multiple tasks including running for office and serving the people.  Sir, don't say Oh, that is 'Oyibo' or the White peoples' way, no it is the commonsense human way! Since, the affairs to a nation must go on irrespective of the political and electoral climate at the time.

  Sir, if this type of thinking is part of your defense games or mechanisms, you need a better line of operative, seductive and influencing   defenses that will cause convincing reactions from the people.

  Mr. President, heating up the political pot of any democratic election is diametrically even with the impulse of presidential debate and energy.

  Sir, admits your rationalizations, it is time to unload on the people, a yes or no answer as to your candidacy in the 2011 Presidency.

  It will show you have nothing to hide, and further that you certainly have confidence in the Nigerian polity in terms of its maturity to leave the cycle of governmental functioning intact.

  Sir, declare now as there is bound to be some degree of distraction any time to fully focusing on office work by incumbent Governors or other officials running in during an election cycle.

  Your declaration today or tomorrow will in fact reduce the level of distractions towards the spirit of active governance which you tend to be attributing to other public officials and offices.

  Sir, a more aggressive body of advisers will tell you that with the time highly limited and against you with regard the 2011 presidential election, the apparent waiting game of yours could on a personal level allow you to assess the people's relationship to possible opponents of yours. But at the same time, this tactics could backfire.

  Sir, there is very, very minimum time for the Chairman of Elections, Attahiru Jega to fully  carry out voters registration , direct the political parties and constituencies' with political education and position the necessary infrastructure in regards to the  workability  of the voting machines  as well as  maintaining full  security.

  Sir, with the political and electoral atmospheres lacking adequate time to adjust to an already fierce, bamboozled and misunderstood  social surroundings,  political turbulence could set in which may attract the need for security by and means possible.

  Sir, in your own words, the world is watching the continued state of ambivalence on your part, no matter the strategy you may be employing in this election cycle.

  Sir, what is clear here, is the question about your state of self confidence, possibly in the collective mind of all Nigerians and in the view of the global world.

  Sir, if the assumption by some that your current silence is a sign that you may be equally waiting for an opening from  a native doctor, a prophet  or a divine path from God, pray for the message to come real fast. The time is now.

 
  John Egbeazien Oshodi, Ph.D , DABPS, FACFE, is a Forensic/Clinical Psychologist and the Interim Associate Dean of Academic Affairs--Behavioral Science, North Campus, Broward College , Coconut Creek , Florida .