In April of 2011, citizens of the United Nations of Nigerian selected Dr. Jonathan as their sixth “elected” president and their sixth civilian administrator. They came out in droves to vote for a candidate that although he did not have the subjective “pedigree,” he was the best contender for the position at Aso Rock, like I stated in a September 2010 article titled “Endorsement of Jonathan, the United Nations of Nigeria
Instead he joined forces with General Abacha our most brutal and most repressive of dictators, and served as the Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund. General Buhari does not have much credibility compared to General Obasanjo who took the likes of Dictator Babangida and Abacha his blossom pals to the mat and ended up getting imprisoned at various points. Though, this should not be read as an exoneration of President Obasanjo for his crimes against the nation. It is also what noting that in those days’ issues like Sharia Law, Boko Haram, and Islamic Banking was not part of the political discourse. The Northern Military Industry Complex (NMIC) was firmly in charge and as such our landscape only witnessed the perennial carnages in northern Nigeria
However, with the application of objective and best practices measures there is a need to wonder out loud why Nigerians came out in large numbers throughout the south and north, east and west to support President Jonathan. Why did Nigerians abroad support President Jonathan? They saw the president as a man they could identify with in terms of hard work and sincerity. In Jonathan they saw a fellow from a regular family who trekked for miles to obtain his education. In Jonathan they saw someone who was not born with a silver spoon that was a witness to the debilitating environmental crisis in our nation. In Jonathan they saw someone from the academia that was not malleable to the dictates of the NMIC. But it sure seems that the President has been distracted by contemporary events within these few months to recognize these reasons.
Other than this explanation how do we clarify some of the onerous situations including the selections of ineffective recycled politicians into some key ministerial positions; the appointment of Justice Mary Odili to the Nigerian Supreme Court when Rivers State ex-Governor Chief Dr. Peter Odili is a fugitive from justice; the surrendering of the Nigerian secular state to the tenants of Islamic Banking under the Machiavellian leadership of Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi? When is the new Minister of Finance, Professor Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala going to assume her duties so that our economy can be diversified and reinvigorated in a semblance of justice and equality for the regular people, and Mr. Sanusi can be redirected to focus on national banking strategies instead of sectarian ones? The sudden pivot to a six year one-term proposal for future presidents by President Jonathan does not leave much to be desired because of the existing problems that bedevil us in Nigeria
How do we allow the same National Assembly members that are fleecing the country to drastically change the constitution with regards to tenure? Why is President Jonathan not supporting some independent senators and/or house of assembly members in a quest to sponsor bills that reduces the over bloated salaries, allowances, and bonuses of the legislative and executive arms of governments. Ironically, all this is happening whereas unemployment and hardship is increasing among our youths and many are forced to flee our shores into a life of perpetual destitution, sexual slave trade, and trauma in foreign lands. There is a refusal to provide the Nigerian Labour Congress with a livable minimum wage. We arrest people with bombs and bomb making apparatus nearly every month but still have not prosecuted the brains and sponsors behind the insecurity in Nigeria
Moreover, this is comparable to the situation in the United States, where millions of independents decided to support President Barack Obama in the hope that people oriented development strategies will be used to tackle the overwhelm economic and social problems. But the realization is beginning to set in that the over 2million people at his inauguration on January 20th 2009, should not have had a laissez faire (hands of policy) attitude after that historic day. The inability to sustain the election momentum and demand verifiable results have resulted in a malaise of the United States Nigeria
Despite the cumbersome nature of governance we must continue to hold Mr. President’s feet to the fire of responsibility and stewardship. Dr. Jonathan needs to recall that many people in the United Nations of Nigeria died for the actualization of the GEJ presidency. Innocent brothers and sisters met their demise through political related stampedes in rallies, accidents, bomb blast, and gory mass murders. We need to remind his Excellency about his “transformation agenda” and hold him responsible for post campaign and pre campaign promises. He has to remember why Nigerians elected him few months ago to lead and we need him to be a great president because of the current daunting obligations and those ahead. How about the assurances of providing permanent electricity to millions of Nigerians?
Reference
Nnamdi Frank Akwada MSW, BA is a Social Justice Activist
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