I couldnt help but fall in love with this well written and concisely explained article by Orji Kalu. everyday there is hope for a better Nigeria, more and more Nigerians take a stand with positive democracy,.... this is to say that our JONATHAN message @GOODLUCK JONATHAN YOUTHS AND STUDENTS VANGUARD IS FAST SPREADING.... Jonathan and M’uazu: The uncommon pair So much is happening on the political front despite the insecurity and other man-made problems that have dogged our march to 2015. The most daunting of these problems is the Chibok girls’ kidnap saga, which has tended to obscure some of the commendable achievements of the President Goodluck Jonathan-led federal administration and the new leadership of Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) under Adamu M’uazu. I opted to devote this week’s piece to President Jonathan and Adamu M’uazu to correct some of the misleading impressions being created in the media by disgruntled elements about them, PDP and 2015. It is sad that some notable Nigerians have jumped on the bandwagon of mischief-makers who deliberately misrepresent issues to suit their selfish agenda. They have continued to fan the embers of hate and disunity as though Nigeria is disintegrating very soon. Our nation might have witnessed moments of palpable fear and uncertainty because of the devious agenda of these few elements of retrogression. They have found a veritable platform in the kidnap of the Chibok girls and have never rested for a single day as they stoke the fire of instability and dish out incendiary messages embellished with ethnic and religious verbiage. There is no question that the kidnap of the Chibok schoolgirls has caused the nation unquantifiable pain and agony. For over 100 days now, the entire nation has waited in suspense for the release of the girls. Nigerians have spoken with one voice in condemnation of the kidnap of the innocent girls, which could only happen in times of war. Nigeria is not at war. And this is what has continued to worry me. Why should some of our fellow citizens gang up against Nigeria working in tandem with other subterranean forces to destroy it? The level of bitterness and spite spewing from these people is such that if nothing is done very fast they could succeed in their wicked mission. I find it nonsensical when some persons blame President Jonathan for not doing enough to secure the release of the girls and restore normalcy to the north eastern part of the country. First and foremost, President Jonathan is a parent and knows what it means for innocent children to be forcibly taken away from their parents for 100 days now. Second, the president is saddled with the constitutional responsibility to secure the life and property of every Nigerian wherever he or she may live in Nigeria. Third, no responsible government will fold its arms and watch miscreants and other questionable elements overrun the territories under its administration. Without begging the issue, I wish to state unequivocally that the President and the security agencies have done their best to secure the nation. Matters of security are always very sensitive and not meant for public consumption, especially in our current circumstance. We should appreciate that terrorism and other ills plaguing the nation are alien to us. I know for certain that there was no terrorism in Nigeria some 10 years ago. All this trouble started in 2009 and has continually assumed frightening dimension each passing week. The attention of the whole world was attracted to Nigeria when the Chibok school girls were kidnapped. And the perpetrators of this heinous act knew that kidnapping the girls would cause public uproar and draw the ire of the masses against the government. Unfortunately, the plan has failed, because the people are no fools; they can differentiate what is right from what is bad. I am sure those who plotted the kidnap of the Chibok girls and other crimes against the people of Nigeria must have been disappointed at the sudden turn of events. They had thought by now Nigeria would have disintegrated. But the God we serve will never allow our enemies to gloat over our misery. I have written countless articles on the need for the insurgents and other aggrieved persons or groups to lay down their arms and embrace peace. The current campaign of calumny against the government will lead to nowhere; rather it will only succeed in impoverishing us individually and collectively. We are aware of the enormous resources government has sunk into the ongoing operations to restore peace to the North East political zone and secure the other parts of the country. The money would have been used to provide necessary amenities to make life better for the people. It is very disturbing that Nigerians once known for their urbaneness, industriousness and honesty have suddenly been turned into cannibals in the eyes of the world. Why would they not feel that way when we kill with recklessness and without any serious provocation? How many lives have been lost since the insurgency in the North started in 2009? From available statistics, the figure is over 10,000. What was the offence of those killed in these insurgencies that they should be so violently sent to the world beyond? Up till date nobody has been able to convince me why the insurgents should engage the government in a war of attrition even to the point of attempting to draw the whole nation into a civil war. Have the insurgents pondered what harm they have done to the nation and themselves? They may appear unruffled on the outside but inside they feel some uneasiness. The worst crime any individual could engage in is killing of innocent persons. Human life is sacred and that is how God made it from the beginning. Therefore, nobody or group has the right to terminate it under any guise. Those who kill in God’s name do so either out of ignorance or under satanic influence. No right-thinking person can raise his hand against his neighbour just like that. But here we are watching helplessly as thousands of our fellow citizens are mauled by blood-thirsty gangs of depraved Nigerians. It has to be told far and wide that the Jonathan administration has succeeded in giving our nation direction through his transformation agenda. The commendable initiatives taken by the government to provide infrastructure and steady the economy seem to have been dwarfed by the festering crises all across the country. In essence, what the Jonathan administration has achieved in the past four years shows that given some peace and support he will accomplish more. Everybody is entitled to have his or her own opinion on this matter, but the evidence of his performance cannot be obliterated by sheer emotionalism. I have taken time to study the man Jonathan and his vision for Nigeria and have arrived at the decision that he means well for Nigeria. The level he has reached is such that it will be suicidal to abandon the ship at this time for the simple reason that some persons may not like his face. It is for this singular reason that I have always advocated unity of purpose among the various ethnic nationalities that make up the Nigerian entity. It does not really matter from which side of the divide the leader of this country comes. What truly matters is that such a person is a bona fide citizen of Nigeria with an impeccable record. Developmental economy does not admit parochialism, ethnicity or squeakiness in leadership. What it promotes is pragmatism and functionality. The emergence of Jonathan at this period of our national life is not an accident of history. I see it rather as the hand of God. Leadership, as far as I am concerned, is a phenomenon beyond human control. It is an absolutely divine phenomenon designed by God to control the affairs of men in a rational, purposeful manner. So, Jonathan has been sent by God to redeem our nation from its backward position and push it to global preeminence. I do not see the events that have characterized our transition to 2015 as ordinary. They are not. They are purposed by divine order to serve as stepping stones to economic buoyancy, political stability and social freedom for our nation. Those familiar with the histories of great nations of the world would know they did not achieve greatness on a platter. They had to shed their own blood and made other collective and personal sacrifices to be where they are today. We are on the same journey to greatness and, therefore, should be ready to make such sacrifices. For almost 54 years, we have grappled with multifarious problems as we journey to full nationhood. There is nothing strange or extraordinary about it. What is important is that we are consistent and focused as we trudge along this tortuous path that is filled with thorns and brambles. One day soon we shall get there. I am excited at the new awareness among the Nigerian people, particularly the voting class. They have demonstrated some maturity and courage in the discharge of their civic duties. The control of states by different political parties today is a sharp departure from what we used to have. There was a time it seemed as if we were heading for one-party state. All of that have given way to politics of inclusion and restraint. This new development is one of the ways the Jonathan administration is refocusing Nigeria. Conducting free, fair and credible elections is one of the pillars on which any democratic structure stands. Before now, some persons had always believed that every election must be manipulated to favour a particular political party or candidate. But the Jonathan government has reengineered our electoral system to inject some sanity and credibility. If not for this reason, it would have been practically impossible for a party as Labour to win Ondo State, which was traditionally a PDP-state. The same thing goes for Edo and Anambra states where governorship elections were conducted without rancour and violence. A new ground was broken in Ekiti State recently when, against all permutations, PDP recaptured the state. It is expected that the governorship election in Osun in August will follow the same pattern of freedom, fairness and credibility. It is important to mention at this juncture too the new leadership style of the chairman of PDP, Adamu M’uazu, who in less than six months, has set the party on the winning path. His simplicity, honesty, openness and courage are some of the qualities that have inspired his leadership. Even members of the party have more say now than before on matters affecting the smooth operation of the party. The cabal that had always held the leadership of the party hostage has been broken by the new chairman, thereby paving the way for genuine reconciliation and reintegration. The philosophy of Adamu M’uazu is hinged on justice and fairness. It was the absence of these essential ingredients that almost destroyed the soul of PDP. By creating a level playing field he has also opened a new vista for the founding fathers of the party who were frustrated out of the party to return. It would have been unthinkable for people like me to return to PDP if internal democracy were absent. I am very glad that PDP is gradually returning to those ideals for which we founded it. Now the critical question: Would M’uazu have succeeded in his transformation plan if not backed by the President? The President has expressed his willingness to always let the interest of the nation supersede his own interest. This is rare statesmanship. What this shows is that the success or failure of our political system is largely dependent on the executive in many ways. The successes recorded by the Jonathan government have since placed a new burden on him: to achieve more. How can he achieve more under the prevailing circumstances? This is why we need to support him. It is said that the devil you know is better than the angel you do not know. We have tested Jonathan, and we know his worth. We know he is sincere to reposition Nigeria. This brings us to the issue of his reelection. Does he deserve another term of four years? In my opinion he does. He has demonstrated in concrete terms what he plans to do for Nigeria. There are two key elements that have compelled me to support his candidacy for 2015. They are, one, his commitment to the conduct of free and fair elections and the power sector reforms, and two, his rich economic package. If he succeeds in robustly addressing these goals then the nation is back to life and global competition. Those who oppose Jonathan have not given any solid reasons for their position. It takes unbiased and visionary eyes to see the good works of Jonathan. His plans to remain in office for another four years have nothing to do with obduracy or insensitivity. It has more to do with convictions and the need to keep Nigeria afloat. It was destiny that threw Jonathan up at this time. And the same destiny will see him through. I call on all Nigerians, especially those that feel they have been politically shortchanged to sheathe their swords and support him. Four years is so short a time to sacrifice for the good of our nation. Fighting over political offices will only widen the gap between us and endanger our hard-fought democracy. God brought us together as one to further our collective patrimony and build a nation for generations of Nigeria yet unborn. We must look at the way other nations did it. The United States, which is our role model, went through the crucibles to be where they are today. I am hopeful that by the time Jonathan completes his tenure in 2019 we will have built a nation very close to what the U.S. is today.
Posted on: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 10:23:34 +0000