JUST SAY I SHARE THIS PIECE AS WE ENTER THE 2014 CHRISTMAS EVE For so many people, their takeaway from the presidential declaration was the remarkable improvement in Jonathan’s public presentation skills. For some others, they are quick to observe that like red wine, the President is getting better and better every day in carrying himself as the President of the most important country in Africa. For many others as well, it was simply the mammoth crowd, easily the largest ever seen in Abuja since the talk of 2015 general elections began. Yes, we saw Buhari, the most visible aspirant from the opposition clan at the same venue; we saw the former vice president Atiku Abubakar, at the Yar’ Adua Centre; we equally saw the governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, another aspirant from the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the old Parade Ground Abuja. The crowd from all of these APC presidential outings put together does not come close to what happened at the Jonathan Declaration a few days ago. Even then, the remarkable aspect of the President Jonathan’s presidential declaration event has nothing to do with the crowd and attendance. But it has everything to do with the way and manner Jonathan conducted himself admirably, not just as the PDP candidate but more importantly as the Nigerian President. His speech was wonderful not because of its literary or poetic richness, how well it was scripted or smoothly delivered. No. Rather, for the first time in our political history, we are witnessing a revolutionary change in the language of political discourse and electioneering dwelling on development issues – away from infantile personal attacks and cheap blackmail and propaganda. Has anyone spotted that Jonathan’s declaration speech contains as many as 5,049 words encapsulated in 112 paragraphs and from the beginning of that speech to the end, there was no single mention or reference to the opposition party, APC, and its leaders? Instead, the President started by taking Nigerians on memory lane from how he sought their mandate and got it in 2011 and the promises he made. Yes, he admitted that along the way there have been challenges and obstacles especially of security nature that have bogged down the government and the people. Yet, in spite of these challenges, Jonathan said his government has stayed forthright to the pact he made with the Nigerian people to serve them. He dwelt extensively on the projects he has delivered since he was elected in 2011 and how the general life chances of the Nigerian people have improved since then. Listening to the President reel out the infrastructure transformation that has gone on in the country under his watch, it is amazing what he has achieved in three years in the agriculture, transport (road and rail), power, health and political sectors, for instance . MERRY XMASS
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 17:21:16 +0000
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