We, all, have to thank God that Nigerians are waking up from slumber, having suffered, for long under governance by deceit. But for the highly potent election postponement, we would have, all see fire inside a well-President Jonathan wouldn’t have had more than 500 votes, across this country, including his own state Bayelsa, where Lady Macbeth had, successfully, created problem between her husband and governor Dickson. To the best of our knowledge, Jona’s main offence is ineptitude/incompetence. I am least surprised as I said this much in 2010, as he campaigned-what remains curious is why/how he was elected leaving the anti-corruption czar, Nuhu, especially in Lagos, the bastion of ACN, his party! Logically, it raises questions on the attitude of the Lagos political machine.
For me, Jona’s is too simple for comfort and, so, lacks capacity to manage the present-day Nigeria-full stop. This is where it ends, as no one had, yet, established that he stole money. In fact I see a quality in him – he doesn’t forget his friends.
Having been defeated, a defeat he accepted with a rare magnanimity, in our clime, he remains a Nigerian citizen, till death. He is president till May 29. Both conditions qualify him to move around Nigeria at will.
The statement I heard Lai Mohammed read, insinuating that Jonathan came to arrange to rig election, in Lagos, is at best, trepidation taken too far. The language is uncouth and highly disrespectful to the person of Jona and our country, as it is disgraceful – it is a shameful display of diplomatic-crudity. A PRO desires to be courteous, even in the military/warfare. The my opponent is my enemy/politics is war mentality needs to be expunged from the brain of these fellows.
Lai’s attitude betrays his Yoruba identity. This, though, is understandable, as a lot of Yoruba kids grew up outside of Yoruba land,-nurture, some Psychologists opine, today, play a larger role in the moulding of a personality, than nature.
His party needs to let him know that he is a PRO, not an attack dog and should be taught to moderate his public conduct. Placing his speech/behaviour, side by side with that of Oba Akiolu, the picture one sees is that of a people with the mentality of an emperor, which is at variance with democratic ideals.
This I know it all mentality and the mindset that I can loose in an election, only if rigged, is deceptive and it portrays a lack of understanding of the sociological-metamorphosis of the Nigerian electorate. The present Nigerian electorate, I said, earlier doesn’t think party again but individual politicians/their performances, in office-the parties are, now largely seen to be no different from one another. People are not longer willing to spare personal-ineptitude, under the guise of party loyalty-oju ti ra
To restore party loyalty, among the electorate the parties need to enforce party discipline, as it was under the UPN/LOOBO states and PRP, so governors don’t see themselves as emperors again. Parties are better off ensuring, too, that they put their best in the service of the people, not yes men, who would do the bidding of party Lords, performance or not. A Fasola, a Kwankwaso, a Lamido would win a third term, barring constitutional limitations.
By Prof William Aborisade.