True to this statement, the average Nigerian has been indifferent or lukewarm towards political power and consequently, the political elites have dominated power since independence. As the 2015 elections draw nearer, I have studied the unfolding dynamics and permutations, my conclusion is that all factors considered, it is in the best interest of Nigeria to re-elect President Jonathan for another four years. I have summarized my reasons below.
My first reason is that Nigeria has recorded remarkable economic growth under President Jonathan. Only two Months ago, Nigeria overtook South Africa as the continent’s largest economy after it overhauled its gross domestic product data for the first time in more than two decades. According to verifiable figures for 2013, released by Nigeria’s statistics bureau, Nigeria’s GDP hit $503bn (£307bn) – nearly double previous estimates and well ahead of South Africa at around $350bn.
This pushed Nigeria up 12 places to become the 24th largest economy in the world – on par with Poland and Belgium and ahead of Argentina, Austria and Iran. This is a huge achievement. This development was not achieved overnight. It was a result of the direct dynamic approach of the President in terms of greater investment in entrepreneurship and private sector participation.
My second reason is that President Jonathan has recorded significant improvements in the power sector, backed up with greater roads and infrastructural development. The bold privatization of the defunct NEPA paved way for improved power supply in Nigeria. Most Nigerians can confirm that although we do not have power supply round the clock, however there has been a commendable improvement. There has been also greater road rehabilitation in Nigeria like the Lagos-Benin Road, the ongoing second Niger bridge etc. This government has also commissioned many new schools especially in the north of Nigeria aimed at bringing education to the door steps of the commoners.
Thirdly this administration has pursued a robust foreign policy since inception. Nigeria which previously lagged behind in the comity of nations, has now assumed her rightful position as a leader in the international community. The recent successful hosting of the World economic summit is a testament to this. Nigeria under President Jonathan has been a dynamic force in Africa and beyond. Nigeria has been leading the peacemaking initiatives in the West African sub region, with our troops deployed in Mali, Liberia and beyond. Nigeria’s partnerships with our international allies like the UK, US and France have deepened and improved under the Jonathan led administration.
The number four reason is the need for continuity and stability in our democracy. Having made tremendous progress as discussed above, there is an important need for continuity in order to sustain these achievements. We cannot afford to start afresh all over again. What is needed is a sustained initiative and a planned change of government after another four years.
Another important reason Jonathan should continue is that he is a democrat in all ramifications. Even some elements of the opposition attest to the democratic disposition of the President. President Jonathan’s tolerance of the opposition is unprecedented in the annals of Nigeria. In the first republic, the leader of the opposition Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his supporters were harassed and imprisoned. In the second republic, the ruling NPN allegedly tried to intimidate and capture all States by all means including the Ondo State Gubernatorial election “victory” of 1983 which caused an uproar in Ondo state.
But today, members of the opposition can sleep with two eyes closed, thanks to the liberality of the President. The President has a non violent body language which connotes peace. Today many opponents throw personal abuses and insults at the President without facing any consequences. Many African leaders wouldn’t take personal insults and abuses from the opposition or anybody for that matter. In the recent past this would have been unthinkable. Those critics who think the President is weak should realize that it takes strength of character to absorb insults and abuses without negative reactions. To his credit, there has been no politically motivated assassinations till date. Friends and Foes agree that Mr. President cannot “hurt” a fly.
Similarly the President has supervised fairer elections than his predecessors. Many States today are controlled by the opposition. In fact it is on record that opposition parties have won more elections under President Jonathan than under all previous dispensations put together. This can be attributed to the democratic inclination of the President. He has reasonably erased the do or die politics of the past.
Again, victory for Jonathan is victory for the common man. Jonathan can be said to be the first Commoner from a humble beginning to emerge President. The political elites have dominated politics in Nigeria from time immemorial. It doesn’t matter if they are from the North or South, Christians or Muslims. The elites had always been in power in Nigeria. Jonathan emergence was an act of God which no mortal envisaged. Therefore ordinary and working class Nigerians must ensure that the elites do not bully Jonathan out of office. At the moment the elites have united with the sole purpose of recapturing power for themselves and their descendants. They are using sensitive issues like insurgency and insecurity to blackmail the President. Nigerians should not be fooled by the antics of these desperate folks. No single godfather owns Nigeria. Nigeria belongs to us all. Therefore we are all equal stakeholders and therefore the will of the majority must prevail.
Similar to the above is the seventh reason. Jonathan is the first minority to be elected President. Therefore Jonathan represents hope for the down trodden and minorities in Nigeria. From independence the major ethnic groups dominated politics in Nigeria. It was unimaginable then to have a minority as President. Today we have a minority as President on a platter of gold. Added to this is that the South-South region where Jonathan comes from accounts for over 90% of the resources Nigeria has been using to run for over four decades now. Strangely Jonathan is the first President from this region. It would be a good idea to allow Jonathan govern Nigeria with our support. Jonathan can do better with our support and cooperation. Those opposed to his ambition based on the so called unwritten agreement should realize that Nigeria and her Constitution are greater than any parochial arrangement.
Moreover another four years of Jonathan would mark the beginning of the end of the era of godfatherism in Nigerian politics. The so called godfathers in our national political life have held Nigeria to ransom, without rhyme or reason. They place unrealistic and unreasonable demands on the incumbents. The first battle Jonathan fought was to liberate himself from his so called godfather which he has successfully and bravely done. The next four years would give the President the opportunity to level all inequalities and provide a level playing field for all Nigerians, to enable eligible candidates contest and win elections without depending on godfathers.
The ninth reason we should re-elect President is because of the lack of a credible opposition. Opposition in Nigeria has weakened due to the absence of a defined ideology. We have seen members of the opposition jump from party to party without any ideological framework. The only constant feature is the lust for power. As a result we do not have a formidable opposition that can make a difference politically.
The recent merger of several political parties to form the All Progressive Congress (APC) was received warmly with great expectations. At last the vibrant opposition has arrived! So we thought! How wrong we were! Most Nigerians expected a strong opposition that would mobilize Nigerians behind them. We expected an opposition devoid of pettiness and cheap blackmail. We expected an opposition that would be defined by principles and ideals. We expected an opposition that would present a clear cut, well defined, and practicable alternative to the present. We expected a credible opposition based on principles. To say the APC dashed our hopes is an understatement. APC missed the opportunity to stand out as the new national umbrella. All we hear is ” Give us Power”. But what are you going to do differently? What are your plans? Nigerians need to know what agenda you have before they give you power.
The PDP has been in power since 1999. As expected some Nigerians have some reservations on the performance of PDP. This is not unexpected considering the fact that the Party has been in power for fifteen years now. But the pertinent question is, what will APC do differently? APC has refused to tell Nigerians what they have in stock for us. Instead they are over driven by the lust for power without a defined agenda. Mere criticizing the incumbent without proffering solutions is grossly inadequate. What Nigerians are waiting to hear is the action plan of APC. Does any Nigerian know how the opposition would tackle this insurgency? Does anyone know their plans to create jobs? Does anyone know their plans to fight corruption? What about Education, Power, Healthcare? The list is endless. If the opposition wants to be taken seriously by Nigerians, first it needs to go back to the drawing board and define the agenda. Then communicate the agenda to Nigerians and allow Nigerians to decide who governs them in a free and fair election. At the moment the present opposition style of chasing shadows leaving the substance behind has played to the advantage of the incumbent.
It is either the opposition steps up the game by addressing issues, not personalities, or forget the 2015 Elections. As long as the opposition continues to chase shadows, the incumbent would have an easy ride come 2015.
Finally Nigeria should re-elect President Jonathan because of the present circumstances of security challenges, which the President is working hard to contain and defeat. Put differently, the country is in a state of war with terrorists, and we cannot change the Commander-in-Chief in the middle of the war. In fact it would be morally wrong for Mr. Jonathan to abandon ship halfway down the sail without achieving total victory against the terrorists. We should therefore rally round the President in solidarity and defeat the terrorists. The prevailing opinion in Nigeria and the Diaspora is that President Jonathan should hang on and fight these insurgents to the very end. Let us therefore renew his mandate on the 14th of February, 2015.
God bless Nigeria.
Did you actually write the above listed as the reasons for re-electing Jonathan? I understand that Nigerians have never tasted true democracy so they will not know what good living is like under a government but if you have ever left the shores of this country you will know that we are in bondage under this government.The economy is the largest in Africa and the citizens are the poorest in Africa, please how do you balance that?I’m deeply surprised and also irritated that we are still talking road and power 16 years into democracy with Billions of Dollars sunk into both.what happened to health and high quality education? What happened to lower inflation rates as nothing has gone cheaper in Nigeria in the last 16 years?What happened to good housing?what happened to integrity and justice?what happened to decency and frugality?They are not part of the agenda of this government?what happened to good jobs?do you know the number of companies that have packed up and moved on?
What assurances do you have that you will ever get a job after leaving school?The skill sets you have as a Nigerian graduate are not those needed by reputable employers of labour.what hope do you have for the coming generations?I can go on and on but the truth needs to be said, the problem is not wholly GEJ but the system his party has created.Name the first ten performing governors in Nigeria and you will see how many belong to the opposition.Please Nigerians are living without hope and I don’t see Jonathan raising that hope.6 years is more than enough for me to notice some difference.The only ways Jonathan’s administration has affected me have been in increase in fuel prices, taxation hiking and introduction of unjustifiable CBN charges through banks. Yet he won’t declare his assets.
God bless Nigeria.
15 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD
VOTE JONATHAN
As the 2015 elections draw
near, it is important to identify
15 core reasons why the
incumbent president should be
re-elected into office. These
laudable reasons are worthwhile ventures/projects
Mr Jonathan is proud of, as
another electioneering process
approaches. These reasons
include:
1. TOTAL REMOVAL OF FUEL
SUBSIDY:
Come July 2015, he will fully
remove the fuel subsidy. Hence,
the sufferings of Nigerians will
significantly increase.
2.PURCHASE OF NEW JETS: With public funds will he purchase
tear-rubber, factory-fitted
FalconX flying jets worth
N8billion each.
3. OPERATION FEED THE
PRESIDENT: With N1billion,
cassava bread will be his daily meal over the course of a year. Thereby, ensuring that the number one citizen is well fed and well bred. This Operation Feed The President (OFP) will
be carried out side by side
famine in the land.
4. THE FIRST LADY IS COMING,
CLEAR THE ROAD: While in
office, Nigerian roads will be
blocked, disabling Nigerians
from heading to offices,
markets et al because The First Lady(an individual who holds no executive position and not elected by the citizens) wants
to ply the road.
5. #TakeMoreOfOurGirls: More girls may go missing and the
Presidency will as usual, fail to
rescue them. 6. SCRATCH MY BACK, I SCRATCH
YOURS:
Since N21billion have been
raised and donated by
individuals in the society for
Jonathan’s campaign, these rational businessmen will look
forward to the President
fulfilling his side of the bargain
by awarding them with
unmerited contracts and/or
political appointments. 7.IF THEY DON’T RETURN HOME,
KILL THEM: Many more
Nigerians living in diaspora will
be killed for offences they
know virtually nothing about
while the President and/or the ambassadors to such lands
wines and dines with the
Heads of Government over jobs
well executed. 8. PRIORITIES OVER PRIORITIES:
The President will either go for
a campaign rally or go
celebrate with an ‘icon’ who
adds a year as Nigerians are
bombed into oblivion. 9. THEY WOULD COME OUT OF
THEIR SHELLS: More Bode
Georges, Diepreye
Alamaiseghas will be released
from custody or given
Presidential Pardons and will be celebrated and paraded as
role models for upcoming
looters. Not only that, they
would be conferred with GCON,
OFN, CFR judging by the amount
of loot the looter was able to cart with. The higher the loot,
the higher the award. The
lower the loot, the lower the
award. 10. FEDERAL UNIVERSITY
STUDENTS, YOU’RE AT RISK:
More Federal Universities stand
the risk of having a name
change. As changing UNILAG to
MAULAG was a more important priority than curbing
insurgency. Uites, Awoites take
note. 11. MORE CLAUSES WILL BE
BIRTHED: More nonsensical
clauses such as ‘Stealing is not
corruption’ will come from the
Presidency. Thereby,
encouraging crimes such as pickpocketing, burglary in the
Nigerian social space as the
Number 1 citizen had given a
nod to Stealing. 12. YOU STAND A CHANCE OF
BEING APPOINTED MINISTER: It
does not matter what your
area of expertise is, you stand a
chance of serving in the
government provided you are another potential Diezani,
Labaran or Wike. 13. THE NAIRA WILL BE
COMPETING WITH THE
ZIMBABWEAN DOLLAR IN ROCK
BOTTOM: The N185 to an US
Dollar will be a thing of the
past as it would have doubled few months after he enters
office. Most likely, N370 per
American dollar. 14. OPERATION KILL MORE
STUDENTS: More students will
be dragged out of their rooms
in the dead of the night to be
shot in the open as the
Presidency has been slow and unable to curb or even curtail
insurgency. 15. THE ASO ROCK ZOO IS THE
NEW NIGERIA AND ITS
ANIMALS, THE NEW NIGERIAN
CITIZENS
Another N15million will be
spent on horses for the Aso Rock Zoo, N14.5million would
be expended on more wild
animals and another
N800million to upgrade the
Zoo. Welfare at its peak…Vote
Wisely! Ore Afolayan.
Director of Public Media,
Progressive Students of
Nigeria.