Ben Oguntuase writes Heroic Opportunity beckons on President Jonathan Without being presumptuous, it is becoming more and more certain that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will lose the February 14 election. The Buhari/Osinbajo train has gathered so much momentum as to be deemed unstoppable. The Jonathan / PDP team continues to exhibit frustration and panic, hence the result to a most orchestrated personal attack on the APC team. The Certificate issue that they continue to hammer on against General Buhari is really like fishing in the desert – plenty of mirages, not a drop of water. Some kind of illusion of destiny! On the other hand, the APC team seems to gain confidence by the day and, more than PDP, have stuck more to issues than personality attack. Should the result of the election turn out as suggested here (all indication is that it will), such outcome offers a very unique opportunity to President Jonathan. This is what some of his advisers ought to be seriously thinking about as the President’s Plan B. It is about how the President will gracefully concede defeat if and when it happens, should it happen. Doing so will guarantee that the President leaves office with dignity and can actually become the Jimmy Carter of Nigeria. This means greater, more fulfilled and dignifying Presidential after-life! A President Jonathan who gracefully accepts defeat, if it turns out that way, will instantly be compared to IBB and a Saint/Villain verdict rendered. President Jonathan will instantly become the personification of all that is good and dignifying in Nigeria and be rated far ahead of IBB in terms of contribution to national dignity and honour. But beyond direct personal dignity and honour, a graceful concession by the incumbent President would be contributing perhaps the most significant advancement to our democratic evolution. It will be a major milestone that will further significantly reinforce our confidence in the success of our democracy. Post-election litigations at the Tribunals will certainly reduce, so will internal party wrangling and acrimony. Politics not becoming a do-or-die affair will then have its true meaning while the Jonathan declaration that “my election is not worth the blood of any Nigerian” will become eternal words on marble. Those words will in fact have the weight of a doctrine. Well, we are not yet at February 14 but this is a Plan B that is worth thinking about. May God bless Nigeria and grant us peaceful, violence-free elections. Share Lanre Akanbi and 18 others like this. Larry Smith This is well written and very well though out and should be the way of a Democracy at its best. Our prayers will be with your country. 2 · More · 11 hours ago Kayode Otitoju Brilliant! 1 · More · 9 hours ago Fasuba Charles Big Ben the writer and the strategist, ur fountain of wisdom will never dry-up sir. 2 · More · 8 hours ago Larry Smith I am so very Proud to call Ben a Friend of Long standing 1 · More · 8 hours ago Kombo Mason Braide Clearly, a Zero-Sum gaming mindset is palpable and pervasive across Nigeria: i.e. APC vs. PDP; Pa Buhari vs. GEJ; winner-takes-all). I believe there are over twenty (20) contestants vying for the position of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in the Valentine Day 2015 elections. And yet, we seem to be fixated on pontificating exclusively on the likely outcomes, taking only two (2) parties into consideration! What if the winner of the presidential elections does not turn as suggested here, what should the other LOSERS do to guarantee that they do so with dignity and honour, with a graceful concession to the winner? The 2015 elections offer Nigerians a very unique opportunity to develop a Win-Win strategy that would provide a more fulfilled and dignified afterlife for all the remnants of Nigerias wasted years of predatory military dictatorship, which is the root cause of our present condition of arrested development, in the first place. This is what we should be thinking seriously about: a Plan B for all Nigerias former military dictators and ex-coup plotters. A Major General Mohammed Buhari, who gracefully accepts defeat, if it turns out that way, will be comparable to General Yakubu Gowon, or General Abdulsalami Abubakar, and a Villain-Saint verdict passed on him. Thereafter, Major General Mohammed Buhari could personify all that is exemplary, and dignifying of an officer and a gentleman, and be rated in the ranks of General Yakubu Gowon and General Abdulsalami Abububakar, in terms of their roles as NON-PARTISAN elder statesmen, who took on the challenges of their times, and piloted the affairs of their country effectively, and creditably. There should be a Plan B for ALL the leaders and key dramatis personae of Nigerias nightmarish past encounters with military dictators, for the sake of assuaging their egos, and in the interest of progress. A graceful concession by Major General Mohammed Buhari, in the event of his defeat, would contribute to the advancement of the evolution of Nigerias democratic culture space, vis-a-vis managing the sustained desperation of the top echelon of the Nigerian military elite (i.e. former dictators, and retired generals, air marshals, and admirals), to micro-manage political power in Nigeria, in and out of uniform, by all means necessary! Partisan politics should not be the preoccupation of former military dictators, especially given that they enjoy the unique privilege of direct and unrestricted access to the highest levels of government in Nigeria for the balance of their lives. What else should they really want, or ask for? It was their footprints that led us all to where we find ourselves today. The best they can do is to guide us, and not to insist on leading us, as if it is a do-or-die affair. More · 6 hours ago Kayode Otitoju Kombo Mason, the situation on ground in Nigeria is; If and when Jonathan lost the election, He should be magnanimous to congratulate General Buhari. Today, there are 3 arms of government viz Legislative, Judiciary and the Executive unlike when Buhari was a Military Head of State. Nigeria needs to fight corruption and insecurity and Buhari has been identified as the only presidential election contestant who can give firm policy and implementation commitment! More · 3 hours ago Kombo Mason Braide For sure, Nigeria is NOT a penal colony that requires brute coercion that relies exclusively on the expertise of ONE man, with no credible records of measurable performance, EVEN if placed side by side in comparison with General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who made his mark, (for good, or for bad), in eleven (11) months flat. Major General Buhari, at least, had twenty (20) months to show his capability. However, quite unfortunately. he left no sustainable legacy beyond his brand identity as a neo-fascist and chauvinistic despot. 1 · More · 3 hours ago Joseph Ojo The election has not even been held GMBs camps in some northern states are already attacking the GEJ campaign team. What plan B do you propose for APC and other candidates that will eventually lose the election. There is no vacancy in Aso Rock for now. More · 2 hours ago Kayode Otitoju Kombo Mason Braide, your pontification is noted. I have made my points and I respect your minority opinion on the legacy of Buhari while a military leader. Hoever, I will like you to follow dogmatically the level of acceptability and popularity of your choice candidate viz - a -viz General Buhari as reflected in their campaign accoss the six geopolitical zones. Who knows, Saul may become Paul before the election as I strongly believe that you cannot be a mercenary commentator. More · 2 hours ago Akinro Oluseye But Joseph, the governor of Bauchi State has admitted that the attack at the state was actually carried out by PDP supporters! The stoning was not meant for the President but the attack was targeted at some of the leaders of the party from the state. More · 1 hour ago Bola Oloyede What legacy does Buhari have? When people who are supposed to be from a state that prides itself as a seat of knowledge talk like this its a great embarrassment. Does it mean certificates are now worthless? Sir Otitoju you are someone I respect and hold in high esteem. Forget politics and lets talk like sane men and women. Should will now tell our children that education no longer important that you can rise to a post of authority even if you dont go to school and have a certificate? We can as well all throw our hard earned certificate so away if it has now become worthless in this country. Please lets think with our brains not our hearts. 1 · More · 1 hour ago Joseph Ojo Seye let the truth be told. What happened in Jos and Katsina home state of GMB? More · 31 minutes ago Lanre Akanbi This is quite deep and apt. Uncle Ben. My fear is the motley group that surround the President may not allow him conceed defeat. More · 20 minutes ago Olapade Okeya 16yrs of PDP & particularly d last 6yrs of Gejs lack lustre performance requires dat Nigeria moves forward with anoda change in d best interest of democracy. We are tired of Gejs inability on d economy, unemployment, insecurity, insurgency, impunity, lawlessness, corruption, extravagance etc. Nothing shld be done to truncate dis democracy bcos PDP is drowning due to self inflicted injuries of incompetence. & injustice.
Posted on: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 11:11:03 +0000
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015