President Jonathan and November 11 Mahmoon Baba-Ahmed President Goodluck Jonathan has thrown caution to the winds and picked his party’s nomination and expression of interest forms to recontest the presidency in 2015 even as the notorious Boko Haram insurgency group re-launched more vicious attacks on some parts of the federation, escalating the perennial and overwhelming unrests that bedevilled the country. President Jonathan was cautiously optimistic about his contest especially with regards to his glaring inability to bring sanity into the already worsened socio-political as well as economic issues that tended to retard progress and cause unbearable hardship to the wretched and hapless citizens. Nigerians and especially members of PDP were not particularly excited about President Jonathan’s misadventure in his expression of interest to run again because they fear that his success will bring about horrible and dreadful prospects much more catastrophic and ruinous than what is being experienced presently. Surprisingly, the votes that swept Jonathan into presidency in 2011 were given by people with relatively high expectations of his ability to deliver on his electoral promises of transforming Nigeria into the real giant that will take an enviable position in the comity of highly endowed and well-developed nations. Unfortunately these votes have subsequently become wasted as he had woefully reneged on his vehement pledges. His idealistic attitude, inert disposition and lacklustre style of leadership had dampened his enthusiasm of transforming a country hitherto devastated by serial neglects from previous administrations and the dreary, uninspiring performances of two predecessors produced by his power-hungry party hags. President Jonathan had previously been burdened with the responsibility of completing the tenure of his late boss, Umar Musa ‘Yar’Adua but that turned out to be a herculean task he could not cope with. That was because he was ill-prepared for the enormous task entrusted to him. Consequently, he wobbled as he was unable or unwilling to take decisions or solve knotty problems associated with governance due mainly to his inadequate administrative expertise. Thus, President Jonathan‘s governing power in the remaining year of ‘Yar Adua’s tenure did not yield much dividend of democracy because he had hardly risen above the level of mediocrity. He did not succeed satisfactorily because he did not even make any stir or serious exertions to occupy the exalted post; it was fate that thrust him into power without requisite experience or ample capacity to manipulate its diverse trappings. Many Nigerians were not happy with his lower than expected functioning and therefore decided not to allow him contest again after completing the mandatory tenure of his predecessor. It was therefore easy for the naive president that lacked experience in distinguishing between evil and good associates to simply allow opportunistic political minions surround him, using him for obtaining automatic authorisation for their self-seeking escapades that smack of highest degree of corruption and debauchery. Many party bigwigs and hags that have outlived their usefulness became his constant companions that promoted anti democratic tendencies and mischief makers, spreading falsehood that encouraged religious intolerance. In that way the government could not successfully execute its unintelligible policies or effectively carry out its disjointed programmes fruitfully. The much acclaimed economic growth did not impact positively on disadvantaged and underprivileged populace which continue to wallow in abject poverty in the midst of plenty. Worst of all, the entire nation was seized by an unprecedented orgy of violence in the last three years of President Jonathans worrisome stewardship. A rebellion against the government or rulers of the country by armed insurgents has pervaded throughout the length and breath of the country and nobody is safe from the dangers they pose. These could have been nipped in the bud but were allowed to blossom thorough the government’s sheer complacency and inaction. As a result of these obvious shortcomings, it could be said President Jonathan failed woefully in executing his fundamental duties of promoting democratic values and the protection of lives and property. The quality of leadership expected from him has not materialised. The shattered country and its demoralised citizenry which President Jonathan inherited from his inept party men has been left to further degenerate, making its citizens doubt if president Jonathan and his mighty party could actually salvage them from the unending difficulties they are presently subjected to. What this unhappy scenario foretells is that with the continuation of President Jonathan in office Nigerians must be condemned to grapple with such unsavoury situation for the next four years which would be more horrendous and dreadful. In view of these glaring inadequacies can President Jonathan confidently ask Nigerians to give him a second chance on November 11? It is sad that President Jonathan who came onboard with zeal and determination to serve his self-seeking people of the south-south, to the detriment of other Nigerians, has only tragically succeeded in carving a pitiful image of an ineffective president of a dysfunctional country full of religious bigots and ethnic chauvinists. But can he overcome this image he has curved for himself especially as that of a weakling that failed to stave off the menacing, lingering insecurity. Perhaps President Jonathan is simply marching to meet his Waterloo during the February 2015 presidential election.
Posted on: Fri, 31 Oct 2014 17:50:28 +0000
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