Bayo Olupohunda
| credits: File copy
The handwriting is on the wall. The
bold imprints are seen in the failings
of this administration. Now the
dashed expectations of the
Jonathan’s presidency all seem to be
leading to one predictable end — he
may not be re-elected in 2015. There
are strong reasons to believe that
his fairy tale journey to the
Presidency may end in his first term.
Apart from the unfolding infighting
threatening to tear his party apart,
President Goodluck Jonathan
appears to have squandered the
goodwill that ensured his becoming
Nigeria’s first minority president.
There is a depressing sense in which
one cannot just imagine that this
country would endure another term
of this administration for another
four years in office ending in 2019.
This will be suicidal. Even now, 2015
looks too distant into the future in
the eyes of ordinary Nigerians. In
2011, the president won the election
by playing the underdog card.
The 2011 presidential election was
won because ordinary Nigerians
insisted on voting en masse for the
country’s first minority president —
the man who said he walked
barefooted as a child; the man who
also became the symbol of an end to
the North’s bragging right to power
since Nigeria’s independence from
British rule. In 2015, Jonathan will not
have the luxury of leveraging on the
sentiments that swept him to power
in his first term. Now, he will have to
look for other reasons. Except that
this time, he will not be able to whip
up emotions based on his poverty as
a child. His ethnic background will
also not matter. If he does, no one
will believe him again. Rather in
2015, the President will be
confronted with the record of his
performance. He will have to answer
hard questions about his first term in
office. And if truth be told, if the
present situation in the polity is
anything to go by, President
Jonathan will be heading back to his
hometown in Otuoke come May 29,
2015.
The President will not stand a
chance against a formidable
opposition with the right candidate
in a free and fair election. But even
at that, it still does not matter
because it appears any type of
candidate will still beat this
President. His performance so far
makes him vulnerable to defeat in a
free and fair election. He just has not
lived up to the expectations of
Nigerians. And I suspect the
President and his party are in for a
surprise. Perhaps, for the first time,
Nigerians will witness the power of
their votes. The incumbency factor
will not matter in 2015 because the
President is poised to lose the
election. But President Jonathan
should not blame anybody for his
predicament if he loses. He has so far
been the architect of his own
misfortune as a President. He had no
excuse not to perform. Let’s face it,
the President has fallen short of
expectations that Nigerians had of
his presidency.
There is no better expression to
measure his performance since 2011.
For a President that came into office
to have squandered the enormous
goodwill and support from Nigerians
is evidence of opportunities gone
awry; of hopes deferred. The only
people who will support the
President are the army of praise
singers from his ethnic group who
have been singing his praises to no
end. And this brings me to the
attitude of the so-called Niger
Deltan activists and leaders. The
leaders of the region have been so
disappointing to say the least. This
attitude of it-is-either-Jonathan-for-
a-second term-or-we-will-all-perish
does their ethnic group no good. It is
even an embarrassment to the office
of the President. Why do they act as
if Jonathan is the President of only
the Niger Delta? Why are they
threatening to bring Nigeria down if
Jonathan does not get a second
term? Did the President emerge in
his first term only by the region’s
votes? Can threats make a non-
performing President stay in office in
perpetuity? The culture of
entitlement that pervades the
region is the reason why the Niger
Delta might still be backward even if
Jonathan gets a second term. They
should know that it was the support
of Nigerians that got the President a
first term. Nigerians thus have the
right to demand performance from
him. And right now, the situation in
our country today does not look
good. In 2015, President Jonathan
will have to present his scorecard.
Nigerians will ask him why
corruption which he promised to
tackle in his inaugural address has
become a hydra-headed monster in
his administration. He will have to
explain why his administration has
not so secured a single conviction in
spite of massive corruption in the
land. Nigerians will in 2015 ask this
President why all the cases of
corruption involving individuals in
his government have all died a
natural death. The President will
explain why all the anti-corruption
agencies have all become toothless
bulldogs. It has become glaring that
President Jonathan has lost the trust
and goodwill of Nigerians. The
dominant view of Nigerians is that
this government has failed. The
impunity that has become a culture
in the country today is because the
president has not been decisive in
the fight against corruption.
That is why all the agencies of
government have been left to their
own devices. The culture of impunity
has been so pervasive. Take the
power sector for example. The
President has not arrested the
unending conundrum that has
dogged the unbundling of the
sector. This should not continue
beyond 2015. Meanwhile, the power
situation continues to get worse.
The 2015 elections should be about
performance and the President has a
lot of questions to answer about his
stewardship unless something
drastic happens between now and
the election date.
The President also has to explain
why million of Nigerian youths
cannot find jobs. All we hear from
this government is how the
economy is growing at an
unbelievable rate. Pray, how can the
economy grow while millions are
unemployed? What kind of voodoo
economy is that? Didn’t the Minister
of Finance and Coordinating Minister
for the Economy say the last time
that the unemployment figures give
her sleepless night? What further
evidence do Nigerians need that this
government is not providing an
enabling environment for job
creation? The millions of youths who
had hoped in this government will
ask hard questions in 2015. The
security situation in the country is a
cause for grave concern. The other
day, about 40 pupils were murdered
by suspected terrorists in Yobe State.
As I write, nobody has been
apprehended for perpetrating the
dastardly act.
The Jos crisis continues to claim
more lives. In many parts of the
country, lives and property are not
secure. Yet, the government blames
everybody else except itself. How
can a government whose primary
duty is to safeguard lives and
property fail woefully in performing
the same duty? Meanwhile, the
country also lags behind in all
development indexes. The
argument advanced by the
supporters of this government is
that our problems are not created by
President Jonathan. But has the
administration demonstrated the
political will to tackle the problems
head on? Does government not exist
to solve problems no matter how old
they have existed?
However, there has been some good
news lately. The President recently
inaugurated the construction of the
Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Let’s just
hope the project will not become
abandoned like the previous
attempts. The federal roads across
the country are also said to be
getting the attention they deserve.
This is not forgetting the ongoing
rehabilitation in the nation’s
airports. But all this will pale into
insignificance when compared to the
dashed expectations of this
government. It is for these reasons
that Jonathan may lose in 2015. All
things being equal, anyway.

not to sure he would win

For where?? Except Nigerians who vote for him are all retardeens like the mumu Jonathan! Everything that is called Jonathan should be deleted immediately! That looney will ruin that country but if Nigerians consider the life of one mumu retardeenic GEJ better than their own, better than hundreds or thousands, then it is their choice! They can stew in the consequences of their actions and inaction! I am sure I won't even give a damn!

However, there has been some good news lately. The President recently inaugurated the construction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Let’s just hope the project will not become abandoned like the previous
attempts. The federal roads across the country are also said to be getting the attention they deserve. This is not forgetting the ongoing rehabilitation in the nation’s airports. But all this will pale into insignificance when compared to the dashed expectations of this government. It is for these reasons that Jonathan may lose in 2015. All things being equal, anyway.

Undiluted fact

i dont think so. he hasnt performed

Sloan: For where?? Except Nigerians who vote for him are all retardeens like the mumu Jonathan! Everything that is called Jonathan should be deleted immediately! That looney will ruin that country but if Nigerians consider the life of one mumu retardeenic GEJ better than their own, better than hundreds or thousands, then it is their choice! They can stew in the consequences of their actions and inaction! I am sure I won't even give a damn!

laughing in chinese

He may not even last the entire fast term