There are more unifying reasons President Goodluck Jonathan Should be re-elected, writes Tony Shaffer

There is no doubt that ISIS is on a global march and where there is instability or ungoverned spaces, ISIS thrives and goes into full blown manufacturing of evil. Battles are ongoing on a daily basis…and one battle is about to be fought politically in Nigeria – one that we must take notice of.

And the battle is not only about Boko Haram, a terrorist group home based in Nigeria that recently swore its allegiance to ISIS. No, it is about who wins the Nigerian presidency as well.

Nigeria (and the region, to include Chad, Niger and Cameroon) has seen its share of evil perpetrated by the al Qaeda (now ISIS) affiliated Boko Haram – from the 14 April 2014 kidnapping of 300 female students to the four suicide bombings last week that killed 54 people; it is clear they are a force of evil to be reckoned with.

ISIS is spreading much like a retrovirus – where al Qaeda or loosely affiliated al Qaeda affiliates existed, ISIS is now subsuming them – and by doing so increasing, by synergy, the power and reach of both ISIS and the groups they consume.  So Boko Haram must be an organisation we in the West must work to defeat.

On the 28th of March, Nigeria will hold its presidential election and much is at stake as Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa       (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-31113499).  The people of Nigeria will be asked to choose between the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan and his challenger, former dictator and General Muhammadu Buhari. 

Neither man is pristine – but there are clear reasons for the Nigerian people to select President Jonathan. Regional stability and prosperity are key to the future of Nigeria and the region. Part of the solution to bring success to Nigeria will not come from a president who serves as the enabler-in-chief for radical Islam. 

And that is what would result from the election of General Buhari – a sharp departure from the already rocky path of progress, to the trail of and it’s this would not only encourage Boko Haram to become more active, it increases the likelihood of another Somalia or Yemen – in other words, a failed state that would be fertile soil for the growth of terrorism.

There are clear indications that former General Buhari would not be so much an agent of “change”, but an agent of enabling radical Islam to expand and consolidate its gains in Nigeria. Buhari has stated his goal for Nigeria is to implement “Sharia Law” as the primary rule of governance. (http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/12/insurgency-buharis-call-full-sharia/).

The northern half of Nigeria is now under Sharia law and it has only encouraged the growth of radical Islam. It is clear that General Buhari has, as a matter of political convenience, attempted to reign in his previous pointed pro-Sharia views. It is imperative that the people of Nigeria see through this smokescreen.

It is clear that electing Buhari would not only be a step in the wrong direction and threaten Nigeria’s prosperity, it is a step towards helping Boko Haram gain additional ground and allow it to become an even more effective component of ISIS.

What may well happen with a Buhari victory would not only be a strengthening of radical Islam, it is also likely to enable the targeting of other religions.  Christians have become a major target of radical Islam – in Egypt, in Syria and Iraq.  It would likely follow suit that similar in Nigeria with any move to implement Sharia as the state form of governance.

As an alternative, there is evidence that President Jonathan has recognised the need to expand the counterterrorism efforts of his government. There is evidence that the Nigerian military needs improved equipment and training. 

Also, as Boko Haram operates in Chad, Cameroon and Niger, it is important that President Jonathan works to establish a stronger military alliance with those nations to fight ISIS more effectively.  It is clear that President Jonathan must reconsider his concepts and strategy for conducting anti-terror operations against Boko Haram.  There has been a reluctance to introduce and allow foreign counterterrorism advisors or forces in to assist.  There are now clear concepts for the Nigerian government to consider now that their problem as aligned itself with our global problem:  http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story/military/2015/03/21/marines-could-lead-the-charge-against-boko-haram-in-west-africa/25017217/

Therefore, clearly, while Goodluck Johnathan has not been perfect, and there is the undeniable need for him to reconsider his counterterrorism policy, the alternative of allowing the former dictator General Buhari to return to power would result in catastrophic failure of Nigeria as severe as that we’ve seen in Yemen over the past three months. 

The people of Nigeria must choose wisely – and a wise choice would see the return of Goodluck Jonathan to their office of president.

Not my Own Choice!!



Buhari is My Choice

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bros u'r too late
GMB all the way