My very good friend whose smile is like a shine of the bright morning sun said she “won’t and can’t congratulate Buhari” even though she has accepted the result. This is same with many people I know and even those I do not know. I as well will not congratulate Buhari, instead, Jonathan and Jega deserves the applaud

On Tuesday, 31st of March, I glued to the TV (Channels to be precise) and my spirit got elated as the numbers for the General were increasing. I never understood why (because I’d rather throw my vote to KOWA) but I realised that it is not Buhari nor APC that I love but it is the President’s 6 years of mal-administration (that is my opinion and may not hold true to you) that I detest to repeat for another four years.

All results were called (except Bornu) and it was clear the controversial General would mount the chariots of Aso Rock come May 29. I felt dejected in sudden milestones of demi seconds. My Uncle (GEJ’s patriot as I would love to call him ) asked “WHY”
I told him “sir, take a look at the states that the General won and those that he lost”
Clearly he won no South South and South East states. He lost only one state in the South West. Pity!

Permit me to say Buhari did not win this election; TRIBALISM DID. Look around you. Try to point one or two fans of the President elect and the candidate of the other divide, I bet you only less than 3% of the SS & SE you know support the General, Others? GEJ has their vote.

Permit me to say that ‘Nigeria’ and Biafra still exist deep in us and the church is not helping matters. I pass through the popular Balogun Market in Lagos every Thursday and I see the Igbo traders having their fellowship and the Yoruba traders having their own fellowship just down, opposite the road. We lie when we assume one Nigeria. We’re just mouth washing it. It is not real.

The Youths? (now another dimension) we’re almost lost in what the leaders are doing to us. In school (Unizik) we have CASOR (under AGC) we also have a recent breakout AGSF (Assemblies of God Students Fellowship). The same is about to repeat itself on the NYSC level. AGCF (Assemblies of God Corpses Fellowship) has been formed (a national coordinator has been appointed) and NCCF (Nigeria Christian Corpers Fellowship) exists even as Winners, RCCG, Catholic, and Anglican, all having separate congregation of youths.

Asari Dokunbo said it all yesterday, we all are still tribalistic. There is no ONE Nigeria YET! I salute GEJ. Evil counsel given to him did not prevail. Ahiithophel has been disgraced. GEJ is a hero for true democracy. Jega should be celebrated! And Buhari? Let’s watch and AND STILL PRAY! For it is the perpetual prayers of the saints that is still keeping us peaceful till this moment. Believe me WE PRAYED for this moment

And I will also like to say that the diverse prophesies that ‘did not click’ are not to be mocked! I believe something that I have learnt from man of God piloting Koinonia (Eternity Network International). He said “THE LORD REVEALS TO REDEEM” The Lord revealed what would happen so that WE WILL PRAY and the situation will be redeemed! For this, I shall spend one month of my morning devotions praising JEHOVAH. HE DID IT!

http://www.naijasingleguy.com/guest-post-buhari-did-not-win-something-else-did/

I agreed with you OP.
Religion too is a factor, many of my Muslim friends supported Buhari religiously while some church people too thump printed for GEJ. Assuming the SS & SE people were not intimidated out of the North because of fear of violence and many SS & SE people came out en-mass and ethnically to vote like the North, GEJ could have won the election.
It is not Buhari that won the election, religion and ethnicity did.

Anybody who undermines the influence of religion and tribalism in Nigerian politics is just acting ignorant.
It is very much an active part of Nigerian political atmosphere and if it must be eradicated, it must start from the North.

Op this is a beautiful and educative write up
thumbs up for that.

Obviously tribalism still reigns supreme in the hearts of Nigerians... No matter how hard we try to downplay or deny it, the fact is that there's a bit of tribalism in every man (even in the almighty USA, a black man who didn't vote Obama is viewed in a strange way by his folks).

The entire north voted for Buhari = Pure tribalism
The entire SS & SE voted for GEJ = Pure tribalism

In this election, the SW and middle belt were a bit torn on whom to support hence the voting pattern in these regions were more reasonable and not tribally biased. In 2011, the SW and MB voted for Jonathan because all Nigerians believed he was a breathe of fresh air. After an abysmal performance, the people in these regions took a U-turn and voted against Jonathan (even though the results were still almost 50-50).

henribj:
Op this is a beautiful and educative write up
thumbs up for that.

Thank you.

Dumb.
And the tribalism did not playout just 4yrs ago when GEJ won 5 out of 6 state in SW not minding the fact that pastor Bakare is a yourba man. What about the SE and SS that also voted for Yar'Adua in 2007. Did anybody cried and accuse them of tribalism? What about the western countries that tactically withdrew their support for GEJ administration? Were they also tribalistic? GEJ lost the election because he was too myopic/naive and thought he can rig himself back to Aso rock with the magic numbers from SS/SE as he did in 2011.
Also, much as I appreciate the fact that he conceded defeat, I am not going to congratulate him because as far as I am concerned, he had no choice. He alienated himself from the people that can truly back him if he wanted to contest the inec result. He was part of the team that saw Gbagbo off, so he knew what awaits him. He knew he doesn't have any kind of support from the army if the chips are down. So it was a pretty simple and straight forward choice for him to make. And I am tempted to say Abdulsallam must have told him these facts and also make him realise that people are likely to forget all the evils he did if he just behave himself and concede defeat (just like we forgot all the money Abdulsallam himself chopped). But I will give it to him for seeing the hand writing on the wall and not trying anything fo0lish. Whatever award int'l community want to give him is osk sha.

thunder74:
I agreed with you OP.
Religion too is a factor, many of my Muslim friends supported Buhari religiously while some church people too thump printed for GEJ. Assuming the SS & SE people were not intimidated out of the North because of fear of violence and many SS & SE people came out en-mass and ethnically to vote like the North, GEJ could have won the election.
It is not Buhari that won the election, religion and ethnicity did.

Exactly bro! Religion and ethnicity did. Just look at the image, it clearly divides the country between the North/Southwest (Nigeria) and Biafra

DesChyko:
Anybody who undermines the influence of religion and tribalism in Nigerian politics is just acting ignorant.
It is very much an active part of Nigerian political atmosphere and if it must be eradicated, it must start from the North.

Start from the North? I subtly disagree sir! Part of the North voted massively for Jonathan the last time and even this year he still got part of the Middle Belt. It should start form US ALL!

Naijasingleguy:


Start from the North? I subtly disagree sir! Part of the North voted massively for Jonathan the last time and even this year he still got part of the Middle Belt. It should start form US ALL!

Calm down.. Let me locate that 2011 pdf file.

obailala:
Obviously tribalism still reigns supreme in the hearts of Nigerians... No matter how hard we try to downplay or deny it, the fact is that there's a bit of tribalism in every man (even in the almighty USA, a black man who didn't vote Obama is viewed in a strange way by his folks).

The entire north voted for Buhari = Pure tribalism
The entire SS & SE voted for GEJ = Pure tribalism

In this election, the SW and middle belt were a bit torn on whom to support hence the voting pattern in these regions were more reasonable and not tribally biased. In 2011, the SW and MB voted for Jonathan because all Nigerians believed he was a breathe of fresh air. After an abysmal performance, the people in these regions took a U-turn and voted against Jonathan (even though the results were still almost 50-50).

You know right from time it has always been the NORTH VS EAST. The West only gets to take sides with either of them. It happened during the civil war. They took sides with the NORTH; last election, they took sides with the EAST and SS and now this time they've pitched tent again with the NORTH. Can we now say that it is possible the S/WEST is not the region much tribalistic here?