₦airaland Forum

The war songs preceding the national elections are here again. Just like in 2011,  some Nigerians have taken it upon themselves to decide a group of people that are eligible to run and individuals that should not run. Those said to be eligble to run are not being mentioned, but the incumbent as in the past has clearly been marked as the one that should resign his position and never to contest the presidential election. Like in the past, after Mr. President's interview with CNN's Christiana Amapour sometime in June 2010, Mr. President was not just quoted as he is not interested in the 2011 elections, but was interpreted as saying he would not run. Be it as it was, all those that made themselves the eligible ones have always been scared of going to test their popularity in the polls with Dr. Jonathan.

 

Reasons have always been bothered on his competency, his eligibilty and his ability to keep to a gentleman's agreement. All these reasons put forward is compeled by the singular fact that Dr. Jonathan and his region has never been eligible to contest and be a Nigerian President at least for the next number of unmentioned years. Accusations has been insinuated in every corner without prove that it has been seen to be a child's talk in recent times. What baffles most Nigerians is the aggressiveness at which these statements are made. Am not here to make its quote but to look at the justifications there presented. Take for instance, the said agreement signed by Mr. President to contest for a single term has never been put forward to the public even though we keep hearing of its threats. Mr. president in the media chat yesterday has even challenged those that were signatories to the agreement to come forward with it. Am not here to discuss the media chat.

 

 

Nigerians are quick to forget that one of the reasons that gave birth to the famous Northern Elders Forum in November 2010 was when Mr. President refused to sign this much talked about agreement that was to indicate that a northerner will be made President of Nigeria come 2015. That was when men like Ciroma, IBB, Atiku and co decided against supporting Mr. President's bid to contest the 2011 elections. It was even in one of my articles sometime in December 2010 where I mentioned Mr. President walking out of a meeting with 9 Northern Elders because he insisted that Nigerians will have to decide on their leader at all time as it was not his duty to impose leadership on Nigerians. So I wonder where this agreement was made. Would he sign and agreement to do a single term of four years and refuse to sign an agreement to make a northerner the next President? Was the intended single term agreement not all about power going back to the north? Why are we not logical here?

 

 

Ever since then, Mr. President has been in one distraction after another. Boko Haram had been introduced as a short term distraction to make Nigeria ungovernable as promised, or will I put is as that which a violent take over of government was imminent if a peaceful one was neglected? but today, it has become a monster that even its masters are finding it difficult to control. Even if Mr. President was slow to take charge of it, it has now become clear that Mr. President's approach was the best as at the time. Next in line was the sponsored kick starting of  distabilization in the south east with the extension of kidnaping from the south south region, yet at the right time, it was condoned off. Who says Mr. President has ever been clueless? I will take it that Mr. President takes his time to study every challenge so as not to jump the gun. Lessons where learnt in the October 1, 2010 Independent Bomb Blast subtly known as the IBB. If Mr. President had reacted to boko haram at its inception, the religious sympathizers would not have been given the opportunity to see the reaction as a war against terrorist, but rather would have been seen as a war against religion. It would not go well on its intentions. Truth is that the Nigerian security agents are fighting a gorrila warfare. And anybody using that as a means to discredit President Jonathan should tell me if the war at Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia has been won.

 

Let us even for ones really look closely on issues that Mr. President has been criticized about. Then let us take a while to consider if President Goodluck Jonathan is worthy of our support and why? I would like us to ask ourselves why Mr. President has been undoubtedly been criticized on all occassions and by who? First, what is Mr. President criticized about. What was expected of him as a Nigerian leader that he has not done or attended to? What do the critiques really shout about? I can assure you that you will be told is that he is CLUELESS. If you ask what clue was expected of him, you will without doubt not have an answer, if you do, it will never be logical. So I will take out time to think out my understanding of their criticism.

 

INTEGRITY

SECURITY

CORRUPTION

INFRASTRUCTURE

ELECTRICITY

 

All these will be summed up as his electoral promises. They will tell you he has failed and they want him out because they wish to correct and implement it. Question is, has he failed? I don’t want to bother about the fact if they will fix the problems of Nigeria or not. Why should I bother about the capacity of a man that is not even known? Can that be justified?

 

INTEGRITY

Mr. President is said to lack integrity because of the alleged agreement he signed with the northern elders to rule for a single term. While Mr. President is accused of this integrity, has any of the accusers come out to present any document that was signed by Mr. President? Have they mentioned names of the parties that were involved in this agreement? They keep saying it was a gentle man agreement, but with who? Were there no other signatories? If Mr. President actually walked out of a meeting with some people because, he refused to sign to a conspiracy. Who is the one that lacks the integrity? The man that wanted the agreement signed or the man that refused to be part of a conspiracy?

To this end, I ask us to be the judge.

 

SECURITY

The insecurity in Nigeria is man made. This insecurity was promised before the commencement of Mr. President’s substantial tenure. It could be testified to with the post election killings in some sections of the country when Mr. President was declared winner of the election.

It is very clear that the kind of insecurity that was introduced to make the nation ungovernable was alien to the security apparatus and entire country. Caution was required as it came in the name of religion. Religion is an apparatus that is solely dependent on faith and defiles over 80% of logic and prove. It is a great tool that  is emboldened by a will-power. So sometimes, it requires a great mind to decipher truth and deceit in its practice. The introduction of Boko Haram was a well thought out strategy as even the tool to fight it was designed to have its sympathy. In cases as such, diligence was required. The sympathetic mind of a course would naturally require time to test either its truth or deceit. For now it is clear in the minds of all Muslims that Boko Haram is of wicked intentions and as such, some Muslim youths in Borno have join forces to fight the menace. It is also clear that those criticizing Mr. President of insecurity are the main instigators of the monster. So why should we listen to them? Should that be a reason for Mr. President to relinquish power to some elements? Even the said weakness of Dr. Jonathan has become strength in power management. To this end, a number of Nigerians can clearly see that the fight against insecurity is gradually being won by the security agencies commanded by Mr. President.

 

CORRUPTION

Corruption itself has been an enigma that has plagued Nigeria for decades. It did not just start and neither will it end suddenly. It is an institution that has come to be openly rejected by all but secretly embraced by the same people. It’s an orientation that has been embedded in the minds of Nigerians though sometimes seen as a blessing. Nigerians will require purification and a re-orientation of their minds to solve the challenge that has eaten deep into our society.

To fight corruption squarely, heads will have to roll from the top to the bottom of the society. And this is solely dependent on how we all define corruption. Some people will give their actions an acceptable definition while some will only agree to it as one if they are not beneficiaries. All these will not help in the collective fight against it as favorism can also encourage corruption. Because of favorism, some Nigerians will cry foul if anyone perceived as being in the opposition is tried for corruption. Same critiques will alleged a friend of Mr. President has fallen out of favor if he is also publicly tried of corruption. There is always something to criticize the president of. Why it will continue like that is because Nigerians are basically used to giving their personal interpretations to every occurrence. Hence, the cry for corruption will continue for a while.

Mr. President in his understated but productive wisdom had in one of his earliest executive council meeting told his team that the best way of fighting corruption was to build institutions that will discourage corruption. And since corruption is greatly encourage in government agencies, hence the decision to focus more on privatization of most of these agencies. We are witnesses to the success in the Nigerian ports and other sectors that are currently undergoing the process of privatization. We are also witnesses to the Federal government concentration in following dues process for contract awards in recent days. Ministries go through extra scrutiny to have funds approved to them. Even the Minister has to show a report on his achievement to reconcile with funds received by such ministries. Where is the funds stolen from? Like Mr. President said, building institutions to discourage corruption is the best way of fighting corruption in Nigeria. When you hear people cry foul, they are either doing so because they feel shortchanged, or they are doing so just to discredit the system that is not allowing business as usual. Until a time when it is clear that corruption is not welcome, we will continue to have these criticisms. So will Mr. President relinquish power to the unknown because the business is not as usual?

So when these critics keep making their voices loud, they have failed in pointing out the areas of failures that has made it logical enough to ask that Mr. President is not eligible to stand in for the 2015 elections.

 

INFRASTRUCTURE

Even if we may not have seen the infrastructure as much as it would be expected, but it will only take ones inability to appreciate progress to say that the administration is lacking behind. First, to be able to do an assessment of progress, it is appropriate that you make a comparative analysis of the past, the present a considerable potentiality of the future. What is the state of any of the major federal roads in Nigeria? Is there work in progress? Are some of them over 80% completed? Are negotiations for award of expansion made on some of them? Has award or concessions been made in some cases? Truth is that as long as you are not static, you are making progress. At least am aware that there is massive improvement on our roads both state and federal. Is that not considered as progress? I will not start mentioning roads here, but if you are interested in having a list, you can have that from the mid term Ministerial report of Mr. President’s achievements. Another truth we have to know is that infrastructural developments are based on appropriations. Meaning that funds (cash or expectations) are appropriated to be used for certain purposes and payments are made and retired as these expected funds are made available. And it’s usually based on projections from the national revenue incomes (e.g sales of crude and tax). So the award of contract does not guarantee 100% instant payment for such projects. It is bound to be spaced through a period of time, which explains why it is a process and not a miracle. And in a country that some people had artificiated terrorism, funds for fighting of this insecurity will definitely eat up original funds appropriated for infrastructural developments thereby slowing the process.

It will only take a great mind to sustainably fight insecurity while infrastructural development is still in the increase. Is that the kind of mind that should be rejected for what and who we don’t know about or their antecedents??

 

 

 ELECTRICITY

I don’t intent to analyze the progress being made in electricity, but I would like to remind us that almost all the previous government had identified POWER as a set back to our economy, my question is, why did they end up without solutions? Is it not because their efforts were surface based? How long did the Obasanjo government try to solve this problem?  Did President Yaradua not try with no considerable result? Why did the Yaradua administration cancel all awards of contract awarded by the Obasanjo government? Why did Bola Ige fail in providing the same solution that subsequently led to his death? Was did Dr. Obiageli Ezekwezili not succeed in causing any change with all her extra abilities? Why did they all fail? Why are you asking for President Jonathan not to be president because you presume he has not solved a problem that no other person could solve? Is there honesty in the wants and expectations of these critiques?

 

 

I am not here to discuss or explain the technicalities being put in place, but I can assure us all that Mr. President has taken the electricity enigma from its roots. And what we have on ground is the best solution that no other administration could ever have thought of. In a couple of years to come, Nigeria will have the much expected uninterrupted power supply. So if the critiques expect a miracle of overnight solution on power, an want to used that to give me reasons to go back on my support for Mr. President, On what or who’s pedigree of success in administering Nigeria successfully will I use to rate who they prefer to President Jonathan? Is it not best for me to follow this steady transformation process of Mr. President?

 

To this end, except I am given a logical and sincere reason that says otherwise,  I believe I am fully convinced that in voting for President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011, I made a right decision, and I will be ready to do so again come 2015. 

 

Happy Independence Day



http://m.facebook.com/notes/donald-ekpo/i-will-vote-again-for-president-goodluck-jonathan-come-2015/565407230173089/

Good for you.
I WILL VOTE AGAINST HIM
1)Fuel subsidy fraud - 8 billion dollars
2)Pension fraud. -22 billion naira
3)Excess crude account grand theft -22 billion dollars.
4)600 ,000 barrels of oil stolen daily
5) Malabu scam - 1.5 billion dollars
6 borrow borrow with nothing to show for it and inspite of high oil prices
7) insecurity everywhere
8 paid agents of the government trolling social networks and insulting people.

Fresh air of scams,fraud and mismanagement everywhere.
They can't even pay the allocation to the states.
Algeria ,an oil producer like Nigeria has close to 200 billion dollars in their external reserves.
What is left of OBJ's reserve is now being used to support the naira against devaluation(that is,support the importation of champaign ,tooth pick ,private jets and armoured BMW,rice ,palm oil and everything in between)
When the money runs out.we will be back in 1983.see you there

The 68 billion dollars foreign exchange reserves OBJ built up in 8 yrs with lower oil prices,inspite of all the theft has been frittered away by umaru and dumbo Jo .
Just the excess crude account is enough to banish darkness and spark true growth and development .

I thought INEC cautuin about csmpaign before time. Na wa una don start campaign already? About insecurity can GEJ explain oyel theft despite paying militants. Recently we are graduating to a sea pirate hq. What the 4@ok is the paid militants doing. I also dare him to arrest Dokubo for treasonable comments and even intimidating the legislative / IGP right here in Abuja. Whilst so many others have being brought in and others out rightly bashed by Abati and co.
Anyways i see the nation disintegrating under his nose. What other level of failure can change that gross imcompetence. Last i checked the law remains the law! Otedola,Faruak,Dokpesi,Asari ,Alams etc have committed crimes at various levels yet ignored or pardon making them above the law.
What is the general feeling in Nigeria? Its that hate for each other and where do not exist is that of common hate for another.
The presidency without doubt has being more decisive that of uniting. With his gang always trying to dodge issues by blaming the region,opposition or religion. Look around what is the president excuse for under performing? He holds the national purse,the entire security and above all the people look up to him. Than unite the people he pitch people against each other by allowing all manner of people come up with all manner of ficticious stories just to creat excuses for him always.
So many say Buhari instigates but lets say he did, atleast he had the courtesy to explain he was miss qouted. Remind me where Asari suggest his treasonable comments were miss qouted.
You say the north is insisting on there turn.what difference is that from clarks,asari,biggs,ND harsh comments to the presidency.
I will vote GEJ only when he treats all equally. Where he even starts at home and move to the federation. While he tolerates his pep harassing others he holds others an excuse for his failure.

bloggernaija: Good for you.
I WILL VOTE AGAINST HIM
1)Fuel subsidy fraud - 8 billion dollars
2)Pension fraud. -22 billion naira
3)Excess crude account grand theft -22 billion dollars.
4)600 ,000 barrels of oil stolen daily
5) Malabu scam - 1.5 billion dollars
6 borrow borrow with nothing to show for it and inspite of high oil prices
7) insecurity everywhere
8 paid agents of the government trolling social networks and insulting people.

Fresh air of scams,fraud and mismanagement everywhere.
They can't even pay the allocation to the states.
Algeria ,an oil producer like Nigeria has close to 200 billion dollars in their external reserves.
What is left of OBJ's reserve is now being used to support the naira against devaluation(that is,support the importation of champaign ,tooth pick ,private jets and armoured BMW,rice ,palm oil and everything in between)
When the money runs out.we will be back in 1983.see you there

The 68 billion dollars foreign exchange reserves OBJ built up in 8 yrs with lower oil prices,inspite of all the theft has been frittered away by umaru and dumbo Jo .
Just the excess crude account is enough to banish darkness and spark true growth and development .

Fresh air till 2019. Nigerians will vote Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR.
If you don't like it you are free to declare your Odua Yoruba peoples republic. Just that you people are cowards.

bloggernaija: Good for you.
I WILL VOTE AGAINST HIM
1)Fuel subsidy fraud - 8 billion dollars
2)Pension fraud. -22 billion naira
3)Excess crude account grand theft -22 billion dollars.
4)600 ,000 barrels of oil stolen daily
5) Malabu scam - 1.5 billion dollars
6 borrow borrow with nothing to show for it and inspite of high oil prices
7) insecurity everywhere
8 paid agents of the government trolling social networks and insulting people.

Fresh air of scams,fraud and mismanagement everywhere.
They can't even pay the allocation to the states.
Algeria ,an oil producer like Nigeria has close to 200 billion dollars in their external reserves.
What is left of OBJ's reserve is now being used to support the naira against devaluation(that is,support the importation of champaign ,tooth pick ,private jets and armoured BMW,rice ,palm oil and everything in between)
When the money runs out.we will be back in 1983.see you there

The 68 billion dollars foreign exchange reserves OBJ built up in 8 yrs with lower oil prices,inspite of all the theft has been frittered away by umaru and dumbo Jo .
Just the excess crude account is enough to banish darkness and spark true growth and development .

emmydeep: Fresh air till 2019. Nigerians will vote Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR.
If you don't like it you are free to declare your Odua Yoruba peoples republic. Just that you people are cowards.

Yorubas are cowards, yet we helped you to reduce your population by over 2 million for daring to secede, FFK also helped your lord Ojukwu to father his (Ojukwu's) children. How else can we help you.