by Femi Aribisala

The English have an expression: “give a dog a bad name in order to kill it.” It refers to the malicious misrepresentation of someone in order to discredit him. This has been strategy of the opposition to Goodluck Jonathan to date. This opposition comprises an unholy alliance between the APC, the Arewa Consultative Forum, the Northern Elders Forum as well as the Boko Haram. In complete disdain for the office of the president of Nigeria, the membership of these institutions has gone to great lengths in despising, disdaining and abusing the person of
Goodluck Jonathan.

“Clueless” opposition
One favoured insult is to refer to him as “clueless.” Taking a leaf out of the infamous notebook of George Bush who told all kinds of lies against John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election in the United States, now referred to as “snow boating;” President Jonathan’s traducers are seeking to establish falsehood about him and his administration just by sheer force of repetition. It is therefore necessary to ask the question if, indeed, Goodluck Jonathan can be rightly described as “clueless.” What exactly is “clueless” about Goodluck Jonathan?
President Goodluck Jonathan
Shehu Shagari was president of Nigeria from 1979 to 1983. He had very limited formal education and never attended a university. Nevertheless, he was not called “clueless.” Olusegun Obasanjo was president of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007. He did not go to university before becoming President: he only enrolled after he left office. Nevertheless, he was not labeled “clueless.”But some would like us to believe Goodluck Jonathan, who has been substantive president since 2011 is “clueless.” However, Jonathan is the most highly-educated president in the history of Nigeria. He has a B.Sc. in Zoology; an M.Sc. in Hydrobiology and Fisheries Biology; and a Ph.D. in Zoology. It is preposterous to describe such a man as “clueless.” Indeed, there are few Nigerians with comparable educational credentials. Who are those “clueful” ones ranged in opposition against him? Surprise, surprise! They are former military dictators with no university training whatsoever and dubious politicians with forged university certificates.
Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State wants to be president. But what he displays most of the time is cluelessness. When he captures newspaper headlines, it is to shout things like: “Jonathan wants to kill me;” or “Jonathan is not qualified to contest in 2015.” Somebody needs to advise Kwankwaso that abusing and disparaging the president is no substitute for having substantive policies on how to govern Nigeria.

Legacy of “cluelessness”
Who can be more clueless than many of the Northern politicians who have been in power in Nigeria in the past to very little effect and are still clamouring for power today? These men have defrauded the North and the country over the years? They have ruled for some 38 years but failed woefully to promote meaningful economic development in the North or the South.
In their years of Northern rule both at the state and the federal level, not a single model Islamic school was established in the North that teaches Mathematics. Instead, the children of the “talakawa” are restricted to Koranic memorization and recitation. No single Islamic model school was established in the North that teaches Chemistry. The singular focus was on Arabic grammar. No single Islamic model school was established that teaches Biology. The children of the poor were limited to Islamic history.
Northern politicians failed to draw inspiration from such excellent Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, where Western education is not deemed to contradict Islamic education. Instead of educating the youth, some of our Northern politicians kept them as fodder for instigating insurgencies for their selfish power-political gain. It is no wonder therefore that, in the 21st century, when a “Third World” country like India has landed a spacecraft on Mars; an insurgency has arisen in the Nigerian North-East claiming that “Western education is a sin.”
Northerners opposed to Jonathan, like Muhammadu Buhari, Ango Abdullahi, Adamu Ciroma and Junaid Mohammed have never demonstrated any belief in the education of the masses. Their children don’t attend almajiri schools and beg on the streets. When in power, they pay no attention to the mass illiteracy in the North. This makes them no different from the Boko Haram that maintains western education is sinful. Now that we have a South-South president from Otuoke in Bayelsa State who is committed to Northern education, these same do-nothing politicians are claiming he is clueless. Who needs their “cluefulness?”

Jonathan’s northern agenda
Atiku Abubakar showed remarkable cluelessness when he observed that the North would not be voting for Goodluck Jonathan in 2015. If the North would not vote for Jonathan, who then would they vote for?
In 2011, Jonathan received over 8 million Northern votes. Since then, he has bent over backwards to reward the North. He has highly favoured the region in his appointments. The former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu said: “Quote me; in a long time we have not had a government where the northern extraction has enjoyed so many appointments like this one.” Indeed, under Jonathan, the Vice-president, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court are all from the North.
Jonathan’s opponents would have us believe he is “clueless” but, within four years, Jonathan built 125 Almajiri Schools in 13 states in the North; something Northern rulers themselves failed to do. At the commissioning of the first Almajiri Model School in Gagi, Sokoto State, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad III, observed that Jonathan’s action was unprecedented in the history of Northern Nigeria.
“Clueless” Jonathan went on to establish ten new federal universities; seven of them in the North. It is important to list them, so Nigerians can be in no doubt how ridiculous the allegations against our president have been. Jonathan established the Federal Universities in Lafia, Nasarawa State; Lokoja, Kogi State; Kashere, Gombe State; Wakari, Taraba State; Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State; and Dutse, Jigawa State. No other president in the history of Nigeria has this kind of legacy, North or South.
The Jonathan administration has more than doubled the budgetary allocation to education in the country. It sponsored 7000 lecturers for post-graduate studies at home and abroad and licensed 100 Innovation Enterprise Institutions, while also granting 101 Presidential Scholarships for innovation and development. 51 Polytechnic laboratories have been rehabilitated and
34 new NCE awarding institutions created.
The result has been remarkable. There has been a 10 million student increase in basic education enrolment (UBEC) in the country. There has also been a 75% increase in O’Level credit pass in Maths and English under the Jonathan administration.

Health transformation
Part of the grouse of Nigerians against past governments is that when subsidies are removed (especially that of petroleum), the extra money disappears into thin air without any appreciable public benefit. For this reason, Nigerians insist on the retention of subsidies so that the man-in-the-street can at least get something out of it. However, under the Jonathan administration, it has been possible to identify the salutary effect of the subsidy removal on the well-being of the people.
With the drastic reduction of the petroleum subsidy in 2012, the government created the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P). This is designed to invest the savings accruing from the subsidy reduction in critical infrastructure and human-resource empowerment projects across the length and breadth of the country. To this end, the scheme has included maternal and child-
health programmes.
Within two years, the Maternal and Child Health scheme of the SURE-P has reduced the maternal mortality ratio in Nigeria by 26%; reduced neo-natal mortality by 22%; increased the percentage of births by skilled attendants by 33% and increased the percent of reproductive aged women using family planning by 100%.

Road transformation
SURE-P has also been invaluable in engaging in a number of road rehabilitation projects right across the country. For example, the Onitsha-Owerri and the Vom-Manchok roads have been completed. Work is underway on the Apapa-Oshodi expressway in Lagos; the Benin-Ore-Sagamu dual carriage-way; the Onitsha-Enugu-Port Harcourt dual carriage-way; the Kaduna-Maiduguri dual carriage-way; Lokoja – Benin road; Lagos-Ibadan Expressway; Mokwa-Bida road; Akure-Ilesha road; Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega road; Enugu- Abakaliki- Cross River road; Ogoja – Ikom road; Vandekiya-Obudu road; and the East-West road.
The Kano-Maiduguri and the Abuja-Abaji-Lokoja roads are currently undergoing dualisation. The Onitsha Head-Bridge Flyover (Ojukwu Gateway) and the Oweto Bridge across River Benue have been completed. The Second Niger Bridge is under construction and the government is also undertaking the dredging the River. There is also on-going seaport construction and the expansion of existing ports, including Warri, Baro, Calabar, Onne, Owerri and Onitsha.

Rail transformation
The railway system in Nigeria had been comatose for over 30 years. However, the “clueless” Jonathan administration has managed to revive this within two years. The Lagos-Kano line has been rehabilitated and is now functional again. The Port Harcourt-Maiduguri line is being rehabilitated and will soon be operational. Kano-Maiduguri, Kaduna-Abuja and Lagos-Port Harcourt rail-lines are also under construction.
President Jonathan inaugurated two Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) train-sets and six air-conditioned passengers’ coaches at the NRC terminus in Lagos. His administration also launched the Mass Transit Train Service (MTTS); deploying 11 trains carrying close to 15,000 passengers daily within the Lagos metropolis. This has drastically reduced the cost of intra-city train transportation within Lagos.
A return-trip from Agege to Ebute Metta under the MTTS now costs less than N150, as against the more than N1,000 it costs by taxi. Transportation from Lagos to Kano now costs less than N1,800 as against between N4,000 and N5,000 by car or bus.
This is what Babatunde Fashola had to say about the “clueless” Jonathan administration’s contribution to mass transit in Lagos State: “It is a very welcome development to our nation, Nigeria and to the Centre of Excellence, Lagos State. No doubt, we require this infrastructure. We appreciate it and we will continue to give every moral support that the corporation requires as we now have complementary services in the transport system of Lagos State.”

These are by no means the tokens of a “clueless” presidency.

on point...

I expect APC shiiits on NairaLand to abuse this man and his write up.

i don't expect less either..

alabiyemmy:
I expect APC shiiits on NairaLand to abuse this man and his write up.

APC


Party filled with frustrated and destructive critics



GEJ till 2019

However, Jonathan is the most highly-educated president in the history of Nigeria. He has a B.Sc. in Zoology

Education has nothing to do it being daft and dumb and clueless Aso Rock clown is still daft and grossly dumb.


Daft president, daft kabukabu writer..smh..

arresa:


Education has nothing to do it being daft and dumb and clueless Aso Rock clown is still daft and grossly dumb.


Daft president, daft kabukabu writer..smh..

Counter the points Femi Aribasala raised instead of your market woman foul mouth stupidity.

arresa:


Education has nothing to do it being daft and dumb and clueless Aso Rock clown is still daft and grossly dumb.


Daft president, daft kabukabu writer..smh..

Coming from some one who sniffs remi tinubus undies for a living

Your edits will turn the world upside down to discredit Jonathan

Education now is not enough to counter clueless

Why won't you say this when your opolo frog father is confirmed certificate forger

[quote author=dlox147 post=26931912]by Femi Aribisala
The English have an expression: “give a dog a bad name in order to kill it.” It refers to the malicious misrepresentation of someone in order to discredit him...

If this article is a written defence for GEJ,then that has to be the worst possible intro.

The original English expression goes: "to give a dog a bad name and hang it." And it means that when someone already has a bad reputation,it is difficult to change it because others will continue to blame/suspect him/her.Essentially it is said when people make a person with a bad reputation a scapegoat for sth they didn't do.
His defence therefore implies that GEJ already has a bad reputation and is probably being blamed for sth he didn't do.
It's a bad analogy,and while the rest of the article might make a case for GEJ,the intro gives the impression that he's simply defending the indefensible.
An astute social commentator like Aribisala should know better.In my opinion,he has shot himself in the foot.

This is a clear and an article that points out facts....but well,the opposition knows it is the truth but their quest for power and their "get it at all cost won't help them admit.....am really disappointed at the kind of opposition we have in Nigeria,most of all the northerners that are bin taken for a ride....their children schs in U.S while yours go to an almajiri sch....SMH

APContherun:

Counter the points Femi Aribasala raised instead of your market woman foul mouth stupidity.

Ode, what's there to counter? The thoughtless, ignorant, mindless and daft regurgitation of crooked and flawed nonsense?

You kind of sound daft to I must say..

RevDesmondJuju:

Coming from some one who sniffs remi tinubus undies for a living
Your edits will turn the world upside down to discredit Jonathan
Education now is not enough to counter clueless
Why won't you say this when your opolo frog father is confirmed certificate forger

Education doesn't give you commons sense, wisdom and smarts.. It's in built and your dumb, daft and clueless president wasn't born with it and he's too daft and dumb to acquire it..

[quote author=Sheikwonder post=26933762][/quote]
Bro...that english expression means to find an excuse to criticise something
Be sure before you post

arresa:



Ode, what's there to counter? The thoughtless, ignorant, mindless and daft regurgitation of crooked and flawed nonsense?

You kind of sound daft to I must say..





Education doesn't give you commons sense, wisdom and smarts.. It's in built and your dumb, daft and clueless president wasn't born with it and he's too daft and dumb to acquire it..

Look at this fool

Tinubu has all the common sense because you lot are daft

A man with one eye is king among the blind

Xenophobic goat

arresa:


Education has nothing to do it being daft and dumb and clueless Aso Rock clown is still daft and grossly dumb.


Daft president, daft kabukabu writer..smh..

a bat has been spotted...

janja.weed haramite

Debate or not, in my opinion, when you have to insult someone to get your point across I don't think anyone should reply you. AT ALL

MarshRiley:

Bro...that english expression means to find an excuse to criticise something
Be sure before you post

Please visit:

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/give-a-dog-a-bad-name

Or

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/give-a-dog-a-bad-name-and-hang-him

Thanks...

Mr Aribisala,

The grandiloquent, pontifical and portentous narcissistic insensitive behavioral trend by the gobbledygook Presidency aides is adduced through your supercilious parody of satirical representations.

None of the so called achievements in your article exudes strategic planning and reasoning. They are basic and do not commensurate with the gross amount spent through appropriations by this government since taking over the mantle of leadership. Just as Obasanjo failed,a the present administration has not provided the needed liberation to change the outlook of Nigeria and Nigerians.

The conscious, overt and concerted efforts to launder the image of the Presidency is not necessary. A toddler can aptly give you the score card of the present administration. Verbal gold plating is spurious. Let thy works speak for thee.

If this is about 2015, please tell the Presidency to remain calm. We do not think the opposition is ready to present any challenge. Some of us are already looking ahead to 2019 and fervently hoping that an astute leader will succeed the present accidental and fortunate leader.

Thus no need to continue to expend unnecessary energy challenging if the President is clueless or not, your rejoinder is desecrating in itself.

My 2 cents.

Another clueless fellow on rampage! He shouldn't have done those thing he mentioned because presidency is a family biz. Some of these our educated illiterates need to go through psychological check. Is only in Nigeria that some PHD holders doesn't know function of president. I don't think he mention Almustapha the killer granted baill having been convicted for notorious morder. Abacha son was also giving waiver for selfish political mission. The recent confiscation of Nigeria money by SA government base on improper and illegitimate approach to procure weapon. The avoidable killing of Nigerians by BH. The chibock girl. Ekiti CJ molestation. Shambles condition of electricity. Dilapidated infrastructure. Alarming increase of poverty. Deadly inflation. Sure-p you concerted in your write up which member of your family benefited except you're PDP member. The devilish immigration job that stampede many Nigerians I guess you were on life machine when that happened. Many of you call professor that can't compete internationally but busy infecting Nigerians with your emptiness.

Nope

arresa:



Ode, what's there to counter? The thoughtless, ignorant, mindless and daft regurgitation of crooked and flawed nonsense?

You kind of sound daft to I must say..

Arguments apart you can't counter the issues Aribasala raised because you have nothing against themH.

jaso1:
Another clueless fellow on rampage! He shouldn't have done those thing he mentioned because presidency is a family biz. Some of these our educated illiterates need to go through psychological check. Is only in Nigeria that some PHD holders doesn't know function of president. I don't think he mention Almustapha the killer granted baill having been convicted for notorious morder. Abacha son was also giving waiver for selfish political mission. The recent confiscation of Nigeria money by SA government base on improper and illegitimate approach to procure weapon. The avoidable killing of Nigerians by BH. The chibock girl. Ekiti CJ molestation. Shambles condition of electricity. Dilapidated infrastructure. Alarming increase of poverty. Deadly inflation. Sure-p you concerted in your write up which member of your family benefited except you're PDP member. The devilish immigration job that stampede many Nigerians I guess you were on life machine when that happened. Many of you call professor that can't compete internationally but busy infecting Nigerians with your emptiness.

Try go school naw, just de speak embarrassment. I sure say you follow abuse GEJ wife English. See wetin you write here. You be pathetic illiterate sha, no ves.

In their years of Northern rule both at
the state and the federal level, not a
single model Islamic school was
established in the North that teaches
Mathematics. Instead, the children of the
“talakawa” are restricted to Koranic
memorization and recitation. No single
Islamic model school was established in
the North that teaches Chemistry. The
singular focus was on Arabic grammar.
No single Islamic model school was
established that teaches Biology. The
children of the poor were limited to
Islamic history.

The useless prof of ACF will never see this!

ahaika23:


Try go school naw, just de speak embarrassment. I sure say you follow abuse GEJ wife English. See wetin you write here. You be pathetic illiterate sha, no ves.

My English is not as worst like your pay master and his wife. It is the ability to covey the good message unlike you criminal that eat under the block sucking boko haram at the dead of Nigerians.

source

jaso1:

My English is not as worst like your pay master and his wife. It is the ability to covey the good message unlike you criminal that eat under the block sucking boko haram at the dead of Nigerians.

wonders shall never end lailai

With all due respect, is Femi Aribisala on the payroll of the presidency? I see his 'footprints' virtually on key social media defending the President. Governance should not be reduced to praise singing and propaganda. Efforts should be jeered towards delivering the dividends of democracy. All he mentioned that the president has done (or doing) is not a favour to Nigerians but his responsibilty for which he was voted for. Too many media aides...Aribisala,Asari-Dokubo,Edwin Clark,Labaran Maku,Doyin Okupe,Reuben Abati and all GEJ loyalists.Too many maggi go spoil the soup na. The opposition should also do more in addressing core issues of national development than name calling at every slight opportunity! Nigeria we hail thee. God bless Nigeria.

I laugh when people call GEJ "clueless"

If you ask me, na who I go ask?

Seriously, Bro Jo should stop behaving like a Muntullar.

Sometimes, he falls my mind.

Sometimes last year, during the G5 issues, the governors went to meet with Bro Jo at the State House.

After the meeting they decided to take a picture, they positioned themselves for the shot, then Bro Jo left where he stood to go and stand beside Kwakwanso.

Kwakwanso effed him up, Kwakwanso simply left Jonathan's side to go amd stand elsewhere.

I was so mad with Jo, I kept asking myself why is Bro Jo so full of cluelessness nah?

Why did he have to make that Aboki feel important?

Jonathan is a Bloodie Civilian, he's too weak jarey.

Maybe he'll change later sha.

Pls someone should remind Mr Femi Aribisala that he is yet to write an article concerning the $9.3 that was smuggle out of the country legally/illegally.

jaso1:

My English is not as worst like your pay master and his wife. It is the ability to covey the good message unlike you criminal that eat under the block sucking boko haram at the dead of Nigerians.

If I reply you again make I know why. I no know say na saw-dust I de follow talk

[s]

RevDesmondJuju:


Look at this fool

Tinubu has all the common sense because you lot are daft

A man with one eye is king among the blind

Xenophobic goat

[/s]


Very daft post of yours I must say..

My new prayer point.. O dear Jehovah, may my enemies keep referring to me as "CLUELESS" while I remain their boss and continue achieving my goals. IJN.