The Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) has announced that
the 2015 presidential election will take
place in February. However, Nigeria’s
ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
and the main opposition party, the All
Progressives Party (APC) has yet to
conduct their primaries -- during which
their presidential candidates will be
nominated and approved to contest the
election.
The PDP, it seems, will nominate
President Goodluck Jonathan; while the
APC will either nominate General
Muhammadu Buhari or former Vice
President Atiku Abubakar. However,
conventional wisdom indicates Buhari will
get the nod. If he does, it would be his
fourth time contesting the presidential
election. But what does Buhari want; and
why does Jonathan think Nigerians want
him?
In the case of Buhari, being a perennial
candidate does not, in itself, disqualify
him. His supporters and admirers believe
that he has the strength, the vigor, the
political sagacity and the vision to be the
president of Nigeria. What’s more, history
is replete with perennial candidates. For
instance, Jean-Marie Le Pen, leader of the
far-right National Front, has been a
candidate for the French presidency five
times. Ibrahim Lipumba, leader of the
Civic United Front, has contested the
Tanzanian presidency four times and lost.
Same is true of Zambia’s Godfrey Miyanda
who ran four times and lost.
Harold Stassen and Ralph Nader are the
most famous perennial presidential
candidates in U.S. history. Stassen, a
Republican, ran twelve times between
1944 and 2000. And of course, there was
the little known Norman Thomas. History
show that between 1928 and 1948, he ran
for president half-a-dozen times as the
Socialist Party of America candidate.
However, the most successful perennial
candidate of all is Luiz Inácio Lula da
Silva.
Luiz Lula da Silva ran unsuccessfully for
the Brazilian presidency in 1989, 1994 and
1998 before winning in 2002 and was
reelected in 2006. He is today considered
a hero and one of the most successful
presidents Brazil has ever had. And so, the
tide could also turn for Buhari. But so far,
Buhari has yet to articulate his vision.
Why does he want to be the president of
Nigeria? Why should the electorate ignore
Jonathan and instead vote for him? What
does he bring to the table? What unique
leadership skills and qualities doe he
possess?
That he is not corrupt – and seen and
believed to be so – may not be enough to
move the country forward. What are his
agenda and how does he intend to
actualize them? And while it is true that
he made some headway as the military
head-of-state (December 31, 1983 –
August 27, 1985), the times are different
now. Has his worldview changed? Is he
now a democrat at heart, and willing and
able to abide by democratic principles?
On the other end of the spectrum is
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. He
has many factors in his favor – least of
which is that he is the incumbent, and has
the advantages of office and the might of
private and public institutions at his call
and beck. But really, why should the
voters reelect Jonathan? What has he
done to improve the lives of the people
and the deteriorating condition of the
country? And while him and his
supporters speak of his ‘transformational
agenda,” what are his real and actual
accomplishments?
How does President Jonathan’s score card
read in the areas of education, health,
public infrastructure and public policy,
security, food, portable water and the
environment? What does his score card
read in terms of fighting corruption and
official malfeasances? In what ways has he
strengthened the nation’s governing
institutions and the rule of law? He
speaks of transforming the country, but
has anything been transformed for good
since he assumed office as the substantive
president in May 2010?
Under Jonathan’s watch, the security
condition of the country has worsened.
And although the Boko Haram menace
was already there when he took office, the
security condition are now intolerable and
out of control. As we said last week, his
“government does not have a coherent and
intelligent plan in place in fighting the
group; second, it lack the political will to
take on a group with moral, political and
financial support in and outside of its
current enclave; third; the military and
the intelligence agencies – perennially
underfunded and poorly trained -- seems
to have underrated the group; fourth, the
Nigerian government seem to lack
widespread international support; fifth,
its approach to combating violent crimes
and terrorism seems to be antiquated; and
finally, the president himself seems to be
equivocating and wavering in his
determination and approach.” So, how
then do you reelect such a president?
Why should Nigerians vote in Buhari?
Why vote in a candidate who has not made
his case, who has not convinced the vast
majority of Nigerians that he is the man
to be entrusted with the Nigerian ship of
state and with all the resources and
responsibilities that come with it? On the
other hand, why reelect President
Jonathan when nothing measurable or
tangible has changed for good for the
country? Perhaps the people need an
alternative to Buhari and Jonathan?
THE SHAME OF A NATION….
According to several news sources,
militant Islamist sect, Boko Haram, has
renamed Mubi as ‘Madinatul Islam,’
meaning the city of Islam. Mubi is in
Adamawa state. This and other recent
incidences confirm what many have been
saying for several months now: that the
Nigerian government is incapable of
dislodging Boko Haram. The group is
getting more audacious and more violent
with the passing of each week. Through it
all, the government seems helpless, and
her responses clearly disorganized.
Although we are dealing with a terrorist
organization; but how can a rag-tag team
overrun the Nigerian Armed Forces? How
was the group able to dislodge properly
constituted authority and then install its
own governing authority? And now that
Mubi has fallen, what other cities and
villages will fall into the hands and control
of Boko Haram? What’s the purpose of
government when it cannot or is unable to
provide safety and security for its
citizens? This is clearly a stain on the
image and integrity of the Nigerian
government. If it cannot protect itself and
its citizens from marauding and
murderous groups, then, perhaps it is
time government move aside.
www.huhuonline.com/index.php/letters/4681-backpage-buhari-s-candidacy-and-jonathan-s-presidency

Now i want to say this, any man who cannot protect his territory against raiders and hoodlums is not fit to become the leader of such territory..and so such powers should be stripped of frm him and givn to anoder person dat is capable... A kingdom is only strong wen the four walls surroundin it are mightily gaurded.... Jonathan has failed in securing the four walls of Nigeria....

Cutehector4u:
Now i want to say this, any man who cannot protect his territory against raiders and hoodlums is not fit to become the leader of such territory..and so such powers should be stripped of frm him and givn to anoder person dat is capable... A kingdom is only strong wen the four walls surroundin it are mightily gaurded.... Jonathan has failed in securing the four walls of Nigeria....

Endorsed!

Cutehector4u:
Now i want to say this, any man who cannot protect his territory against raiders and hoodlums is not fit to become the leader of such territory..and so such powers should be stripped of frm him and givn to anoder person dat is capable... A kingdom is only strong wen the four walls surroundin it are mightily gaurded.... Jonathan has failed in securing the four walls of Nigeria....

Seconded