Lawyer and coordinator of the Goodluck Support Group in Abia State, Chike Kalu, says the nation needs generation change in its leadership. He speaks with ADEMOLA OLONILUA

It is a surprise that people like you declared support for President Goodluck Jonathan even at a time he had not indicated interest in the presidential race,

From our knowledge of him, he is not a do-or-die politician. He is taking his time, and that is why we want to encourage him and sensitise Nigerians that the President should come in and contest in the 2011 election. He is capable. But he is doing the proper consultation, which is very necessary in view of our own polity. It is very important that he consults widely, which is what he is doing. Our aim is to sensitise the people of Nigeria on the need to make the president run again, based on merit, and, if eventually he wins the primaries, to campaign for him during the general election.

Does the President need so much consultation to declare his interest?

Because of the geographical composition of Nigeria, before you can win the presidency, you must have spread all over the country. He is consulting the various segments of the society – professional groups, ethnic, political, and religious leaders all over the country – to make sure he has the full support of Nigerians before he embarks on this project. And that is what we are doing now. We are consulting and sensitising people in every nook and cranny of this country to make sure we get enough support to see that Mr. President runs and wins the election.

Don‘t you think that it could constitute a distraction when people are campaigning for him when he has not shown interest?

It would not. He banned his aides from campaigning for him probably because it was distracting them. We are the Goodluck Support Group, made up of credible Nigerians, friends, associates, well wishers. We are totally independent of government. We are not employees of the government, and we are not aides of the President. We are just concerned individuals who saw how the economy was drifting apart, who had seen that the system was collapsing and wanted a change. We are trying to convince Nigerians why Mr. President should run in the election. It is not distracting the President at all because we are totally independent of government. If we were, for instance, aides of the government, it could have been distracting us. But we are committing our time, resources and contacts, and mobilising people all over the country to make sure that the President runs for the election, to win the primaries and win the main election.

A lot of people believe that people like you are campaigning for the President for selfish reasons, maybe to secure political appointments,

That impression is erroneous. Our group is made up of is made up of credible Nigerians who are accomplished in different sectors of the economy – politicians, lawyers, doctors, and well wishers. We are asking the people to look at what the President has done in the first 100 days in office. We can see that the economy is turning around. We can see that there is fuel supply. Power is becoming regular and security is getting better. We should send the message that Mr. President is doing well. We are not doing it for our personal motive, but for a patriotic motive; to make sure that the economy of this nation stands and the polity is not heated up, and that our children would have a bright future. One of the leaders said that the the nation is almost a failed state, but we are saying that it is time for generation change. People should come in and support the President. All over the world, young people are ruling. In America, Britain and Russia, they have people below the age of 50 ruling them. But if we just sit on the fence, bad people would come up to rule us. We are saying enough is enough. We are galvanizing the support of Nigeria to come and campaign for Mr. President, not because of our personal reason, but because we love this country. We do not receive any funding from the government. This is a private arrangement where friends, well wishers and individuals come together to put up a structure in support of Goodluck Jonathan. Because we believe that this country has a future and we should not cross our hand and sit on the fence.

A group of women who are also supporters of Goodluck did say that if the President does not declare his interest in the presidential race, they would starve their husbands of sex. Do you subscribe to such measures?

Because of the popularity of the President, there are various groups. But our group is not using threats or cajoling people to garner support. We are saying that based on what the President has done in the past 100 days; based on the fact that he is transparent and we have had so many old leaders in the past and it has not taken us anywhere; that is why we are campaigning. We are only asking him to come out. We are not forcing him.

Some people believe that Jonathan lacks the political clout to succeed as the president. Do you think he can perform?

That is the essence of what we are saying. We are asking for competence. We are not saying you must be from a particular place; we are saying that Mr. President is very competent and the evidence of his competence is what he has done in the past three months. It is so glaring. He has a clout. Who would believe that there would be an attempt from a sitting president to try to re-organise INEC or to engage in electoral reform? And he is even trying to contest in the same election. It means that he is not a do-or-die politician. He wants to do the right thing.

With people like IBB and Atiku also seeking the PDP ticket for the presidential race, do you think Jonathan stands a chance?

He has the brightest chance because of his goodwill and the need for generation change. Most governors are behind him because of what he has done. There are big names in quote, but when it comes to what is on the ground, you would be surprised. The President will have more delegates to be able to run for this election. He has set out what he wants to do. Power reform can not be finished in six months. The Niger-Delta problem can not be finished in six months. He has signed the INEC bill. But it has to be followed up, otherwise it would turn to nothing. Everybody has applauded his appointment of Prof. Jega to head INEC. If he wanted to rig the elections, he would not make that decision. Even opposition parties have said he did well by appointing Prof. Jega and reforming INEC. These alone have endeared him to most Nigerians.

Don’t you see Ibrahim Babangida‘s camp as a threat to that of Jonathan?

He has ruled this country and we thank him for that. But it is not good enough, and that is why we are asking for a change. He does not pose a threat because the President has more support.

Don‘t you think that if Jonathan decides to run, his decision could ruin the PDP?

No, it would not. The PDP had been in worse crisis than this and overcame it. By November, everybody would have known their places in the party. What we are asking for is a chance for the President to contest. We are not saying he must win the election. We believe he is the best candidate. If they have the primaries and another person wins, I can assure you that we will mobilise our support for that person.

People are sceptical about the possibility of a flawless election because of its time frame. Do you also nurse the same fear?

Yes, that fear is well founded because of the time frame. But election must be held. It is under the constitution. Funds have been provided for INEC and its chairman has assured Nigerians that within the time frame, it would be able to hold a fair and credible election. The most important and difficult issue is the voter register. Other things being equal, we are sure that this election will be more credible than that of 1999 election. In Ghana, an opposition party won the election against the party in government. Ghana is a smaller country. What we are saying is that every vote must count. Even if it is PDP that is losing, every vote must count. Let the election be free and fair, and we are confident that INEC would hold a credible election.

What exactly is your reason for supporting Goodluck Jonathan?

There are several reasons we are in support of him. He is a transparent and credible leader who wants to change Nigeria. His ascension to the presidency is divine. He did not plan to be president at this point in time. There is a purpose for his being there, and that is why we must encourage this generation shift.





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