BECAUSE of the way we do things at nairabrain, my Sweet And Sour reflections have to be submitted for publication on Wednesdays. Which means that even though this week’s column will appear the day after the PDP has conducted its presidential primary election, it is being written the day before this big event.

Since I do not, as at press time know the outcome of Atiku and Jonathan’s epic contest for their party’s ticket, I cannot comment on the result. But, like millions of Nigerians, I am not only on tenterhooks but constantly speculating with friends about which aspirant is likely to get the most delegate votes.

Opinions are evenly divided, within my social circle at least.

On the one hand, there are those who are convinced that Jonathan will sail through by a whisker or wide margin, either because of the formidable powers associated with incumbency or simply because Atiku has reputation issues.

On the other hand, there are those who are convinced that Jonathan will be disgraced by Governors who, allegedly, don’t need him because they have already secured their own tickets and/or by delegates who think that Atiku is more dynamic, more generous and better at spotting talent…

…and/or by pro-zoning elements who think that it is the North’s turn to occupy the top slot…and/or by disgruntled legislators who feel that they lost out in last week’s National Assembly primaries because Jonathan did not reciprocate the backing he received from the senators and House of Representatives members who threw their weight behind him when he was being oppressed by Turai and her gang during the dying days of Yar’Adua’s regime.

I have just returned from a visit to my home state, Rivers; and Jonathan enjoys widespread support there. Most of the men and women I spoke to – government officials, villagers, unemployed youths, housewives, taxi drivers, professionals, entrepreneurs, etc – are rooting for Jonathan because his spouse comes from our state and because he himself comes from a neighbouring state that used to be part of Rivers State and still has quite a lot in common with Rivers State.

In a nutshell, many Rivers indigenes hail The First Family for ethnic and sentimental reasons…and regard Dr Goodluck and Dame Patience as their Brother and Sister. And I must confess that though I try to be objective about Jonathan’s personality and performance, I sometimes feel the same way.

It is intellectually dishonest and morally suspect to join a politician’s Glory Hallelujah chorus purely because his village happen to be near your village; and I am very disappointed in Jonathan on some levels. But I guess we’re all human and I cannot always emotionally detach myself from his geographical origins.

OK, so I don’t have a clue who will emerge victorious at the end of the Eagle Square drama. But I can make one prediction with absolute certainty: Win or lose, Jonathan, as the first-ever Niger Deltan Head of State, will always have a unique and special status within the context of Nigerian history.

Sarah the Great!

I REALLY love Sarah Jibril and her amazing self-confidence, unrepentant feistiness and stubborn refusal to stop confronting the chauvinistic male dinosaurs who run this country!

Jibril, the only female PDP presidential aspirant, went to court to challenge Atiku’s emergence as the so-called consensus candidate of the North, on the grounds that she had been discriminated against by the Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF), which did not invite her to participate in the selection process and rebuffed her when she tried to throw her headtie in the ring.

She assured the world that she had an “intimidating” resume and better qualifications than all of the other Northern aspirants put together.

In her application for the court order, she listed as defendants Atiku, the PDP and its National Chairman Nwodo, INEC and its Chairman Jega, the NPLF and its Chairman Ciroma. She accused all of the above of gender discrimination and of violating her constitutional rights.

She claimed that Atiku’s nomination as the Northern consensus candidate would put her at a disadvantage at the primary.
Needless to say, her case was dismissed. But she will still show up at Eagle Square to strut her stuff and irritate the guys, even though she’s smart enough to know that she doesn’t stand a chance of making any significant impact.

I hope that she continues to make her point and fly the flag for women, partly because the political landscape would be so much more boring without her and partly because even though her determination to chip away at the negative forces of Patriarchy appears to be futile, her struggles will not be in vain.

Brave pioneers may never benefit from their efforts. But they lay foundations for others to build on. They shrug off insults and respond robustly to those who try to turn them into laughing stocks.

They invest their time, energy and money in kicking against the status quo and insisting that change is possible; and it is thanks to radicals, fighters and role models like Jibril that societies gradually become more progressive. We WILL have a female President one day. And I pray that Her Excellency will erect a statue in honour of Sarah The Great.