The Nigerian political landscape has produced a
series of headlines which have for some time
enthralled news lovers, the absence of the late
President Umaru Musa Yar’adua to the cabinet
reshuffle by President GoodLuck Jonathan and
presently the zoning issue have produced certain
characters like the said cabal, President
Obasanjo and his famous blasphemous utterances,
former justice Minister Aoandoka, former first
lady Turai Yar’adua, former PDP chairman Vincent
Ogbulafor, former President Ibrahim Babangida,
former vice president Atiku Abubakar, the
Governors forum and others. For months these
characters have made been generous with
headlines in the daily’s who have been very
grateful. Other less prominent characters are
El-Rufai former FCT Minister, Nuhu Ribadu former
EFCC chairman and the save Nigeria group. What
ever these people seek to achieve or what ever
their cases maybe they have surely heated up the
Nigerian political landscape.
As the country approaches election Nigerians are
apprehensive about events unfolding. A few have
expressed optimism that the President will cool
off events and make the country move forward
since he is labeled gentle and liberal, many on
the other hand believe he is just being the
average Nigerian leader who will end up
disappointing Nigerians by clinging to power for
selfish ends. They argue that his body language
and the ousting of former PDP Chairman Chief
Ogbulafor were moves necessary for his re-run a
move that is against the PDP power rotation
formulae or what is mostly called the zoning
arrangement. His choice of Professor Attahiru
Jega as the INEC chairman was welcomed by some
Nigerians some however show some sign of
cynicism going by history; they question the
motive behind the choice of Jega. Some say it is
an ingredient to Holt Babangida from becoming
Nigeria’s next President. Atiku Abubakar is also
an issue to reckon with, his return to
PDP has brought a new dimension which has not
only had effect on his home town politics
Adamawa but has also brought complications to
the party at the National level. His home
chapter of the PDP initially refused him a place
calling him an ambitious man who is a liability
to the party. He has nonetheless found his way
back to the PDP with little scruples as many may
say but few are of the opinion that he is just
being a politician. His politics is backed by
the notion that its time for the north to
produce the next President based on the zoning
arrangement. Atiku, Babangida and other northern
heavy weights hold this view. It was an internal
PDP agreement of power sharing between the North
and the South where power rotates, it should be
noted that the agreement came into being in the
1999 when northern leaders backed a southern
president and collectively produced and accepted
a modus operandi with their southern
counterparts aimed at fostering unity.
The paradox is the that the first beneficiary of
this formula President Obasanjo doesn’t want it
to continue he believes in President Goodluck
Jonathan re-run, a matter which has become an
issue in the north. The north feels it’s being
robbed off its right and generosity having the
largest population and a more united font.
Obasanjo recently insisted that Jonathan must
run for 2011 Presidential election during a
reception organized in honour of the Minister of
Commerce and Industry, Chief Jubril Martin-Kuye
in Ogun State. He also faulted former PDP
Chairman Chief Vincent Ogbulafor who said
Jonathan was barred for contesting the
Presidential poll because of the zoning
arrangement of the party during an interview on
the voice of America. There are speculations
that Ogbulafors stand on the issue was the
primary cause for the corruption allegation
levied against him by Jonathans Government, one
of the several body languages some argue. Others
are the
fuelled media attacks on Babangida on the $12.4
billion excess crude during the Iraq gulf war,
in truth however the figure constitutes the
entire money received by his administration. For
a few Nigerians who might even support Jonathans
re-run it will be hard to find one who would
accept Obasanjo’s advice, a man who many know
cannot even seek and get the support of his
kinsmen. He had originally attempted to hold
power for a third term and of course become a
life president thereafter. A man with little
honor if any some ague, who felt generous with
his advise to the late President Yar’adua on his
sick bed to take the part of honor and handover
to Jonathan. Many still don’t forgive him for
his choice of Yar’adua, the north in particular
is bitter knowing that despite Yar’adua’s great
personality all knew he wasn’t medically fit to
become Nigeria’s President. Some feel it was a
scheme devised to rob the north, a tragic scheme
indeed.
Obasanjo is a man who was taken out of prison
pardoned and given power almost immediately and
single handedly supported by the north while the
south voted for Olu falae, there are rumors that
he insists that Goodluck runs knowing that he
will not remain the Chairman of the PDP board of
trustees, and he however wants his daughter to
be the next Senate President. If this is true
how selfish could one be, for one to hold a
country’s unity at ransom? In a bid to secure
Jonathans popularity in the north, youths have
been mobilized in the region to serve as
instruments for this nuisance, one thing people
from other regions don’t know about northerner’s
is that despite the mild division it conveys it
has a way of resurrecting its natural alliance
when it matters, Obasanjo’s third term attempt
is a case study. The resent national assembly
pandemonium shows little support Goodluck has
even within the elected officials. Northerners
irrespective of their
political parties believe its their time, and
Obasanjos plot will only give birth to anti
party activities even by PDP senior members who
will throw their credence at other party
Presidential aspirants against Jonathan and this
will surely put the PDP into serious dilemma as
their dream to rule for 50 years will only be a
mere mirage. I urge Obasanjo to rethink his
strategy and allow the arrangement to continue.
Many elder states men have jostled on the issue
with most in support of the arrangement,
numerous meetings have taken place in Dutse
Jigawa State, Maitama in Abuja to mention a few
by ex ministers like Sani Zangon Daura and other
senior party officials who are bent on curing
Obansanjo’s shortsightedness. A few however have
supported his claims without giving any credible
reason Solomon Lar for instance said the
arrangement was only temporary, yes! Everyone
agrees but for it to be temporary means it will
have to be done at least ones and to be
fair the north never completed its term.
The North has no paucity of credible candidates
who will move this country forward, it has a
reservoir of intellectuals and gentle men who
wish this country good and some of whom have
even risked their lives for the unity of this
country. Candidates in the PDP like Atiku
Abubakar, Ibrahim Babangida, Aliyu Gusau to
mention a few are equal to the task. Ibrahim
Babangida for instance is well known personality
with a captivating aura in the presence of
Nigerians, a wise and intelligent man of high
quality and a rear gentle man. He ran
practically a liberal government despite its
military structure a testimony even the press
will admit. His admirers cut across different
ethnic groups and generations his understanding
of the economy is vast and meticulous yet they
say the north have no viable candidate. There is
hardly a candidate in Nigeria who will via for
the presidency against IBB and defeats him in
the polls even without the zoning arrangement;
he is
currently the most sellable and sophisticated
candidate for the presidency, one whose decision
was hugely deliberate and anticipated. Atiku
also has an overwhelming support from different
ethnic groups and one who understands the
politics of the day.
So why the controversy surrounding the coming
election, Nigerians are easy going people who
have shown the ability to manage situations a
majority urge the President to stick to
procedures adhere to their will by conducting a
free and fair election and hand over to a
credible candidate. I therefore urge President
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to leave a credibility
legacy and stick to his good luck; I guarantee
that Nigerians and the global community will
celebrate him like the former Head of State
General Abdulsalam Abubakar is celebrated and I
therefore urge him to shy away from Obasanjo’s
horrific path, a path that will only bring forth
complications and misery. God bless Nigeria.
Writer: Mohammed Sani Galadima
Email:sgaladima2003@yahoo.com
Phone: 08038598258
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