 Published
June 1st, 2010
At the just concluded State visit to Nigeria
by the United States Under Secretary of State For Democracy
and Global Affairs, Maria Otero, it was made known to the
State House Correspondents that the United States will back
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in the 2011 election
provided he conducts a free and fair election.
This declaration by Maria Otero, is an icing
on the cake, an unequivocal seal of approval that President
Goodluck Jonathan has been seeking. In the days to come,
Nigerians should brace themselves to see more bold actions
towards Goodluck 2011 Campaign. Nigerian Television
Authority (NTA) will be empowered to create an ingenious
documentary on why Nigerians need goodluck in their daily
lives and if so, why not at the national level.
Since the President took over, his intension
to run had been left to the “misinterpretation” of his loud
body language by overzealous Special Assistance and silent
farts from the Senator Barigha Amange led Bridge Builders
Frontiers. But with this approval by the United States, the
Campaign will go beyond defacing the Abuja landscape with
Goodluck’s posters to militant vociferous calls for him to
run. Government business will now be grounded as every
Minister will be bootlicking to show that he is not a clog
in the wheel of actualizing Mr. President’s dreams. Also at
the State level, especially in states, whose Governors had
tasted the cherry pie for a tenure, every activity will be
tailored towards continuity, by playing the old trick of
scratch my back and I will scratch yours.
But can President Goodluck Jonathan meet the
condition for USA’s support? Political gurus are in
agreement that the wholesome implementation of the Justice
Uwais report on Election Reforms is the compass out of the
electoral woods Nigeria has found herself in recent times.
If President Goodluck wants us to toe the
line of unalloyed support, let an independent body appoint
the new INEC Chairman. But will a referee appointed by
Orji Uzor Kalu allow Enyimba FC to loss a match against
Heartland FC?
With the intension of playing the devil’s
advocate, let us see the options open to President Goodluck
if he wants to win the support of the United States.
Option 1.
Allow INEC Chairman to be appointed by an independent body.
This will show Nigerians that President Goodluck is willing
to subject himself to the rules of the game.
Option 2.
Allow INEC to conduct staggered elections into apparatus of
governance at the state level. This will help INEC muster
adequate manpower to conduct and check electoral
malpractices. This will guarantee a tolerable credibility of
the outcome of the election.
Option 3.
Forget the United States Greek gift backing and retire to
Yenegoa.
The above options are the devil’s alternative
for any one President Goodluck chooses, he cannot guarantee
the outcome. If he opts for the first option, the new INEC
Chairman may be so independent that we will witness the
first incumbent in Nigeria to loss an election.
Option 2 if chosen by Goodluck, may result in
his party, the PDP losing a great number of states and seats
that they cannot muster the necessary manpower to vote him
into office.
Option 3 is a suicide. But it takes great
statesmen to die for their country. With the dust being
generated by the zoning formula of the PDP, Goodluck can do
us a lorry load of good by declining to contest, rather like
Mandela, heal the wounds of the Nation. If Goodluck contests
and wins, there will be crisis of confidence among the
federating geo-political zones, the magnitude of which
nobody can now ascertain.
Did I hear you chuckle? Same was my reaction
after reading the conditional support given to President
Goodluck Jonathan by Maria Otero.
Che Oyinatumba.
oyimnatumba92@yahoo.com |
