The North, Jonathan and verdict of history

It is an open secret that President Goodluck
Jonathan would seek another reelection as we
approach the 2015 General Election. That the
machinery of the Peoples Democratic Party on
whose platform the president is seeking a
renewal of his mandate has also set to ensure a
smooth ride to party’s ticket for the president is
also glaringly obvious. Then, there is another
open secret that the President’s seat of power
in Aso Rock Villa is been highly- and rightly too-
coveted by elements within the ruling PDP and
the Northern divide of the country.
And there
is a
historical
dimension
to all these
agitations.
Once upon
a time, not
too long
ago, a
wave of pro
democracy
activism
swept
across Nigeria. This movement, heralded by the
annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential
election believed to be won by Bashorun MKO
Abiola by then military President Ibrahim
Babangida, was largely led by compatriots from
Southern Nigeria who felt that felt the entire
process of the annulment was an affront to
their continual claim to Nigeria. General Sani
Abacha, the immediate beneficiary of the
political crisis became an object of national and
global focus during the ensuing period. There
was a calculated barrage of criticisms against
anything the General Abacha junta represented
by NADECO, PRONACO, Ohaneze, Afenifere and
several other platforms whose main aim was to
return civil democracy and common sense to
Nigeria and to ensure that justice was done to
the people of southern Nigeria who were feeling
greatly alienated from the political scheme of
things. As all these continued amidst a national
atmosphere of apprehension, General Abacha
thought it wiser to perpetuate himself in office
against the consensus of the people of Nigeria
to return our beloved country to the path of
national reconciliations.
Just as we are witnessing today with
emergence of all manner of groups purportedly
canvassing for President Jonathan to remain in
office beyond 2015 “and set the record of the
longest serving president in Nigeria’s history by
2019,” as one of such groups recently affirmed,
there were series of sinister moves by many
prevailing on General Abacha to go
unchallenged from military to civilian
presidency. As a matter of fact, all existing five
political parties then adopted the dark-goggled
despot as their “consensus candidate in an
event of any presidential election”! Though
Abacha was later to pass away in controversial
circumstance thus paving way for a transition
to democracy midwife by the amiable General
Abdulsalami Abubakar who took over as Head
of State, history had passed its verdict that
when a particular divide of the country begins
to express frustration in an unfair political
arrangement, there must be a resort to reason.
Northern Nigeria has contributed immensely to
national consolidation in terms of human and
material resources. The North, through her
influential leaders like the venerable Sir
Ahmadu Bello, Mallam Aminu Kano, Sir
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Senator JS Tarka, et
al collaborated with their counterparts from
southern Nigeria to bequeath a nation filled
with hopes for the future. That handshake
across the Niger River, though with all the
peculiarities and limitations, was what brought
out the Giant of Africa status that we today
parade. The ravages of the Civil War
notwithstanding, we have continued to relish
on the glory of those days gone yonder.
Jonathan’s presidency which came to be from
the demise of President Umaru Yar’adua shares
a lot of peculiarities with the Abacha junta. As
people of the south felt shortchanged, that
General Abacha wouldn’t have popped up if
Chief Abiola was inaugurated as President, so
also is the feeling across the North today that
President Jonathan has served his best in these
last six years and should extend another
handshake across the Niger to further
consolidate on our national unity. History has it
that Chief Olusegun Obansanjo was widely
supported from the North as a form of solidarity
to Southern Nigeria to pacify their aggrieved
interests. The Obasanjo years were a reprieve
from the debauchery that ensued during the
intervening period.
The cacophony of ‘endorsements’ of President
Jonathan for another term in office by people
who range from serious minded individuals to
charlatans and militants are reminiscent of the
experience of Nigerians during the Abacha
years. Like Daniel Kalu and his “Youths
Earnestly Ask for Abacha” who set to pull a one
million match to register their endorsement of
General Abacha for self-perpetuation, the
strides by groups like the Transformation
Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) who are
collecting obviously fictitious signatures to
pave way for President Jonathan’s declaration of
intentions for reelections does not bring good
tidings to our President. These groups could
make President Jonathan further lose public
goodwill.
The people
of Northern
Nigeria
today
greatly feel
alienated
from the
‘Transformation Agenda’ of President Jonathan.
Like Jigawa Governor Sule Lamido rightly
reminded Nigerians, the president has not
effectively carried the people of Northern
Nigeria along in terms of development projects
in line with his transformation agenda to
deserve a worthy endorsement. Governor
Lamido has set an example on how to truly
transform a state with his numerous people-
oriented projects across Jigawa and thus posses
the wherewithal to challenge the shortcomings
of the Transformation Agenda and salvage our
national heritage.
The Peoples Democratic Party under the
considerably effective Adamu Mu’azu could do
better by providing a level-playing ground for
all those aspiring to halt Nigeria’s macabre
dance to the brink. The PDP’s chances in next
year’s election is further enhanced when the
people of Northern Nigeria are given a fair
sense of belonging.
Long live the federal Republic of Nigeria!!!

Northern believed they were left out in governance hmmmm nawa northern self they biff east be that? Let eastern rules for 8yrs nau!!!