The Call On Jonathan To Contest The Forthcoming Presidential Elections By George Oti

 

"My political ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian".

-Goodluck Jonathan

 

The former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, means a different being to different people, based primarily on individual assessments, from his personal life, to his political antecedents; from Bayelsa, his home state, to Aso Rock in Abuja, the number one seat of Nigeria.

 

While it is contestable to say, that some assessments are parochial, others remain facts that would outlive his existence. To some people, particularly in Bayelsa State, he has been "too weak" to act as a true son of the Niger Delta, while he reigned, to doggedly solve the age long problems of the region. And on the macro perspective, to solve the hydra of the country's constitutional impropriety that gives the impetus to the continuity of our pseudo democratic practices.

The last time I checked, from the moment of President Yar' Adua's "incapacitation", due to ill-health, till he kicked the bucket, for Jonathan to sit as acting president, Nigerians witnessed the worst of “unpatriotism”, due largely from the activities of power brokers from the northern political clime. And in addition, lawyers struggled tooth and nail, to hand-twist the constitution, in favour of tribal, religious, nepotistic and regional considerations.

 

And since administration is not the sole responsibility of any single individual, as he eventually assumed leadership of the country, with the recruitment of "technocrats", he set his ball rolling, so as to fulfil his constitutional obligations to Nigerians.

 

As no man can possibly satisfy the needs of everyone, thick clouds of dissenting voices rose throughout the country. Notably, while the northerners were hell bent to scuttle his administration, so that one of their own may complete Yar' Adua's tenure, the South-south, particularly the Niger Delta, raged, that the long awaited time has come, to actualize the dreams of late Major Adaka Boro.

 

Quite observably, the East queued behind Jonathan, while gunning for juicy political positions they felt only him could give them. Beyond this, the West, as usual was playing their games as they knew best. At that end, the activities of the "legendary letter writer", Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, would forever be remembered in the annals of our political history. In his infamous "epistles" to Nigerians, while lodging endless complaints against Jonathan, most of his claims were borne out of personal ambitions. And he eventually became a notable actor in the political drama that culminated in the birth of the current administrative ineptitude of the country.

 

Kudos to the king maker. But surprisingly, it seems as if he has exhausted the ink in his pen, because many Nigerians have been waiting to read his epistles. Or would the letters be released, posthumously when the chapter of this regime has had its last breath?

 

Taking to cognizance, the comments, criticisms and abuses many Nigerians reigned on him, before, during and after the inglorious letters, the "accused" acknowledged that he was the most vilified Nigerian leader ever known. The scenario painted a vivid picture of the proverbial sheep that was led to the abattoir, yet did not open its mouth in protest. His administration was acclaimed the worst in economic fraud against the country since independence in 1960, for which reason, a poisonous carrot of “Change” was dangled, and the electorates, hook, line and sinker, swallowed it. And now, as “Things fall apart”, the centre can no longer hold.

 

But to demonstrate the fact, that his political ambition does not worth the blood of any Nigerian, even with full knowledge of the intrigues that played out in the 2015 general elections, he conceded power to President Muhammadu Buhari. Was this cowardice, or wisdom, knowing that if he cancelled the election, due to the inherent irregularities, the lives of many innocent Nigerians would have been at the mercy of fiendish power seekers? All these is now history, isn't it?

 

And besides, there was voter’s apathy, as most Nigerians fell for the bait that, the “Change” they had always wanted was at their disposal. Consequently, being unmindful of lessons in history, Jonathan was ousted in anticipation for egalitarian Nigerian society. Having waited all in vain, and as the country has become “the world capital of poverty”, the once rejected stone (Jonathan), by the builders is now sought for to become the pillar of the house. How interesting to note!

Perhaps true to the aphorism, that men do not often realize the worth of their first wives till second wives are brought home, of recent, the media is awash with invitations from notable Nigerians, imploring that Ebele Jonathan should contest the forthcoming presidential election, win and repair the dilapidated economy of the country. The jingles are quite deafening, as it seems that the sponsors wouldn't stop soon, until the end of time.

 

In all of these, the response from many public affairs analysts is that, if he yields to the pressures, his public image may be further dented, as his failure may be manipulated again. Others are of the view, that having become a notable international figure, he should not condescend to playing local politics. That, with our pseudo democratic practices, knowing that politics is a game of self-interest, he should stay clear of the murky waters of Nigerian politics.

 

My take in all of these is, he should stay off, and function occasionally as "adviser" to whoever values and seeks his advice. This is because, as the saying goes, once beaten, twice shy, he should not for the second time taste the bile of failure.