Before We Crucify Jonathan….
Posted by admin | 9 years ago | 8,070 times
I never intended to put this down. Maybe, because I follow events and happenings in Nigeria for professional reasons, and to stay abreast with information.
As the drums of 100 days in office continues to roll, even with the day having come and gone, and divergent views trail President Buhari’s 100 days in office, I am left with no other option than to do this. Flipping through the pages of the dailies from September 6th to 8th, which focused on the achievements of the present administration so far from May 29th inaugural day, one new to Nigerian politics will be forced to believe that the former administration of Goodluck Jonathan placed it in its present “abyss”. Taken; the former administration had some flaws and questions to answer as to the problem with Nigeria, ranging from the rot in the education system that had the longest strike I have ever witnessed in my life time at all levels, infrastructural deficit, bribery scandals, among others , but does that take away the achievements of the administration? Do we throw away the baby with the bathe water? Does it mean that the Jonathan’s administration as long as it lasted achieved nothing? Was the administration that hardened to forget that the country belonged to all?
It baffles me the more that all the corruption scandals from 1999 till date, has been heaped on a man whose star shone despite all. But I think this should also make the present administration wiser to know that once they step down, the drums stop beating automatically. Sincerely and truly, success comes with a lot of friends, while failure is an orphan.
Goodluck Jonathan, who was once the nation’s most cherished and admired that a lot went as far as naming their kid after him is now the problem with Nigeria. Hmmmm, odiegwu ooo.
I am not holding sway for no one, neither am I defending his administration, but if my brain serves me right, the power generation or improvement in power supply that 70 percent of Nigerians today celebrate and attribute to the present administration was Jonathan’s efforts, the agricultural sector received a serious boost with fertilizer fraud giving way, and if all that served under Jonathan were corrupt as the ruling party claims, and no achievement recorded, the new African Development Bank ,AFDB, President, Akinwumi Adesina is a product of the previous administration, representing Nigeria well, YOUWIN programme employed a lot of people I know, though not adequately supervised, our sports sector for the first time got a lot of improvements and global recognition.
The rail transport is back, after billions was put in by the previous administration that handed over to Jonathan’s to no avail, what about the minimum wage?. Yet, Goodluck Jonathan is a failure. No matter how we see it, insecurity was not as bad as portrayed, because I know we have lost a lot of lives fromMay 29, till date, more than the past six years. At least, we also won the way against the Ebola Virus Disease,EVB, with a deteriorating health sector then, to the amazement of the international community.
Well, is all man for himself.
The concept of 100 days in office celebration is basically to propel a visible manifestation of campaign promises made. Franklyn D Roosevelt, who described as a new deal in 1933 and 1938 capped it in 3R’s – Relief, Recovery, and Reform. It was geared towards providing “Relief” for the unemployed and poor, “Recovery” of the economy to normal levels, and “Reform” of the financial system to prevent a repeat depression. Roosevelt after the first 100 days, achieved more than he laid down and stepped into what he described as the “main Deal”.
Ours in Nigeria was capped in Corruption, Security and Employment Generation “change”. Yet, 100 days later, the Former administration is being blamed for the failures of the present. Nigerians were full of hopes that at least, if nothing would be achieved after the first hundred days, security will be intact, with the promises and assurances that two months was a long time to subdue the insurgents during the campaigns and at several fora by the ruling party. Suffice it to say that in the area of security which was the core aim of Buahri’s election by Nigerians, the administration in the first 100 days failed woefully.
Though I remember the President saying he would not like to be judged by 100 days in office because it puts him under pressure, one of his arch supporters insists that was the beginning of his failure and asked if he liked to be judged by 2 months of routing Boko Haram, with no results but travels. The party that claimed Boko haram would be their first assignment and named Jonathan “clueless”, condemned negotiating with them, are the same people doing the same. Is Buhari not in France? What took him there? He has finished with neighbours including Ghana; very soon, you will hear he is Syria or Saudi Arabia. Can’t we just call a spade, a spade? There is nothing wrong in building on existing facilities, it is simply called “sustainability’ not “pride’.
May supporters of President Buhari has refused to accept that the apprehension that led to his election is yet to be achieved. They have refused to see anything wrong with his lopsided appointments and “don’t tell” attitude, with all the defense from his media “counsels’ , Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu, who keep saying different things at different times, maybe duty specification is yet to be assigned to them. A lot believed, the “messiah” according to them was in the wilderness for 16 years, going through preparation and awaiting announcement, now that he is here, what next?
Deficiencies of President Buhari are blamed on an ex-President who has long moved on with his life. Why are Nigerians so sentimental? Can’t we constructively tell the “oga at the top”, that we earnestly await the change he promised. We voted, so we don’t risk our lives, yet even thee IDPs camps is now a target.
The so much talked about body language and anti-corruption fight and visits are they the change Nigeria yarn for? We had expected that at least the list of corrupt officials as allegedly released by the US be made public and culprits dancing to the music. We had expected the president to hit the ground running and at least knowing where the insurgents are according to their campaign lyrics, would have brought them to a halt within two months as promised. All of s sudden, he is no longer the magician. I was thinking they knew another route to Sambisa forest. I think the so much talked about anti corruption fight vis a vis looting of public funds with no results, seem to be distracting the present administration and the clock is ticking so fast. Enough of the talking, please we want action “Mr. President’.
Most Nigerians are of the opinion that instead of focusing on getting stolen funds, which would have been far more done in the secret with the results seen in public, the president would have diversified means of improving on already existing natural resources Nigeria is blessed with.
Recently, the president said his administration cannot fight corruption, security and unemployment at the same time, and I ask, why did you make them your slogan during electioneering? I see most Nigerians doing what I call “sentimental defense” of a man who is yet to come to terms with the office he currently occupies, after weeping in 2011 that he will never contest again. Is it true that the APC do know how to manage success?
It therefore amounts to wickedness to cast aspersion on Jonathan’s administration, and discrediting his monumental achievements and the innovative measures it adopted to save Nigeria’s situation.
It is also wrong for the new administration to portray every member of the Jonathan’s administration as corrupt and irresponsible.
May I also remind us that the Treasury Single Account, TSA, that the present administration is singing lullaby with was former President Jonathan’s brain child, including the Government Integrated Financial Management Platform and the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Management System, IPPIS, in addition to biometric re-integration of civil servants and pensioners that saved #100billion paid to ghost workers.
Readers Comments
comment(s)
No comments yet. Be the first to post comment.
