Let me first
congratulate my fellow Nigerians (that sounds military) on the recent change in
our democratisation that has put the country in the annal of league of
countries who experienced a bloodless revolution. We can now say that our
democracy has come to stay. Our fear on whether a country called Nigeria shall
cease to exist has been allayed.
The victory of
General Muhammadu Buhari (GMB) was a landslide on his fourth attempt; 2003,
2007, 2011 and 2015. History has been made. The decision of Nigerians to vote
out the ruling party is very much welcomed, otherwise the looming dangers
threatening the unity and prosperity of the country would not have been
averted. Nigerians have made their choice in GMB.
The maturity of
the outgoing President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ) must also be commended.
For him to have congratulated GMB even before he was declared winner by the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) means he accepted defeat in
good faith. This singular act has added “an Elderstateman” to his other titles.
The country will never forget this.
GEJ’s integrity
not to interfere with the operations of INEC also cannot be overlooked. He
allowed free and smooth running of the INEC under the leadership of Prof. Attahiru Jega. Apart from the pandemonium in Rivers State during the
Presidential Election, we can say the election was free and fair. Even International
Observers during the Election testified to this. This is another landmark in
his profile.
Another hero of
the 2015 Presidential Election who perhaps I can call the main man of the
exercise is Prof Attahiru Jega, the chairman of INEC. Nigerians will never
forget the integrity and uprightness of this man. He took Nigeria from a
ridiculed nation to a celebrated nation with his action, firmness, objectivity and
patriotism. I can say without any iota of doubt that he deserves a Nobel Peace
Prize for the peace and joy in every nook and cranny of the country.
I shall not fail
to mention another character who made a fool of himself during the general
collation held at International Conference Centre, Abuja, Elder Godsday
Orubebe. The so called 'Elder' was childish in his 10 minutes madness and bias
he displayed in order to disrupt “an election that ended peacefully” as
maintained by Prof. Jega and Nigerians. No doubt, his behaviour was irrational
and psychopathic. It was indeed a public show of shame in the eyes of the
entire world watching Nigeria.
The maturity in
the response of Prof. Jega further exposed Orubebe’s folly, “you were a former
minister of the Federal Republic... you should be careful of your public
conduct”, he said. No doubt, Orubebe’s action clearly portrayed the character
of those whom we call our leaders under the outgoing administration. Immaturity,
lack of integrity, sentiments and corruption with impunity among other inaudible
attitudes have characterised Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) led government
these past sixteen (16) years of steering the affairs of our nation.
Now that GMB is
the president-elect of Federal Republic of Nigeria under the platform of All Progressive
Congress (APC), what next? I believe the retired general must see Nigeria as
one indivisible entity. A country that has outgrown from being ‘a mere
geographical expression’ to becoming a giant and reference point in unity and
peaceful co-existence among her over three hundred (300) ethnic groups. What we
saw in the election was that the walls of ethnicity and tribalism have been
broken down completely into pieces. GMB won majority votes in the South West
and North Central for the first time and maintained his popularity in North
West and North East. However, GMB must embrace our people from South East and
South South even though he had minority votes from there. Nigeria is one no
matter the Six (6) Geo-political zones.
Also, APC must
remember the circumstances swept PDP away from being the ruling party to
minority party/opposition. Those who think they have now gained access to
national wealth and fortunes should think deep. Otherwise, ‘the rod with which
the senior wife was beaten with would soon descend on the new wife’. GMB must
instill his disciplinary nature first in his party, then the entire nation.
The country’s
institutions, economy, polity, religion, education and family must be purged of
rottenness, decadence and corruption. There should also be a clear cut boundary
between religion and politics. Spirit of discipline and patriotism must now be inculcated
in Nigerians – from leadership to followership. No doubt, the economic power of
the country has been dwindled through mismanagement and corruption of the
outgoing administration. He must make sure that the agricultural sector is
totally revived and other mineral resources be tapped, thus diminishing the
country’s total reliance on crude oil.
GMB must surround
himself with capable and determined advisers who are much more committed to the
prosperity of Nigeria than their own personal aggrandisement. He should never
allow mediocres and psychopaths in his cabinet. If he does these, Nigeria shall
be redirected to the course of developmental landmarks that will swallow
poverty, unemployment, inequality and other social vices.
GOD BLESS
NIGERIA!
No comments:
Post a Comment