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Without fear of being misunderstood the true enemies of Mr. President in his political calculations in Nigeria are not Governor Amaechi and his followers, but those who by their actions have brought the name and image of Mr. President to shame and embarrassment going by their flagrant display of impunity in the political crisis in Rivers State.
Those who have by their utterances been overheating the polity ahead of the 2015 general elections attacking any Nigerian or section that have contrary views; those who are attempting to reduce Mr. President’s status from a National Leader to ethnic one (Ijaw nation), in a manner of speaking.
Those Ministers and agencies of government promoting corruption, highhandedness and antagonising Nigerians with perceived alternative views on governance are the enemies of Mr. President. Those promoting the infamy in Rivers State and looking at Nigeria and Nigerians as a conquered people and without knowing have indirectly by their misguided acts succeeded in ridiculing Mr. President and not those who are offering him constructive suggestions on how to be the best President ever from Nigeria. These are the true enemies of President Jonathan who wants to destroy him and make him a total failure before the eyes of Nigerians and the entire world. Those charlatans in the corridor of power that have reduced a great party like PDP to its present sorrow state of not being so sure of its future. According to Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State these charlatans in government should be flush out from the system if Mr. President intends to salvage anything out of his administration. These ingrates and confused minds should be invited in a room to be educated on how to govern a country like Nigeria than the mess they have made out of it a system that ought to have being a golden regime and sadly have through their inimical acts brought this administration to public odium.
Other agents hell-bent of destroying all the legacies of President Jonathan are those who mobilised youths that stoned the visiting Governors that came to pay solidarity visit to Governor Amaechi over his unwise, wicked and malicious humiliations without minding the results of their action both to the image of the President and peaceful co-existence of Nigeria as a corporate unity. In his reaction to the sad development, Hon. Dakuku Peterside a member of the Federal House of Representatives said, “I can describe it as barbaric, primitive and most unfortunate. It portends danger for our democracy and the continued unity of Nigeria. Some people hired thugs and ex-militants with the protection of the commissioner of police, to go and embarrass governors at the airport. That is most unfortunate and barbaric. You expect these people to visit Kano, Jigawa and other states where these governors who were embarrassed come from? Danger is staring us in the face. The other day, ex-militants took over the streets of Port Harcourt and the police did not do anything about it. They went and recruited them and took them to the Rivers State House of Assembly to use five lawmakers to sack 27. Yet, there was nothing wrong with it”
Thank God as it seems that both the PDP National Chairman, Alh. Bamanga Tukur and our revered leader and One-time Minister for Information and respected Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark have come to the realization that they utterances recently have not be of any help to the future of President Jonathan political calculation by apologizing of their attacks on Gov Sule Lamido and the progressive Governors in PDP for visiting the embattled Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi. According to Chief Clark, “I apologize to all Nigerians if my utterance or my action threatened the peace and unity of this country that all politicians, leaders should emphasize only those things that keep this country together. We cannot split; Nigeria is a large country. Love is one of the greatest things that bind us together and Nigerians should learn to love one another and work assiduously for the unity of the country.”
2015: Challenges before President Jonathan
A major challenge facing the current federal administration and which clearly will define the rest of its tenure if not checked with the urgency it deserves is the issue of corruption.
Though one of the major sins of Amaechi is his stance on protection and accountability of the state’s resources (the sovereign wealth of our nation) and confirmation of the fears of the governor, NEITI in a report had indicted the federal government agencies for the disparities in payments in the oil sector. It says, inter alia, that N175b is still not found in the Federation acct.
Recently, TI released the 2013 Global Corruption Barometer, GCB and rated Nigeria as the eightieth most corrupt nation in the entire world under this administration and that our political parties and the Nigeria Police as the most corrupt institutions in Nigeria. TI’s 2013 GCB is a product of interviews with a total number of 114,000 respondents across 107 countries between September 2012 and March 2013. The Berlin-based organization said the primary aim of the 2013 GCB report was to explore respondents’ personal experiences of paying bribes for government services on one hand and on the other, to gauge perception of the integrity of major public institutions. There is also TI’s desire towards a better understanding of the willingness and disposition of citizens in countries under review to fight corruption. The level of corruption under this administration is not to be condoned if we are to survive as a nation.
2. The East-West Federal Road and the Second Niger Bridge
If these two major projects at the heart of the South-South and South East are not completed before 2015, its potential of posing a serious setback need not be over-emphasized.
3. The APC and Northern Elements Challenge
With the registration of APC by INEC, its threat come 2015 is not only real but has the capacity to stop PDP come 2015 coupled with the seriousness some Northern elements are attaching to the 2015 polls. Those that need to know about this have already confirmed it including both the BOT Chairman and National Chairman of PDP. What strategy to adopt to curtail this moving force should be of concern to any serious strategist in the camp of Jonathan instead of wasting energy to pull down a force that should be of help in whatever calculation they are advancing? Instead of the egg heads in Jonathan’s Camp strategizing and strengthening their base, they think by fighting some elements is the best strategy to sell Jonathan to other regions after all these obvious threat! Funny people!
Suggested Strategies on the Way Forward
A lot of time has been wasted pursuing shadows instead of addressing governance and rendering dividends of democracy to the people of Nigeria which will determine the fate of the party come 2015. Not minding obvious shortcomings, President Jonathan must be commended for the efforts to reach the true characters that will help his issue come 2015 recently instead of the charlatans that have constituted themselves as nuisance in this regard. Learnt that he is also billed to summon a peace meeting to be attended by critical stakeholders in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to forge a consensus on how to resolve the crises and with the meeting with President Olusegun Obasanjo, Governor Amaechi, Dist senator Abubakar Saraki and the five progressive Governors of Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Alhaji Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Alhaji Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (Niger) and Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto) — who have been shuttling around Nigeria, consulting eminent personalities on how to resolve the multi-faceted crises in the country is a step in the right direction.
Commendation must go to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) who brokered the meeting between the president and Amaechi. It was learnt that Dasuki initiated the process of fence mending between the duo to douse the political crisis in Rivers State that has been threatening the security and stability of the country. Dasuki, in his capacity as the NSA, was said to have taken the initiative to invite Amaechi to a meeting with the president, certain that the Rivers State crisis amongst other security challenges, could do a lot of harm to the nation’s fragile democracy. Presidency sources said the NSA had been toying with the idea since eight opposition governors met with Amaechi in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, about two weeks ago to plead with him to meet with Jonathan and formally brief him on the situation in his state.
I will suggest in furtherance to this, that President Jonathan needs to listen to his brother, Prince Tonye Princewill the Amanyanabo of Kalabari scion on the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar. I am aware of the efforts he has made to bring both President Jonathan and Atiku Abubakar to work together but the continued playing down on the issue of Atiku Abubakar by the charlatans in governance may be calamitous if not handled wisely. No matter what ever those surrounding the President that cannot even win their wards election are saying, Atiku Abubakar stands out as a man of vision who has a blue print to take this our country out of its present sorrow state. The President should for the greatness of this nation get to this man who is ready to give him clues on how to handle most of the challenges facing his administration but if he like he can continue with those who are after their belly and lack ideas on how to handle critical issues facing the country.
As Mr. President starts his consultations, he should endeavour to get in touch with the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar III, Shehu Shagari, General Gowon, Pastor Enoch Adeboye and the CAN President Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and plead with them to be sincere with him on his vision and plans for this country. The time of playing dummy is no longer an issue.
Lastly on this section, Mr. President needs to organize a strategically seminar with his Media Chiefs and re-orientate their shallow ideas of what it takes to manage such a magnanimous office they are occupying but sadly seem lost on how to manage it. As they attempt to emulate Alh Lai Mohammed is a far cry. Mr. President should ask General Olusegun Obasanjo and he will tell him that the Media Team of Atiku Abubakar managed by Mal. Shehu Garba and Ifeanyi Izeze stands out as the most portent and viable Media outfit in Nigeria. I will suggest that the Presidential Team to take some lectures from Mal. Garba on how to manage the offices they are occupying as the idea of unwarranted attack on some of the key actors that will assist the President in his future political calculations is the worst idea of selling a President looking for a second tenure.
Conclusion
In conclusion and in line with the recent postulation of former Head of State, General Yakubu Gown Rtd, it is not late to redefine, reform Nigeria. According to this living sage, "What is happening in our country today calls for sober reflections, as we entreat God on behalf of our nation. I want to believe that in spite of the gloomy situation made manifest by the escalating security and political challenges in our nation, the church in Nigeria, given its spiritual and human resources, occupies a strategic position to trigger process aimed at remaking, enforcing and reinforcing the blessings of Nigerian jubilee. It is not late to redefine and reorder Nigeria."
Mr. President must build on the virtues that will assist our democracy by properly recognizing the office of the NGF Chairman in the person of Governor Amaechi and intervene and ensure that those behind the crisis in Rivers State are called to order and Gov Amaechi restored to his position as the Leader of PDP in Rivers State and Mr. Joseph Mbu redeployed as the Rivers State Commissioner of Police as a matter of urgency unless he has not done much harm to the image of Mr. President. With all that has happened, it is very clear to any responsible mind that Amaechi is not a push over when serious political issue is involved in Nigeria.
Finally, the RCCG Open Heaven daily Guide of 29th July came handy at this juncture. Titled, Leading with God’s Fear, 2 Samuel 23:3 The God of Israel said, “the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God” while to all Nigeria, the Action point throws more light on this by stating that, “A leader who fears God is both accountable to God and the people under him or her”. Let us ask that only such leaders will govern our lives and nation from now on.
God has blessed Jonathan and have offered him a unique opportunity to take Nigeria to greater heights and should seize this opportunity to right acts inimical to the greatness of this nation and write his name in gold by taking over governance from the charlatans controlling his government and deliver good governance base on the support given to him by Nigerians during the 2011 general elections. It is not too late to act.
Eze chukwuemeka Eze is a Media Consultant based in Port Harcourt and could be reached through ezemediaconcept08@rocketmail.com. Tel: 08038199163
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