2007 A Parameter For Judging Mr. President’s Commitment To Good Governance And 

Fighting Corruption

By

Okeke Chikaodili

kemmanuels@yahoo.com

 

As the battle towards who succeeds President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2007, enters its decisive stage, many, if not all true citizens of Nigerian believe that the outcome of the 2007 general elections and who succeeds the President himself will surely become the platform and parameter on which the President’s so called commitment to economic, political reforms and his desire to eliminate corruption in Nigeria will be ascertained, judged and determined.

 

Because of the high level of moral decadence, selfishness and corruption of our past leaders (Presidents), Nigerians has been forced to accept that President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration and its reforms is the long awaited Messiah we have been seeking. Hence the saying “when the desirable is not available the available becomes desirable”. However the question is, after the exit of President Olusegun Obasanjo from Aso rock, what happens next? Do we go back to Minna? The retired generals? Or do we go back to where we belong? Do we take one step forward and five steps back?

 

Posters of different banks offering shares for subscription are littered every corner across the federation, I can see the nightmared NEPA turned to PHCN. I can see Ministers sacked and number three men shamelessly removed. I can see Nigerians walking around the streets with a Telephone; most of us have been forced to come to terms with the word “shares” all these in conformation with the desire of the President to achieve a better Nigeria. But the fact remains that all these will never justify the seriousness of president Obasanjo. 2007 remains the key factor. Nigerians and the whole world are earnestly waiting to see how President Obasanjo proves to us that Nigeria is moving forward and better.

 

After 2007, will there remain the likes of Iweala, Soludo, Akunyili, Ezekwesili, El-Rufai, and Ribadu? Mr. President is in the better position to give these answers to Nigeria. It will be fruitless, useless, null and void of the President’s efforts to achieve a better Nigeria if he fails in giving Nigerians a qualified and suitable candidate to succeed him. It might be a tedious task, telling the president to do this by himself, hence the suggestion that he allows Nigerians choose their leaders. Only then will history have a place for President Olusegun Obasanjo.

 

The failures in the leadership of our leaders result from the absence of free and fair elections in Nigeria. For the past two democratic elections (1999 and 2003) has been characterized by massive and negatively intended rigging. Let us be of the belief that Obasanjo rigged himself into power in 2003, in order to achieve a debt relief for us, let it be the factor for forgetting about April, 2003, however this wound shall be made fresh if the President allows what happened in 2003 to reoccur in 2007.

 

In my candid Opinion, President Obasanjo’s motives for any action he takes regarding the 2007 elections shall be explained in two conditions (1) His love for Nigeria and continuity of his economic reforms.

(2) His desire to protect his misdeeds.

His love for Nigeria will see him looking beyond friendship, looking beyond the evil genius(s) that brought him to power, to look beyond this Monster called PDP, to look beyond egocentric objectives, to look beyond his military –in civilian friends and allies, to look beyond regional ideology, to look beyond power rotation and allow Nigerians exercise their electoral rights and choose their leaders.

 However his desire to protect his misdeeds, atrocities, failures, deceits and ill gotten wealth might force him to hand over power to his friends, allies, renegades and corrupt fellows. He has the option and freedom to choose which way to follow and Nigerians has the right to accept it or to decline.

 

Suffice it to say, the challenge is up to you Mr. President. Rise up to the challenge and see how and where history and posterity will judge and place you.

 

 Okeke Chikaodili.