First Year Of Yar’adua As President Of The Republic

By

Elie Smith

eliesmith@yahoo.com

 

 

Last May 29th, Nigeria’s President, Omar Musa Yar’adua, celebrated his first full year as the occupant of Aso Rock (official residence and office). The simple fact that, he has succeeded to govern Nigeria, for a full year, is in itself more than a triumph, but that feat, exudes a feeling of pure joy, to all those who love Nigeria. For many never expected him capable of governing, not to mention stay a full year in power. His start was not easy. It was stained by the way he came to power. Besides the controversial manner, with which he won Nigeria’s presidential elections, his other handicap was his health.  Some claimed that, Omar Musa Yar’adua was sick and on the brink, hence he was chosen by his predecessor General Olusegun Obasanjo (retired). Those who floated the story were of the opinion that, Obasanjo never wanted power to be handled by a man from the north of Nigeria, consequently, he his choice of a presumptively sick man, whose southern deputy, Dr Jonathan Ebele Goodluck, will succeed him, immediately he dies.  But Yar’adua is not dead even though a Nigerian paper declared him dead some weeks before official handover last year. A lot was has been said about Nigeria’s current president. And as usual, they were all products of the prolific rumour mills in Nigeria and around the world.

 

Whether Yar’adua was chosen by Obasanjo to lead the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the last presidential elections because of his presumed poor health or to act as his marionette is not important. Furthermore, the unfolding of events since Yar’adua was elected has rendered baseless all the conspiracy theories and speculations peddled about his health and his subservient rapport with Nigeria’s former president. But the question remains, has Yar’adua done anything since he was elected? Only Nigerians living in Nigeria and who love their country can answer objectively. However, information coming from Nigeria has it that, President Yar’adua now nicked named: Baba-go-slow, but who prefers to be identified as: servant leader, has a mixed report card. The first noticeable changes with President Yar’adua, some Nigerians claim, are that, he is not flamboyant and the second is that, he seems serious and could deliver the goods, if he succeeds to free himself from the syndicate of nefarious influences and people, who have contributed in crippling a country, whose revival is slow but on course. While some home based Nigerians have already started making their evaluations concerning the performances of their president, it is also true that, a year in office is not sufficient to emit a succinct judgement on a leader, who has to rule for five years.

 

Even though one year in office is not enough to make any objective judgement, it is enough understand the trajectory any government has taken and also make speculative predictions on its final outcome. As it is the tradition with leaders anywhere, when Yar’adua was elected, he promised to find solutions to two of Nigeria’s many problems: unrest in the Niger Delta and erratic power supply. On both, he has little or nothing to show. But he can still be given the benefit of the doubt that, he can help make power supply in Nigeria steady and also bring lasting peace in the Niger Delta, even though, criminality and insecurity seems on the rise. In order for the Niger Delta crisis, which did not start recently to be addressed, President Yar’adua must adopt the same policy he has adopted with the strings of investigations on his predecessor. For it is now clear that, most of those who claim to be fighting for the disadvantaged Niger Delta region are not different from the dubious politicians who have contributed to destroy the development of the region, while making sure their bank accounts  swells. As for power, whose erratic supply has contributed in the rising unemployment rate in the country, it is nice that, President Yar’adua has spoken the truth, for he has said, it will take about five year before stable power supply is enjoyed by Nigerians. This might simply mean that, he is working on it. Let us wait and see.