Jonathan Is Not Laughing

Habu Dauda Fika

There is a bevy of incompetence that is permeating the presidency. A clandestine visit to Aso Rock by the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) led by pastor Tunde Bakare is now the latest fiasco trailing our ‘win at all costs’ president. Jonathan enjoyed the full support of the SNG, especially during the sickness and sequestering of Yar’adua, but he discarded them when he finally became president. Now that he is looking to enfeeble Nigerians, he has secretly called on the SNG to come and help him win at all costs. What the SNG told Jonathan was that; “we cannot support your bid for the presidency at this time.” The SNG is reported to have informed Jonathan that it cannot support his bid because his government is acting with impunity. The president didn’t listen and felt he can influence the SNG anyway. That may be why he offered the SNG a $50,000 bribe for their transport home! Onlookers we are now, as the SNG and the presidency are calling each other liars. The latest headline read thus, “President Jonathan offered us $50,000 bribe, but we returned it – Pastor Tunde Bakare Confirms.”

May be the SNG wanted Naira instead of Dollars. May be they were keenly listening to Jonathan’s economic team’s claim that the economy looks robust, and afraid the dollar may begin to slide against the Naira! But all jokes aside, any serious and focused president will not make this blunder!

While Atiku is busy building bridges and solidifying the support he needs to win the primary election of his party, Mr. Jonathan is only interested in building alliances – pillared on bribes – which will not be honoured once the elections are over. The news is also out that emperor Obasanjo has departed from laughing to crying over what the ACN and Tinubu are doing to the PDP in the southwest. A newspaper headlined the news as follows; “The moving machine called Asiwaju - The (Obasanjo’s) failed project to drag Yoruba into the mainstream.”

It really wasn’t long ago when Obasanjo was laughing at the Asiwaju over the misfortunes of the ACN in the southwest? Well, Bola Ahmed Tinubu is having the last laugh on Obasanjo. The ACN is now enjoying the annulment of the PDP Gubernatorial victory in Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, and Edo states, while Lagos is firmly under it star governor Fasola. Obasanjo laughed then because he thought he had influence over the southwest, he did not. He is now laughing because he thinks he has power over Nigeria, he does not. Even the PDP is no longer under his control. The only person under his control is Jonathan!

Oh, how times change quickly! The whole southwest is now savouring how Tinubu dismantled Obasanjo’s scheme. Question; if Obasanjo cannot garner the support of the southwest, what is he then laughing about when the North says it will support Atiku! Crying will be much more appropriate.

The president forgets all too easily but it is needless to repeat that if you want to be elected, or your region wants to produce the next president, then you should go out and campaign for it! Do not threaten anyone (especially state governors) to 'elect you or else'. Jonathan, the master of unguarded utterances, was quick to exonerate Mend for the Abuja Bomb blast and since then he has made it a habit of saying the wrong things at the wrong time. According to SR, he angrily told the SNG that, “If I don't want them (state Governors) to sleep in their beds, they won't sleep.” He declared that, “by the time (EFCC) agents checked on a few state commissioners of finance and accountants-general, the state governors would sit up!” Meaning; support me or else! Can you imagine a sitting president who swore to uphold the constitution, openly admitting that he will destroy those who do not support him? Have we not sent Obasanjo packing in 2007? Shouldn’t Jonathan run on his track record?

No doubt, the Niger-Delta area needs more consideration from the federal government. No doubt, it has been treated unjustly. But, most of the neglect was perpetrated by its leaders. A lot of money has been allocated to the area through agencies like OMPADEC, NNDC, etc, which was then systematically looted by those asked to manage it. Did Jonathan do anything or is he doing anything to reverse the fortunes of the poor Niger-Deltans? No! Instead, we learnt that a former chairman of the NDDC (Niger-Delta Development Commission) was outsmarted by a ritualist and asked to burn N500 million! A fantastic con job. Can the Niger-Delta get development with people like that tending their affairs? No!

Mr Jonathan, it will do you good to take Atiku seriously, take Nigerians seriously, take state Governors seriously, and take your comments and actions seriously. Obasanjo is a spent candle, he is not just limp, he is flat on the ground. The Election is about Nigerians. Show us respect. Obasanjo may disrespect us, you cannot afford to. When Obasanjo is laughing, you should be cringing like most Nigerians do. I remind you Mr. President Sir, that you have never won any election in your life. We are tired of those who reap thru good luck and not thru effort. I am sure you are not laughing.

HD Fika – webmaster AmanaOnline.com, writes from Potiskum, Nigeria.