“Democracy is a collective action, energized by individual responsibility. Your mandate at this time will inspire in me the strength to complete the good work we have started together.”
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, PhD. G.C.F.R.
11th November 2014.
By now, it should be clear to all and sundry even the leadership of the All Progressives’ Congress, political jihadists and other members of the Boko Haram terrorist sect hiding elsewhere that if victory at the forthcoming general elections shall be determined by the ability of any aspirant to attract the largest crowd to his or her declaration, the victory of incumbent President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is as good as signed, sealed and delivered on a platter of gold borne by beautiful masculine horses pulling a huge chariot created with the finest gold found in the gulf of Arabia. Although I wasn’t privileged to be physically present at the occasion of his historic declaration (I hope my friends and associates in Abuja find a place in their hearts to forgive me), I spared no genuine effort to ensure that I followed the entire event as it was beamed live on local and international television from start till end. Frankly speaking, I was not disappointed with what I saw on ground and what I heard from the various speakers at that event.
To start with, at the inception of the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, during a conversation with Ashish Farouq a Nigerian based Indian businessman who appeared to be caught in the web of the APC sponsored lies against the federal government, I was quick to point out that there was no cause for alarm. I further assured him that since Nigeria shared several traits with India, our journey to greatness was still work in progress and that the Peoples’ Democratic Party led federal government was firmly in charge. In the course of that discussion, I admitted that the only failure I saw (at that time) in the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration was the inability of the young administration (at that time) to protect our electronic and print media from falling into the hands of the opposition.
Indeed, this only failure on the part of the Goodluck Jonathan administration has proven to be its Achilles foot. Immediately he appended his signature to the freedom of information act which made it law, the opposition unleashed its toxic arsenal. First came pale and sickly looking Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, second was canonized liar “Lie” Mohammed before an army of online lie factories led by petty town crier Omoyele Sowore of Sahara Reporters came on board. They rubbished The Punch Newspaper, patronized The Nation, closed down The Compass, diluted newswatch, invaded facebook, bastardized twitter, colonized youtube and exploited skype to their advantage. Dele Alake floated TV Continental and LTV remained as fallback just in case a need arose to field in another player from the reserves. When it became necessary to infiltrate the online media scene, they recreated Sahara Reporters and renamed it Premium Times, they built another structure and named it Point Blank News. After that, they stepped up their game by building 247 reporters and several other cottage media houses that do nothing but scoop, scoop and scoop anything capable of rubbishing any genuine effort made by the Peoples’ Democratic Party to transform Nigeria.
While they had a field day damaging the reputation of the only country I can call mine, the unassuming Goodluck Jonathan led a star studded team of technocrats who worked day and night to break Nigeria from the old of corruption, theft and other forms of graft. This team paraded and still has in it distinguished persons as Dr. Ngozi Okonjo – Iweala, Dr. Oye Ibidapo Obe, Dr. Adewunmi Adesina, Dr. Christopher Kolade, Gen Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, Sir Alex Badeh, Abdullahi Mai – Basira, Pastor Reno Omokri, Brig. Gen. Jones Arogbofa, Mr. Oronto Douglas, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imokhuede, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Dr. Rahaman Pate, Prof. Ruqqayatu Rufai, Prof. Barth Nnaji, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo, Dr. Akachukwu Akankpo, Mr. Kingsley Bosah Chiedu Moghalu, Mr. Mustapha Chike – Obi, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, Dr. Gregory Peter Obi, Mr. Frank Nweke Jr, Mr. Eugune Juwah, Mr. Osita Chidoka, Abdullahi Inde Dikko, Mallam Hamman Tukur, Sen. Ken Nnamani, Prof. Nick Eze, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, Dr. Chinedu Nebo, Engr. Andrew Yakubu. Mr. Reginald Stanley, Mrs. Diezani Allison Madueke, Dr. Okechukwu Itanyi, Mrs. Fidelia Akuabata Njeze amongst other Nigerian born global citizens. These are just a handful of the persons a band of irate Jihadists want the world to see as morons who can barely tell their left from right.
Notwithstanding the damage done Nigeria by the All Progressives’ Congress, the declaration of President Goodluck Jonathan of his intention to seek re-election in 2015 came at no better time as nothing could be more disastrous for a party that seeks to hold on to power for nothing else but the fun of it than the voyage of achievements my President thrilled Nigerians and the world with. From the massive turnaround in the Agricultural sector to the sudden transformation witnessed in the works, transportation and aviation sectors. Education received a massive boost while the power sector cannot be said to be the same. The speed with which the Ebola Virus was contained is a testimony of how well our health sector have fared.
When President Goodluck Jonathan said in his declaration speech that the green passport was fast regaining its pride globally, I verily believed him because on my last trip to Guangzhou, China with my late cousin Jude Tochukwu Nwankwoeze (Akunnia Njota), it did not matter to Miss Issabella Louis a French immigrations officer when I stopped briefly at Charles de’ Gaulle International Airport, Paris and disembarked from my plane dressed in a dark All – Stars Converse, a navy blue Levis’ Straus Denim (my favorite design) and a Rangers FC of Enugu jersey (Rangers FC is and have remained my favorite football club). On my way back to Nigeria, I recall wearing a shirt that boldly bore the inscriptions “Ichie Odenigbo” and “Anambra Amaka” and nothing happened.
I must confess that I am overwhelmed by the achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan and for the first time in several years I have lacked words with which to describe both him and his achievements. This is the exact situation that played out in the south south states of APC controlled Rivers and PDP led Akwa Ibom recently. On both occasions were the commissioning of brand new sports facilities. While the APC saw in Rivers state a chance to haul invectives at the central government and themselves in the process, the PDP saw in Akwa Ibom a golden chance to retell the Nigerian story to the world and trust show boy Governor Obong Godswill Obot Akpabio, he did not fail me. Today it is clear to Nigerians and the world between the Nest of Champions situated in Uyo and the township pitch built in Port Harcourt which is a product of a more productive and visionary government.
Governor Obong Godswill Obot Akpabio is in the league of statesmen as Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who redefined leadership and raised the bar of development. The only variation is that while the former can never be beaten in a game of publicity based on achievements, the later will rather carry on with the classic attitude of biblical Joseph the father of Jesus Christ my lord and master whom the Holy Bible described as just; a man who was never in a hurry to claim credit for outstanding performance. If he ever had his way he would prefer not to even be thanked for any job well done. This is the nature of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
Beyond his declaration, I see a man who will soon go down in history as Nigeria’s must productive leader who in the face of the most daunting challenges made Nigeria a better place than he met it. Like the PDP in Akwa Ibom state, the re-election campaign of President Goodluck Jonathan is a sealed deal as the opposition will have to prove to Nigeria what new value they hope to add to Nigeria and Nigerians in 20 years that Goodluck Jonathan have not added in just 4 years. This is a liability they can never discharge; not even in their next life. Although it may be convenient for a few Nigerians to lie that a shocker awaits me and my party come 2015, I am consoled that the reverse will be the case because unless God is man that says one and does the other, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan shall be returned a second time as President, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria come 14th February 2015.
Ezeani, Chukwunonso Elvis is the South West Zonal Director; Communications, Research & Strategy of the Peoples’ Democratic Party National Youth Frontier. He can be reached via: @NonsoEzeani1
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