FEATURE ARTICLE

Temple Chima UbochiFriday, February 13, 2015
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2015 GENERAL ELECTIONS:
FACTUAL ANALYSES AND MY ENDORSEMENT (12)

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Continued from Part 11

This above all, to thine own self be true (William Shakespeare)

Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it (Winston Churchill)

Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand (Colin Powell)

They say we should not judge them on their past record, but how else can they be judged other than through the work they did in the past. The Jonathan administration is proud of its past record and is happy to be judged by it. Why will an opposition party that claims to be agent of change not be judged on its past record in government? What change can they produce without reference to their past record? (Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu, PDP National Chairman)

erily, the lessons of the past provide the path to the future. Buhari might not win the election, no matter what people are thinking, because, he is not genuine. Buhari is not sincere with Nigerians, and that might cost him the presidency he thinks is within reach. I wonder what made people to think that Buhari is a changed man. My people used to say that "a person can't learn the left hand in old age". Has Buhari really imbibed the democratic ideals? Where is the evidence? Iloegbunam also asked "Where is the evidence of the chastened Buhari? If "most critically", "a vastly transformed environment" left previous despots chastened and amenable to democratic propensities, what has the world been experiencing under Egyptian General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's democratic government? Was it not under a "democratic dispensation" that General Olusegun Obasanjo wiped out Odi and Zaki Biam? It has become Soyinkaesque to posit that an elected Buhari would not be repressive because he would be operating under a democratic dispensation! Was apartheid not practiced under a democratic dispensation? Did not Hitler become German Chancellor by the democratic vote?

Yours truly disagrees with Soyinka and Obasanjo, and the way they are portraying the former dictator as the best that can happen to Nigeria, without telling Nigerians what informed their respective opinions. Obasanjo and Soyinka have belied the facts about Buhari. In 2011, Soyinka gave 30 reasons why Buhari should not be elected president, but now, in 2015, he sees Buhari as a changed man who should be president, without telling us what changed between 2011 and 2015, as Buhari didn't hold any political post within this timeframe. Also, in 2011, Obasanjo said that Buhari is "unelectable", but now, in 2015, Obasanjo is rooting for Buhari, without telling us what changed between the last election and now. Unfortunately, Nigeria is damned having such persons as Obasanjo as elder statesmen. Obasanjo's problems are multiplying as "two hours after former President Olusegun Obasanjo announced his exit from the Peoples Democratic Party, tearing his membership card into pieces on Monday Feb. 16, the Ogun State chapter of the party has announced Obasanjo's expulsion from the PDP", and also, "the Nigerian military has taken former President Olusegun Obasanjo to the cleaners, accusing him "of playing to the gallery or indulging in politicisation of serious national security or military affairs." Defence Headquarters rendered the damning verdict on the retired General and one-time head of State while responding to his recent utterances, specifically his allegation that President Goodluck Jonathan could use the military to subvert people's will during the elections on March 28 and April 11, 2015" Read more below.

Obasanjo and Soyinka are like Chameleons. The duo demeans President Jonathan in a way that shows they have "something against" him, and that has nothing to do with his performance. Iloegbunam couldn't understand why Prof. Soyinka will be speaking out of both sides of his mouth, and he asked why the erudite professor is sticking his neck for Buhari, despite the fact that he wants to set a bad precedent by saying that he will not vote during the election: "It appears the only answer Soyinka has to these and similar questions is a string of sentences strewn together by an unconvincing statement. He is now rooting for a Buhari presidency because he has "studied him from a distance, questioned those who have closely interacted with him, including his former running-mate, Pastor Bakare, and dissected his key utterances past and current." A man with a contemporary draconian past seeking the people's electoral mandate deserves better than being studied "from a distance." Little wonder, Soyinka came by the conclusion that he found "a plausible transformation that comes close to that of another ex-military dictator, Mathew Kerekou of the Benin Republic." On this tenuous ground, Soyinka is recommending a "leap of faith" to his fellow countrymen and women! People have a right to be scandalized on this score, because, on no account, should an election for the next president of Nigeria be tied to a leap of faith and all the calamitous consequences it could engender".

Jonathan Lockwood Huie rightly noted that "Only good comes from being honest and true. Only harm and suffering cone from falsehood. It doesn't always appear that good comes from truth and honesty, but, in the long run, it does". K�r�kou and Rawlings, mentioned by Prof. Soyinka in comparison to Buhari, showed remorse for their respective pasts before their country people gave them another chance to rule them. In the case of Buhari, nobody has ever heard him own up to his brutal past. Iloegbunam argued that "Soyinka's introduction of K�r�kou is even misapplied because the former Benin Republic leader took a positive step in his time that Buhari has found impossible to appropriate. During the nationally televised 1990 National Conference in Benin Republic, K�r�kou spoke to Catholic Archbishop Isidor de Souza of Cotonou, confessing guilt and begging forgiveness for the flaws of his military regime. Likewise, Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings, who, in 1992, and when campaigning for the Ghanaian presidency, attended a church service in Accra, where he apologized for all the killings that attended his first military dispensation! It was because K�r�kou and Rawlings repented that their people relented, according them the chance to try their hands at democratic governance. But the gestures of apology, contrition, regret and repentance have never been seen, heard or noticed in Soyinka's "chastened" Buhari".

Buhari's Party, The APC, has hinged its campaign on "change" slogan, and is telling the world that Buhari represents change. The APC is yet to tell us what makes it feel that way. Asikason Jonathan, while acknowledging that Nigerians need change, said that neither PDP nor APC can offer that change, when he wrote "The change Nigerians are asking for is not just germane to our national development but sacrosanct for our corporate existence. But can we find this change in APC? Or will Jonathan's second coming be transubstantiate into change? A cursory leap into semantics will guide our analysis. So what type of change is APC promising us? Let's see! The type of change APC is promising cannot be fully fathomed without knowing the make-ups of APC. So who are the APC? APC is the conglomeration of people who - in concert with the present PDP members - sow the seed of corruption in Nigeria and having been disadvantaged by the existing power structure decided to oppose it by forming an alliance. They are former members of PDP, ACN, CPC, and ANPP. Now, what type of change is APC promising us? A gerontocratic government in which Buhari will serve as only figure head; a quadrumvirate that will see to Tinubu, Oyegun, Lai Mohammed and (albeit, in weak position, Osinbajo) sailing the ship of Nigerian state. Yes this is change and so is falling from frying pan to fire. But the change Nigeria want now is positive one, a quiet revolution that will catapult us into being the true giant of Africa and defender of black world. This is the change we need and not just change! But this is not the change APC is telling us. For no worthwhile change can link itself to the existing order that they are destined to uproot. Any gospel of change in Nigeria that has a verse dedicated to OBJ and IBB is never a change at all; it is the maintenance of old order and this is what APC will do. What type of change is this that will lure its arch proponent to withdraw from presidential debate? Do you know how sacrosanct debate is in democracy? Or is APC oblivious of the political concept of `undecided voters'? Or the politico-educative ingredients of debate? If this is what APC meant by change, please let it not come".

APC claims that Jonathan's government is corrupt, and that Buhari would wipe it away from Nigeria. Obasanjo has also joined the bandwagon, and is attacking President Jonathan for leading "an incompetent and corrupt government". I will not waste my precious time writing about Obasanjo, because, his opinion matters a little nowadays. He has belittled himself that almost every Nigerian now knows that he is a selfish human being, who thinks Nigeria is his private property. But let's see those who are accusing others of being corrupt. The latest news is that "according to Transparency International data from 1979 till date, Both General Buhari and Former President Olusegun Obasanjo's tenure were more corrupt than President Goodluck Jonathan's tenure. The data also showed that GEJ period has the best corruption perception index since 1979. This is in complete contrast to what the opposition including Obasanjo, has been saying in the media about corruption during the last 5 years. Especially, Obasanjo has been strutting around praising himself as anti-corruption hero; well, the organization he helped found has called him a liar. Shockingly, according to the TI data, Obasanjo's first tenure had the worst corruption during the 35 year period. Here is a graph showing the corruption perception index for the 35 year period.

The TI corruption perception index is a rating of countries from 1 to 100 showing their corruption scale. A rating of 1 is the worst and rating of 100 means a country is completely free of corruption. 50 is the pass mark and any country below 50 is considered a corrupt country (The African Sun Times).

To be continued!

Read more:

Odera wrote that he saw this in a friend's wall (Basil Anuniru) and decided to copy and share it: Why am taking a swift from supporting General #Buhari:

Just few hours ago, #Obasanjo endorsed General Buhari as the man to deliver this nation. I was personally shocked, when I heard the news. This is because, I was expecting Baba to stay at the touch line, and leave Nigerians to study his body language. But the masquerade could not control his dance in the public market. Hence he mistakenly flogged his own mother who is also a trader in the market. Nigerians, I am left with no option than to tell us that, these ex-generals and their boys are up to something. The issue at hand is not all about the presidential seat. But rather, the national cake (oil blocks). Less I forget, is it not the same #Obasanjo who woke up and handpicked his puppet 2011, who eventually grew like Joseph the messiah of Egypt? Is it not the same Obj that told us 2011, that General Buhari is too old to rule this country? Is it not the same Obj that told us #Buhari is a dictator? Somebody should have a rethink like me. We must understand the preacher's language before decoding his message. If Obj can take a swift and prefer General #Buhari to Jonathan, a puppet he dedicated his energy and resources to win 2011 election, then as an average Nigerian, we should have a rethink and ask our leaders what is so special in Aso Rock. If leadership is to serve the people, why is it that, the ex-generals finally gang up against their new recruit on account of change. If we're to outline the sins of Mr. President, are the ex- generals not guilty of such sins? One may ask why is SPEAKER taking a swift? My comrades, my father once said, if everybody is clapping before you walked in, courtesy demand you ask why they are clapping, before you join them doing so. Everybody wants change. But I am astonished the way and manner these ex- general joined the train of change. Is it that, this is the first time they heard the word change? If NO, why did they not change this country when they were given opportunity? Why advocating for change now when the puppet body language shows he will not renew their oil blocks licence why advocating for change now, when the puppet purchased equipment to monitor and reduce vandalism. Why advocating for change now, when the strong headed puppet wiped out their ghost names from the civil service pay roll. Why advocating for change now, when the puppet sacked your boys as corrupt ministers. Why advocating for change now, when the puppet refused to dump #Sambo for another puppet. Why advocating for change when he refused to kill Nigerians indiscriminately. But rather he is exploiting all means of dialogue. Unlike your Odi brutal killings and destruction. Why advocating for change now, when the puppet refused to twist governors' hands with EFCC to pave his way like you did. Why advocating for change now, when at 72 years, you still tell your children of 50years they are the children of tomorrow. Why advocating for change now, when the puppet refused to give you the fertilizer deal. Why advocating for change now, when the puppet refused to jail your enemies. Why advocating for change now, when the puppet refused to rig election for your daughter. Why advocating for change now, when in your time railways were not working. Why advocating for change, when in your time, our judiciary could not delivered a fair judgment in favour of oppositions. Baba, Nigerians are fed up of you sitting in Otta, deciding their future. We want to decide our destiny with the help of God (Allah). We want to practice true democracy by using our votes to decide our future. Let the good works or antecedents of our leaders speak volume for them. Just after the presidential chat with Mr. President, we discovered that, you, your colleagues, and errant boys, are spreading false information to pave your way to Aso rock. Lastly, I challenge you Baba, #Tinubu, #Atiku, and others to tell Nigerians you don't have oil blocks. Or you guys are not fighting the last battle to protect your oil blocks. They won't come out and speak my brothers and sisters. They want us to believe they are fighting for us. When they have their own local refineries at their backyards.

R.I.P #Fela: Animals wan dash me my human right.

Read further:

https://republicreporters.com/bbc-hard-talk-confronts-obj-on-30-evilscorruption-of-obasanjo/

https://www.newsexpressngr.com/news/detail.php?news=9634

TIT BITS

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1kekb_destiny-s-child-stand-up-for-love_music

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x22ic0_destiny-s-child-cater-2-u_music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYgLIU9pv_E&list=RDyYgLIU9pv_E#t=0

THE THANX IS ALL YOURS!!!

Continued from Part 11

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