FEATURE ARTICLE

Barth Amakihe, Ph.D.Monday, March 8, 2010
[email protected]
Atlanta, Georgia, USA

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GOVERNING NIGERIA:
THE TASK FACING ACTING PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN

or a very long time, Nigeria has been yearning for a thoroughbred technocrat and a gentleman versed in political and administrative competence to man the country's ship of state. The mass expectations for this type of leadership can easily be associated with the poor performances of subsequent Military/Civilian administrations which has been giving nightmares to all lovers of the country.


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The election of President Umaru Yar'Adua and his Vice President, now the Acting President of Nigeria gave hope to millions of people in the country. Despite the irregularities and complaints following the elections that brought them to power in 2007, Nigerians still had hopes. These expectations were based on the personality traits of humbleness, intelligence, and the seemingly non-controversial nature exhibited by the duo.

Secondly, the emergence of Shehu Musa Yar'Adua and his Vice President Goodluck Jonathan had a calming effect on the populace for the simple reason that the new administration promised the nation that their regime would be guided by the principles of the rule of law. The high expectations reposed on these new leaders were based on their pedigree. For the first time in recent history of the country, the two highest political offices in the land were held by former University Teachers.

Thirdly, these two leaders passed through political tutelage as Governors of Katsina and Bayelsa states respectively. One other major reason that Nigerians had high hopes on the two leaders were the serious mindedness, humbleness, and the desire to take measured steps in making political and economic decisions. Yar'Adua's illness compounded these last traits, and his political opponents capitalized on it to accuse him of not taking quick and decisive actions in the affairs of the country.

The debilitating illness that rendered Musa Yar'Adua's administration moribund, had thrust the mantle of leadership to his Vice President Mr. Goodluck Jonathan. It is disheartening to note that a group of political hatchet men arrogated to themselves the power to hide and refuse to allow the nation and its elected representatives to see the actual condition of their ailing leader. From all indications, the President and his Vice had a very cordial relationship throughout the period Yar'Dua was in power, unlike President Obasanjo's regime whose administration was in conflict with his Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

The people handling Mr. Yar'Dua ought to know that the president is a public figure and belongs to Nigeria more than any other entity. His welfare, whether good or bad, is directly linked to the nation, therefore the group hiding him from his citizens should no longer subject the country from undue anxiety or turmoil as the citizens continue to wish him well; Mr. Jonathan should be sworn in as the substantive President of Nigeria to enable the country to recover from the wasted months it drifted without anybody calling the shots.

Mr. Jonathan must rise to the occasion by working fearlessly to entrench probity, not only on the conduct of elections, but also on corruption that has damaged the image of Nigeria among International Communities. The leadership of a complex nation State like Nigeria requires more than a command and obey approach which were the characteristics and bane of some past military and civilian regimes.

Some days ago, former leaders of the Federal Republic of Nigeria including Yakubu Gowon, Shehu Shagari, Earnest Shonikan, Alex Ekwueme among other prominent personalities visited the Acting President reminding him to scale down the seven point agenda of the ailing president Umaru Yar'Dua. The key fact is that implementation of laudable programs in Nigeria has always been a Herculean task. Many leaders want to succeed, but often times greedy contractors and bad government officials who mortgage their conscience to allow any meaningful achievements to be made, hinder the development of the country. Several public and private anti-graft outfits have indicted many government officials for sabotaging laudable programs by stealing and siphoning off to foreign banks budgetary allocations designed for the development of their Local, State and Federal Constituencies. Goodluck and his new administration must pay attention to these evil people.and must be conscious of those who might be singing his praises today and would not hesitate to loot from the national treasury or bring down his administration.

Despite the seven point agenda of his predecessor, the Acting President must focus on a few policies and programs which he can accomplish within a specific time frame, thus, uninterrupted power supply, electoral reform, and plugging the conduit pipes of corruption will surely endear his regime to the suffering masses. One principal way to fight corruption in the country is to encourage whistle blowers or people exposing fraudulent spending or waste. Enactment of laws and agency regulations that reward and protect courageous citizens as well as punitive measures such as demotions or outright retirement of fraudulent civil servants and other federal agents that allow their ministries or agencies to be compromised will be productive. Jonathan's recent appointment of a Code of Ethics Committee and more recently, the appointment of an Advisory Commission headed by retired General Danjuma, is a step in the right direction. The implementation of policy programs which may be proposed and accepted by the new regime will uplift the country.

On electoral reforms, Jonathan's administration will be engraved in gold provided he lays solid foundations for credible elections without minding party affiliations. The Acting President must realize that his party, the PDP, is not the only political party that harbors good and honest Nigerians who can transform the nation. Other political parties do have good and honest leaders as well, opportunities should be created for people to elect whomever they prefer; people who will drive the engines of development that will be felt in every nook and corner of the federal Republic It is true that the Acting President cannot perform miracles in the current Nigerian situation, but he can make a difference, if he is not distracted by political cabals that are always looking for ways to protect their stolen acquisitions.At least the new administration can plug the hole and stop the country from the deep wounds inflicted on it by the unbridled rape of its abundant mineral and intellectual resources.

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