Nigeria Will Not Go Down In 2015

Jinbobaraye Karibo-Nelson, SIPM, FECRM

The democratic process we are witnessing in Nigeria today is a positive political experience which Africa continent can learn from, 2015 Presidential elections in Nigeria are very important for this country, especially with Nigeria standing at such a crucial test in her political and economic transition.

The outcome of Presidential Elections will inevitably determine the stability of the most populous black nation on earth. Thus, since attainment of independence from Britain in 1960, the nation; Nigeria is currently in its 5 Republic. The people of Nigeria voted for President Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party [ PDP] now face a real challenges from the main opposition party All Progressive Congress [APC]. ACP put forth several allegations against the PDP that it was characterized by greed, mediocrity, Nepotism, unbridled corruption, which gave rise to the disciples from rags to riches at the saddle of power, that vast majority of the citizenry wallowed in abject poverty and various forms of social deprivation. Ie corruption became rife with booming arrogance.

There is no doubt President Jonathan has done many things right. He has attracted billions of dollars in foreign investment. Nigeria had made great strides in its infrastructural development over the past two years plus, especially in terms of the road and rail sector. Though unemployment remains high, Nigeria's GDP has grown 7% as against 1.5% in the past years.

Thus, for the most of the past 53 years, since post-independence era, Nigerians have been massively suffocated by misgovernment. Democracy is in a state of continuous evolution, democracy as it is now practiced in Nigeria is good for democratic governance in recent occurrence.

Democracy has not been static, but dynamic as the saying that society is dynamic. For us to forge ahead and make meaningful progress towards redressing the past socio-economic injustices in the development process, an enabling democratic culture need to be nurtured and sustained.

The concept or notion of democracy is hailed as the best form of orderly change of leadership and involving the governed in government, voting is the expression of the will of the people as to who should be their leaders and is the acclaimed golden standard world-wide. National elections are held and all citizens of a nation choose their leaders.

In recent times the acceptance of this form of governance has been characterized by rigging and thuggery. It is worth remembering that the constitution makes it mandatory and abundantly clear that every citizen of Nigeria is eligible to contest all elective position irrespective of your ethnic groups or religion. It does not require the consent of any person or authority.

As earlier postulated the people of Nigeria voted for President Dr Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, let us have the courage to depart from ethnicity or regional politics and move to develop institutions that will serve the interest and stability of our nation.

Overtime, we have witnessed an unprecedented degree the human butchery and destruction of life and properties by the Boko-Haram terrorist group that want to export their fundamentalist ideology nationwide. These terrorists are being used by politicians to derail the present government of President Jonathan, a Southern minority Christian. This had shown that Nigeria is deeply divided along ethno-religious lines; the year 2015 will be a big one for Nigeria.

What I think to be the most important issue in Nigerian politics relates to national leadership to steer the states. The circle of crisis which has engulfed our nation since independence can be traced to attempts by one group or the other to provide leadership at the centre. The only genuine truth is the prevalent under developed potentially in the country, as politicians proved to be more interested in what they could get out of politics than in serving the people who elected them. Hence, they are more interested in holding political offices than in democracy per se.

While no regime or government could guarantee their security in the face of such atrocities President Jonathan since coming to power had tried his best to stabilize the besieged base of the violent jihadist group in North-East. It is high time we say enough is enough our God given resources are hugely spent on security in order to maintain law and order in a bid to curb criminal, militancy and terrorist element across Nigeria.

These resources would have been channeled to some other developmental needs. How long can peace be sustained without patriotic approach by the people. Onlytime will tell where the politics of democratic governance will be in 2015.

As politicians, we must know that one of the basics of democratic culture is patience and to remain focused, undeterred and committed to delivery of transformation goals.

The potential transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan had yield gain on a continent where leaders have a record of history of overstaying, He is not power-hungry, what does they want?

It will interest to know that those ethnocentric leaders in the country underrated President Jonathan because of his minority status. President Jonathan government is committed to democratic tenets; look at the way he conducted elections since he assumed the Presidency. In some cases, ruling Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] have won, in other instances, the opposition party won. But the fact of the matter is that he accepted and respected the outcome of the result released by Independent National Electoral Commission [ INEC].

Presently, President Jonathan has not done anything in Niger Delta region, the home of the mainstay of the nation economy with five decades of oil and gas production, he had not signed United Nation Environmental Programme on pollution [UNEP] in Niger Delta.

I urge politicians against politicizing the 2015 general election and reframe from making derogatory comments that are capable of inflaming ethnic rivalry between the regions.

Finally, in the innermost reaches of my heart I support every leader of thought, youth, political class and the elite to preach love and peaceful co-existence, and to give President Goodluck Jonathan second term to do more to foster a truly sustainable development.

I think the good people of this great country called Beloved Nigeria will give it to him.

JINBOBARAYE KARIBO-NELSON, SIPM, FECRM,
A Social commentator and Security analyst writes from Ogu Town, Rivers State, Nigeria.

[email protected], www.karibonelson.com.