#YNaija2015Blog: APC’s Gbenga Olorunpomi writes on Jonathan’s chances in the elections

by Gbenga Olorunpomi

Jonathan-sadAny president that takes 19 days to respond to the kidnapping of over 200 girls and never took the time to visit their parents ought to be loathed. Any man who chooses to stand side-by-side with crooks, killers and militants does a great disservice to the Green-White-Green.

I never gave President Goodluck Jonathan a chance. How could I? The guy couldn’t even come up with a campaign slogan in 2011. His team had all the money in the world, yet they couldn’t do any better than steal the advertisement ideas and catch phrases from less endowed opponents. How could I give the man a chance when he allowed a bomb to go off less than 500 metres from where he and every past leader Nigeria ever had sat on October 10th, 2010? How could I give him a chance when reading from a teleprompter turned out to be harder than quantum physics for a ‘PhD’ holder? No. I never gave President Goodluck a chance in hell.

Call me the president’s biggest hater and you would be very close to the truth. I don’t think any leader could be less inspiring or a wetter blanket. Any president that takes 19 days to respond to the kidnapping of over 200 girls and never took the time to visit their parents ought to be loathed. Any man who chooses to stand side-by-side with crooks, killers and militants does a great disservice to the Green-White-Green. Any leader that refuses to acknowledge the corpse in front of his compound but chooses to empathise with his colleague abroad should not be taken seriously.

Personally, I began plotting for the exit of President Jonathan even before the last general elections. I was a member of Team Ribadu and I advocated for a Plan B if we didn’t win. I wanted the group to morph into a political pressure group that would shine a spotlight on this administration. That never happened, so I got busy. I have spent the last four years working with the men and women that matter in the opposition, helping them achieve what we have today; Nigeria’s best chance at survival. That is what the All Progressives Congress is… our last hope.

Within the last two years, I have been privileged to have several one-on-one chats with Professor Yemi Osinbajo SAN, the running mate to General Muhammadu Buhari. Each time I left the man’s presence, I always came away a lot wiser. The man has all the time in the world to impact knowledge. How he manages to run a huge law firm, pastor a big church and still have time for the little things has always amazed me. Sometimes, I would call his phone and be told he was in front of a judge arguing a case. An hour later, he could be on his way to Redeemed Camp. Then meetings all night. Yet, the following day, he’d be as fresh as a daisy, ready to go again. I have always prayed to have his strength and wisdom.

Two days ago, I took a look at Prof and all I saw is a man on a mission. He has never looked rattled, does not seem perturbed by the task ahead and has not for one second raised his voice in anger on the campaign train. In fact, the day after he was announced as the running mate, he was back at his job, defending his friend, Ogbeni Aregbesola of Osun State.

The calm with which he has taken the entire process means one thing to me: this is preparedness meeting opportunity. Prof. Osinbajo worked hard, became a law professor at age 33 and built his integrity solidly. His many trying jobs in the past and the grace with which he dealt with them prepared him for this mission. No wonder he is enjoying this ride. plus, having a wife that understands her role and supports him firmly always helps.

No wonder President Jonathan always looks ill at ease. Whatever did he ever do to prepare him for office? Who were his mentors? Did anyone care to ask for his PhD thesis before he was selected to be deputy governor in Bayelsa State? Did he ever bring his knowledge to bear on the issues that needed intellects’ input? Did anyone take a close look at his Madam?

Personally, I consider Nigeria to be most unfortunate to have the worst president possible at this time. I have never prayed for President Jonathan. But I will say a prayer now: I pray his life after 29th May, 2015, will be as successful as his famed Transformation Agenda. And may the Wind of Change sweep away incompetence and corruption from the Aso Villa and replace with commitment and icons of morality.

#FeBuhari14 is almost here. Make it a date!

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Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

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