Lai Labode: How President Jonathan will win in 2015

by Lai Labode

President-Goodluck-Jonathan-in-Nigeria-army-uniform

It is indeed most uncharitable to say President Jonathan’s administration has done nothing . I find some of the APC denials of the successes of this government incomprehensible especially when it is coming from some people who are supposed to be very learned , sophisticated and supposedly on a very high morally plane .

Former President Obasanjo’s letter to President Goodluck can be summed up in one word; Avoidable! The letter in my opinion is a result of a poorly managed communication channel between the former leader and the incumbent. The result of the communication failure is the former president’s public alignment with the worst of public and personal opinion of the President GEJ’s government.

While we may justifiably read all sorts of conspiracy theories and motives to it, I think weight of the communication would have better served both leaders if it was done strictly at the Presidential level and never leaked to the public.

Former President Obasanjo’s anger may have been accentuated by the poorly perceived stance and disposition of the President’s kinsmen and aide. I, however, think the communication may have still been best expressed in a private letter than in an open letter as may have been forced by the breakdown in communication between the two leaders.

While I genuinely think President Goodluck could have managed the former President better, the communication failure may not necessarily warrant the public exposure of the letter by the Former President. A private letter from the former President to the incumbent president would have been archived for history’s judgment and would have vindicated the former President if indeed President Jonathan actually was culpable and didn’t make amends .That may have better served the former President’s towering image in Africa and on the world stage when after many years ,the letter is eventually and inevitably discovered and made public.

There is no doubt that OBJ’s legacy is firmly secured in the good, the bad and ugly sides of Nigeria and Africa’s history. While he is still alive and blessed with an active mind, former President Obasanjo may be justifiably attempting to influence a few new chapters in how history concludes his story.Whether we like it or not , his name will forever be in the book of the greats.

Former President OBJ’s letter may also have inadvertently strengthened the resolve of President Goodluck to perform even better , shame his critics and ultimately write himself more favorably in Nigeria’s history. Former President Obasanjo cannot deny that President Goodluck has surely consolidated on some of the great legacies of his eight year presidency while pushing ahead with his own transformation agenda .

I very much doubt that former President Obasanjo will be in a hurry to do a rejoinder to President GEJ’s response. Baba’s knows better that any further response will do no good for anyone . Baba will be more likely prepared for reconciliation that brings calm to the polity and sets the stage for high level compromises that will give GEJ the 2015 presidency if he chooses to run , re-set the PDP and ultimately add another feather to Baba’s cap.

While many critics may not agree , President Jonathan’s response gave a good account of his stewardship so far of a very complex country . No one can deny any Nigerian the right to complain about what is wrong with Nigeria or lay every blame at the doorstep of the President , we must however also realize that , the president or anyone for that matter cannot solve all of Nigeria’s problems even in 10 terms in office .There is no magic to wand to wave . It takes time , consistency and resolve to make changes in any nation especially a country like Nigeria .

History’s verdict isn’t closed on President Jonathan’s leadership by any means ,he has a chance to become one of Africa’s best leaders in the years to come if he connects more to the grace that followed Mandela to his grave . The President must however take responsibility for the breakdown in communication between him and his political Godfather, it behooves the president to protect his presidency and the PDP from escalated internal squabbles within the PDP family, after all the president only gets credit when all is well and must take the blame when things are not so great .This is the essence of leadership.

It is indeed most uncharitable to say President Jonathan’s administration has done nothing. I find some of the APC denials of the successes of this government incomprehensible especially when it is coming from some people who are supposed to be very learned , sophisticated and supposedly on a very high morally plane .

A lot has happened since President Jonathan’s election, President Jonathan may be on his way to something more phenomenal than many can fathom. The president however needs more assets than liabilities to manage presidential communications and perception.

President Jonathan and President Obasanjo will ultimately reconcile and they will set the stage for the PDP victory come 2015 . A lot of those who have left will have a rethink to return home. An unprecedented re-alignment and re-dedication to the survival of the PDP will happen. More Nigerians will see that APC groundbreaking progress may have helped the PDP re-make itself . There isn’t vacancy in Aso Rock except President Jonathan decides not to run.

It is becoming rather clear to most Nigerians who genuinely seek change that the change APC may bring may only be enshrined in a different name rather than clear cut ideological change that sets it apart from the PDP .

The PDP has had a lot of successes despite all it’s known failures in its fourteen year rule of our country. These successes are largely underplayed by a necessary political opposition who largely control the media and perception. A control that remains a minus for the leadership of Africa’s largest party.

Fellow Nigerians, here is the real news , the PDP may have lost many high profile members and threatened its hold on power , it will however not be run out of the Presidency in 2015 . Not just yet .

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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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