Violence increased
When you were sworn in the first time it was said that Niger Delta became less restive. This may be true because the argument peddled to them then was that one of 'their own' is now in the seat of power. But the real people who went underground in Niger Delta never came out. In fact, it is on record that they did what they had never done before in their history when you came to power; they bombed Abuja. These people are still underground, they do not intend coming out and that is what you have to tackle in the next four years.
Meanwhile the Niger Delta 'settlement' still continues. It is an all comers affair. It was sad to note a phone conversation that went on one place. On this end of the conversation, the fella was excited as he was being told to leave Lagos quickly and rush down to Port (Harcourt).
Why you might be wondering? Apparently, the windfall of 'militant resettlement' had started dropping and youths like him from all over the country, some of whom had never even held a gun in their life were rushing down to Port Harcourt to don the name of a militant so that they could be registered. This youth laughed over it, he didn't go but many did. The number of 'militants' that have been 'resettled' are in their thousands. Nobody is pausing to ask if these thousands were actually in the creeks -an army with such a mass would have done more damage than what really transpired. But the real militants are still in the creeks, they are even becoming more efficient now that you are President and those are the people you will be facing in the South-South.
What about the North?
Ah! For the things you would have done within a year of your stay in office if only you decided not to run! You see, just as those in the South-South had people who knew them by name and face and who even knew where they slept at night, the same applies to those in the North. And these people(that knows them) are in positions of authority, don't be surprised Mr. President if you have been eating and dining with them even as they are aware of these men who unleash carnage in the name of religion. You see sir, it's all about control and leverage. It's all about having an effective bargaining chip. Oh how they prayed that you would bite the bait and accept to run for the office of President! Before then they had no power, no leverage on you and they were very afraid because you were like a wet dynamite to them in those very early days when it appeared as if you were undecided. Cursed is ambition that made you swallow the bait! That was the period you would have effectively dealt with them. That was the period when those sponsoring violence in Jos and Borno and in other places up north would have either gone underground and suspended the act altogether or would have been made to pay the price because they know that without any leverage over you, they would be sitting ducks. Or why do you think that sect leader was killed after being apprehended? Didn't you hear when it was said that there were those in places of authority who were connected with him? But you decided to drink and dine with them and you short changed your tenure with the desire for another four years. You short changed a period when you could have made extremely meaningful impact to four years of the usual story. Maybe you should have gone to Muritala Mohammed and talked to him. How long did he stay in power? But are we not still talking about him today because of the impact he made? Even Buhari could have told you a few things, how long did he stay, but it was that very short period of time that catapulted him into relevance and had become so even decades after. If only you had just refused to bite the bait! But now that you have won the elections, what will your next four years be like?
Are you going to be one of those President who cannot freely travel to some states in his own country(even states you were declared as winner)? That would be a first if it ever happens. But what do we have here? We still have a PDP that is in power. It's a master stroke of ingenuity for a party agreed by all to be so corrupt and having lost its relevance to now be voted into power by people who were all this while thought to be de-tribalized and ready to push Nigeria forward in the right direction. And they had the temerity to say they were voting personality and not the polity called the PDP. What has that got to do with the party? Why would they not celebrate their stroke of good fortune for having such a Good Luck to continue the pillage and the 'equitable' sharing formular they have adopted over the years? Their partners in crime have been indicted in foreign courts and names have be mentioned but in Nigeria, their EFCC is still looking for proof! In foreign courts, their accomplices have be prosecuted and found guilty, but in Nigeria the very prime perpetrators of the crime are walking free and in places of governance because the evidence is just not there.
What are we going to see in the next four years now that you have being elected President?
If you failed with the little time, you are going to fail with the big time, and I know you don't believe the hype of how your short tenure has been so successful. It is the PDP that is in power ladies and gentlemen and you have all contributed your own quota in ensuring that they don't leave Aso Rock. All they did was try on a new mask and it brought them Good Luck. Now the mask did not cover there body ie they were not even a masqurade. It was in fact the kind of mask that even when used on your face or part of it still leaves your identity open for all to see but what most chose to see was their Good Luck. PDP was not trying to hide themselves and even up to the very elections people were still being caught in one act or the other that bespoke sabotage of their sitting President's promise of a free and fair election. And they were doing this in states where they had 'majority' but everybody decided to look the other way as they like the fools they were kept on nodding their head in approval of the wonderful clothing the king, sorry; the President had on and none had the guts to own up to the fact that the king is naked.
One can just see three years from now how this same people will come out and defend their Good Luck. We already know what they are going to say because it is a prepared script that only the perverse in integrity read from. Here's some:
*** ***
He was not given the chance to do what he really wanted.
The 'cabal' within the PDP fustrated his efforts.
Corruption is not the responsibility of one man to eradicate.
He should be given another four years to finish what he has started.
*** ***
Four years from now the PDP will jump up again and see if their luck would shine a second time. There would have been bombings, there would have been carnage, there would have been atrocities, there would have been scandals but the PDP would shake themselves again and see if their luck would shine.
Then the 'de-tribalized' Nigerians who are from the South-South would speak again. They would want the South to have their full eight years and who better to choose than the man who is already at the sit of power? And everybody would postpone the liberation of Nigeria from corruption for another four years.
And as for you Mr. President, you have become what you wanted. They have voted you into power -one way or the other. You are the Good Luck mask of the PDP. The mascot that represents corruption continum. Let's us see how you would fare. Already things are bad as it is. You have not been sworn in and carnage is already on the street called Nigeria. What have you done? Blame another man. Is this what Nigeria is going to get for the next four years? Blaming others and sacking one person after the other, looking at every where but the problem and dealing with it squarely? Please come off this shameless path and begin to look for other excuses beside post election violence. A time will come when it would no longer hold any credibility, the carnage in the North is being perpetrated by those in Authority who are privy of those that are commiting the crimes, the 'Blame it on Buhari' would soon wear out. What a shame. What a pity. As to the people that 'voted' you into power, we say congratulations. The joy here is they got what they wanted and yes what they deserved. This is an ongoing soap, sit comfortably and watch on.
NB part of your campaign assertions were that since you were in power there had not been any fuel crisis. Well sir, you have barely been sworn in and the truth of PDP and what you represent is already showing....where is kerosene? Have your people started justifying why fuel must be increased already? Now local air carriers go to countries like Ghana to get fuel because it is cheaper...and to think that Ghana gets their fuel from us....
The PDP won't allow the price to be cheap in Nigeria...their middle men won't. They won't allow it to be available also so that it can still be even more expensive....this is what people have voted to continue in Nigeria....now they are depending on Luck to get things done right...what a shame...what a pity.
This piece was written before President Jonathan was sworn in on May 29 2011.
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