ASSAULT ON THE SEAT OF THE PRESIDENCY

Contemporarily, election time in Nigeria has always been fraught with violence, turmoil, anxiety, apprehension and dread. Perhaps it is because of the “do or die” mentality of our politicians or the inordinate gains made while occupying political office are too great to be easily passed off.  One thing is certain; electioneering and politicking season is a time when all “gloves are off,” as the scramble for political office becomes extremely fierce.

However, as political parties and politicians employ different political maneuvers and tactics to outfox each other while campaigning, cajoling or goading the electorates, the sacrosanctity of certain candidates and political offices of the Republic should be accorded the due respect it deserves. Of particular reference are the presidential candidates of all parties and the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. During this particular election campaign, while the Presidential candidates of all parties have been afforded their right to be protected from being assaulted with the ruling party going out of their way to caution their supporters against any act of impunity or assault against all candidates, the person of President Jonathan has been assaulted, treated with contempt and molested by supposed agents of the opposition.

Two weeks ago, it was reported in the news that there was a bomb blast outside the stadium in Gombe state where the President had gone to campaign. A bomb was detonated minutes after President Jonathan had ended his campaign rally in the Northern city. Whether the President was the target or not is yet to be confirmed but it was not the first incident of unwarranted attacks unleashed against him and his convoy during the course of this campaign. Prior of that incident; unidentified political thugs attacked the convoy of President Jonathan in Katsina, the state that the presidential candidate of the main opposition party, Muhammadu Buhari, hails from.

Also, last month, President Goodluck Jonathan's visit to the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ife, an institution located in a state that is under the control of the APC opposition party, was cut short after supposed protesting students of the institution apparently forced the President out of the school. The President and the convoy that accompanied him were targeted and pelted with stones. According to reports, the students barricaded the road, preventing his convoy from progressing.

In addition, during the President’s campaign in Yola, the presidential convoy was stoned by mobs suspected to be members of the opposition. The windows on several of the vehicles in the convoy were smashed, before police used tear gas to disperse the crowd. In another Northern state, Bauchi, there were similar reports of a specific attack on the presidential convoy as it was stoned by hoodlums; thought to be part of the opposition.

Without much debate, the unfortunate turn of events, the violence that seems to be creeping into the campaigns and the apparent attacks on the office of the presidency, are believed to have political undertones. Never have elections in Nigeria been this competitive and fierce, and the ultimate price of the presidency is eliciting for improper, violent and extreme measures to be employed by some unscrupulous politicians. These measures are not in conformity with global best practices, not conforming to legality, moral law, or social convention and appear to be all in an attempt to sway the electorates. Never in the history of Nigeria has the exalted office of the President been this debased and treated with disdain, all in an effort to score cheap political points. Nevertheless, this is getting out of hand.

As a patriotic citizen of this beloved nation, regardless of political party affiliation, creed or ethnicity, any presidential candidate from any of the political parties and especially the office and the elected individual occupying the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should be respected, no matter what. As long as he occupies ASO Rock, President Jonathan deserves better than being stoned and pelted in states controlled by the opposition. The President like any other Nigerian, irrespective of the political party he belongs to, ethnicity, tribe, or religion, has the right to campaign in any locality, any Local Government Area, any district, and in any state of his choice, in an effort to garner as much votes as he can from the electorates.

Democracy is about inducing a level playing field for political aspirants to test their popularity and strength in the murky waters of politics. No aspirant, particularly the President should be intimidated with violence or systematically restricted from campaigning in certain areas within the country, especially if the aspirant is not from that particular region or locality, or in any of the opposition states.

From all observations, the President has been the only presidential candidate in the run-up to this month’s presidential elections getting the “short end of the stick,” as he has been bullied severally not to campaign in certain areas, particularly in the north, which is the perceived stronghold of his rival from the major opposition party. Thus, it wouldn’t be a surprise if some of the hoodlums and miscreants, supposedly posing as protesters, inflicting such abhorred assault on the motorcade of the president and his entourage, are being sponsored and instigated by some unscrupulous politicians, particularly from the camp of the leading opposition party.

Hence, since members of the opposition are not doing enough in condemning the assault on the prime institution of Nigeria and the foremost citizen of the Republic, the situation is slowly morphing into an ethnic and regional feud. Already, ex-militants from the same region and ethnicity as the President have begun threatening the northern establishment, the opposition presidential candidate and the party that the same action meted out to their kit and kin would also be doled out to the opposition aspirant when he comes campaigning in their region. Needless to say, this is the kind of situation we, as a society, must do everything to prevent.
While I don’t subscribe to the rants, threats and grandiosity of ethnic bigots, the assault on the office of the President needs to be quelled as soon as possible and at all cost before it implodes out of proportion.

The legal way and globally accepted norm in establishing a perceived grievance against the seat of the President is by voting for someone else other than the President come March. Any other act different from this is a crime and erring individuals no matter how highly placed, should be treated as criminals by the authorities. The unacceptable assault on the seat of the president in opposition controlled territories must be stopped before it gets completely out of control and triggers reprisal attacks.

Very Nice, but I do hope nobody would politicised this against Apc

I have raised a similar issue. Never in the history of our nation has a sitting President been subjected to such lampooning, insults, indignity and denigration. This is beyond politics; it's primitive conspiracy.

This isn't politics at all.

Is time for we the of Nigeria to stand and defend the wise saying, youths are the leaders of tomorrow, we are not meant to be use as political thugs, bandits

DO WE HAVE PRESIDENT OR DIRECTOR OF WOMEN AFFARIRS?

Kakpos:
DO WE HAVE PRESIDENT OR DIRECTOR OF WOMEN AFFARIRS?

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