[size=14pt]Those calling for Jonathan’s resignation are jokers[/size]

Wednesday, 13 October 2010


Dejo Raimi

Dr Dejo Raimi is former Secretary to Oyo State Government, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and immediate past Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA). In this interview with Assistant Editor Dapo Falade, he described those calling for the impeachment of President Goodluck Jonathan as mischievous and jokers of the year.

[size=14pt]WHAT is your take on the ultimatum given to President Goodluck Jonathan to vacate office on alleged grounds of incompetence and non-performance?[/size]

Those people making the call are used, old politicians and they have nothing more to offer. They are not in contact with realities any longer. Imagine somebody like Mallam Adamu Ciroma; for how has he been on the scene in this country? He was a minister right from the First and Second Republics. They have used their time; they have used the time of their children and they are now attempting to use the time of their grandchildren, which is not acceptable to anybody.

[size=14pt][b]We have six geopolitical zones in the country now. In the North, we have the North-West, comprising seven states-Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Kano, Jigawa, Katsina and Kaduna. From this area, how many rulers have we had and for how long? From Sokoto area, we have Alhaji Shehu Shagari, who ruled for four years and some months; Murtala Muhammed (Kano) ruled for six months and Sani Abacha (Kano) ruled for five years. The late Umaru Yar’Adua (Katsina) ruled for more than two years and Muhammadu Buhari, from Katsina, ruled for about two years. All together, this particular zone ruled for over 13 years.

In the North-Central zone, which consists of six states-Niger, Kwara, Kogi, Benue, Plateau and Nasarawa — Ibrahim Babangida, from Niger, ruled for eight years, Yakubu Gowon, from Plateau, ruled for nine years and Abubakar Abdusalam, from Niger, ruled for 11 months. That zone alone ruled for almost 18 years.

Then, the North-East, consisting of Taraba, Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Yobe and Gombe states, have ruled for about seven years, that is, Tafawa Balewa. The combination of these zones had ruled this country for almost 38 years.

When you come to the South, you will see that the South-West, consisting of the  Yoruba states-Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti and Osun-we have Obasanjo whose first coming was three years and another eight solid years, making 11 years in all. Then, we have Ernest Shonekan who was there for 84 days.

In the South-East, we have Aguiyi-Ironsi who only ruled for six months.

In the South-South, they have not tasted power before the sudden and lucky appearance of Goodluck Jonathan, who has spent four months only.

So, for anybody, who is really not a political joker, to say that a deprived area where they have ruled this country for only four months, should resign, I think that person is only playing politics or is joking. Definitely, such a person cannot be taken seriously.[/b][/size]

Secondly, those calling for the resignation of the president are living in the past. When you take Ciroma, Abubakar Atiku, Aliyu Gusau, they still believe that Nigeria remains the same country where one of their leaders once said that they will conquer from the Sahara Desert, right down to the Atlantic Ocean. No, things have changed; people are more educated and they attached importance to good governance. It would have been better if those who have ruled, from the North, have made any substantial achievements.

But their people should ask them questions; I have seen some educated young elements from the North asking, after ruling this country for the whole of 38 years, what have they got to show for it in the North? What anybody can point to is Abuja, which is a collective joint effort of everybody. Don’t forget it was the late Justice Akinola Aguda who led the late Dr Tai Solarin and others to go round to choose a place which is very central to all parts of the country and it was cited there.

[size=14pt]So, those calling for President Goodluck Jonathan to resign are either joking, very unserious or they are not facing the present realities. Nigeria of yesteryear is quite different from Nigeria of today. They are either mischievous, playing politics of the past or are very unrealistic and out of touch with present day realities; they are the greatest jokers of the year.[/size]

http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/politics/12016-those-calling-for-jonathans-resignation-are-jokers

What is this crap about "tasting power" our people keep talking about - Nigeria is not Gbegiri soup, is it? As far as I am concerned the 3 criteria are:

1. Are you trustworthy?
2. Do you have a progressive, workable plan to move Nigeria forward, with the organizing ability to get it done?
3. Are you accountable? This is probably the most crucial, since this gives us the ability to call you to order if you begin to run amock.

Tribe, region, etc all crap when it comes to moving Nigeria forward.

In the South-South, they have not tasted power before the sudden and lucky appearance of Goodluck Jonathan, who has spent four months only.

BTW - IBB fails all 3 criteria