“As we celebrate this year’s Democracy Day, let us remember that democracy thrives amidst the greatest disagreements; spurring dialogues and, eventually, galvanizing consensus and a common focus.”
– President Goodluck Jonathan, Abuja, May 29, 2013
I have never made any pretence to the fact that I am one Nigerian that loves my country and President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan so much.
Beyond the demands of the fine principles of patriotism and civic responsibility that make it incumbent on citizens to demonstrate unmistakable love for their fatherland, the fact of the overwhelming mandate he got from Nigerians across the land in the 2011 presidential poll, underscores the need for me to love the President, my President, Nigeria’s President.
And the record achievements highlighted in his administration’s scorecard last Wednesday inside Abuja’s International Conference Centre, endears me more to him and his team. There may be some weak links in his Transformation Team, no doubt, but a good across-the-board showing in the first half of his administration, means, before long, dreamland may just become real in Nigeria of our time. My reasons are not far-fetched.
Think of the near-anomie state of the nation in the twilight of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s administration and the seeming hopelessness that followed efforts by true patriots to make Jonathan Acting President. Think about the initial cynicism that greeted the novel Doctrine of Necessity that eventually gave hope to Nigeria again and think about the threats of fire and brimstone upon the nation from supposed elders from the North ahead the 2011 elections. They just could not fathom the idea that Jonathan would run for the very high office which they claimed still belonged to the north. But in 2011, Jonathan ran for the office, won and is Nigeria’s citizen numero uno.
The intensification of destabilising acts against the government and people months into Jonathan’s administration, many have argued, could just have been a natural response of insurgents to the threats made by the elders earlier referred to.
But as the nation marked its 14 years of unbroken civilian governance and two years of Jonathan’s administration, the President has put all those Initial Gra Gra aside; and the nation and its people are better off.
Of Akpabio, Suswam and Uduaghan.
Three state governors excite me along the foregoing lines. Initially, there were appearances of shakings and attendant stability doubts in their respective abilities to deliver democratic dividends to their people.
Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio is one state governor whose popularity extends largely beyond the frontiers of his home state.
Unlike some of his colleagues who are mid-way through their respective second terms in office, and are yet to deliver 20 per cent of their respective campaign promises to the people, but take delight to play the mischievous ostrich scavenging for ants in the sand when its whelps are exposed to the hard vicissitudes of their habitat with its unpredictable hordes of predators, Akpabio has surpassed expectations.
The latter may be few in number, but their aggregate voice of dissent against any idea, ideal or good Jonathan represents remained so loud that most Nigerians may no longer reckon with them especially now that the sitting administration’s mid-term score sheet has exposed either their collective ignorance or subjective partisanship or diabolical mischief.
Akpabio’s achievements have also shut the mouth of the opposition in Akwa Ibom State. From Ikot Ekpene through Uyo to Itam junction; and from Ibom Center in the heart of Uyo all the way to Eket and into the hinterlands, the signposts of Akpabio abound.
From infrastructure to services that touch the lives of the people directly, the state governor has manifested his unshakable resolve to let the people to not only see, but to taste, feel and revel in the dividends of democracy that it has pleased God to use him bestow on Akwa Ibomites.
Benue State governor, Dr. Gabriel Suswam too is in this fold of state governors who are largely under-rated but are up and doing that their people must not remain afar from democracy and development again.
Apart from the recurring clashes between cattle herdsmen and farmers in a small part of the state, Suswam, (who is) well into his second term in office, has remained focused on his promises to better the lives of his people via provision of those services and infrastructure that would uplift the average Benue man.
Like Akpabio, his closeness to the President is now seen as beyond mere happenstance. Their affinity for one another may just be likened to some scenes in a secondary school where you see brilliant students flocking together.
Jonathan has commissioned many projects in Benue State so much so that the usually vibrant opposition in the idle Belt state has become passive observers. No doubt, Suswam is one state governor who thumbed his chest on May 29 feeling good for himself and his people.
As for Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, there is also no gainsaying the fact that his achievements from Amukpe area, through Warri to Asaba as well as Bomadi area are worth thumbing up for.
And given the restlessness of the opposition in the state firmed up by the fallouts of the incarceration of former governor, James Ibori, underscored by the fearful tribal politics that go with almost everything that has to do with public office in the state, Uduaghan deserves a big plus for his achievements.
From good roads to housing, security and infrastructure never found in the state before now, the governor is opening Delta State to its past of dynamism in every sphere of life worth positively underscoring.
His loyalty to President Jonathan too, may have added the verve with which he delivered. He demonstrated it only this week when he admonished Deltans to stop criticising President Goodluck Jonathan publicly.
Hear him: “I need to say that the South-South, to which Delta State belongs, has produced the President, Dr. Jonathan. He is the first President from the region and I want to remind us that he was the vice president, when President Umaru Yar’Adua died. Of course, he became the President and just before he could find his feet as President, there was an election in which he took part and eventually became the President.
“Today, Jonathan has effectively become the President of Nigeria. We will not forget that. I am emphasising this because people compare his two years to eight years spent by other presidents. He has just spent two years in office and a lot has happened. I am sure many of you must have listened to his mid-term report today (yesterday). It is full in the areas of power, roads, and airports. And so, because he is our son, we must give him maximum support.
“As a state government, we are giving him maximum support and I am urging all of us from Delta State to give him the support to succeed because the politics of Nigeria is still very regional. Every region is struggling for its interest. No other region is struggling for your interest and we must understand that. It is a game of interests.”
These three state governors remain fine examples in loyalty to party, state and the people. The progress they are making in their respective states indicate this. Loyalty, like management studies show, pays!