WE SUPPORT WHAT JONATHAN REPRESENTS; NOT JONATHAN AS A PERSON

WE SUPPORT WHAT JONATHAN REPRESENTS; NOT JONATHAN AS A PERSON
Written By Alhaji Asari Dokubo

The ascendancy of Dr Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan to the Presidency of the Nigerian State is of historical significance. Since the exit of the colonialists from Nigeria, there have been only two persons who became Commander-in-Chief without the dictation of the Gambari Oligarchy – Gen Aguiyi JT Ironsi and Dr Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan. The former lasted for only seven months before he was assassinated while the later was openly humiliated, threatened and even prevented from being sworn in.

But for the timely intervention of the democratic forces, he would have been intimidated out.By an act of conspiracy or what I prefer to call the British imperialist connivance, the Nigerian State was put under the control of the Gambari Oligarchy and this paved the way for the internal colonization of the other nations that were forcefully conscripted into Nigeria. Ever since, they have presided over the affairs of state directly in most cases and through their puppets in two instances. Weapons employed to perpetrate their hegemonic rule include coup d’état, assassination, genocide and election rigging.Sadly, their reign failed to bring the required modernisation of the Nigerian state and economy.

This was largely because they are feudal by orientation; lazy and wicked by nature; and primitive by culture. Or, how else can we explain it? Even Apartheid South Africa built a modern national economy that became the envy of free countries. In their own case, they orchestrated a dubious transition in Nigeria from a bourgeoning poly-cultural national economy to an amorphous mono-cultural peripheral economy. It is a classical story of “How the Gambari Oligarchy De-industrialized and Underdeveloped Nigeria”.Nevertheless, we cannot continue to dwell in the dark past where the horror of poverty and terror of medievalism invokes a picture of the gory tales of domination and a bleak future. It is in this light that we appreciate the dialectical and diametrical progression in the history of our audacious struggle for self determination.

As a matter of fact, it is our struggle of resistance and eternal vigilance that created the opportunity for the emergence of a Dr Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan through popular support as a Commander-in-Chief without the dictation and acceptance of the hegemonic oligarchy that arrogantly saw him as an inferior outsider. Therefore, the Jonathan Presidency is a product of the struggles of the nationalities in the North whose land and way of life are being occupied; the Yoruba and Igbo nationalities that are groaning under the imitable yoke of internal colonialism; and the nationalities in Niger Delta who not only have their land and resources occupied through internal colonialism but also have their environment degraded to a hyperbolic degree that even the United Nations Environment Programme’s UNEP Report on Ogoni could only capture in an understating manner.

Furthermore, let it be noted without equivocation that it is our duty to protect the Jonathan Presidency and the phenomenon surrounding and leading to it from the devastating and debilitating barbarism of the Oligarchy; the sabotage, avarice and greed of some of those presently around Jonathan; and sometimes protect Jonathan from himself. To succeed in this we must eschew sycophancy, expose cheerleaders, promote objectivity and focus on the ultimate goal of national liberation and industrialization.Over the years, our people have been disempowered by previous regimes through fraudulent practices in appointment to positions, award of contracts and oil blocks and creation of States and Local Government Areas.

The Jonathan Presidency should begin a systematic empowerment of our people so that we can attain a level of equality in terms of wealth distribution across regions. This should also include the rights of all nations forcefully conscripted into Nigeria to have an inalienable right to self-determination and independence.However, to be able to deliver on the expectations of his power base as identified above, he should strengthen his government and grip on power. All non-performing appointees should be put on the bus. They are becoming a liability and burden too much to bear and he cannot continue to receive bullets on their behalf. Top in the priority of those to go without further delay is the failed and corrupt Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe. This is a man who rode on the back of the Niger Delta struggle to become Minister and prior to that could not be adjudged rich by any known standard. Today as new revelations have shown he has amassed so much wealth at the expense of the people he was supposed to serve while is Ministry remains a barefaced blackmail and totally un-performing.

To be on a safer side, Mr President should reconcile with his estranged diehard allies and side with the masses as the battle being waged against him by principalities and powers in high places can only be surmounted with people power. He should do away with the corrupt cabal around him because they are enemies posing as friends so as to be able continue to feather their corruption nest and feed their gargantuan and insatiable appetite and greed.It is imperative that the Jonathan Presidency reclaims its popularity and restore back the Goodluck Momentum that saw to the crushing defeat of the hegemonic Oligarchy in the 2011 Presidential Elections and Party Primaries.

This is the time for a return to public debates, political orientation and national dialogue.Moreover, the message for the Oligarchy is that as long as they continue to shy away from the imperative of a National Conference as the only peaceful way out of this political logjam they should forget about power returning to them in any time earlier than 2035 not to talk of 2015. President Goodluck Jonathan must exhaust his consitutional provision of two terms of four years each. If he gives up his interest in 2015, another person from the Niger Delta shall be fielded to serve out his remaining one term of four years.

After then, somebody from the South-East region will serve for another round of two terms of four years each. This will be followed by another person from the Middle-belt region who will serve subsequently for two terms of four years each. Unfortunately for them, the 2035 contest will not be an easy one as they will have new social and political forces from the North who would have consolidated their political structures before then to contend with.Nonetheless, all these can only be achieved by a sustained struggle of solidarity, resistance and vigilance by the oppressed peoples; and the role of the Jonathan Presidency in making sure that this is achieved can never be overemphasized.

From the foregoing, it is obvious what the Jonathan Presidency represents and why we are a fervent supporter of it and not some mere cheerleading, and sycophantic supporters of his person as an omnipotent messiah.

Written By Alhaji Asari Dokubo