Ayo Akintayo's World: 2010

Perspectives On 2011 Elections in Nigeria

The much awaited 2011 Elections in our dear country are going to be very significant indeed for many reasons.

To begin with, it is coming at the heel of our celebration of Fifty Years of political independence from British Rule. In the scriptures, the fiftieth year stands for the year of jubilee or freedom. So, in the Nigerian experience, it is generating a lot of anticipation for freedom for the average Nigerian, from neo-colonialism, widespread oppression, marginalisation, high scale social injustice, in-equity, political brigandage, et cetera, all characterised in social disequilibrium and abject poverty in the midst of abundance, now prevalent in our nation.

As if the above described scenario is not jeopardising enough, a political logjam occasioned by the unscheduled and unexpected ascendancy of President Goodluck Jonathan, a south-southerner. Much of the petroleum resources, if not all, which has been the mainstay of the Nigerian Economy for the past three or four decades, is derived from the south-south region but the region which has never produced a Nigerian President until the fortuitous ascendance of Jonathan, is restive with agitations spurred by widespread allegations of neglect, injustice and marginalisation.

And, until recently, when the government of President Umaru Musa Yar-Adua, may his soul rest in peace, was able to come up with a truce, through his amnesty programme for the protesting youths, the attrition was already burgeoning into almost that of a full scale war.

In the aftermath of the debilitating state of the health and the eventual passage of our immediate past president, our dear nation was really put to a test over the issue of succession to the late president.

The zoning arrangement in the ruling People’s Democratic Party had guaranteed an eight year tenure for northern Nigeria, and the fear then, which indeed is now being played-out, is that this guaranteed arrangement may be jeopardised if the constitutional arrangement of the vice president, in this case, a southerner in the person of Goodluck Jonathan, is allowed to become president.

The rest is history, as President Jonathan eventually beat the odds and was sworn-in, first as the Acting President and eventually as President. The fear of the North actually played-out. President Jonathan is running. The People’s Democratic Party sees nothing wrong with that and the North is not going to give-up without a fight.

The North came up with a battle strategy – to produce a consensus candidate among all her sons jostling for the plum job on the platform of the ruling party, in order to increase their chances of clinching the party’s ticket ahead of the April 2011 elections.

This, indeed was a tall order, as it set up a screening committee, to produce a consensus candidate among the former military president, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar Muhammed, former National Security Adviser, Aliyu Gussau and, the Chairman, Governor’s forum and Kwara State Governor, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, all very determined candidates.

Monday 22 November, 2010, the committee, chaired by former Finance Minister, Adamu Ciroma, announced the choice of Atiku Abubakar as the Northern anointed candidate. Four of the Nine man eminent personalities that constituted the committee were reported to have voted for the young Lion from Adamawa, that is Atiku, three of them had voted for the gap-toothed Nigerian maradona, the other two votes remaining were said to have been garnered by Saraki, with none cast for Gussau.

The significant of this development on our political landscape should not be lost to the discerning observer. It is a clear indication that the North is spoiled for total war in their desperation to cling on to power come 2011. But this ethnic dimension been strongly introduced may eventually dominate the coming elections, and this may lead to the much awaited, much expected political storm which may sweep the oppressive and corrupt political elites away, in order to give room for a God-ordained New Beginning for our dear Nation.

Ordinarily speaking, one would have expected the North and the South-South to sit down and agree that either of them will be allowed the next four years while the other is given the support for the consequent tenure.

Happily, however, this is primarily an issue for the ruling People’s Democratic Party. All the same, the October 1, 2010 Independent Day Anniversary Bomb embarrassment, the re-awakened restiveness in the South-South region and the amount of dangerous and harmful weapons been stockpiled by politicians – putting in mind the recent unwarranted carnage visited repeatedly on Plateau State, are ominous signs that trouble may be lurking around the belly of the Niger.

Yet again, we find solace in the word of the Lord to us in the mouth of our referred father in the Lord, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, that ALL IS WELL. That is the Theme of Holy Ghost Congress been organised by the Redeemed Christian Church of God between Monday 13th December and Saturday 20th December, 2010.

We, indeed, so trust in the Lord, that all shall be well. For no matter what storm may trouble our political sea, or any area of our national or individual lives, we can take solace that we can follow the example of our Lord by proclaiming, Peace Be Still. Again, the scriptures have decreed that ALL things of necessity must work together our good that love God and are called according to His PURPOSE.

Meanwhile, our Welfare Agenda as encapsulated in our All in One Programme of Action for Nigeria (See www.joint-heirs-reigningwithchrist.blogspot.com) will be vigorously pursued for the good of all Nigerians and the stability of our God-given Nation of Nigeria.

We must continue to pray for our nation, get fully involved in the political process, through political education, making ourselves available to be used of God as credible candidates, registering to vote come January, voting for the right candidates and ensuring that our votes count.

Ayo Akintayo's World

Friday, November 26, 2010

Perspectives On 2011 Elections

Monday, November 15, 2010

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