Feb. 12, 2014
NewsRescue
Firstly, we must congratulate Nigerians, most especially progressive Nigerians on the recent sack ruckus. Rogue Aviation minister Stella Oduah has finally been sent back to her village. Mike Ogiadhome, the infamous chief of staff got the boot. Other ministers were sent packing. This adds to Boko Haram patronizing Bamanga Tukur who was recently deposed as PDP chairman, though he was immediately compensated with a gift appointment to chair the Railway Corp. All in all there has been some cleansing out of a putrid cabinet a year to the next general elections.
The last-minute timing of these events leaves no doubt as to the desperation of an unpopular president, who has mortgaged his political party, betrayed the peoples trust, abandoned his mandate, emptied the nations finances, wrecked the fibers of the sanity and cohesiveness of the nation and deflated what was left of our global reputation.
The Goodluck administration lost its political base. The ‘Babangida edited’ letter from PDP Godfather Obasanjo was a highlight of public dissatisfaction and frustration with the state of the nation. When the cabal also get dissatisfied, the rulers begin to fidget. They do not care about the suffering masses, but they do care about the cabal, and cabal defections and opposition forced the hand of the president, making him prop-up and pretend to act in order to salvage what could possibly be left of his chances at victory by this time next year if he reneges on his promise not to, and does contest.
It is alleged that the president has budgeted billions for bribing the cabal, who he believes will determine his destiny, but the presidential campaign team understands that with the degree of awakening and public recognition of the level of reckless plundering with impunity under the current administration, it will cost more and be more difficult to make meaningful political gains, regardless of how much is paid. Political leaders are complaining that their impoverished wards no longer find favor in them.
When whistle-blower Sanusi Lamido Sanusi could not be fired but continued to sing and sing loudly, the Jonathan government recognized the game was up. Some sacrifices had to be made to make the appearance of a semi-sane government with half a testicle. Complaints about the incompetence, gross mismanagement and massive frauds of the fourth republic to the tune of billions of dollars and over half of Nigeria’s oil earnings have been made not only by Nigerian masses, the CBN chief and the media, but by foreign NGO’s, media, the World Bank and the British Prime minister who described ‘holes’ and siphons of Nigeria’s income at the World economic forum in Darvos, and called for radical measures by global bodies in a bid to push for government accountability and transparency.
With an income of 100 billion dollars a year, Nigeria should be a highly advanced, stable nation with next to no poverty, however the opposite is the case, poverty is on the rise with the associated insecurity and terror this brings, and baby, elephant projects are set-up to create an illusion of progress. Real progress has simply eluded Nigeria for 50 years and this weak government has done its best at compounding the damage and consolidating criminal government theft and sabotage of the masses future. Privatization appears to be the only thing left the government does, but one questions why the government will not privatize itself if it believes it cannot run anything, and asks also if an incompetent government is legally permitted and competent enough to privatize. Privatizations have severely exploited and caused great pain for Nigerians.
Compared to Libya under Gaddafi, the Gaddafi government provided free electricity, 0% interest bank loans, government automatic salary for all graduates till they found employment, free farm land for farmers, a $50,000 bonus for all newlyweds, $5,000 for all new mothers, government subsidized half of new car costs, petrol cost $0.14 a liter, and the nation had no external debt and $150 billion in reserves. Libya had the highest HDI (Human Development Index) in Africa and was on par with developed nations. But such African examples of progress and government sensitivity are even too high for Nigerians to demand of their government. Nigerians only asked for a little respect, dignity and compassion from their government, with a little more doing than stealing.
The Jonathan administration had to appear as if it is searching for the putrid, decaying carcass in the executive room. Though being unable to punish these executive officers, sacking them for now, possibly to then reward them with other appointments or reappoint them if re-elected in 2015, became an unavoidable choice.
The firings of his cabinet prove the case of well meaning Nigerians and media organizations as critical and correct. It is left to see what the few supporters of unscrupulous ministers and blind supporters of the Jonathan administration will now say after the president himself by firing all these elements has proven those of us opposed to his dangerous reign, right. Jonathan, through his actions, inactions and pronouncements appears to be the worst enemy of his few supporters and his ambition, depending on what that is.
President Jonathan does not appear to be running 2015 and it is unlikely PDP will commit the suicide of fielding him if he does wish to run. Nigeria desperately needs a strong, intelligent, decent new generation president in touch with the common man, with foresight and compassion. We look forward to seeing what candidates the PDP, APC and other parties will put forward for president 2015.
On a final note; as the President, Wike, Okonjo-Iweala, Diezani, Dasuki and Patience look for the stinking corpse in the room; I will like to recommend they exchange their periscope for a mirror.
God save Nigeria.
Dr. Peregrino Brimah
http://ENDS.ng [Every Nigerian Do Something]
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @EveryNigerian
