Editor’s note: It has been three months since Goodluck Jonathan handed over power to Muhammadu Buhari but Nigeria still seems like a country tied to the shadows of the Jonathan era. Jonathan has moved on but Nigerians still think the former president is responsible for every old and new predicament that the country is facing. Naij.com’s editor, Omotayo Yusuf shares his thought about this situation.
Goodluck Jonathan is a fine man; perhaps too good to have succeeded as the president of a rotten country like Nigeria. If Jonathan had been the president of Eldorado or Wonderland where people did things right, he would have succeeded with his brand of leadership. He would have benefitted a sea-calm country. He gave the entertainment industry an (un)arguably unprecedented attention, created an avenue for true democracy to operate (which eventually made it possible for Muhammadu Buhari to come out victorious in 2015 presidential election), provided an enabling environment for local and international investments to thrive and allowed the participation of more women in politics.
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The focus is however not on his projects or achievement. In spite of Jonathan’s interest to make Nigeria a better place under the platform of the transformation agenda, he had a lot of problem because he was too good. A corruption-ridden country like Nigeria doesn’t need a good man; it needs a leader that is as hard as teak and tougher than leather. Nigerians voted for Muhammadu Buhari because they felt he had a track record of zero tolerance for corruption which had hindered the process of the country’s development.
100 days after Goodluck Jonathan handed over to Muhammadu Buhari, Jonathan still remains a name the media raves about and the citizens chew. Hardly a day goes by without the media reporting that a certain official who served under Jonathan (with strong emphasis on Jonathan) will be probed or officials who worked under Jonathan have been sacked. One might be forced to wonder if Goodluck Jonathan and not Muhammadu Buhari is the president of the country.
Jonathan’s Problem
As earlier mentioned, Goodluck Jonathan was a good man but his goodness was the flaw that affected his government. He did not want to step on toes. He pardoned former governor, Diepreye Alamiseyeseigha in 2013, a move that was frowned at by most Nigerians. There were indications of wide spread corruption which Jonathan turned a blind eye to. Barely a year ago, he made an erroneous statement which was the last straw in which he claimed “Stealing is not corruption”. This later became a fixation that cost doubt on his willingness to fight corruption.
Security was another major problem under the Jonathan administration, the kidnap of the over 200 Chibok girls and the initial denial painted a nonchalant picture of the government in its anti-terrorist war.
The Result
Muhammadu Buhari came with a track record of zero- tolerance for corruption. The infamous Dikko affair while he the head of state highlighted his determination to not only curb corruption but also to bring to book anyone suspected of corruption. His experience as a former head of state made him the messianic figure. Nigerians saw him as the perfect individual to combat the two greatest menaces – corruption and insecurity – that were ravaging the country for the first time in the country’s democratic history, Buhari defeated the incumbent president in a keenly contested election to emerge as the president of Nigeria.
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What Next?
It has been more than three months since Goodluck Jonathan handed power to Muhammadu Buhari unfortunately, Nigeria doesn’t seem to have move on. Nigeria and its media still talk about the former president as if he is still in office. Ministers and political office holder who served under Jonathan’s administration are under the radar and are being probed by the new administration. Surprisingly, the former president is viewed as the architect of these individuals’ actions even though there has been no indication or evidence of his participation or involvement in any financial crime corrupt individuals should be probed but a line should be drawn between Jonathan’s participation in corruption (if there is any) and his supposed offence of not punishing corrupt officials. No father gets punished for the misgivings of his son.
Conclusion
Nigeria needs to move on and focus on how to manage the present in order to create a platform for a better future. Political corruption did not begin with the Jonathan administration but it can certainly end now if a better system and structure is created. Nigeria needs to leave Jonathan alone and focus on the future.
The post Jonathan here, Jonathan there, when will Nigerians leave Jonathan Alone? appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Read on NAIJ.COM.
Jonathan here, Jonathan there, when will Nigerians leave Jonathan Alone?
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