Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s greatest undoing was silently
nursing a second term bid early in his first term. That ensured that
most of his actions were dictated by the need not to offend those who
would help him secure that his second term. In spite of his efforts, he
still did not get that second term.
Compare that to ex-Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State. In his
first term, he worked like someone who did not care about a second term.
Indeed, he was reported as having promised earlier that he would not go
for a second term.
Because he was not angling for a second term, he was bold to step on toes...
He did what the people wanted. Consequently, he won the hearts of those
who mattered most: the electorate. When his godfather, Asiwaju Bola
Tinubu, fell out with him before the 2011 elections and there were
rumours that he would drop Fashola, Lagosians geared up to vote in
Fashola even if he contested on the ticket of XYZ party! Tinubu read the
handwriting on the wall and knew that he would be demystified if he
denied Fashola a second term ticket and he moved over to another party
and still won the 2011 governorship election in Lagos State. He resolved
the issue he had with Fashola and allowed him to complete his second
term.
President Muhammadu Buhari should copy that and not allow what happened
to Jonathan to happen to him. Already, his actions reek of a President
who is more concerned about winning the 2019 election than someone who
wants to make radical changes in governance. First, his ministerial list
was more of what many people called a “reward list” than a ministerial
list.
Second, he has virtually looked away from touching any party man on the
issue of corruption except Bukola Saraki who went against the decision
of the party by getting himself elected the Senate President. Through
his ministerial nominees, he rewarded some party members who worked for
him in spite of the question marks over some of them.
Jonathan is naturally an easygoing person but his quest for a second
term made him too eager not to step on any toes. People did what they
liked, said what they liked, including threatening the security of the
nation, but he let them be, because obviously he did not want to anger
those who could help his re-election.
When the immigration recruitment tragedy occurred in March 2014,
everyone expected that he would act immediately by relieving the
Minister of Interior, Mr Abba Moro, of his job. But he did not act. The
anger of the people raged. The bereaved and injured mourned. What was
Jonathan protecting? It was rumoured that Moro was nominated by a
powerbroker. Probably, Jonathan did not want to hurt that powerbroker.
But what would he have lost if he had sacked Moro and told the
powerbroker to send three fresh names to him to choose one as Moro’s
replacement?
In the case of Ms Stella Oduah, the Minister of Aviation, the same
scenario played out in 2014. Even though it was alleged that those who
lost out in the aviation sector due to some actions taken by Oduah were
after her, yet there was a scandal over the price of the two BMW cars.
Perhaps, she was wrong in the bulletproof cars’ purchase, perhaps she
was not. Recently, a similar case played out over the high cost of
creating a website as well as drilling a borehole, etc, during the term
of Fashola as Lagos State governor. Fashola told the Senate during his
screening that he did not sign cheques. Interestingly, many of those who
criticised Oduah applauded Fashola for “lecturing the Senate.” So,
whether Oduah was wrong or right, the reality was that there was an
outcry of corruption against her.
To ensure that his government did not inherit that corruption tag,
Jonathan could have had a private discussion with Oduah, asked her to
resign immediately, while assuring her of giving her another position
later, if he was convinced she did no wrong. That would have doused the
indignation in the land and shown that he was not condoning corruption.
But Jonathan seemed more concerned about a second term. He did not want
to hurt Oduah, who anchored the “Neighbour to Neighbour” campaign to get
him elected in 2011 and could be useful in 2015.
Even in the war against Boko Haram, he seemed afraid of being accused of
killing the northerners. So, he was too cautious of dealing with Boko
Haram. To ensure that the image of being anti-North in the fight against
insurgency was completely eliminated, he made his National Security
Adviser, Minister of Defence, Chief of Defence Staff, and Inspector
General of Police all Northerners.
The irony was that because he did not want to hurt anyone so as to be
given a second term, Jonathan ended up being painted in uncomplimentary
colours which ended up making him lose that same second term he desired.
Buhari has already started acting like Jonathan. Even without his first
term taking off fully, he has started showing that he seems more
concerned about not offending his party men than offending Nigerians who
would determine whether he gets a second term or not in 2019. During
his British Broadcasting Corporation interview in which he explained the
rationale behind his appointments, he made it clear that he appointed
those who had been loyal to him from his All Nigeria People’s Party and
the Congress of Political Change days contrary to the claim of his
supporters that he appointed people based on merit. His ministerial
appointments followed the same trend. The unnecessary fight over Mr
Chibuike Amaechi was also another sign that he was more concerned about
not offending those who worked for his election, so that they will also
work for his second term in 2019.
Why, for example, would the President not publicly protest the choice of
Abubakar Audu and Timipre Sylva as the governorship candidates of the
All Progressives Congress for Kogi and Bayelsa states respectively? What
has Buhari got to lose? Even if the APC loses those two states, it
still does not make the party the opposition. The APC does not need to
control all the states in Nigeria to be the ruling party. But showing
that he does not support the choice of the two people who have
corruption question marks may anger some party men but would help him
worm his way into the hearts of the electorate who matter at elections.
Also, the Halliburton case affords him a good opportunity to show that
he is not afraid of stepping on big toes, but he has shot himself in the
foot by saying that he would not investigate any corruption case that
happened before the Presidency of Jonathan. But beneath that excuse is
the fact that those fingered in the Halliburton case supported his
presidential election.
The most powerful statement Buhari has made as President is: “I belong
to nobody.” It energised the people and filled them with hope that their
President would not be held captive like most of their past presidents.
That statement should be his guiding principle. It may anger those who
worked for his electoral victory but he will get both those who
supported his 2015 presidential ambition and those who did not support
him on his side.
If Buhari continues protecting the interest of his party and those loyal
to him as he is doing, by 2019, he will be seen as one of Nigeria’s
presidents who tried their best but could not achieve spectacular
results. Any Nigerian president who wants to be remarkable and
outstanding must do two things: One. Forget about winning a second term
and concentrate on stepping on toes and undertaking radical changes;
Two. Make up his mind that he may lose his life in the process of
stepping on toes and taking radical actions. Such a President will not
be killed in office but will most likely get a second term.
But can Buhari be that type of President? Only Buhari can answer that question.
by Azuka Onwuka
