Fellow Nigerians, I believe we are all prepared and ready to go to the polls come March 28th and April 11th respectively. At this time in our history as a nation, we cannot afford this opportunity to pass us by considering the times we are living in and the need to rescue our dear nation from the impending time-bomb. Our vote is the most powerful tool to effect any change in our political landscape. It is no longer news that the political class represented by few individuals has so long held this our dear country to ransom, and the inequality that has been created between the rich and the poor is no doubt inimical to the growth and development of our Nation.
A lot of things have actually taken place in the past weeks, especially since the shift of the election from the initial February 1th as planned by the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to March 28th. It was these events that gave birth to the title of this short article. No time in the history of President Jonathan’s administration has he been responsive and active to matters of national interest than in the past few weeks. The most noticeable amongst them is the declaration of total war on Boko Haram in the North-Eastern past of Nigeria. This was the major stronghold of the insurgency over the years and which have resulted into thousands of lives being lost and properties worth millions of naira destroyed. Those who survived the gruesome reign of terror from BokoHaram are either taken refuge in nearby neighboring countries or in some parts of the country.
The Goodlucck Jonathan administration watched helplessly for over 5 years with little or nothing being done to protect lives and properties while the terror group enjoyed a filled-day. Soldiers at the war front at some point or the other rebelled and refused to face the insurgency for lack of proper ammunition to combat the terrorists. It was on this same grounds that elections were postponed because the security agencies claimed they cannot guaranty a successful election in this part of the country as a result of insecurity. Professor Atahiru Jega of INEC didn’t have so much choice since his agency isn’t in charge of providing security during elections. The presidency and the security agencies pleaded that the elections be shifted by 6 weeks so that this period would afford the security forces to flush out Boko haram and elections could thereafter be conducted.
But the news so far since the shift in the elections date has been nothing short of miracle. What it seems to some of us was as if the President has got some magic stick. What the president could not achieve in the past 5 years has been achieved in less than 6 weeks. The Nigerian army in collaboration with other allied forces is recording unprecedented victory in the fight against Bokoharam in the North-East. Sometimes one is tempted to believe in the saying that ‘there is blessing in any temporary setback’. The suppose territories under BH have totally been recaptured by government forces. One would just imagine why the president did not take this bold step some few years back. Perhaps it would have save his administration from this mess it has suffered from BH. A number of the IDPs are gradually retuning back to their homes.
The President also took time to remember the families of those who lost their lives in the NIS recruitment saga almost a year in which more than a dozen innocent young job-seekers died as a result of a process that is totally unacceptable. One will simply wonder why it took President Jonathan a whole year to do the needful to the families of these ones. N5million and an employment letters were part of the consolation prize. The issue with this event is not the money or the authomatic employment, but the lateness on the part of the government and the emotional trauma the families of the victims may have suffered in the cause of the delay. Also, the family of the Buni Yadi boys who was massacred by BH in the NE was also not left out in the President’s 6 weeks miracle. This particular event even took place before the Chibok girls were kidmnapped. Our dear GEJ was just visiting them one year after. One would be tempted to think probably it takes a whole year for the president to think-through on important issues.
But in all, thank God for the elections and the fear of the opposition that have brought out the best in President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in the past weeks. One can only believe that these Ninth-hour miracles continue until the remaining 219 Chibok girls come back home. God bless Nigeria and Goodluck to President Jonathan in the forthcoming elections.