from chuks collins, Awka
The continuing series of nationwide awareness rallies at the behest of a non-governmental,-the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) across the nation?s six geo-political zones has continued to showcase different qualities that each of these zones see in the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.
To quote the group, ?President Jonathan has outperformed all other past presidents in their first terms?. He has unarguably driven massive revolution in all social, political and economic sectors of our national life using his novel transformation agenda programme as a springboard.
When the South-East zone kick-started the rally, one thing stood Jonathan out in that Awka assemblage of the all who is who in Igboland. They saw and described him as the contemporary Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe of the 21st century Nigeria, the new salt of Nigeria?s cohesion. The centre-point of our peace!
Evidently, the reason for this perception is simple, before the emergence of the goodluck-administration, the zone practically lacked any form of federal presence in terms of infrastructure, ranging from the most pressing 2nd Niger Bridge, seaport, dredging of the lower Niger, quality power supply infrastructure, international airport, extended functional rail lines and good dualized federal highways had remained issues for regular political campaigns by successive governments. Because the people of the zone were naturally imbued with commercial ingenuity, generally widely acclaimed for industry, enterprise, the serial unfulfilled promises were loudly becoming a mockery. After all what they were asking for was just the enabling environment to actualize their God-given potentials. Alas, none was provided for them until their second Zik, Dr Jonathan came on board. That was direct from their own lips. No fewer than 1.6million of them signed up TAN?s register within hours of its release to coordinators, urging Mr President to continue.
Again few days later at the Liberty Stadium in Ibadan, the Yorubas proved bookmakers wrong when they joyfully matched, danced and trooped in their good numbers to join their own voice to that of the Igbos to passionately plead with the president to accept to seek a renewal of his mandate. This, according to them was to continue his massive life-enhancing transformation agenda for the nation.
Of course this did not come as a surprise to many who had erroneously seen the South-West zone as the base of Jonathan?s opposition. This hitherto misplaced belief was because of the activities of few elitist reactionaries who had carried on as champions and god of the Yorubas. Whereas they were merely feathering their own selfish nests. Imagine, if they are governors, their wives would be senators and members of House of Reps while their children, grand-children will either be the chairmen of local governments or take prominent committee seats in their state’s Houses of Assembly. They were occupying all the lofty positions without doing anything tangible for the masses, the burden bearing electorates. Nepotism remains their style and middle names. They always enjoy the long line of area-boys who follow them around chanting their praises. They are known and acknowledged despots. For how long, before these boys eyes get opened to reality and then turn them into societal monsters like the menace in the north eastern part of the country today?
One cannot continue to feed a boy amala and ewedu, akpu and ofe-egusi or tuwo shinkafa daily, forever. He would not remain a boy or a numskull forever. He would learn one day soon and his eyes would then be opened.
After all, even when their kinsmen were presidents, all the federal roads became death traps, the ever busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Lagos-Benin-Ore road, Ibadan-Ilorin, Ilorin-Kaduna, Lokoja-Abuja, Otukpa-Lokoja, Enugu-Oturkpo-Makurdi and many other federal highways remained nightmare for motorists. Then came Jonathan who gave Nigerians a new lease of life and the people are happier for the wonderful intervention with the resultant effect of yearning for more of it, irrespective of where he hails from. After all it?s just for another four years, not eternity. About 1.8million of them signed up Jonathan to continue.
The South-South rally at PortHarcourt would not have been surprising at all, after all, Jonathan is their very own. But one must not forget quickly that Rivers state especially under Gov Rotimi Amaechi has remained a strong base of few individuals who have decided to turn blind eyes to the good works of the People?s Democratic Party(PDP)-led Federal Government(FG). Fortunately the forces of opposition was not strong enough to prevent the people from trooping out to identify with the call on Jonathan to accept to run for the 2015 presidential election. This was even in the face of the deafening voice of opposition that latched on the ebola scare to discourage the people from exercising their freedom of determination and association. One may not appreciate this development if not considered side by side the fact that a former president was so un-appreciated in his home front that he even lost in his ward. But not Dr Goodluck Jonathan. He has become a symbol of hope for the common man on every Nigerian street. At that important friendship rally for Jonathan, TAN raise nearly 4million signatures in his support.
It is also important to consider the message sent to the rest of North from the TAN’s North-Central rally at Minna. Historically South-South zone has always supported the aspirations of the North and it is time to reciprocate that good gesture by giving a solid backing to the call on their son, Jonathan to complete his eight years tenure as done by the South-West, after which power would then rotate easily to the North. Senator Ibrahim Mantu, a very experienced national assembly player and former Deputy Senate President, speaking in Minna attested to the fact that in equity, justice and liberty, infrastructural development, human capital development/empowerment and upliftment of the nation’s economy, that President Jonathan has performed wonders. This, he acknowledged has made Nigeria to be the biggest and fastest growing economy in Africa. He also established the fact that Dr Jonathan has created a niche for himself as a respecter of fundamental rights/freedom of all individuals in the nation which some people now capitalize on to rain abuses on his person and position without being afraid of any consequences. He recalled that no one would have dared such during the period preceding now. That such individual would predictably receive unholy visitors who would come to avenge their pay-masters. According to him, the freedom ushered in by the incumbent president has remained paramount to all citizens.
In his presentation another senator, Barnabas Gemade who represented the Senate President at the Minna rally also described the president as an impeccable leader with impeccable character who deserve to have his constitutional second tenure based on his remarkable achievements so far. He indeed said that Dr Jonathan is a product of the Nortth-Central. Then the Kogi state delegation led by the state’s deputy governor said that the president is a son, a brother, a father and a leader.
The icing on the cake of the North-Central rally came from the speech of the Chief Servant of Niger state, Gov Aliyu Babangida Muazu who observed that Dr Jonathan through his mature administrative style has been able to unite the state governors in the country contrary to the divide and rule tactics employed by some of his predecessors. He also re-echoed the fact the President has become a beacon of hope to every child in Nigeria that humble background is not in any way a minus to any one?s aspirations. That anyone could actually transit from a very humble background to prominence.
From the on-going, it has become a fact that President Jonathan represents different quality to different individuals, groups and zones and can as well be described as a very big political elephant in the polity. Little wonder his sagacity and ebullience has befuddled the opposition into willing submission. His peaceful style and accommodating disposition would continue to confuse the opposition and pessimists who believe that one must conduct himself as an overlord to be a successful leader.
Nigerians are speaking and pleading from the depth of their hearts that the president should declare his interest for a second tenure. One can only hope that the president will answer the millions of Nigerians yearning for him.
So, as the TAN, other peace loving citizens and patriots takes their message of hope, goodwill and friendliness to the good people of the North East states at Gombe, it is expected that the outcome would be heart-warming as in other zones. And to borrow a leaf from an amalgam of voices, groups and divides from all segments of the whole North Central, North East and the North West zones under the aegis of the United North for Greater Nigeria(UNGN) led by Abdulganiy Adebiyi and Mohamad Shehu Zaria, certain points need be highlighted for the benefit of those willing to confuse other citizens in the name of politics.
According to this group clearly made up of lettered men of honour and record, attention of sincere minded Nigerians need to be drawn to the details here:
ON BOKO HARAM:
They noted that the biggest challenge facing the North today is the menace of Boko Haram which is destroying lives and property and slowing down development. Unfortunately, when those who should be elders were busy threatening to make Nigeria ungovernable if a Northerner did not become president in 2011, they only succeeded in pouring fuel into the insurgency. Instead of working with President Jonathan to save the North from this devastation, the so-called elders are very happy to play politics with it and hope that it will make Northerners vote them in 2015. We wish them luck.
PINE:
The President has launched the President Initiative for the North East (PINE) to tackle socio-economic challenges facing the North-East. He has launched the safe Schools Initiative as well as Victims Support Fund for Boko Haram Victims.
ROADS:
President Jonathan is accelerating the dualisation of the Abuja-Abaji-Lokoja road, which was started before him but had witnessed a slow progress. He is constructing (or has constructed/rehabilitated) the Gombe-Bye-Pass, Loko-Oweto Bridge in Nassarawa/Benue, Mararaba-Bali Road, Kano-Maiduguri Road, Hadejia-Kirikasama in Jigawa State, Kano Western Bye-Pass Flyover in Kano State, Kaduna Eastern Bye-Pass, Lafia-Awe-Obi-Tunga-Road in Nassarawa State, Ilorin-Omuaran-Kabba Road, to mention only a few.
RAILWAYS:
President Jonathan has devoted enormous resources to reviving the railway in the North. Abuja-Kaduna standard gauge rail (187km) is fast progressing and would be ready soon. The standard gauge rail line from Itakpe through Ajaokuta to Warri is being rehabilitated. Work has commenced on the 270km Ilorin to Minna Railway Modernisation Project.
HEALTH:
Under President Jonathan, there are no new Guinea worm infestations in any part of Northern Nigeria. Type-3 polio has been eradicated. In another one or two year, polio will become history in the North, thanks to President Jonathan?s commitment in collaborating with international donor agencies.
WATER:
President Jonathan has built the Kashimbila Dam in Takum, Taraba State. The Mangu Water Treatment Plant in Plateau State with a capacity of 10million litres per day has been completed. The Zaria Water Supply Expansion/Sanitation Project was done by President Jonathan. In collaboration with the Benue State government, the 50million litres per day capacity Greater Makurdi Water Project has been delivered. The Biu Water Supply Improvement in Sokoto State is ready. Many other such life-enhancing projects are either on-going or have been completed and serving the people.
10 NEW UNIVERSITIES:
NO SINGLE government has paid attention to education in Nigeria as much as Jonathan. Between 2010 and now, he has established 10 new universities in the North to give our youths a chance to further their education.
ALMAJIRI SCHOOLS:
President Jonathan has realistically built over 100 Almajiri schools in different parts of Northern Nigeria. No previous president or head of state ever did this for the North.
GIRLS SCHOOLS:
President Jonathan has constructed special girl schools in Adamawa, Jigawa, Nasarawa, Yobe, and Kaduna States under the Advancing the Girls Education Programmes.
AGRICULTURE:
In the history of Nigeria, no president has made subsidised fertilizer available to Northern farmers as much as President Jonathan. Virtually every Northern farmer now gets subsidised seeds and fertilisers. Cassava, rice and cotton yield has more than doubled under Jonathan. We now do dry Season Farming as a result of the agric policies of the president.
GREENWALL PROJECT:
Desertification is a major problem for us up North. This has eroded the economic base of many states to protect our environment. More than 6 million trees have been planted under this programme.
The group bemoaned that ?space will not allow us to list 10% of the projects President Jonathan has done in the North. We have not even touched the MDG projects, in all the local government areas of the North, covering all areas of life?? They also acknowledged being aware that this is an election season when everyone in the North has their own agenda, but facts are sacred and should not be toyed with.
These are realities that no one need manipulate or smear in the name of politics.
