Jonathan, heed people’s advice

By ABDUL AHMED ISIAQ
Posted: Friday, September 3, 2010

Permit us to refresh our memories over the background story or antecedents of the controversial policy that is unnecessarily diverting our collective attention to more serious issues of urgent national importance which are legion today including the conduct of a credible election that would produce national, patriotic, visionary, committed political leadership that is capable of meeting the yearnings and aspirations of the average Nigerian, today and over the years, which in a word or phrases are “Basic Needs”.
The circumstances of the past few months have placed Nigeria on the much awaited road map to greatness, we must not therefore mortgage our collective patrimony, future and averred development by allowing our conscience to be clogged by man made stop-gap arrangement that was only meant to give us a semblance of what we have today.
Constitutionally Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as vice and acting president succeeded the deceased and ailing president and to date he remains a rallying force, a pillar of strength, inspiration and nationalism for the millions of youth across the country for his modest but remarkable achievements since he was sworn in as President, Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 6th May 2010, for the peace that have prevailed so far, we insist that boat must not be rocked; Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan must declare his participation in the 2011 presidential election.
We the membership of Vanguard for Positive change and representatives of the critical segment of Nigeria’s progressive’ majority population, perceive a great future for Nigeria under the able stewardship of President Goodluck Jonathan during the current transitional period and beyond 2011. He remains a better option representing hope and the need for change in politics, governance, and adherence to the rule of law in a fast developing economy like ours.
The history of struggle for power at the center, and the ‘dispense’ of this power as if it is the prerogative of an exclusive clans, has been in a torn in the flesh of progress for this country. There is therefore the need to break away from the past, the ugly past, routine tradition which was just for the sake of it as it were to embrace a new dawn a new reality and new concept.
The South-south where President Goodluck Jonathan hails from has always been a friend and long time political ally of the north and as the saying goes, one good turn, deserves another. Therefore, stakeholders in this part of the country should come together and rally round President Jonathan to enable him succeed during this transitional period and beyond. His administration has indeed inherited a great legacy which include the post-amnesty development programme of the restive Niger-Delta region, metaphorically the nation’s goose that lay the golden eggs, and the historic commencement of the dredging of River Niger that has been on the drawing board for over four decades until the emergence of late President Yar’Adua administration in 2007.
Primordial sentiment should have no place in our 21st Century knowledge - driven world in which our youth segment is not only the vanguard but also champions of its noble cause. The membership of Vanguard for Positive Change hereby declare our total support to the wind of change blowing across the nation and we all and sundry must respond appropriately to the wake-up call for positive change in the Nigerian Project.
Our focus and emphasis should be competence, knowledge of the country, sound education, political sagacity or wisdom including foresight, politics of dialogue and collaboration, patriotism and commitment to the national ideals is our guiding principles.
We are today on a crucial juncture which also constitutes a watershed in our political history as a people and nation, we are about to celebrate our golden jubilee anniversary. We are approaching another historic milestone in 2011 when we dream, aspire or wish simply to see a new dawn which promises “a new lease of life” for the average citizen that daily grapples with not only basic needs like food, water, electricity, education, health-care delivery service, but also personal security to pursue his or her means of livelihood across the country.
Basic needs like food, water, electricity, education, health-care delivery service, but also personal security to pursue his or her means of livelihood across the country.
Our most tolerant, long suffering peoples across the six geo-political zones need a change, not any kind of change but positive change in our national priorities and developmental goals and programmes. We need people oriented policies that shall positively impact on the lives of the majority populace who today and over the years been victim of bad governance, poor leadership that was.
ALHAJI ABDUL is the National Coordinator, Vanguard for Positive Change.