In a couple of hours from now, Nigerians who are eligible to vote shall head to polling units across the federation. Their mission on this occasion shall be to elect for other Nigerians and themselves a new set of leaders who for another four years shall be saddled with the back breaking task of steering the affairs of the largest black nation on earth. Amongst these set of Nigerians are moderate and radical beings, Christians and Moslems, literate and illiterate, high and low placed. Among them we also have good and bad persons, critical thinkers and shallow thinkers as well as honest and dishonest persons. For once, these people will tentatively bury their differences, stand on one queue, comport themselves while on the queue and fulfill an essential part of their civic duties. This is the beauty of our diversity as a people.
In a couple of hours from now, history will be made in Nigeria by Nigerians. A president shall emerge who will be our charge d’ affairs for another four years. This individual shall be the end product of several weeks of intense politicking and horse trading, re-alignments and betrayals, anger and bitterness, tough battles between men and spirits and clashes of metaphysical powers in the atmosphere mainly in the dead of the night when the most important acts of politics are normally performed.
Unbelievable as this may sound, in the last few weeks, heads have rolled and blood has been spilt. In the last few weeks, destinies have been destroyed and ambitions have been crushed. In the last few weeks several covenants have been made on altars built on flesh and temples soaked in fresh human and animal blood. In the last few weeks, oaths have been sworn before God, man and satan the devil. All these in the pursuit of fame, wealth, power and “life”.
Ironically, Nigerians who are the chief decisions makers on that occasion are unaware of these happenings and will be guided by their consciences to vote. Their choices will be built on several parameters which include but may not be limited to corruption, security, religion, tribe and individual sentiment. As an individual, I am and will remain an open supporter of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on the basis of his sterling performance in the last four years but same cannot be said of a few other Nigerians who I am afraid have been infected by the lies and deceit of the All Progressives’ Congress.
The Due Process Advocates is one of Nigeria’s leading social media interactive groups. It was while perusing the wall of that group earlier this week that I was caused to know that Shiite rebels have seized Taiz, Yemens’ third largest city. This event occurred after America evacuated its remaining personnel and members of a special operation cell that had been involved in a drone campaign against Al-Qaeda. As at now, the government of Yemen is nearing collapse. Yemen’s security system is finding it difficult to maintain order on the streets. Citizens of Yemen appear to have lost faith in the capacity of their government to protect them; they have resorted to self help and are migrating to the mountain areas in droves. While all this is going on in a section of that country, Houthi rebels who are in control of Sanaa, Yemens’ capital have commenced mass recruitment and mobilization of fighters.
As I write, His Excellency, Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi of Yemen is currently holed up in the port city of Aden from when he has sent an SOS message to the United Nations seeking the application of force and aggression on the rebels as a means of causing them to discontinue attempts to seize his country. What started as a small cell of radical renegade soldiers, Yemen is now faced with the kind of threat Nigeria once faced by virtue of the existence of Boko Haram on our soil. Even though the Boko Haram the sect is yet to be wiped, we must acknowledge the excellent job this administration did by restricting their operations to a few local government areas for such a long period of time before commencing full offensive against them. Terrorism is now a global scourge. Every week that passes, radical sects in a part of the world take more grounds and attempt to foist their beliefs on moderate citizens. They rape women, maim men, burn houses, slit throats and conscript teens as a means of forcing society to accept their views.
As a people, we have not been without a share of this trouble but we all must honestly admit that for the commitment this administration have shown in the war against terrorism, Nigeria will have been in the same situation as Yemen and Libya. On this basis, this administration must be returned to enable it continue implementing its strategies against terrorism. President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has shown a unique kind of commitment in this war. Indeed, I verily believe that if we had our current grade of weapons and military hardware some six months ago, the Boko Haram sect will have long fizzled out.
Irrespective of what the opposition may have to say to this development, I remain confident in the capacity of our troop to achieve a total clean up of the North East in a few weeks time. I am more confident that in the second term of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, we will see a new and better equipped armed forces that will continue to enjoy the place of a model on the African continent.
Ezeani, Chukwunonso Elvis is the South West Zonal Director of Communications, Research & Strategy at the Peoples’ Democratic Party National Youth Frontier. He can be reached via @NonsoEzeani1.