Former President Goodluck Jonathan is being conspired against, for the second time, by none other than the media.
Some platforms went to the press yesterday with the news that the internationally proclaimed Hero of Democracy was on a self-imposed exile to Ivory Coast due to indications the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are after him concerning corruption allegations.
I assure you this is but an orchestrated ruse to shame the busy former President who is on a world tour addressing fans who love him across the diaspora into returning to Nigeria to come and suffer the economic hardship with Nigerians. An economic hardship he warned us against during the 2015 election campaigns.
Several international publications have already reported that Nigeria is spiraling headfirst into an economic crisis due to the ineptitude of the Buhari administration in handling the economy direction of a nation that was rated one of the best economies in the world little over a year ago.
During the 2015 election campaigns, Jonathan had said,
“I don’t think Nigerians will make the mistake of voting for Buhari.
“Gen. Buhari, with due respect, is not the right option for Nigeria at this time. It is a gamble that is not worth taking.
“I may not be perfect as nobody is perfect. But I believe that come Saturday, the majority of Nigerian voters will choose me as the best candidate to lead the nation forward.”
He also said to the late Ooni of Ife,
“When some people talk about change, we are talking about moving Nigeria forward, and to move Nigeria forward, we believe that that the implementation of that report is key . Yes as a government we can work on our infrastructures like roads. But those clamouring for change, they won’t be able to bring about real change since they have refused to be part of the process that would bring about the change they are shouting about.
“Some political parties that are advocating for change I believe they don’t have the blue print for the development of this country as enunciated in the report of the national conference.and they cannot give out what they don’t have because they boycotted the conference and I don’t see how they will implement that report and if they will not implement that report, where will they take this country to?
“When we took over just about 5,000 kilometers of federal roads were motor able, out of the 35,000 kilometers of roads owned by the federal government. Within this period,we have added 20,000 and expanded a number of them dualised. We still have about 10,000 kilometers of federal roads still bad, but you can see the different, 5,000, now 25,000 motor able, 10,000 for the next four years will surely get repaired.
“In agriculture we have moved forward and I always that for you to know, that we have done something in agriculture, you will now the devastating floods in 2012, and people thought that Nigeria was going to suffer from cost of food items but it never went up.
“Within this period because of the drop in the international price of crude oil which has even affected the value of the Naira that has dropped, in comparison to the dollar! We have been able to maintain a level of equilibrium. In some other countries that have experienced similar problem, people are queuing up to buy essential commodities, but here in Nigeria, because we moved forward in agriculture, we are producing a lot of food items and we have reduced our import bills.”
Fast-forward to change, and today, even if Jonathan stole all the billions of dollars he is accused of stealing by the endless APC propaganda machine, he would exhaust the money in two weeks buying tomatoes in Mile 12 market for Dame Peshe to cook stew.
Why must we use propaganda to drag the man who warned us of the impending doom if we voted APC to come back and suffer with us. If Buhari is looking for Jonathan, he should contact him, as Jonathan has always made himself available to Nigeria, putting the country first.
Like when he tried to encourage the Nation to bite the poison pill and remove subsidy in 2012, or when he tried to save for a rainy day, but the APC elements in power would not allow him or Okonjo Iweala to do so.
Even the writer of this article is on self-imposed exile. Earlier this year, I was priviledged to get a visa to a first world country where there is light, water, fuel and cheap tomatoes and I moved on the first aeroplane smoking. Anyone who is able to do so, should be encouraged to do so as Nigeria continues to descend into economic doldrums.
So let us encourage Goodluck Jonathan to continue to pursue his good fortune in countries where he will be able to enjoy the kind of economic prosperity he bestowed upon our nation. Anyone who tries to trick him to return to the part of the world quickly becoming a zoo is a mischief maker operating on the highest platform of wickedness.
There is no light, water, food, fuel and no joy! 80% of Nigerians would love to be on exile too, if they could afford to do so.