|
26 January 2011 By Saka Raji
Audu Recently, two prominent political
parties, namely; the ruling
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
and the
All
Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) went
to poll to elect their various presidential candidates
for the scheduled April 9, 2011 presidential election
in
Nigeria. Apart from these two
prominent political parties, others adopted consensus
candidates without election. Though this method did
not go against the electoral law, it is however not
the best form of allowing individual party members to
freely express his or her choice. In the recent past, I have
variously authored some articles asserting that Malam
(Dr)
Ibrahim Shekarau is more
acceptable and qualified to win the
forthcoming presidential election
in Nigeria. Between December 22, 2010 and January 5,
2011, there was also a consistent enlightenment
campaign mounted by the Patriotic Front for Shekarau (PFS)
2011 through the GSM bulk messages across the country,
enhancing the acceptability of Shekarau's choice for
President. All these were taking place when
President Goodluck Jonathan
and the defeated Alhaji
Atiku Abubakar were busy exposing
their incompetency through various media and became
the laughing stock of Nigerians. Still, on 6th January,
2011, a nation wide opinion poll was also conducted to
know what Nigerians have in mind as their preference
among the presidential aspirants namely; Jonathan,
Shekarau, Buhari and Atiku. The result of this opinion
poll conducted by a private researcher, which was
published via GSM bulk messages across the country,
indicated that both Shekarau and Buhari were on the
lead, having polled 31% each while Jonathan and Atiku
had 20% and 10% respectively with 8% undecided. The
result of the opinion poll was acknowledged and
commended by the National Secretary of SDMP, Dr. Sadiq
because it tallied with their independent survey. Looking at the recent
presidential primaries of PDP and ANPP of 13th
and 16th January, 2011 respectively, it
further justifies that Malam (Dr) Ibrahim Shekarau of
ANPP has more spread of acceptance than the
incumbent President
Goodluck Jonathan of PDP. The
result of the presidential primaries show that
Shekarau polled 4,178 votes, which represent 79% of
the total vote cast by ANPP delegates while Jonathan
polled 2,736 votes, which represent 76% of the total
vote cast by PDP delegates. In addition to this fact,
it is axiomatic to point out that President Jonathan
lost more than five states to his rival Atiku whereas
Governor Shekarau only lost a state for technical
reason to his closest rival, Chief Harry Akande. This
is how Shekarau of ANPP had comfortably wide spread
acceptance than Jonathan of PDP. This is also despite
the fact that the result of the PDP presidential
primary is still being challenged in some quarters. Be
as it may, it is very clear that the odds favour
Governor Shekarau of
Kano
State for many reasons. First, it is a
well known fact that Shekarau is an achiever per
excellence, ambassador of peace, consistent,
democratic, detribalized, impeccably transparent,
security conscious, technology personified, and
vibrant reconciler as well as people's leader. He
easily forgives, empowers women and youth, allows
freedom of expression, justice and equity and gives
respect to traditional leaders. None of his opponents
can lay claim to all of these. Secondly, in view of the present
circumstance, it is only Malam (Dr) Ibrahim Shekarau
who has no carry over of grudges against any body in
the country. Look at the way Jonathan and Atiku
destroyed and finished themselves on the pages of
newspaper before the
presidential primary election. Do
you think there will be fairness in the leadership of
either of the two becoming the next President? There
is still resentment among the two camps and therefore,
Nigerians will be willing to throw them out of the
ring. What about Mallam
Nuhu Ribadu
of ACN who dogged every one a thief but himself?
People have not forgotten the molestation and his dark
days of being used by ex-President Obasanjo as hunting
dog to chase away perceived foes. Many people and
their apologists are earnestly waiting to take their
own pond of fresh. Remember that a man who forgets his
past mistakes is bound to repeat them. General
Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) of CPC is
trust wordy and has unblemished past in view of his
past record of achievements as
Head
of State. This might be one of
the reasons why people rated him equal with Malam
Shekarau in an independent research poll recently
conducted. But one will not be in hurry to quickly
remember that while Buhari was Head of State, he
clamped politicians in cell and changed the country's
currency and also gave seven days within which the old
currency seized to exist. Many politicians could not
beat the deadline and therefore lost their money.
These people took their sweet revenge in 2003, 2007
and will be willing to still take it in 2011. This is
not all. Buhari found himself in a party whose big
time loyalists have vaulting ambition to clinch power
at all costs. The inability of such loyalists to get
the power, in view of the recent primaries across the
country, has caused more harm than good for the party.
Some of these people are ready to pay back in the same
coin. Thirdly and from the look of
things, the
Adamu
Ciroma led NPFL seems to be sad
about the defeat of its PDP consensus candidate Alhaji
Atiku Abubakar. Already, people are expressing grudges
against the role played by some PDP governors in the
recent concluded PDP presidential primary election in
which the governors gave their quantum votes to
Jonathan. Even though the
Bauchi State Governor
and the Campaign Coordinator of Goodluck/Sambo ticket
in the North East narrowly escaped defeat in his
state, viewing the outcome of the PDP presidential
primary result. Sensing the danger ahead, it was
recently reported in the media that President Jonathan
called the losers for a meeting, probably to mend
fences with them. But people seem to be saying that
the deeds have been done and described such meeting as
undressing some one in the public and clothing him in
private. It therefore appears too that the people are
telling PDP to look for its coffin because all is
over. In viewing of foregoing, it is
now clear that Malam (Dr) Ibrahim Shekarau, Sardaunan
Kano has an upper hand in the scheme of things. He is
the most favoured candidate among the presidential
candidates to win the forthcoming April 9, 2011
presidential election in Nigeria. As a result of this
comparative advantage, some pockets of oppositions are
now using ethnic and religious badge as subterfuge to
create false impression. Incidentally, Shekarau as
three Special Advisers, a Yoruba and Ibo Christians
and one from the north central in his administration.
Still, Shekarau had been a guest at a Pentecostal
church gathering where he delivered speech on the
unity of Nigeria. Therefore, the religious bigots and
ethnic chauvinists should know that Shekarau is
already in the mix of Nigerians and no amount of
religious misconception will make any meaningful
impact. Certainly, Shekarau is the
Nigerian President-in-waiting because he is born to
win and he has been winning. In April 2003, he won his
governorship election to unseat an incumbent governor.
In April 2007, he won his second term governorship
election to break the Kano political jinx, In October
2010, he was blackmailed and he took his blackmailer
to court for defamation of character, he won the case
and the court awarded N1B damages to be paid to him.
In January 2011, he had a
landslide victory at the ANPP
presidential primary where he defeated three other
candidates to pick the presidential candidate slot for
the forthcoming presidential election, which by the
grace of God, he will win because Shekarau is born to
win. Saka Raji Audu writes from
Kano and can be reached on his email:
sakaraj@yahoo.com
|
Add Comments