Jonathan deserves second term –Nanaghan

[Mirror]

Ben Nanaghan is a commentator on political issues. In this interview with OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU, he says that President Goodluck Jonathan's only sin is his being from a minority state. He also speaks on other national salient issues. Excerpts:

Would you subscribe to the insinuations in certain quarters that the present crisis in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is all about 2015 and President Goodluck Jonathan's second term ambition?

That the present crisis in the PDP is all about 2015 and President Jonathan's second term ambition is not an insinuation but an utmost reality. You remember that the North even accused Jonathan of usurping Northern opportunity when President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua died on May 5, 2010. From day one, the North never wanted or expected Jonathan to be president. This is because the founding fathers of Nigeria crafted this nation under the permanent hegemony of a triple entente. It was fashioned on an understanding between the three major tribes of Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba to monopolise the governance of this great and naturally endowed nation.

The Nigerian ruling class especially the North did not mind the 2007-2011 arrangement as long as the head of that ticket came from the North. But President Yar'Adua's death changed everything.

The North, especially could not bear the fact that a Nigerian from one of the smallest communities, from one of the smallest local government areas, from Nigeria's smallest and least populated state could one day stand up and be counted as one of Nigeria's presidents. This is the zenith of contempt, marginalisation and oppression which the ruling class has subjected the Nigerian minorities to.

Whichever way reconciliation goes, do you think the PDP will ever remain the same?

Let us even look at the reconciliation of the PDP crisis. If you look at the conflict resolution squad that is the Elders' Forum, it is a queer combination of those who still want to govern this country directly or indirectly. For instance, if the PDP crumbles, IBB would be excited with any formula that can throw him up as a potential president. Some are in the negotiating team to eke out some juicy deals and agreements from President Jonathan.

Apart from Chief Tony Anenih and former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who are the former and present BOT (Board of Trustees) chairmen, I do not have confidence in the elders' forum.

Nigerians must never ignore Obasanjo's pivotal role in the enthronement of Jonathan. One day, Obasanjo in his usual candour will shock Nigerians how he schemed and planned the realisation of a South- South president in a country that holds so much aversion and hatred for its minorities.

Those who do not love the former president should learn to accommodate him.

However, I have a very strong belief that the PDP will bounce back again. This is not the first time PDP would be involved in intra party conflict, but none has reached such critical level.

Political parties all over the world face these life-threatening problems and some of them survive while others don't.

Finally my prayer is for the PDP to get its acts right, as we do not yet have a viable political party that can unseat the PDP as most of the opposition parties are groups of people whose main aim is to unseat President Jonathan because of his minority status.

With the indices on the ground, do you think President Jonathan deserves a second term in office?

At the PDP Special National convention held in Abuja on Saturday August 31, President Jonathan said that critics never want to acknowledge his achievements. And truly this is the crux of the matter. Those who have sworn to make governance impossible for Jonathan have also planned to make life impossible for Nigerians when they take over power in 2019.

The corps of Jonathan-haters is increasing by the day and has added former ministers who are shouting themselves hoarse for relevance and recognition in Jonathan government.

But the most blatant lie which every Nigerian will reject is the lie that there was better electricity between 1999 and 2007 than today. Between 1999 and 2007, our megawatts never exceeded 3,000, in fact most times it was under 3,000. It is therefore a wicked falsehood to say that between 1999 and 2007 Nigerians enjoyed a megawatt of 45,000. Even a blind man can see the difference between 1999-2007 and 2011 to date.

Electricity is not yet at its best but with improvement on the National Integrated Power Projects, NIPP, and privatisation, the light at the tunnel will be so bright that our power cabal who are also diesel importers will find it difficult to sabotage.

Jonathan has also brought back the trains. Someone captured the mood thus "when next you hear the sound of the train, smile, it is the sound of promise".

For over 20 years, no Nigerian leader thought of reviving the railways even though billions of dollars were spent and with thousands of heavy trucks, trailers and tankers destroying our highways that were never well managed until now.

Apart from the trains, our road network has been well refurbished to include those lethal gullies in the eastern part of the country that used to be death traps.

As for security, Jonathan has done his best to make the best of a very bad situation. The Northern elders introduced Boko Haram to make Nigeria ungovernable for Jonathan. But with tact, diplomacy, and kind-heartedness he has almost subdued Boko Haram without using the sledge hammer. In the area of the economy, Nigeria is not doing badly either. There is a noticeable growth as our inflation figures which was 12.4 in May 2011 has dropped to single digit. During this period, our foreign reserve also increased from $32.08bn in May 2011 to $48.4bn in May 2013. Our External Crude Account, ECA, also increased from $4bn in May 2011 to $6bn in May 2013. Government annual borrowing was drastically reduced also from N852bn in 2011 to N588bn in 2013.

Source: Jonathan deserves second term –Nanaghan