by Eze Eluchie
All over the world, in territories where periodic elections take place to enable persons intending to rule over a people have an opportunity to market themselves to the populace and canvass for votes, it is common occurrence to see politicians engage in whatsoever they deem necessary to endear themselves to their constituency to secure victory at the polls.
In genuine democracies, electioneering periods, when the politicians canvass for votes, are always a sweet period for the electorate – the people rightly feel their power, albeit for a very short time-span, as the politicians swoon over themselves in desperate efforts to get each and every single vote they can possibly amass. Stiff necked politicians who ordinarily would not be caught dead with persons they consider as classes beneath their status, are forced to shake hands, embrace, and mingle with ordinary folks.
To convince the electorate of their ability to better the lot of society, politicians in ‘real’ democracies often times go the extra mile to do good. In their daily public lives, the mannerisms, actions, policies and projects executed or initiated in previous and or present offices held, such politicians strive for excellence – as a basis to convince the electorate to entrust them with greater political and public responsibilities and offices.
When however persons aspiring to rule over a people, resort to threatening the populace and exhibiting their linkage and control over a terrorist organization that has bombed and killed thousands of people over a three year orgy of violence, inclusive of bombing the United Nations Headquarter complex in Nigeria, several Churches across northern Nigeria and several military and para-military facilities across the land, as the reason why they must be allowed to rule over a people, then something is obviously terribly wrong.
On February 28th, 2013, a day when terrorists elements detonated bombs in three locations across the city of Maidugri (Bornu State), a city which had attained notoriety as the heartthrob of Boko Haram terror activities, in the process killing some Nigerian soldiers and citizens, some politicians who had repeatedly claimed an ability to ensure the end of terrorist activities if they are elected into office, had the temerity to take a victory walk down major streets and a market place in Maidugri – as planned and expected, the terrorists under the control of these political actors allowed ‘smooth passage’. A logical equivalent of such despicable spectacle would have been for members of the Democratic Party in America to have taken a victory walk down the streets of Fallujah, Iraq, in the midst of efforts by the Republican Party controlled United States governments efforts to quell militancy in that city or for opposition politicians in any of the European countries contributing troops to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to parade down the streets of Kandahar, Afghanistan, in a move to spite and show the government ‘back home’ as unable to address terrorism.
Again, one can only place part of the blame on the desk of President Goodluck Jonathan, more particularly so on the Minister for Justice of the Federation and the various security agencies charged with internal security, for allowing such criminality to go without adequate sanctions. When I last checked, we still had laws in Nigeria which prohibit terrorism and support for terror organizations. No doubt, President Jonathan is trying to show an accommodating spirit, openness to criticism and acceptance of opposition antics, but there is a limit to rascality – that limit is clearly crossed when, under the guise of opposition politics, terrorist activities is endorsed, championed and used as a tool to blackmail and manipulate the population.
As the countdown to the next general elections in 2015 begin, in keeping with the various threats made by some of the opposition elements to the effect that ‘the dog and the baboon would all be soaked in blood”, one can only advise that the Federal Government has to be alive to its responsibilities for the protection of life and property of Nigerians and residents of the country as we are certainly looking forward towards what portends to be very dire days ahead.
Capitulating to terror and blackmail can never be an option.
Restructuring and renegotiation of the contraption will wade off the ensuing descent into abyss.
Muhammed Buhari affirms that come 2015 general elections: “if what happens in 2011 should again happen in 2015, by the grace of God, ‘the dog and the baboon would all be soaked in blood. ”, “God’s willing, something will happen in 2015.”
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/buhari-blames-fg-for-security-challenges/115819/
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/05/2015-ll-be-bloody-if-buhari/
An opposition State trumpeting their sway over the terrorist enclave
https://ekitistate.gov.ng/2013/03/apc-governors-meet-in-maiduguri-reiterate-commitment-to-merger/
Picture: ‘Opposition’ APC Governors- Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo); Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun); Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Kashim Shettima (Borno) and Tanko Al-Makura (Nassarawa) walking down the path of infamy in Maidugri, Bornu State on the day when terrorists, ostensibly under their control, unleashed bloody mayhem across the city resulting in numerous fatalities.
In genuine democracies, electioneering periods, when the politicians canvass for votes, are always a sweet period for the electorate – the people rightly feel their power, albeit for a very short time-span, as the politicians swoon over themselves in desperate efforts to get each and every single vote they can possibly amass. Stiff necked politicians who ordinarily would not be caught dead with persons they consider as classes beneath their status, are forced to shake hands, embrace, and mingle with ordinary folks.
To convince the electorate of their ability to better the lot of society, politicians in ‘real’ democracies often times go the extra mile to do good. In their daily public lives, the mannerisms, actions, policies and projects executed or initiated in previous and or present offices held, such politicians strive for excellence – as a basis to convince the electorate to entrust them with greater political and public responsibilities and offices.
When however persons aspiring to rule over a people, resort to threatening the populace and exhibiting their linkage and control over a terrorist organization that has bombed and killed thousands of people over a three year orgy of violence, inclusive of bombing the United Nations Headquarter complex in Nigeria, several Churches across northern Nigeria and several military and para-military facilities across the land, as the reason why they must be allowed to rule over a people, then something is obviously terribly wrong.
On February 28th, 2013, a day when terrorists elements detonated bombs in three locations across the city of Maidugri (Bornu State), a city which had attained notoriety as the heartthrob of Boko Haram terror activities, in the process killing some Nigerian soldiers and citizens, some politicians who had repeatedly claimed an ability to ensure the end of terrorist activities if they are elected into office, had the temerity to take a victory walk down major streets and a market place in Maidugri – as planned and expected, the terrorists under the control of these political actors allowed ‘smooth passage’. A logical equivalent of such despicable spectacle would have been for members of the Democratic Party in America to have taken a victory walk down the streets of Fallujah, Iraq, in the midst of efforts by the Republican Party controlled United States governments efforts to quell militancy in that city or for opposition politicians in any of the European countries contributing troops to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to parade down the streets of Kandahar, Afghanistan, in a move to spite and show the government ‘back home’ as unable to address terrorism.
Again, one can only place part of the blame on the desk of President Goodluck Jonathan, more particularly so on the Minister for Justice of the Federation and the various security agencies charged with internal security, for allowing such criminality to go without adequate sanctions. When I last checked, we still had laws in Nigeria which prohibit terrorism and support for terror organizations. No doubt, President Jonathan is trying to show an accommodating spirit, openness to criticism and acceptance of opposition antics, but there is a limit to rascality – that limit is clearly crossed when, under the guise of opposition politics, terrorist activities is endorsed, championed and used as a tool to blackmail and manipulate the population.
As the countdown to the next general elections in 2015 begin, in keeping with the various threats made by some of the opposition elements to the effect that ‘the dog and the baboon would all be soaked in blood”, one can only advise that the Federal Government has to be alive to its responsibilities for the protection of life and property of Nigerians and residents of the country as we are certainly looking forward towards what portends to be very dire days ahead.
Capitulating to terror and blackmail can never be an option.
Restructuring and renegotiation of the contraption will wade off the ensuing descent into abyss.
Muhammed Buhari affirms that come 2015 general elections: “if what happens in 2011 should again happen in 2015, by the grace of God, ‘the dog and the baboon would all be soaked in blood. ”, “God’s willing, something will happen in 2015.”
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/buhari-blames-fg-for-security-challenges/115819/
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/05/2015-ll-be-bloody-if-buhari/
An opposition State trumpeting their sway over the terrorist enclave
https://ekitistate.gov.ng/2013/03/apc-governors-meet-in-maiduguri-reiterate-commitment-to-merger/
Picture: ‘Opposition’ APC Governors- Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo); Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun); Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Kashim Shettima (Borno) and Tanko Al-Makura (Nassarawa) walking down the path of infamy in Maidugri, Bornu State on the day when terrorists, ostensibly under their control, unleashed bloody mayhem across the city resulting in numerous fatalities.
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