Congratulations on your overwhelming victory at the recently concluded PDP Presidential primary/convention held October 6, 2018 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The PDP as a party, its leadership and the Convention Planning Committee, led by the Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa must equally be commended for organizing and conducting such a smooth, successful, free and fair Presidential convention, devoid of any rancor, bad blood, ill feeling or any dispute and protest from any of the other Presidential contenders. This, to say the least, is a clear indication that the leadership of the PDP has come of age and must have learned its lesson from the past impunity and imposition of candidates which characterized the old party, which culminated to the party’s loss of power in the 2014 Presidential elections.
Historically, in most African political party settings, a ruling Party, usually sees itself as invincible and carries on with impunity and little or no regards for its members and the ordinary citizens.
Once elections are over and victory secured, all the promises and the provisions in the party’s manifesto are jettisoned and forgotten. The party and the elected politicians, gradually metamorphose into demi-gods, with “imperial” dispositions and attitudes. New “friends of office” are acquired and old telephone numbers changed in a bid to reduce and restrict contact with ‘irritant family, old friends and some members of the electorate.
By so doing, a lot of political leaders quickly alienate themselves, lose touch with the reality on ground and become distant from the yearnings of the people and totally disconnected with their electoral promises.
May this not be the case with a President Atiku, if and when he eventually becomes president of Nigeria.
Just like the electoral victory of president Buhari in 2014, which ushered in the new government that promised “Change”. But has since fallen short on delivering on its promises of Change and on so many fronts.
Expectations are very high from an Atiku presidency. The job of his handlers and kitchen cabinet is clearly cut out for them. And should not be difficult to achieve. Just like Buhari, but much longer, Atiku has been in the political firmament and been a major player in Nigerian politics as far back as the 1990s. He was a major contender in the defunct SDP elections which culminated in the June 12 MKO Abiola presidential victory, which unfortunately was annulled by the Military government of the day. It was also speculated at the time, that Atiku was the late General Shehu YarAdua’s choice for Vice President on the Abiola ticket (this topic shall be subject for another discussion).
The major issues confronting and threatening the stability of the Nigerian State, which the Atiku Presidency must hit the ground running to confront are not too many, as a lot of issues are interrelated and intertwined. He should not try to confront too many things at the same time and thereby lose focus. The immediate shopping list, from my point of view is as follows:
• seek out men and women who can assist him to do the job and not those who want the job (political jobbers). Failure in leadership usually stem from court jesters and sycophants who never tell the King that he is naked.
• unite the country in view of the various fissiparous tendencies that currently exit along, ethnic, religious, and class. Never has Nigeria been this polarized along these unhealthy lines.
• immediately seek to end the recurring Herdsmen-Farmers violent clashes.
• address the imbalances and skewed appointments in key institutions and establishments in the country to reflect true Federal character in conformity with the 1999 Constitution.
• Electric Power- confront head on what appears to be the insurmountable challenges of the power sector, starting from gas supply, generation, distribution and the end users (we the people), which had bedeviled past administrations and the country. The power challenges of Nigeria have led to disinvestment and relocation of some major companies and industries from the country to neighboring countries, the main beneficiary being Ghana.
• put an end to separatist agitations, such as IPOB, Niger Delta militancy, Odua movement and the coalition of SE,SS, SW and the Middle belt, etc, by putting in place some of the recommendations herein, which would ensure a sense of belonging and nationhood of every Nigerian. By so doing seek to end the menace of Boko Haram incursions in the Northern part of the country. And check internal and external threat to our country’s security-create an Homeland Security Directorate.
• ensure judicial autonomy and respect the rule of law by respecting court orders on pending cases of denial of fundamental human rights
• strengthen the Nigerian economy by addressing huge domestic debt Stock, payments of local contractors, review our foreign debts and borrowings, particularly from China. And by extension all leading economic indicators such as debt-GDP, interest rate to the real sector, inflation and foreign reserves management, just to name a few.
• carry out a review and possibly conduct another Stress Tests to ascertain the current financial health and standing of our banks, non bank financial institutions and the insurance sector.
• the seamless implementation of some or all of these recommendations, would surely lead to a reasonable drop in unemployment and the misery index (inflation and unemployment) in the country.
• on Foreign Affair- seek to strengthen ties with key brother African countries, particularly South Africa, as a result of recent quagmire resulting in sour business relations between our two leading economies in the African continent. There is an urgent and serious need to ameliorate whatever damages therein and strengthen diplomatic and trade ties with South Africa, Egypt, Kenya and other nations of the world with mutually beneficial cooperation. Need for cooperation and collaboration with South Africa, would surely lead to new frontier, opportunities that are beneficial to both countries and an African Rennaisance.
• since government is a continuum, the Atiku administration must build on and modify some of the gains of the Buhari administration in total and committed fight against corruption, no matter whose horse is gord.
Government must ensure that there are no special citizens on matters of corruption and in the face of the law.
• continue on the gains in Agriculture, Agric extension programs
• continue with the exceptional performance of the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), in tax administration and expanding the scope of the dragnets of tax payers.
• address the fallen and decayed educational institutions from primary to tertiary levels.
• review our Health and Hospital Management, in order to save huge foreign currencies currently being spent in foreign hospitals and health care facilities by few privileged and wealthy Nigerians and more importantly, to save the lives of ordinary Nigerians, majority of who cannot even afford three square meals a day, let alone travel abroad on medical vacations.
•now on a final and critical note. You were about the first aspirant to put Restructuring of the country on the front burner of your to-do list. Most enlightened Nigerian are aware of the positive impact that this would have on the harmonious co existence of our people, Economic growth and development of all states and geopolitical zones of the country. Before embarking on talks about restructuring, a lot of consultations, focus groups, massive information and enlightenment campaign of both the informed and uninformed must take place across every nook and crannies and every persuasions in the country, in order to allay their fears and apprehension of skeptics, who are suspicious and apprehensive of Restructuring, in order to get their understanding and buy-in.
My dear candidate Atiku, the Waziri Adamawa and the PDP Presidential flag bearer, this may seem a very tall order, but quite honestly achievable with the right mind set, right advisers and a strong cabinet, right attitude to governance, humility, dexterity and the need to PUT NIGERIA FIRST.
No doubt that you can do it, as you have yearned and prepared for decades to serve Nigeria as President.
No doubt that you must have prepared.
No doubt that you have a blueprint and a dream of how to be Nigeria’s Rennaisance President.
Millions of Nigerian are very expectant, waiting patiently for a President that would kick start our country to nation hood and unleash its long hidden and dwarfed potentials of a great Nation.
Please bear in mind Sir, that only the Almighty God gives power. It is therefore expected, that if it is the Will of God that you become president of Nigeria (the most populous black country in the world) come May or is it now June 2019; you certainly have a date with history. Nigerians are eager and ready for the emergence of a great Nation. The entire world is also watching and waiting for this giant of our country to awake from its slumber.
How posterity and history would judge you, after you have to meet your God on judgement day is entirely up to you.
Wishing you Godspeed in the run up of what promises to be a tedious, arduous and a challenging campaign across the length and breath of the country, in good health.
END
What a wonderful article, God bless you and your household. If he probably becomes our president and he did not do well according to his promises, We will all vote him out.
God bless Uncle Jimi-Disu
God Atiku
God Bless Nigeria.