Jonathan can imitate Trump, fight back to power

Power is not given, but taken’. This political statement is so true about democracy in Nigeria today where politicians embark on all sort of things to force themselves into political positions for pecuniary reasons and not for the service of humanity.

Apart from campaigning to win the hearts of voters, politicians, especially in Nigeria, seek the help of godfathers to influence the electoral system to their advantage. In fact, majority of politicians today win elections through the back door, using money and the influence of godfathers to manipulate the electoral process so they can “take it” instead of waiting or begging that power be “given” to them.

Not many politicians today can boast of having played clean before winning the election that has brought them into power. However, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s emergence as the President of Nigeria did not see him engage in playing ‘dirty games’ as seen in other political gladiators. The story of Jonathan’s rising to the Presidency demonstrates divine interference as well as his unassuming nature and absolute loyalty.

Jonathan became Deputy Governor of the oil-rich Bayelsa State on May 29, 1999 when Diepriye Alamieyesiegha was elected as the Governor of the state. When Alamieyeseigha was removed due to legal matters in 2005, he became Governor, completing the tenure of his former boss, after winning his party’s ticket to become governor for the second term in 2007, the then President, Olusegun Obasanjo, nominated him as the vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in a joint ticket with the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.  Yar’Adua died after about two years in office. What amazed Nigerians then was that Jonathan never made any effort to usurp the position of the President even when it became obvious that the then president Yar’Adua has become incapacitated and could not carry out his duties as a president.

He showed humility by sincerely mourning the death of his boss. So, when the Supreme Court declared that as the Vice President, he was qualified to become the President after the death of the President, he honoured the decision of the court and offered himself for the service of the country.  Yar’Adua’s tenure expired and he contested for the presidential seat after much persuasion by Nigerians. After winning the election, he focused on policies that promoted the growth and development of Nigeria.

Considering the type of politics played in Nigeria where manipulation of the choice of the people has left potential good leaders to run away from politics with the excuse that ‘politics is a dirty game’. Truly, the problem of leaders’ lack of ability to perform in Nigeria is caused, principally, by the manipulation of electoral results through the influence of those few bigwigs who feel that they should be the ones to determine the winner of an election, not the electorates. But unfortunately, these few individuals usurp the power that belongs to the people for their selfish interests.

An opinion poll today will reveal that if people are asked to air their views about the policies of the present administration, their response will definitely be in the negative. Those whom Nigerians actually voted for did not succeed to grab the offices the people wanted them to occupy setting the pace for voter apathy

But, according to Ola Rotimi, “to lie down and resign to fate is madness”. Power belongs to the people and should be rightly so. Since power is taken, and not given, potential good leaders should not run away from politics, calling it a ‘dirty game’. They should come together under one identity and take over leadership positions in the country for the sake of the people.

Therefore, as the call for former President Goodluck Jonathan to make a come-back into politics for the sake of the suffering masses let the former President take the bull by the horns and fight for the people who believe so much in him.

The former President should, for the interest of Nigerians, imitate the resilience and doggedness of the incumbent President of the United States of America, USA, Donald Trump, who, against all odds, continued to fight until he succeeded to win another four years, not for his personal interest, but the interests of the masses. He said it severally at his campaign rallies that his policies would be in the interest of Americans.

At one of Donald Trump’s campaign rallies, he spoke passionately about his desire to liberate America and Americans from certain bondages plaguing them.  He said: “I have come today with a message of hope for all Americans, with your vote in this election, I will end inflation, I will stop the massive criminals, I will stop invasion of criminals coming into our country and I will bring back the American dream.”

He should remember that he has many things in common with Donald Trump. Donald Trump was not sponsored by any political godfather; Goodluck also is not known to have been sponsored by a godfather. I stand to be corrected. Again, Trump was manipulated out of office in his bid for re-election, so was Goodluck Jonathan manipulated out during the 2015 presidential election in Nigeria.

For the fact that Trump contested again after the ugly experiences and won, Goodluck Jonathan should not shy away from throwing his hat into the ring for the 2027 presidential election for the sake of Nigeria, Nigerians and their dreams.

Now that prominent Nigerians, especially the elites, are clamouring for his return to active politics and contest the presidential seat come 2027, he should heed their calls as Nigerians will once again love to hear him talk about a message of hope and his desire to end inflation which is already crippling the nation’s economy as well as to stop the invasion of criminals who have looted the nation’s treasury dry.

Nigerians will also like to hear him talk about stabilising the economy, bringing down the pump price of petroleum products, food items among others, because having been tested, they know that he is capable of fulfilling his campaign promises if elected to complete his four years tenure. Having stayed in and out of power as a president he would surely know the right thing to do at the right time.

•Sami is the Publisherof Nigerian Pilot