“We need a President that we can pull his ears when he is headed the wrong way,” says Obasanjo
The respected Economist magazine supported President Muhammadu Buhari eight years ago and today the magazine is wondering if the choice is the right one. Unfortunately, the magazine is faced again with a similar situation but the editors are more pragmatic now allowing the polls to do the talking while they report what is on the ground with sound analysis to backup.
According to the magazine surveys which suggest that Nigerians are keen to have a younger, more energetic and more communicative leadership. Peter Obi, a third-party candidate who fits this description, tops many polls and was recently endorsed by Olusegun Obasanjo, an influential former president who became head of state at 39 and left office at 42 . He returned at 62 and left again at 70 while the two front runners Abubakar Atiku and Bola Tinubu are both over 70 years and still interested in the highest office in the land.
However, Obi lacks the structure and network of the other two players.
President Buhari showed interest in the job eight years ago but when he was given the mantle, it took him half a year to put a cabinet in place. In the UK that’s an assignment for one week. This apart he reportedly spent over 200 days seeing his doctors.
In his words, Obasanjo said I have come to realise a number of factors in character, attributes and attitude that are necessary in the job of directing the affairs of Nigeria successfully and at a time like this. These characteristics or attributes are many but let us be mindful of some key ones together.
From interaction and experience, and as mentees as most of them claim, I will, without prejudice, fear or ill-will, make bold to say that there are four major factors to watch out for in a leader you will consider to hoist on yourself and on the rest of Nigerians in the coming election.
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The factors are what I call TVCP: Track record of ability and performance; Vision that is authentic, honest and realistic; Character and attributes of a lady and a gentleman who are children of God and obedient to God; and Physical and mental capability with soundness of mind as it is a very taxing and tasking assignment at the best of times. More so it is at the most difficult time that we are. In other words mental health and wellness is important for the Aso Rock assignment. Can we tick this for all the contestants?
According to the retired brass hat ‘Emi Lokan’ (My turn) and ‘I have paid my dues’ are one and the same thing and are wrong attitude and mentality for the leadership of Nigeria now. They cannot form the new pedestal to reinvent and to invest in a new Nigeria based on an All-Nigeria Government for the liberation and restoration of Nigeria.
Such a government must have representation from all sectors of our national life – public, private, civil society, professional, labour, employers, and the diaspora. The solution should be in ‘we’ and ‘us’ and not in ‘me’ and ‘I’. Nigeria needs a star studded team of bureaucrats and technocrats who are selfless and dedicated to the motherland. We are eagerly waiting.
Obasanjo is convinced that Nigeria has no business with insecurity, poverty, insurgency, banditry, unemployment, hunger, debt, division and disunity. We are in these situations because advertently or inadvertently, our leaders have made the choices. They have done the best they could do.
None of the contestants is a saint Obsanjo opines but when one compares their character, antecedent, their understanding, knowledge, discipline and vitality that they can bring to bear and the great efforts required to stay focused on the job particularly looking at where the country is today and with the experience on the job that I personally had, Peter Obi as a mentee has an edge.
Others like all of us have what they can contribute to the new dispensation to liberation, restoration and salvaging of Nigeria collectively. One other important point to make about Peter is that he is a needle with thread attached to it from North and South and he may not get lost. In other words, he has people who can pull his ears, if and when necessary. Needless to say that he has a young and able running mate with clean track record of achievement both in public and private life. However is this where I disagree with the elder Statesman the ears of Atiku and Tinubu can be pulled too you just need the right hand to do the pulling. Emirs and Obas can play that role.
All the analysis by the General not withstanding the Economist says many pundits still expect the eventual Victor to be Bola Tinubu, the APC’s candidate. His campaign has deep pockets, and the ruling party holds many state governor offices, making it easier to prod and pay people to vote for it’s candidate. Like Mr Buhari, Mr Bola Tinubu is old (70) and dogged by rumours of infirmity. He is an accounting graduate that has struggled to articulate a vision. His supporters note that he had a good record as the governor of Lagos between 1999 and 2007 increasing the state’s tax nearly sixfold . But critics say he put Lagos through hardship by fighting the central government under Obasanjo’s leadership.
Atiku’s position going into this election is dare because he has no track record to flaunt as the ‘spare’ under Obasanjo there were many questionable calls under his watch and the swaggering of the G5 is not helping matters at all.He is a good man that would like to serve, we wish him well.
I personally don’t have a preference yet but l would like to pull my President’s ears if he is not getting things right.
I rest my case. PVC loaded in purse cant wait to go to the polling station to have my say and move the motherland forward. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Michael Umogun is a chartered marketer with interest in public policy
