May 9, 2010
”The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.” - Dwight D. Eisenhower
”The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.” - Dwight D. Eisenhower
The golden rule “Do unto others what you will like them do unto to you”. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar knows quite well and has the bitter experience on how not to tell a man that he cannot aspire and seek election into the highest office in the land. What borders me most is that a man like Abubakar who claim to be a national leader and detribalized leader could get involved in regional politics. In Abubakar’s irresponsible, myopic, shallow minded and belated word on BBC interview he said “Ahh! I know it is bound to cause some political instability and that is what we don’t want at this point in time. We want to stabilise our democracy. We want to stabilise our polity so that we can develop.” … “In the interest of stability, all members of the party should abide by its decisions of the party.” In the past several weeks all sorts of sensational headlines like North warns Jonathan not to contest for the Presidency in 2011, or one chief ABC from the Southwest /South East/South South warns President Jonathan against seeking the highest office on the land…who the hell do these people think they are, that believe they will decide for the Nigerian people where the President should come from or who the President should be.
For God’s sake Alhaji Abubakar where in the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Nigerian constitution that mentioned that it is turn by turn or do you have a separate PDP constitution. When you say the decision of the party are you referring to you, IBB and OBJ or you are referring to the entire PDP members? When you say you want to stabilize our democracy, do you mean democracy that works for the privileged few like you and rest of the cabals? When you say stabilize our polity, are you referring to the same Nigerians that you, your co-travelers and your friends have constantly oppressed and corruptly enriched yourself with their common wealth? When you say so that we can develop, are you referring to the steel factories, NITEL, PHCN, Federal roads, NNPC etc you guys have mismanaged, misused and ravaged to stupor?
The statement above from citizen Abubakar only shows his selfishness, out of touch with main street Nigeria and in-line and touch with the cabals that have used regional and religious affliction to deceive the Nigerian people and under-developed Nigeria they are meant to develop.
The statement smacks of political survival and calculations. He is just scared of the political implication to him if President Jonathan should contest the 2011 presidential election. If citizen Abubakar wants to be president of Nigeria, he should identify the real issues that are at the core of the countries problem. He should show us concrete plan with details on how he will lead our country out of the economic recession he and his co travelers have put the country to.
Abubakar should tell us how he plans to resolve the 40% unemployment that is ravaging our country. He should tell us how he will handle and revive our basket case educational system. Let him tell us how he will revive the comatose power sector and NITEL to stabilize our country. He should tell us his plan for the Niger-Delta problem. He should tell us how he will provide security for the Nigerian people to stabilize our polity. He should tell us what he plans to do to tackle corruption. He should tell the Nigerian people how he plans to bring justice to the Nigerian people. He should tell us how he will revive the health care delivery system such that next time he gets an accident at the gym, he will not be flown to USA for required surgery or our subsequent leaders and family members will not seek medical attention abroad…can Abubakar be reminded that countries like US where he seeks medical help is developed by ordinary citizens like him who looked beyond their selfish interest and sacrificed themselves for the common good. Abubakar should use the time before election to tell the Nigerian people why he is better than President Goodluck Jonathan or other aspirants than drumming up regional emotions that does not in any way serve the Nigerian people in any form and most unfortunately even the very region he is pretending to advocate for. In Abubakar’s native state of Adamawa, there is unemployment rate of more than 50%, more than 40 % do not have access to primary health care, less than 40% has access to clean water, less than 40% have access to quality education—never did Abubakar refer to those deficiencies as breeding ground for instability.
Believe it or not majority of Nigerians have moved beyond regional politics. Nigerians are more interested in the President and leadership that will bring back our middle class, the man/woman leader who will provide equal playing ground so that Nigerians can fulfill their dreams and aspirations and have a decent and fair shot at life. Nigerians want a leader who makes it possible when they turn on the tap water flows, when they turn on the electric switch, there is light and not darkness, when they drive on the road they are not scared of both the police and armed robbers and the deadly pot holes. Nigerians honestly wants a leader they can trust even if he will as an infallible human being will make mistake(s). Nigerians are tired of leaders who say one thing in public and go behind the scene and do things totally different from their promise.
Nigerians needs a committed and passionate leader who live above selfish and mundane things and provide the atmosphere of justice, liberty and freedom that guarantees fair share of the nations abundant opportunities and resources.
First any leader who attaches emphasis on which part of the country the President comes from and apportion it to the stability of the country obviously is ignorant and unable to synthesize and comprehend the nations glaring political and social problems. Those leaders who think that rotational presidency in whatever form, shape and circumstances is a panacea for stability of our democracy has thrown common sense to the dogs and it means that leader have no intellectual ability to lead a country of 150 million people. Rotational Presidency or whatever national office holder only stabilizes the cabals like Abukakar and his political allies who have held this country hostage for the past 50 years with no sign of letting up the conquered Mainstreet Nigerians. Alhaji Abubakar, the actions from leaders like you that will stabilize our democracy and country is when leaders like you win election through the genuine vote of the people, when the election is free and fair, when leaders like you stop selecting political leaders in your bedrooms/bathrooms, hotel rooms and on your cell phone. It is only when people like you utilize the PDTF money entrusted to you to technologically develop the Nigerian People and the infrastructure to be able to take responsibility for our oil and gas sector…that will stabilize our polity and develop our nation. It is only when leaders like Abukakar sincerely and honestly privatize our public enterprise than selling it to themselves and cronies at ridiculous low price that’s when our polity will stabilize. It is only when citizens like Abubakar stands up to tyrants not only when it did not favor them but when it threatens the very foundation of our existence as a country.
It is only when citizen Abubakar explain to us the money laundering case that he and his wife’s name has being a re-occurring decimal in USA that our polity will stabilize. Abubakar’s explanation on the role he played in Congressman Jefferson bribery case that has landed
Jefferson in prison will stabilize our polity. If justice that came in the way of Congressman Jefferson comes to Abubakar in Nigeria, it will strengthen our democracy and stabilize our polity.
People like Abubakar and the crowd of pro rotational presidency have shown lack of understanding of the needs of the Nigerian people whether north or south. They have failed to show leadership, they have shown that they say what is politically correct and what is not correct for the Nigerian people whom they angle to lord over---their lack of finesse, understanding and respect for the aspirations and basic needs of the Nigerian people shows a deep enshrined selfishness and wickedness. ”All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common; it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership.”-John Kenneth Galbraith--To former Vice president Abubakar, the anxiety and concerns of our citizens to stabilize our polity is not sectional, it is not the regional, tribe or the religion of the President, it is not whether President Jonathan’s decision to contest or not to contest--the anxiety and concerns of our citizens north or south is the same - jobs, food security, housing, quality education, quality and affordable health care, good roads, security of human beings and their properties, affordable and available energy, clean water, equal opportunity, justice, freedom that leads to peace etc.
Abubakar’s statement shows how his ambition triumphs over the common good and shared responsibility of the Nigerian people. Abubakar should in his own political interest and survival stop flowing with the tide like a dead fish. Yesterday PDP is very bad for Nigeria; today PDP is the best for Abubakar. Citizen Abubakar what will Nigerians say you stand for? Do you stand for your constituency/self which is the Cabal or you stand for/with the Nigerian people.
Abubakar if you fight for the main street Nigerians, you will stabilize the polity. If you, your friends and co-travelers play by the book the Nigerian democracy will be strengthened and in turn reduce and eliminate the 200 pound gorilla in the house which is corruption that have continued to destabilize, under-develop and threaten the very foundation of our nation hood.
Regional and religious inclination and biases, federal character is part of the corruption and that has for long destabilized our country more than anything and has not deepened or strengthened our democracy and neither has it stabilized our polity.
Abubakar should not confuse the support he got from the Nigerian people when he fought former president Obasanjo’s third term as a full proof that Nigerians believe and trust him---that support was as a result of the implication of the third to Nigerians and what it represents and not support for Abubakar’s Presidential ambition and will not fetch votes for him. Perhaps Abubakar need’s his ever articulate and smart spokesman Garba to speak on his behalf than the gaffe statement he made to BBC which be-little’s his pretentious national leader status he claims to be. Abubakar’s statement and actions more than heat up the polity than stabilize it and will not foster the required justice, fair play and peace as Abukakar is pretending to advocate.
God bless Nigeria to attain its full potential as a nation.
Owunari Hopkins-Amachree is an IT professional sent in this piece from Phoenix Arizona.
The golden rule “Do unto others what you will like them do unto to you”. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar knows quite well and has the bitter experience on how not to tell a man that he cannot aspire and seek election into the highest office in the land. What borders me most is that a man like Abubakar who claim to be a national leader and detribalized leader could get involved in regional politics. In Abubakar’s irresponsible, myopic, shallow minded and belated word on BBC interview he said “Ahh! I know it is bound to cause some political instability and that is what we don’t want at this point in time. We want to stabilise our democracy. We want to stabilise our polity so that we can develop.” … “In the interest of stability, all members of the party should abide by its decisions of the party.” In the past several weeks all sorts of sensational headlines like North warns Jonathan not to contest for the Presidency in 2011, or one chief ABC from the Southwest /South East/South South warns President Jonathan against seeking the highest office on the land…who the hell do these people think they are, that believe they will decide for the Nigerian people where the President should come from or who the President should be.
For God’s sake Alhaji Abubakar where in the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Nigerian constitution that mentioned that it is turn by turn or do you have a separate PDP constitution. When you say the decision of the party are you referring to you, IBB and OBJ or you are referring to the entire PDP members? When you say you want to stabilize our democracy, do you mean democracy that works for the privileged few like you and rest of the cabals? When you say stabilize our polity, are you referring to the same Nigerians that you, your co-travelers and your friends have constantly oppressed and corruptly enriched yourself with their common wealth? When you say so that we can develop, are you referring to the steel factories, NITEL, PHCN, Federal roads, NNPC etc you guys have mismanaged, misused and ravaged to stupor?
The statement above from citizen Abubakar only shows his selfishness, out of touch with main street Nigeria and in-line and touch with the cabals that have used regional and religious affliction to deceive the Nigerian people and under-developed Nigeria they are meant to develop.
The statement smacks of political survival and calculations. He is just scared of the political implication to him if President Jonathan should contest the 2011 presidential election. If citizen Abubakar wants to be president of Nigeria, he should identify the real issues that are at the core of the countries problem. He should show us concrete plan with details on how he will lead our country out of the economic recession he and his co travelers have put the country to.
Abubakar should tell us how he plans to resolve the 40% unemployment that is ravaging our country. He should tell us how he will handle and revive our basket case educational system. Let him tell us how he will revive the comatose power sector and NITEL to stabilize our country. He should tell us his plan for the Niger-Delta problem. He should tell us how he will provide security for the Nigerian people to stabilize our polity. He should tell us what he plans to do to tackle corruption. He should tell the Nigerian people how he plans to bring justice to the Nigerian people. He should tell us how he will revive the health care delivery system such that next time he gets an accident at the gym, he will not be flown to USA for required surgery or our subsequent leaders and family members will not seek medical attention abroad…can Abubakar be reminded that countries like US where he seeks medical help is developed by ordinary citizens like him who looked beyond their selfish interest and sacrificed themselves for the common good. Abubakar should use the time before election to tell the Nigerian people why he is better than President Goodluck Jonathan or other aspirants than drumming up regional emotions that does not in any way serve the Nigerian people in any form and most unfortunately even the very region he is pretending to advocate for. In Abubakar’s native state of Adamawa, there is unemployment rate of more than 50%, more than 40 % do not have access to primary health care, less than 40% has access to clean water, less than 40% have access to quality education—never did Abubakar refer to those deficiencies as breeding ground for instability.
Believe it or not majority of Nigerians have moved beyond regional politics. Nigerians are more interested in the President and leadership that will bring back our middle class, the man/woman leader who will provide equal playing ground so that Nigerians can fulfill their dreams and aspirations and have a decent and fair shot at life. Nigerians want a leader who makes it possible when they turn on the tap water flows, when they turn on the electric switch, there is light and not darkness, when they drive on the road they are not scared of both the police and armed robbers and the deadly pot holes. Nigerians honestly wants a leader they can trust even if he will as an infallible human being will make mistake(s). Nigerians are tired of leaders who say one thing in public and go behind the scene and do things totally different from their promise.
Nigerians needs a committed and passionate leader who live above selfish and mundane things and provide the atmosphere of justice, liberty and freedom that guarantees fair share of the nations abundant opportunities and resources.
First any leader who attaches emphasis on which part of the country the President comes from and apportion it to the stability of the country obviously is ignorant and unable to synthesize and comprehend the nations glaring political and social problems. Those leaders who think that rotational presidency in whatever form, shape and circumstances is a panacea for stability of our democracy has thrown common sense to the dogs and it means that leader have no intellectual ability to lead a country of 150 million people. Rotational Presidency or whatever national office holder only stabilizes the cabals like Abukakar and his political allies who have held this country hostage for the past 50 years with no sign of letting up the conquered Mainstreet Nigerians. Alhaji Abubakar, the actions from leaders like you that will stabilize our democracy and country is when leaders like you win election through the genuine vote of the people, when the election is free and fair, when leaders like you stop selecting political leaders in your bedrooms/bathrooms, hotel rooms and on your cell phone. It is only when people like you utilize the PDTF money entrusted to you to technologically develop the Nigerian People and the infrastructure to be able to take responsibility for our oil and gas sector…that will stabilize our polity and develop our nation. It is only when leaders like Abukakar sincerely and honestly privatize our public enterprise than selling it to themselves and cronies at ridiculous low price that’s when our polity will stabilize. It is only when citizens like Abubakar stands up to tyrants not only when it did not favor them but when it threatens the very foundation of our existence as a country.
It is only when citizen Abubakar explain to us the money laundering case that he and his wife’s name has being a re-occurring decimal in USA that our polity will stabilize. Abubakar’s explanation on the role he played in Congressman Jefferson bribery case that has landed
Jefferson in prison will stabilize our polity. If justice that came in the way of Congressman Jefferson comes to Abubakar in Nigeria, it will strengthen our democracy and stabilize our polity.
People like Abubakar and the crowd of pro rotational presidency have shown lack of understanding of the needs of the Nigerian people whether north or south. They have failed to show leadership, they have shown that they say what is politically correct and what is not correct for the Nigerian people whom they angle to lord over---their lack of finesse, understanding and respect for the aspirations and basic needs of the Nigerian people shows a deep enshrined selfishness and wickedness. ”All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common; it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership.”-John Kenneth Galbraith--To former Vice president Abubakar, the anxiety and concerns of our citizens to stabilize our polity is not sectional, it is not the regional, tribe or the religion of the President, it is not whether President Jonathan’s decision to contest or not to contest--the anxiety and concerns of our citizens north or south is the same - jobs, food security, housing, quality education, quality and affordable health care, good roads, security of human beings and their properties, affordable and available energy, clean water, equal opportunity, justice, freedom that leads to peace etc.
Abubakar’s statement shows how his ambition triumphs over the common good and shared responsibility of the Nigerian people. Abubakar should in his own political interest and survival stop flowing with the tide like a dead fish. Yesterday PDP is very bad for Nigeria; today PDP is the best for Abubakar. Citizen Abubakar what will Nigerians say you stand for? Do you stand for your constituency/self which is the Cabal or you stand for/with the Nigerian people.
Abubakar if you fight for the main street Nigerians, you will stabilize the polity. If you, your friends and co-travelers play by the book the Nigerian democracy will be strengthened and in turn reduce and eliminate the 200 pound gorilla in the house which is corruption that have continued to destabilize, under-develop and threaten the very foundation of our nation hood.
Regional and religious inclination and biases, federal character is part of the corruption and that has for long destabilized our country more than anything and has not deepened or strengthened our democracy and neither has it stabilized our polity.
Abubakar should not confuse the support he got from the Nigerian people when he fought former president Obasanjo’s third term as a full proof that Nigerians believe and trust him---that support was as a result of the implication of the third to Nigerians and what it represents and not support for Abubakar’s Presidential ambition and will not fetch votes for him. Perhaps Abubakar need’s his ever articulate and smart spokesman Garba to speak on his behalf than the gaffe statement he made to BBC which be-little’s his pretentious national leader status he claims to be. Abubakar’s statement and actions more than heat up the polity than stabilize it and will not foster the required justice, fair play and peace as Abukakar is pretending to advocate.
God bless Nigeria to attain its full potential as a nation.
Owunari Hopkins-Amachree is an IT professional sent in this piece from Phoenix Arizona.
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