BY George Ugbelaka

The President of a country could be rated by the promises he made during his campaign and is judged by his performance while in office. In 2014 at the wake of the Presidential campaign, Goodluck Jonathan promised uninterrupted power supply by the end of 2014. Today, not only did he fail to keep his promise it is clear that steady power supply is not in sight. Yet he has come out to tell Nigerians he wants to do a second term.

Before 2011 he had vowed and in fact told some notable Nigerians he was going to do only one term as he was reported to have said that it was just what he needed to turn Nigeria around. Not only has he reneged on that promise he has, also, with impunity, taken Nigerians for a ride by campaigning vigorously for a second term in “I don’t give a damn” manner. Jonathan promised that the Boko Haram insurgency would be crushed in six months.

Today the insurgency has taken a toll of innocent Nigerians including women and children. The fate of the Chibok girls has become permanently uncertain. Jonathan promised food, shelter and employment yet there is hunger, unemployment and a huge shelter deficit in Nigeria. Jonathan pledged early completion of the East West road and the dredging of the River Niger. All these projects are still far away in our dream.

The economy under Jonathan’s watch has suffered severe battering with the naira being pounded into an unrecognizable size. The naira now exchanges for over N200 to the dollar while our foreign reserves have dipped to an all time low. Our Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) has been depleted to a dangerous level. The situation is so bad that most states are unable to pay workers salaries as at when due.

The reduction in fuel pump price from N97 to N87 appears to be a mere tokenism compared to the international market price of crude oil. Even at that, where is President Jonathan going to make up for the N10 shortfall since the budget has been presented?

It is ludicrous that at a time when subsidy has become an obsolete economic index, Nigeria is still practicing an archaic subsidy regime believing that a reduction of N10 in the pump price of fuel could cushion the harsh economic realities on ground. Nigerians cannot be taken for fools because the subsidy regime has been known by all Nigerians as a drain pipe in the nation’s corruption industry.

What moral right has President Jonathan to come to Nigerians to ask for support for his 2015 Presidential bid? Does the President not have honour in his sleeves? Does he not care about what he should be remembered for after he has left office except maybe the Shoeless Otuoke boy who trekked several kilometers to school?

Who will salvage Nigeria? Looking at the two major Presidential candidates of APC and PDP, Gen Mohammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan, Buhari appears to be our hope. He has been Head of State and has held sensitive positions like Minister of Petroleum, Chairman of Special Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) and he is said to have impeccable records.

As Head of State he instilled discipline in our national life through the War against Indiscipline (WAI) programme and gave an early signal that he was going to have a zero tolerance for corruption. It is in recognition of what Buhari stands for that he is today being invited to be the voice of the down trodden. Some Nigerians have expressed doubt that Buhari does not possess sufficient democratic credentials.

Others point to his alleged extreme religious views. These views are canvassed by those who do not know him. When he was Head of State majority of his state military administrators were Christians just as majority of his personal aides were also Christians.

Twice now, Buhari is the only presidential candidate till date that has chosen practicing Christians and pastors as his running mate. What other proof does one need to show that Buhari is not a religious bigot. Besides, what Nigeria needs now is not just a president but a leader.

The massive followership being currently enjoyed by General Buhari across the length and breadth of the country portrays him as a man with a mass appeal, a charismatic leader who has sufficient moral credentials to pull us out of the doldrums. With notable Nigerians decamping from the PDP to the APC because of Buhari’s sterling qualities it is clear that the days of PDP are numbered.

The crass opportunism and disdain of the common man displayed for 16 years by PDP is destined to come to an abrupt end. The time for change in Nigeria has come and it is sweeping ferociously like tsunami and nobody can stop it.

Buhari is detribalized and loves Nigeria with a passion. As a man who fought for the unity of this country he knows the value of keeping Nigeria one. It is in this light that I ask all Nigerians who desire progress to take advantage of this wind of change and vote in Buhari to continue his war against indiscipline and corruption and restore Nigeria to its former pride of place in the international community.