By Donu Kogbara
FEMI Fani-Kayode is a leading light of the ruling PDP. He is also the PDP’s main election campaign spokesman. But he was, until fairly recently, a member of the APC and one of Jonathan’s most vocal critics.

I used to be one of Mr President’s most vocal supporters. But I decided, fairly recently (and very reluctantly, initially), to switch my allegiance to Major-General Buhari, the APC candidate, because I have several reservations about Dr Goodluck and Dame Patience Jonathan…and because I really like Buhari’s soldierly strictness, unmaterialistic personality, low tolerance for corruption and genuine concern for the impoverished masses.

Femi and I have a lot of friends in common and one of them recently told me that a lot of our mutual chums are hugely amused by the fact that Femi now stands where I used to stand, while I now stand where he used to stand!

Femi and I have, in a nutshell, traded places; and I now agree with SOME of the negative comments he made about Jonathan last year. A few examples:

A President who has abdicated his responsibilities, destroyed his own political party, divided his own country, alienated his own friends, humiliated his own mentor, abandoned his own people, brought ridicule to his own faith, cowers before his own officials, betrays his own governors, scorns the international community and breaks his solemn oath to protect and defend the Nigerian people.

A President who does not even have the nerve or the guts to call to order any of the numerous Jezebels that control him. He is the problem we have in our country today and until he resigns, is impeached or is voted out of power nothing will change and Nigeria will continue to go from bad to worse.

Under President Goodluck Jonathan, we have become a nation of vampires where the death of innocent children and youths means nothing and where we cannot even provide jobs or a decent standard of living for our young ones.

…May the Lord save Nigeria from this inexplicable and unpleasant mess and may the Nigerian people themselves wake up from their accursed slumber and take their destiny into their own hands.

Economic hardship

The smell of religious war, sectarian violence, regional and ethnic conflict, insecurity, untold suffering, rampant poverty and economic hardship is in the air. Nigerians are divided as never before and our country is slowly crumbling and dying before our very eyes. Who will save Nigeria? Who will stand up and say enough is enough?

“The truth is that the PDP…is a party….whose leaders are…unjust, gluttonous…

One of these days, I will look for Femi; and if he agrees to talk to someone in the “enemy” camp, I will ask him to please tell me why he has changed his mind!

Various voices

SOME Vanguard Readers share my views about the election campaign and its stars. Others are appalled by my stance and think that I have betrayed the Niger Delta. In the spirit of lively democratic debate, here are some of the approving and disapproving letters and text messages I’ve recently received.

From: Mudiaga Okorodudu <[email protected]>

I am a  regular reader of your column- Sweet And Sour. I must be quick to commend your articles for objectivity, brilliance and ever interesting. I share in your pains in your article BETRAYAL. I am in the same ship with you on this because  I come from the South South  geo political zone like you.

But the truth must be told by all patriots and true lovers of Nigeria. The momentum in favour of General Buhari  is not a function of him being a ‘super human being or a Saint’ but the odds seems to be in GMB favour mainly because of the failure of our brother GEJ and the PDP administration and Nigerians in my opinion are desirous of trying something new.

Democracy is all about choice, and it is the right of the people to choose their leaders. If the people believe the government of the day has failed, then it is only natural for them to want to try something new. This is the beauty of democracy and this culture should be encouraged in Nigeria as it is being practiced elsewhere. There have been peaceful transition in some African countries where incumbents have lost elections and heaven did not fall. These countries include Ghana, Ivory Coast, Zambia, Senegal, etc. Nigeria should not be an exception if that is what the people want.

My take is that INEC should be given a free hand to conduct a free, fair and credible election. The election should not only be free, fair and credible but must be manifestly seen to be free, fair and credible. We must all do away with the politics of Religion and Ethnicity.

The watch word must be competence. A president who fails must and should be voted out and if the subsequent President fails still, he should also be voted out in a transparent electoral process. This is how great nations have evolved.

For now I think I join millions of Nigerians who want change at least to see whether government can be run differently in a positive manner.

Thanks

2348184414635 Anonymous

Dear Donu, I believe the worst Jonathan is hundred times of the best Buhari. What has Buhari to offer except it is claimed HONESTY. BUT Buhari alone can not make a forest. He will need backers to function. Look who is there. All around him are the same thief thief politicians. Buhari can’t do nothing. He will be incapacitated with the characters in APC  and APC is not an alternative to PDP. A better opposition is required. They are the same people so either you vote Jonathan or abstain. No need to gamble for there are no choices

2348051851042 Anonymous

I believe you are still extremely disillusioned to think that Buhari and APC give a sense of hope to Nigerians. What hope? Hope of backwardness, I say. How can someone give what he does not possess.

It is unfortunate that you are being driven by share bitterness, sentiment, ignorance and propaganda. If you truly have a conscience, as you claimed, you will not wish Nigeria to be led in this modern day by Buhari

2347032999885

Andy.                        Betrayal. Just read your piece. Ma you are brave and so damn on point. We need cleansing from bigotry. Cheers

2348071209197 Anonymous

You and Ameachi do not know what you are doing. How many northerners have you seen insulting their leaders? God will surely shame all of you at the end.

2348143187712 Anonymous

My hatred for you has no limit. At your age and education you can’t see nor reason very well. Half illiterate like you. Cheap fool.