Professor of Economics and Noble Laureate, John K. Galbraith, once observed that a man who makes his entrance by breaking down the front door of the house deserves some criticism for excessive violence; but, something also needs to be said about the condition of the door. Saraki’s emergence as Senate President, against the wishes of the leaders of the All Progressive Congress, APC, is a classic case of a weak door meeting an individual determined to gain entrance – even if it means breaking down the door.

The Seventh National Assembly, NASS, ended on a disgraceful note when it passed forty six(46) bills, on which they have been seating, in ten minutes. Some of the jesters, called Senators even tried to add insult upon injury by defending the absolutely indefensible. The former Senators probably never heard that “it is better to keep quiet and be considered a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.” If the 7th Assembly ended in disaster, the 8th had started in chaos which might have doomed it from the start. Yet, these possibilities were pointed out in 2013 – when the APC first got started. In August 2013, the following columns were published on these pages.

Call it a plea for equity or an appeal for consideration, Jonathan’s published advice to Buhari was one few people, this time last year, would have imagined likely. It has never happened in Africa for an incumbent President to be clearly defeated in an election.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR, your departure from the exalted office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on May 29, 2015, was a landmark in many respects – few of which can be regarded as credits to your five years in office. In fact, if future historians, who must base some of their conclusions on today’s media records, are to judge you, as you proclaimed a few weeks before your departure, they will judge you a failure.

Arnold did not put a question mark in the statement above. I introduced it because it seems appropriate for our current situation in Nigeria.

If you want a short answer to the question: why is Nigeria not developing as fast as it should? Then take a look below, at the excerpts from an article published in 2007. The full text will appear in the book to be published later this year. Two characters featured in that piece – Obasanjo and Fani-Kayode. In no other progressive country do you find people who left their nation in the dark, literally, still being called upon to influence decisions. The two guys represent a nation spinning its wheels. So, why in 2015 were the PDP members still begging Obasanjo to support them? And why was Fani-Kayode running the PDP Presidential campaign in 2015? Please read on.

Professor Tam David-West, nearing 80 but still going strong, and as irrepressible as ever, had made the case for those involved in electoral malpractices to be treated as armed robbers. Some have even likened it to treason – an attempt to distort the will of the people illegally. While their anger is understandable, they will not solve the immediate problem. In fact those suggestions will merely delay justice. Nigeria’s electoral laws as they stand, have never been fully tested until now. Violators have gone unpunished and we don’t know how strong a deterrent they will serve against future occurrence. At any rate we don’t have to waste time passing new laws. We should test the ones we have to the limit.

The real game has not even got underway and already some of the elected officials want to change the rules. The “solidarity” visit of the governors-elect of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to President-elect Buhari, on Tuesday, May 5, 2015 which resulted in the declaration above by Rochas Okorocha, newly appointed Chairman Progressives Governor’s Forum, PGF, portends grave consequences for all of us in many ways. The most glaring is the immediate cleavage created within the party by the governors elected on the ticket of the APC – at a time when many political analysts believe that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lost the last election mostly on account of the over-bearing activities of its Governors Forum. APC Governors Forum is taking off where the PGF left off. The most obvious question arising from this is: do Africans, especially Nigerians, ever learn from theirs or other peoples’ mistakes? It is doubtful.

The appeal by Mrs Ogakwu to the Police must occur to most observers of the nearly concluded elections as strange indeed. Every election before now had always been preceded by announcements about restriction of movements on election day by the Nigeria Police. Stern warnings are given to violators that they will be dealt with if they failed to comply. Yet, in every election, some individuals, with the obvious complicity of the police violate the restrictions to cause havoc.

The report by Everest Amaefule, went on to state that “The World Bank’s Chief Economist for Africa, Mr Francisco Ferreira, said looking into financial records of the country, especially allegations of corruption at the NNPC, would check impunity and build public institutions in the future”. While thanking Ferreira for his observations, it must be stated that Buhari does not really need the World Bank or any external organization before probing the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and others. He has our mandate to do so.

In part one I listed two Governors exonerated by the Tribunal – Chief Ajasin UPN- Ondo State) and Alhaji Jakande (UPN-Lagos State). There was another honourable man Dr Clement Isong (UPN –C/River). Isong was also a former Governor of the Central Bank about whom the Tribunal said “he handled the State’s funds with the highest standard of professionalism and ethics”. I apologise to the good people of Cross River and to Isong’s family for the omission. This is history. Also note that all three were from the South and UPN; no northerner among them and no NPN governor – the Hausa/Fulani Party – was set free.

I have never met the President-elect Buhari in my life. There were two occasions when we could have met; first in 2011, when he ran for president and I worked with his campaign team part time; the second, last year after he clinched the nomination as the candidate of the APC. It was providential that we never met; otherwise I could not have written that first line. On the two occasions, he changed his plans suddenly and there was no meeting. But, I first knew of General Buhari in January 1984, a few days after the coup of December 31, 1983, which first brought him to power.

Outgoing President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, GCFR, should now start preparing for the longest journey he had ever undertaken in his life. He is going home. Although, given any of the fleet of ten aircrafts at his disposal, and a military helicopter, the trip should not last more than one hour. But, to a Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, of any country, who has just been defeated in an election, every nautical mile will appear like ten thousand miles. Each will be filled with unpleasant sensations. And, arrival at the destination will bring more pain – unlike previous visits to the small community which were joyful.

In case you are wondering why some of them will run away before May 29, 2015, consider this. On that day, the man who had been surrounded by tough-looking security people will find himself alone with the people he had ruled for eight years. Only God can save him if he still owes civil servants three or four months’ salary, as well as local contractors who might never get paid.

Although the dictionary included dishonesty among the definitions of corruption, President Jonathan had insisted that it is only stealing. I fully accept his definition of what happens in official circles. My mentor on this was the Abami-Eda himself, Fela Anikulapo – who left us with a track titled “Authority Stealing”. Jonathan, it can be assumed from his utterances and conduct, appears not to be prepared to fight corruption. But, will he wage war against stealing? Given the facts available to me, the answer is “definitely No!”