I voted for Gen. Muhammadu Buhari in 2015. I will choose Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in the next election if he wishes to run again. Here are my reasons.

"Ultimately, leadership is not about glorious crowning acts. It's about keeping your team focused on a goal and motivated to do their best to achieve it, especially when the stakes are high and the consequences really matter. It is about laying the groundwork for others' success, and then standing back and letting them shine" Chris Hadfield

To observe this administration keenly is to conclude that the more things changed, the more they stay the same.

There are a lot of questions hanging on the President and his team (members of his cabinet, joint-administrators). Either the signal from inner circle of PMB warrants a field day for corrupt activities or those in his government simply fall short on the incorruptibility nature of their master. Whichever is true, the last two years has shown to all that there seem to be a slack in coherence and unity of purpose in the staffing of the current regime.

Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s first short at Aso rock was one that bred and nursed corruption. Yes, this is true, infact during his first tenure I wrote quite a few pieces where I pointed out the ills in his government and I remember to be very hammering in this particular write-up CLICK

Whilst it is true that APC-led government replaced the former president at a time it appeared the deeds were already done, the economic indices and indicators were not favourable. And the chances that PMB would take over the wheel and swiftly sail Nigeria to the part of progress was near impossible, the odds were against the new government and it seemed the country was going to hit a brick wall.

The result of years of maladministration at federal level and mismanagement of resources birthed economic downturn and for the first time in over twenty years Nigeria officially entered recession –Business Insider

Nigerian economy today is not in good shape. It would be unfair for anyone to put the blame squarely on this administration. But here is my worry…

If PMB-led government had won the heart of many Nigerians on the mantra of change and anti-corruption crusade –and two years into his administration we’re confronted daily with cases of financial misappropriations and improper conducts then I think something is not right.

This regime has done more to recover spoils of corruption but done little to halt its furtherance.

What do we make of an anti-corruption crusader whose chief-of-staff; Abba Kyari was fingered in a #500 million sleaze. He allegedly took the money from operators of MTN to help the telecommunications giant mitigate the fine imposed on it by the federal government.

It should be noted that immediately the news broke out the MTN director involved in this act was relieved of her job but same cannot be said of  Mr Kyari who obviously has retained his job till this day. The office of the chief of staff has received many allegations bordering on ethics; improper conducts in its discharge of duties.

I was asleep with the assurance that PMB is fighting corruption until I got woken to reality by the news of Babashir Lawal –That a co-administrator in this current political dispensation; a supposedly anti-corruption government awarded a contract to cut grasses for the sum of N200m to his own company is surprising.

In other related news we hear the Minister of Internal Affairs, Abdulrahman Dambazau, allegedly bought homes worth millions of dollars in Boston, USA.

We’ve also read about the Chief of Army Staff, Yusuf Buratai, who was found to have used Nigerian Army funds to purchase homes in Dubai

Here’s a link should you wish to read more on the shortcomings of this government as far as corruption allegations are concerned.

Integrity is when, without being pressured or stressed, you take bold steps to do the needful at the appropriate time.

Human health could be unpredictable, so I would not castigate or condemn the President’s ill health. I am happy to see the President bouncing again. I hope he spends the remainder of his days in good health.

In 2015, I voted for General Muhammadu Buhari mainly due to his presumably proving integrity and anti-corruption mantra.

Few months ago, during his long medical sojourn, although the president acted constitutionally by handing power over to his vice while he was away. So the nation was not grounded.

If the President’s one goal is to render service to the best of his abilities and nothing more, then –except there is more to it than meet the eyes– PMB should have resigned on health ground (so I thought) –to afford him more time to take care of his health. After-all, it is not a do or die affair.  And Nigeria they say; is bigger than anyone!

Before the 2015 general election, then General Muhammadu Buhari was quoted to have said the following in an interview;

“Whoever that is indicted of corruption between 1999 to the time of swearing-in would be pardoned. I am going to draw a line, anybody who involved himself in corruption after I assume office, will face the music.”

President Buhari has failed to honour his words which call his integrity to question.

A popular quote goes “If we all mean what we say and say what we mean, this world would be a much better place” I couldn’t agree more. We sometimes take for granted little things that matter most.

Dr. Goodluck Jonathan may be out of the game, but in retrospect I can’t help but cut him some slack.

The damaging effect of ‘widespread corruption’ in his government couldn’t be more telling; it cost him a reelection. It was so alarming that it undermined the successes of the regime. And it seems nothing good came out of GEJ-led administration.

When all is said and done, we can’t take away the fact that the former president did give utmost priority to those fundamentals which are critical to nation building.

1.     Electoral reform

2.     Introducing technology and strengthening institutions

3.     Restructuring

The 2015 general election was said to be the best electoral process yet in this current republic. Free and fair election deepens democracy. When faith is developed in the country’s electoral process, credible leaders emerge.

The Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) an ICT project initiated by Jonathan’s government to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of payroll administration for its Ministries, Departments and Agencies has been a success story.

Today tens of thousands of ghost workers and illegal salary earners are weeded off federal government’s payroll. 

The Treasury Single Account TSA is another initiative of last administration. Although, he was largely misunderstood –Dr. Goodluck Jonathan made a valid point when he alluded that corruption would best be fought by keeping goat away from the yam.

To bureaucrats, appointees and the likes, the former president was simply saying let’s limit to a large extent human interface as far as cash transactions, collection and remittance is concerned in all MDAs. He believes technology could play an important role in reducing corruption. I agree with him!

The many problems Nigeria as a nation [security threats/issues, political instability, socio-economic challenges] continue to suffer today could easily be resolved if the 2014 confab recommendations –that GEJ promised to bring to fruition if reelected –would simply be implemented. 

The need for restructuring cannot be over emphasized. There have been many write-ups on the call for restructuring, many speeches and clamoring by prominent Nigerians home and abroad.

Show me a developed country in the world today and I will show you a nation that is well structured, with strong institutions and sound electoral system.

Why Dr. Goodluck Jonathan many may ask?

Well, a known devil is better than an unknown angel.

Boluwatife Adekunle

@boluzzz