By Obinna Okeke
Since the providential emergence into the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by President Goodluck Jonathan, occasioned by the sudden demise of ourlate President, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yaradua, the Nigerian polity has not been as heated with acrimony, bitterness and rancour in other regimes as witnessed in this present regime.
Heavy power play, arm twisting, intrigues,emotional and political blackmail heralded the eventual election into office our current incumbent president.
Just as President Jonathan was about to settle down to work and after a successful amnesty programme for the Niger Delta militants, the south east geopolitical region became so restive with ignominious and ignoble kidnapping trade that became the order of the day in the region.
The terror of the kidnappers reached an alarming proportion that even the expatriates and Nigerians alike became aware that the fear of kidnappers is the beginning of wisdom in the South East region of our country. Though the scale of this social malady called kidnapping is now on the down ward trend yet it seem to be a vice that has come to stay in the annals of our country’s socio-political system. Many, especially, in the south-South and South-East region lost their lives, their friends or relatives through kidnapping. So many families from thesouth- south and south-east fled their homes and communities to other parts of the country and are not in a hurry to go back anytime soon,because of the threat of being kidnapped.
As if Nigerians have not had enough of this evil threat to the economic social and corporateexistence of our country, that militancy and kidnapping activities portend; the mother of all evil in the guise of Boko Haram took the nation by the storm. The violence unleashed by theBoko Harm sect especially in the North-eastern part of our country, shook the foundation of corporate existence of this nation.
Initially, the Boko Haram vented their anger towards the police, military, para-military and government establishments. Bombings of police divisions, military barracks and some government establishments seem to become an order of the day. Some innocent lives were also lost through the dastard, wicked and ignoble activities (bombings, kidnap and mass killings) by the Sect.
While the government of President Jonathan is still experimenting on the best way to tackle the evil activities of this sect, political muscling, betrayals, in-fighting and blackmailtook the political centre stage. This led to Mr President’s sudden but a long awaited, welcomesweeping changes both of his cabinet and other government agencies and parastatal.
The political landscape of Nigeria for the first time witnessed mass defection into the opposing political party from the ruling political party and vice-vasa. Apart from defections of some EX, and serving Governors to the opposition, the country equally witnessed political cross carpeting at the floor of the National Assembly. This in its toll gave rise to series of yet to be decided litigations. These political intrigues in its wake, left a long scar that for a long time will be a memorial to some political office holders of their political wound sustained in these political power play. Some lost their political offices shamefully, some were compulsorily retired, some stood trial for their alleged fraud while in the office; some are still standing trial. Some Heads of parastatal who felt that by virtue of the Act establishing their Office, that they are immune from the presidential “AXE”, found to their own chagrin that no office can be greater than the Office of the President of our country.
The whole melodrama climaxed with the election into the Office of the President of Nigeria General Muhammadu Buhari as the President elect on 28th day of March 2015. President GoodLuck Ebere Jonathan discovered to his dismay that even with wide range of political structure of his ruling political party PDP, the myth of the power of incumbency was for the first time broken in the political history of Nigeria.
The present economic, ethno and socio-political situations in our country vividly depicts the situation captured by one of the Nigerian literally icon JP Clark in his poem “The Casualties”.Thus, borrowing from his poem, the casualties are not only those who died out of social or political violence occasioned by tribal/ethnic attacks, kidnappings, militancy and Boko Haram attacks (the Madala bombing) or the Chibok girls that over a year of their missing our leaders cannot declare them dead or live. They are well out of it.
The casualties are equally not only those who lost their wealth, properties, friends, families and relatives occasioned by the senseless killing and lootings by blood thirsty and sucking monsters in human clothing in the North-Eastern part of our country. The casualties include those real and imaginary suspects of various terror related offences, who are now languishing in different cells and prisons due to truncated and endless trials.
The drums of propaganda and hate campaign preceded the 2015 election. There were alignment and re-alignment of interest groups. Our polity witnessed as have never been before executive defections and legislative cross-carpeting. Legislative impudence, executive arrogance and intra-party betrayals was the order of the day. Friends were no longer friends, families split apart because of conflicting political loyalties. All are casualties.
The tension in the country was so high, economic activities stood still and uneasy laid the man of the moment Professor Attahiru Jega. The past, present and future of Nigeria were reloaded and cast on his head while Nigerians were about to celebrate an uncommon valentine day, by single executive fiat, election date was shifted but rather than bringing a sigh of relief, anotherperiod of anxiety prevailed.
Eventually, the elections came and went to the surprise of many not with anticipated post-election violence. The incumbent president was electorally dethroned and like a statesman, he honourably threw in the towel and surrendered to the General who defeated him in the electoral battle.
The aftermath of the election saw so many who have before now paraded themselves as demi-god in their state ignominiously humbled and without giving him anything to bring on the table of his new party. But where the king fell, a warrior was enthroned. Many are now sulking and leaking the wounds of an unexpected political electoral defeat. Many are also jubilating, some cannot even understand why they danced to the music others played. All are also casualties. The President elect is not left outin this because the hawks are hovering, the political predators are lying in wait for thier sole prey, (the president elect) the vultures and scavengers are waiting for the carcass of this sole prey. Whether the general will come out this a hero or a villain the next four or eight years shall tell depending on the elasticity of the strength of his character. I do not envy him because he, (General Muhammadu Buhari) like we Nigerians and friends of Nigerians (corporate or individuals) that the policy of the incomingadministration will affect positively or negatively, all are casualties. God bless our country Nigeria and keep it safe.
OKEKE, an Abuja based legal practioner and public affairs analyst wrote from Abuja
