Jonathan’s Sincere Warning

As the President of Nigeria, Goodluck Ebele Jonathna could not have known better that political office holders, their policies and actions are far detached from electorate, who are themselves mere Nigerians with little or no hope in the system.

The President may also have foreseen the doom that awaits the country very soon if political office holders continue in their inordinate lifestyles without recourse to the teeming population whose expectations are daily dashed by their leaders.

At a recent governorship election campaign in Kogi state, President Jonathan expressed fear that the country may face a mass revolt in the next four years if the government remains adamant to the plight of the youths and jobless graduates of various tertiary institutions in the country.

He then told the people that this was the reason he needed only politicians who could assist him in meeting the desires of the already disillusioned people.

Again, the President yesterday warned politicians in the country to be mindful of the kind of treatment meted out to the late Libyan dictator, Muammar Gaddafi, and his family by the people of Libya when they became tired of his excesses.

While addressing religious and traditional rulers at the second quarterly meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, he warned politicians to desist from seeing themselves as tin gods and realise that power is temporary and belongs to the people.

How true these recent comments from the number citizen of the country are with regards to the country’s precarious situation today!

It is very common to see frustration on the faces of the average Nigerian on the street today. He is in the part of the world where his input on how he should be governed does not matter. His children are out of school probably because he cannot afford their tuition or because the government does not care whether the tertiary institutions exist or not resulting in incessant strike actions.

He looks at those who are supposed to make his living condition bearable, but he sees them very far from him and his condition and their own children are abroad spending tax-payers money to enjoy the fullness of life.

He cannot access good medical facilities even after paying tax. If he needs good healthcare, he has to part with huge sum of money, yet he does not have the opportunity to make the amount of money he truly needs to keep himself and his family up.

The President’s comments should be a sincere warning signal to those who have decided to stay away from the people after getting their votes. We state categorically that the presidency is also guilty of the disconnect which our country’s president is talking about.

Since the inception of the present administration, President Jonathan has continued to reel out policies which are seen as anti-people. And even when there is mass outcry against such policies, he has continued to trudge on.

We appeal to politicians and government at all levels should discourage themselves from actually playing god and further pushing the people to the wall. The consequence may not be palatable.