2nd February, 2015
By Joe Igbokwe
Who will tell President Jonathan and the PDP that the market is over in Nigeria? Who will tell the man and his party that there is no road again to where they are going? Who will whisper to them that the game is up in Nigeria? Who will quietly inform PDP followers that history has left them behind? Who will help to persuade and appeal to them to hands off their choking grip on the throat of Nigeria? I am looking for honest and courageous men and women in the house of PDP who will tell them that the game has been won and lost. The world is looking for those great men and women within the fold to tell them that nobody stops an idea whose time has come. I am persuaded that there are still honourable men and women within the fold that will remove the kid’s gloves and call a spade a spade. I am led to believe that there are thousands of men and women in PDP who are no fools to realize that the era of chance takers are gone in Nigeria.
PDP and its frightened followers have declared total war on candidate GMB of APC and this war is dangerous, dirty and callous. It is war about his certificate, war about GMB’s age, war about his health, war about his family, war about his past and war about his life. A Five Star General who enlisted into the Nigerian in 1961, fought the civil war, served Nigeria as Head of State, served as Governor, served as a member of Supreme Military Council, served as PTF Chairman, and contested Presidential elections in 2003, 2007 and 2011 is being ridiculed by a dying PDP and its agents and some Nigerians are keeping quiet including the retired Generals in the Army.
Governor Fayose of Ekiti State did the unthinkable, incalculable and most unbelievable attack on candidate Buhari on the front pages of the Sun and Punch Newspapers when he deliberately and consciously passed a death sentence on the man simply because the Buhari of 2003, 2007 and 2011 has moved from expectations to manifestations. That wicked act of ridiculing the late leaders of a vital section of this country at once raised the volatile political temperature of Nigeria very high. Even though PDP and President Jonathan rose up to condemn this dangerous precedence that damage had been done, PDP is the one that is still carrying the burden of this suicidal war against General Buhari.
Now enter the AIT. the Africa Independent Television, AIT has been carrying out a documentary on candidate GMB. The output was a total war on the man’s personality and integrity. They abused him, his family and his life. They danced on the graves of the late members of his family. After burying the man almost alive they set up a platform for opinion polls to gauge the tide of public opinion. Guess what happened? The man they tried to demolish and decimate with every energy at their disposal ended up scoring 73% from faithful followers out of 100%, leaving candidate Jonathan, their own candidate with the balance.
There is so much confusion in the house of PDP that it gives them no room to think and plan. They jump from frying pan to fire and in the process they hurt themselves more than ever before. They have rarely sat down to honestly look back and do some honest historical assessment of themselves in the past 16 years and what they plan to achieve in the days ahead. Fear has gripped the rank and file of the PDP and their leadership and this fear has led to so many unprecedented mistakes. As they look for mud to throw at the man they end up throwing the mud at themselves. They forgot that there are deadly factors that are threatening to uproot the party from the foundation. There are the swing states factor, president Jonathan’s poor performance factor, the exodus from the PDP factor, lack of trust from the international community factor, the Boko Haram factor, the Chibok girls factor, the state of the Nigerian Army factor, etc. It will take a book to discuss any of these factors I have listed, but I know Nigerians can develop these factors further and take away what they want to take away.
As February 14, 2015 draws near, desperation, fear and anxiety have gripped the ruling party, leaving no room for serious thinking and meditation. The fear of the unknown has so devastated, desecrated and decimated the ruling party that the centre can no longer hold. It will take a miracle to save PDP but I know that miracle does not happen in politics, especially the type of politics Nigerians have been saddled with in the past 16 years. I want to advise PDP to stop these unnecessary and futile wars and concentrate on campaigns based on issues. In an attempt to smear General Buhari’s towering and amazing profiles in 2015 the ruling party continues to hurt itself without knowing. How I wish they continue with this stupidity till the game is over.
Candidate GMB is unstoppable in 2015 and I am convinced that there is finger of God in this whole drama. Nigeria is urgently in need of a real man that can muster the courage to clear the Augean Stable, a real man of conscience to persuade us to think and dream again, and a decent and an honest man who will hold his head in gathering the clan. GMB’s fourth coming in 2015 is significant and imperative. It remains a big challenge to the status quo ante. General Buhari’s emergence again in 2015 is a historical necessity . GMB IS THE OWNER OF THE GAME!
•Igbokwe is publicity secretary of APC in Lagos State