By: Olufemi Lawson
As Nigeria prepare for the 2023 General elections, a year symbolising another significant transition era, it is becoming imperative, for nigerians, to be interested in actions of political actors and parties, as decisions begin to emerge, on the transition succession plans, being championed, by political gladiators, most importantly, as it concerns the political stability of the country, and ultimately, the growth of our fledgling democracy.
Unlike the previous political processes, this time demands that every patriotic citizens, advocate for equity and fairness, as a step, towards consolidating, on the firm commitment, to the unity of Nigeria. There is no doubt, that the atmosphere is charged, with desperate attempts, by political gladiators, particularly in the All Progressives Congress (APC), to appropriate the party’s zoning formula, to their own advantage. Yet, the party must not allow itself, to be hijacked by those interest groups, whose ultimate agenda is opposed to the principles of fairness and equity, which is the ultimate necessity, towards sustaining the party’s hold on power, and electing a leader, that can consolidate on the legacies of the President Muhammadu Buhari’a administration.
As the jostle intensifies, we have an obligation to be sensitive to the demands of polticians, whose ambitions, are not only insensitive, but are self serving and unjust. It should be an uncompromising decision, for genuinely progressive members of the APC, to ensure that not only is the party’s presidential ticket ceded to the southern part of the country, but that such must reflect the needed equity, within the distribution of power, among the geopolitical blocks of the southern nigeria.
Be that as it may, ensuring political stability, demands that the blocks within the south, understand the imperative of fairness, in the distribution of political power, and the desire for continuity and sustainability of the democratic gains.
At this crucial moment, the south should be interested in stabilising and balancing the intended rotational proposal, by ensuring that the south-south geopolitical zone produces the next nigeria’s president of southern extraction. This has therefore once again, reignitted the raging debate, for the return of former President Goodluck Jonathan, as nigeria’s President, come 2023. In a Dr. Goodluck Jonathan candidature, the APC, will be offering Nigerians, a credible, knowledgeable, selfless, trusted and patriotic candidate to become President Buhari’s successor. There is no doubt that Nigeria is at a crossroads between discontent, fear and suspicion and the propensity for peace, reconciliation and hope. These are attributes that the Jonathan presidency will offer, while, reestablishing the equitable rotational arrangement, for the geopolitical zones.
There is no doubt, that what the country requires at this crucial moment, is a man of unflinching patriotism and love for Nigeria, and this is an undeniable attribute of Dr Goodluck Jonathan. Since leaving office after his first term as the president in 2015, Dr Jonathan has maintained an exemplary political solidarity and commitment to the progress of Nigeria, by his relationship with President Muhammadu Buhari.
The emergence of Dr Jonathan in 2023, will be a crucial step, to bridge the gap and foreclose any suspicion among nigeria’s ethnic nationalities without doubt.The southern Nigeria must at this time deepen democracy by ensuring that the South-South, is given its due, with a completion of the short-lived tenure of Dr Goodluck Jonathan and ultimately, ensure that the survival stability is brought into the Nigerian polity, as a matter of patriotism and national importance.
Olufemi Lawson is the Convener of Yoruba Stakeholders Summit Group, He sent in this piece from Lagos
