I don’t know who lied to President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria that he was the most criticized or hated President in the world? And I don’t know why he accepted that lie without any public opinion poll?
Being criticized does not translate into being hated.
His aides and publicists must have used that fabrication as a ploy to increase their budget for his public relations and I am afraid they got away with it smiling to the bank.
Yes, President Jonathan has made mistakes and he has his imperfections. But name anyone who has not made mistakes and without imperfections?
The liars who told him that he is the most hated leader in the world only jumped to that erroneous conclusion during the nationwide protests following the removal of fuel subsidy on January 1, 2012. It was one of the worst New Year presents Nigerians have received. But on December 13, 2011, the announcement of the 2012 fiscal year's budget removed any provisions for the existing fuel subsidy even though opinion polls showed that 80% of Nigerians opposed the plan to remove the fuel subsidy. So, when on January 1, 2012, President Goodluck Jonathan announced the end of fuel subsidies, the masses trooped to the streets in the popular “OCCUPY NIGERIA” protests and with some violent riots claiming some innocent lives in different parts of the country. But if the masses hated him for the hardship caused by the removal of the fuel subsidy, their hatred was not enough to make him the most hated leader in the world when he is not even the most hated in the history of Nigeria or Africa.
“I think I am the most criticized President in the whole world, but I want to tell this audience that before I leave I will be the most praised President,” he said at the opening of the 52nd Annual General of the Nigerian Bar Association at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.
~ The Punch of Nigeria, August 28, 2012.
http://www.punchng.com/news/i-am-the-worlds-most-criticised-president-jonathan/
I have been one of the critics of President Jonathan, but mostly harmless criticisms meant to bring out the best in him and not the worst.
The fact is, your worst critics may mean well than your best sycophants. And from the brouhaha of political defections of many party stalwarts from the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of President Jonathan to the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), he now knows the bitter truth. That his best buddies and supporters are not his bread and butter sycophants who are mostly political contractors and jobbers who are only paying him lip service and doing eye service just for their own selfish interests and not for patriotic reasons.
The advantage of President Goodluck Jonathan in his bid to secure a second term in office is not even the power of incumbency as most political pundits assume, but his popularity among the majority of Nigerians who prefer him to his political opponents in the APC, because the opposition is yet to present a more popular presidential candidate. And until the opposition can show Nigerians that they have a better presidential aspirant, President Goodluck Jonathan can continue with his transformation agenda for the nation building of a New Nigeria.
~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, February 19, 2014.
Tweet
No comments:
Post a Comment