THE jostle for elective positions by public officials, less than one year after the last general election and three clear years from the next, is a sign of failure of the country's political system. But the operators are largely to blame. Ever since Dr. Goodluck Jonathan came to office as the elected President in May 2011, the contentious issue of re-election in 2015 has been in public discourse. The result is that the president's every move, action or inaction, body language or mannerisms, and the utterances of his close associates have, of late, become an issue for analysis. In fact, it signifies a clear disdain by politicians for the issues that really matter to Nigerians. Coming at this time, talks about the campaign for 2015 can only be seen as shameless; and portray politicians as having nothing to offer beyond making empty promises.Nigerians have enough problems to worry about without the distraction of the 2015 elections. They are more concerned about the emerging fact of a non-performing system that has so far failed to deliver on the promises of change and transformation. It is for this reason that the only choice before the president is to focus on the four-year mandate he secured from the people in 2011, and stem the tide of disillusionment spreading across the country.The President's subsequent warning the other day, against heating up the polity by people campaigning for his re-election is instructive. He described talks linking him with a second shot at the presidency in 2015 as an 'irritating distraction', just as he admonished rumour-peddlers to leave him out of the 'hue and cry' over the next presidential race, and allow him to deliver on his promises of 2011. His charge to overzealous elements, especially within his political family ' the PDP ' was not the first. But the politicians seem to have a new-found obsession with politics of succession.It is noteworthy that the president had given a similar warning in an address to the last convention of his party; but instead of receding, the tempo, in fact, was accentuated. While it is clear that a few self-centred Nigerians nurse inordinate ambitions of public offices, the president need not look farther than the vested interests from virtually all parts of the country, within his Party. Some of his associates and aides are also no less guilty.The entire development is unhealthy. The implication of the present agitation is either that people are not getting the desired results from the Jonathan presidency, or he has been less than open on his future aspirations. The President's body language is even now difficult to understand. In the first months of his current tenure, he flew a kite in his proposal of a six-year single term for a president. This generated enough political heat despite his claim that he would not be a beneficiary. Before then, in the heady days of the controversial zoning policy of his party, which was allegedly undermined to enable him contest, he reportedly said he would not stay beyond 2015 in office. References to this claim have since been made by his political opponents; and neither he nor any of his aides has debunked them, thereby signposting an issue of honour. A man's word ought to be a bond. If his position is otherwise, he should speak out and offer justifications, rather than prolonging the suspense and allowing his Party to hold the nation hostage on account of its internal arrangements.The President should focus first on his mandate of improving the lot of Nigeria and her citizens. He should offer an original vision and leadership concept to convince Nigerians that he can fulfill their dreams. For instance, Nigerians would be more interested in what targets he has set for 2015 when his tenure runs out; what he would like to do with the remaining years to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which are far from being realised by the country. Ultimately, his scorecard would speak for him.It is important for him and Nigerians that he concentrates on running the country well and earns a reputation as a performer. It is un-presidential of him to speak too often and too much. Rather, he should prioritise his targets and face only achievable projects. President Jonathan should submit to good management and advice. To do this, he needs only credible aides, reputed for performance.The President needs to grapple with developmental and security challenges in the country, which so far, his administration has appeared unable to resolve. He should recognise that the country has changed; that the January 2012 post-subsidy removal protest is not a fluke. The spectre of defeating a sitting president who fails to perform, is no longer unthinkable; and he should reciprocate the trust reposed in him by the populace, rather than allow sundry jobbers in his Party to overheat the polity for their selfish ends.Indeed, President Jonathan owes the country the duty to bring down the political temperature. If he must run, when the time comes, he should, at least, have a record of performance to lean upon. Right now, the omen does not look good.
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