It was Governor Babatunde Fashola who, while berating President Goodluck Jonathan for saying the South-West could not be left in the hands of rascals, boasted that 'Nigerians would not vote on the basis of luck.' Well, maybe they did or didn't, but Dr Jonathan won the presidential election by a landslide. Since his inauguration, the president has had to contend with persons who carry on as if they do not know that he is President and Commander-in-Chief. Lai Mohammed, theAction Congress Of Nigeria (ACN) publicist who naturally does not see the moral issues facing his party would, every now and then, dictate to President Jonathan on how he should run his government, in language robed in villainy, pretended sainthood, and immaturity, thus giving the impression of a mouth without a padlock. People of such a predilection always end up making an utter fool of themselves.Another lawyer, writing on why the president should be a constitutional dictator, exposed his chicanery by saying that Adams Oshiomhole assumed office on the strength of his sweat while the President made it on the altar of providence. This is a gratuitous insult, but of course the author's self-confident tone and his panegyric on Oshiomhole are part of our most recent national malady: analytical hollowness. Now, did Jonathan become president on the altar of providence' This question would not have been necessary in climes where lawyers are reputed for a bit of commonsense, but we have a clime where an Appeal Court president has a cabal of trusted judges, and where red biro is of material essence in electoral dispute in one state but not in another. So, again, was it providence that gave Dr Jonathan the presidency in April'Here we have a man whose example shines brighter than crystal, but there are not many who will learn. First, had former Vice President Atiku Abubakar exhibited some measure of those qualities of mind which made Goodluck Jonathan to become the darling of many Nigerians, including this writer who did not start out as a fan of his, there is no doubt that he could have succeeded his boss, Olusegun Obasanjo, in office.Jonathan, unlike Atiku, never sought to be president even while he should constitutionally have assumed that office: he simply stood in absolute loyalty by his boss, even while some key officers of the National Assembly (including one gentleman who reportedly asked 'Is Jonathan important'' when someone drew his attention to his slight on the VP's office) reportedly treated him with utter contempt. Even when, as Acting President, some criminals flew in the ailing President Yar' Adua into the country from Saudi Arabia without his knowledge, Jonathan did not threaten fire and brimstone. Many Nigerians noted this with admiration.And then look at the man's wife, standing solidly by her husband, begging widows, market women, farmers, etc, to help out, and yet, some human beings kept saying that she did not speak good English. Well, at least she was real, and she definitely scored political hat tricks. By the way, if presidential elections are won strictly by English grammar, then I suppose Chris Okotie should have become president. The woman went about, sweating, pleading with everyone to give her husband a chance. She was politically a roaring success.I return to Jonathan. Was it providence that toured the country, mentioning the specific problems of each state, and promising to tackle them' Was it providence that made fuel available throughout last year, giving Nigerians a unique December' Was it providence that gave a powerful speech which moved many poor Nigerians to tears' The president told of how he started school with no shoes, how he carried his books in his hands and read by the lantern but never despaired, statements which moved many Nigerian youths, who openly confessed that Jonathan was a rare gem. If you doubt my words, go to Facebook and take a look at what the youths told the president on election day. You may not like this man, but do not pretend that you have nothing to learn from him.When Diepreye Alamieyeseigha was booted out of office, Jonathan was a most unwilling successor. Even while his former boss was in prison, he never abandoned him. And then again, the man took a clinical step by naming the Liberty Stadium after the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolwowo, a move which swayed many Yoruba people to his side. He had, of course, previously visited the Awolowo home with many Ijaws who never stopped harping on their bonding with the Yoruba. This is, of course, not to talk of the very great job done by members of his campaign committee, particularly the likes of Dalhatu Tafida and his team. You would also recall that members of the NURTW pledged their unalloyed loyalty to the gentleman president. This is, again, without prejudice to the clinical job done by the immediate past Minister of Youth Development, Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi, who successfully mobilised the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) leadership and other youth organisations (Youth-Ayes Jonathan) who colonised Facebook, combed markets and towns, and campaigned for Jonathan in their usual militant style. And if you say all that was because there was sufficient funding, then you negate the thesis that mere providence placed the president in office. And, by the way, I am not aware that Ribadu or Buhari was limited by financial constraints, coming to brass tacks.And then of course there was the behemoth PDP structure. Even in the South-West, where the PDP lost because of internal rancour, the president had a clean sweep of the votes. By the way, statistics from the last elections do not justify the empty boast that the PDP lost because people wanted change. If the people really wanted change, then the victors should have won by a landslide. When you combine the votes of the PDP and the Accord Party in Oyo, and those of the PDP/PPN in Ogun, for instance, you arrive at meaningful conclusions. But if, despite all this, all you want to ascribe to Jonathan is divine providence, then the man himself does not seem to mind, as he habitually reduces himself to nothing while lauding the Almighty God. That cannot be a fault.Awolaja is on the Politics Desk of the Nigerian Tribune.
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