Long, tortuous road to Aso Rock

President Goodluck Jonathan, Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari
(retd.)
Ahead of today’s presidential election, it has been a busy
period for the two leading political parties – Peoples
Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress. ERIC
DUMO in this piece examines the major highlights leading into
the contest
Today is the day of reckoning for the Peoples Democratic
Party presidential candidate, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and that
of the All Progressives Congress, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari
(retd.), as they test their popularity and acceptance among
the people of Nigeria.
Described as the most important poll in the country’s history
by events watchers, today’s contest is between a man who
has performed creditably well, according to his supporters,
and another whose record as a military Head of State between
December 1983 and August 1985 is paving way for and also
haunting in similar measure.
While Jonathan, the incumbent, whose message of
transformation and continuity has been marred with
accusation of underperformance by a host of critics – local
and international, Buhari, who clamours for change on the
heels of his prudent and strong disciplinary regime, is battling
to convince critics that he is far from the religious extremist
and ruthless leader he has been painted to be.
For both men, it has been a very hectic marketing campaign
to sell themselves to a disillusioned electorate grappling with
social and economic challenges on several fronts.
After both emerging their respective parties’ candidates late
last year, Jonathan and Buhari quickly turned on the heat on
each other in attempts to win over more converts. It was the
beginning of a long battle on the pages of newspapers, the
airwaves, Internet and other publicity platforms across the
country.
In a front page advertisement on some notable newspapers on
January 19, Nigerians were asked to choose between life and
death in either voting for a fit and healthy Jonathan or a
Buhari who is not “so fit” to face the rigour of the office of the
President. The advert, sponsored by Ekiti State Governor, Mr.
Ayodele Fayose, insinuated that if elected into power, the
retired general could kick the bucket like some Northern former
Nigerian leaders who were either killed or were consumed by
natural forces while in office.
The publication provoked not just the Buhari camp but many
Nigerians who felt it was a distasteful way to rubbish and
wish an opponent in a major battle death.
Reacting, the APC campaign organisation, in a statement
signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba
Shehu, said, “This is the height of desperate tactics by the
PDP, which is capable of degenerating into unnecessary
bloodshed and destruction. They are choosing death for us.
This is not politics. We are therefore asking our supporters to
stay calm and be law-abiding.”
The party further alleged that the entire scenario was a ploy
to eliminate Buhari before or after today’s election.
As if that was not enough, words started going round that the
retired General had gone in search of medical help in the
United Kingdom and not on a working visit to the Royal
Institute of International Affair, Chatham House, London, as
claimed by the APC. What started as mere talk soon grew into
a full-blown verbal war with Fayose accusing the opposition
of hiding the truth about Buhari’s health from the world.
Fayose had through his Special Assistant on Public
Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said, “The
truth is that Buhari travelled out to seek medicare in the
United States. If the APC people are saying otherwise, let
them publish the picture of Buhari boarding the plane and
granting interview to aviation correspondents at the Abuja
Airport.
“While I am happy that the APC people that are packaging
Buhari finally hearkened to my plea that they should allow him
seek medical care abroad, I must say that it was evil for the
APC to have lied that Buhari travelled on a working visit.
“These APC political merchants should say the truth and save
Nigeria from the possibility of another Yar’Adua experience.
They should tell Nigerians that Buhari is actually sick and lack
capacity to rule Nigeria and that they are only packaging him,
hoping that he will become incapacitated if he becomes
president so that they can take over power by proxy.”
Buhari, who spoke later at Chatham House in a paper entitled
“Prospects for Democratic Consolidation in Africa: Nigeria’s
Transition,” said that he wanted to be president “because the
work of making Nigeria great is not yet done.”
Apart from the controversy generated by Buhari’s health and
trip to Chatham House, other events also heated things up on
the road to today’s election for both men.
Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, once a staunch ally of
Jonathan but now a major backer of the 72-year-old former
military Head of State, alleged that Jonathan gave pastors
across the country about N6bn to vote against the APC’s
candidate. Though the Presidency and PDP quickly dismissed
the allegation, a Borno State-based clergy, Kallamu Musa-
Dikwa, soon revealed that the money was actually N7bn and
not N6bn as initially claimed by Amaechi.
Musa-Dikwa, who is the Executive Director, Voice of Northern
Christian Movement, told journalists in Kaduna that the money
was channelled through the Christian Association of Nigeria.
He said CAN got N7bn on January 26, 2015 and disbursed
N3m to each state chairmen of the association across the
country. Though the allegation has yet to be proven, it
remains one of the most scandalous episodes and major
highlights leading into today’s battle.
In an attempt to sell his candidacy across the country,
Jonathan embarked on a nationwide consultation of prominent
traditional rulers. Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi; Ooni of Ile-Ife,
Oba Okunade Sijuwade; Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi
and Oba of Lagos, Rilwanu Akiolu, were among those visited
by the President.
Jonathan described the visits as private. The move, no doubt,
charged up the atmosphere with news emerging shortly after
that large sums in foreign currencies were doled out to the
monarchs. Events preceding today’s election were
characterised with hate campaigns, mudslinging with many
analysts concluding that the political campaigns were the
dirtiest and most indecent in Nigeria’s history. There are
diverse accusation and counter-accusations.
For instance, a former Governor of Lagos State and leader of
the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, claimed that Jonathan had
promised him a vice-presidential slot in an interim government
arrangement, if he stopped supporting Buhari.
In a swift reaction, Jonathan denied meeting and offering
Tinubu any such role, describing the allegation as baseless
and false.
Issues surrounding Buhari’s certificate also added interesting
side attractions in the build up to the poll. While the former
Head of State insisted that his certificates were with the
military, the Presidency and PDP claimed otherwise. It took
weeks of accusation and counter-accusations before the APC
candidate finally obtained a copy of his result from Cambridge
and showed the world. Even after that, there were doubts over
its originality. The matter, which has yet to fully subside,
remains one of the major high points leading into today’s
presidential election. It adds to a long list that has combined
to provide tension and entertainment weeks ahead of the epic
battle.
Not only that, the APC candidate refused to participate in a
national debate claiming the PDP planned to use the debate
against him.