President Goodluck Jonathan’s democratic credential on test

When President Goodluck Jonathan took over the reigns of power in Nigeria last May, following the demise of his predecessor, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, he wasted no time to raise the hopes of not only Nigerians but also the rest of the international community who had become wary about the implication of a destabilized Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation.

A number of critical but necessary decisions taken by the new president heightened confidence of the imminent democratic path the country was headed.
These included the crucial changes in leadership of the country’s electoral body. That followed his bold decision of dissolving the cabinet of Yar’Adua as the former president fought for his life in a hospital bed in Saudi Arabia.

 “At over 246,000 and counting, he has more Facebook fans than the combined tally of British Prime Minister David Cameron, German chancellor Angela Merkel, and South African head of state Jacob Zuma,” a CNN report on October 1, said of Mr Jonathan. Today, just five days after the publication of that report, Jonathan’s facebook fan base is 19,940 up at 265,940. And even as I write now, it increases by an average of ten fans every fifteen minutes.

Jonathan undoubtedly won over more of his critics when he took that bold step in creating a facebook page that he said was meant to provide a direct communication to the Nigerian people. That was indeed a bold step given the political nature of Nigeria, where undue politics of praising has no place.

“Mr President I heard you; commented a Nigerian, in response to the president’s latest facebook posting on what has turned out to be a bloody Independence Day celebration. “But,” the commenter added, “I want to assure you that if at the end of this bomb blast issue those responsible for this evil act & their sponsors were not brought to book to face the law … believe me Nigeria will be more than Iraq…”

The aftermath of the Independence Day bombing is in fact already proving crucial for Mr Jonathan, who raised little eyebrows when he ditched a party policy and announced his decision to stand for election next year.

His greatest challenger is former Nigerian military leader, some say dictator, General Ibrahim Babangida. Some few hours back, General Babangida’s campaign manager in the upcoming primary for Nigeria's ruling PDP party, Raymond Dokpesi, a media mogul, was reportedly arrested in connections to the Independence Day bombing. Dokpesi has previously accused Jonathan's supporters of being behind threats to kidnap his family, a charge the Nigerian president’s office denies.

But the question many are asking now is: was Dokpesi’s arrest really related to the bombing? Or was it just a manifestation of what has become typical of African politics?

"As we write, his family is worried, and deeply concerned for his safety, health and his well-being," AFP quoted Babangida's campaign team as saying in a statement Monday night about Dokpesi's arrest.

While key Jonathan supporters have acknowledged the political ramification of the situation, they point to a “clear link” between him and former Niger Delta militant leader, Henry Okah, who was earlier in the day detained in South Africa in relation to the Abuja bombings.

While Mr Jonathan owes it to Nigerians to find much needed answers to their surging problems, the rest of the world, especially Africa, remains attentive as to the political developments in that country.

Aside from being ECOWAS’ chair, Jonathan’s show of responsibility and his admirably low-key demeanor is a rare trait in African leaders. Any diversion from what he has started is sure to sending the wrong message to the deadly crop of brutal dictators that abound especially in this part of Africa.

The contribution of Nigerian legal practitioners in Gambia’s untoward democratization process is well noted by those of us who follows it. Therefore, a well mannered government in Nigeria could serve as a springboard to resolving ours and many other problems on the continent as Nigeria is undoubtedly a country the rest of the continent looks up to.