‘Na only you waka come?’ — and a million other things that damaged President Jonathan

 The Alamieyeseigha Pardon

In March 2013, Jonathan did the unthinkable — he granted state pardon to DSP Alamieyeseigha, who had been convicted for corruption in 2007. Alamieyeseigha was the governor of Bayelsa state from 1999 to 2005. Jonathan was his deputy, but when his principal was arrested in London and impeached on his return to Nigeria on money laundering charges, he became the substantive governor. Alamieyeseigha’s conviction was said to have been “arrived at” as part of a plea bargain deal by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to get him to persuade Niger Delta militants to ceasefire and accept an amnesty. A state pardon was said to be on the cards, but Yar’Adua died in the process. Jonathan eventually granted the pardon — worsening his public image as a president who is soft on corruption.

Boko Haram

Beyond the kidnap of Chibok girls which drew international attention to Boko Haram in Nigeria, many Nigerians had grown weary of government’s failure to contain the militants. Initially, there were sustained arguments that the opposition was behind the menace, which many thought might play to the political advantage of Jonathan. However, as the carnage went on, many Nigerians grew tired, and the tide began to turn against Jonathan. The impression that Jonathan treated Boko Haram with kid gloves was worsened when the elections were postponed by six weeks in February and the military began to record a series of victories over the insurgents, in collaboration with neighbouring countries. Many potential voters were not impressed, insinuating that Jonathan could have done that all along. Explanations that Nigeria had difficulties procuring arms to equip the military did not impress them.

Sanusi’s Letter

The notion that the government of President Jonathan is corrupt was strengthened in 2013 by a letter written to him by the then governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who alleged that billions of dollars of oil revenue had not been remitted to the federation account by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). He also alleged that monies were spent without appropriation, especially on kerosene subsidy. The president did not respond to the letter. After it was leaked to the press, Jonathan reportedly asked Sanusi to resign but he refused. Jonathan eventually suspended him and he never returned to office until, coincidentally, the emir of Kano died and Sanusi ascended the throne of his forefathers. Jonathan never recovered from the allegation of the “missing” $20 billion, despite reports that a PwC audit gave the NNPC an all-clear.

Tambuwal Face-off

In October 2014, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, speaker of the house of representatives, announced his defection from PDP to APC, although it was more of a formality. To flex muscles, Abba Suleiman, the inspector general of police, withdrew Tambuwal’s security aides, quoting the constitution and declaring that Tambuwal was no longer speaker. This irked Nigerians, including those sympathetic to Jonathan. Matters were made worse a few weeks later when police officers took over the premises of the national assembly and tried to prevent the lawmakers from reconvening to discuss a request to extend emergency rule in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states. Coming very close an election, the Tambuwal face-off added more fatal blows to the political standing of Jonathan. Although he later recognised Tambuwal as speaker, the deed had already been done, as the saying goes.

And other reasons

You can pick your choice. Is it the president’s retort of “I don’t give a damn” on national television when asked to make his asset declaration public? Or the delay in taking action over Stella Oduah, former minister of aviation, after she was indicted in the BMW armoured car affair? Or failure to act on the various allegations against Diezani Alison-Madueke, minister of petroleum resources? Or his failure to rein in his wife, who constantly brought controversy to Aso Rock? Or failure to discipline the minister of interior, Abba Moro, who oversaw the deaths of applicants during the Nigeria Immigration Service recruitment exercise?

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