Teaching Comparative Government and Politics

Friday, March 12, 2010

Dangerous politics

This op-ed by Abdulsalam Muhammad in Vanguard (UK) suggests that the political infighting in Nigeria is more dangerous than it might seem to outsiders. I think the comment about "reversing contracts" might be the real key to the conflict. If government contracts (and the opportunities for corruption) are directed to southerners, the northerners will lose 5 to 6 years of "profits."

Why North is Skeptical of Jonathan's Acting Presidency
Going by recent development in the polity,there is no doubt that the on- going power play at Aso rock over the plight of ailing President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua has angered the Northern elite who were convinced of 'hi_tech conspiracy' to rig the Hausa/Fulani dominated conservative region out of power through the back door.

The emotions are high, and one can smell the hatred on the streets and cities of the Northern region. The reasons are not far fetched. It is borne out of the fear founded on what the Northern elites have come to identify as a 'false start' by the Acting President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who was conferred with presidential powers by the federal legislatures some weeks ago…

It appears that there is an orchestrated plan by the northern elites to mobilize the average man in the region to join in the emerging war against the Jonathan Presidency...

Alhaji Yakasai who was former Liaison officer toformer president Alhaji Shehu Shagari explains that the North is bent on maintaining every tenet of agreement that gave the South the Presidency for 8 years under Obasanjo...

He accused the South of exploiting its vast media resources to unleash a war on a region that out of magnanimity conceded power to a Southerner in the interest of a united and strong nation…

Despite the submission by Yakasai, an average man in the street believes that Jonathan Presidency is a return of Obasanjo to power through back door…

Idi Mamuda, National President of the Northern Youth Progressive in a chat with Vanguard… stated that it is unbelievable that the man we expected to be fair to all unleashed his anger on the region by reshuffliing cabinet ministers and reversing contracts commissioned by his living boss…

As it is stands today, the North is unified against Jonathan's acting Presidency, and may employ the services of reactionary elements within the larger group to prosecute the war...

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