SPECIAL PUBLICATION ON THE 2015 ELECTIONS JONATHAN: WE SHALL NEVER GO BACK TO THE OLD WAYS ARE YOU BETTER OFF TODAY THAN IN 2011? FACTS AND FALLACIES ABOUT THE PRESIDENT LAUGH IT OFF: 10 OBVIOUS REASONS 11 SPOOF QUOTES ATTRIBUTED TO VOTE FOR GEJ TO FAMOUS POLITICIANS WHAT THEY SAID... A MODEL OF THE SECOND NIGER BRIDGE. WORK HAS COMMENCED CONTENTS 06. TEN REASONS TO VOTE FOR GEJ 10. VITAL STATISTICS - PROJECTS 46. FOOTPRINTS - TRANSFORMATION AT A GLANCE 78. A DOZEN FAMOUS LIES 120. WHAT THEY SAID 128. FLASHBACK - COMMENTS AND ASSESSMENTS 164. PRESS REPORT 184. LAUGH IT OFF 26 96 108 126 THEN AND IN HIS OWN THE BIOGRAPHY INTERNATIONAL NOW WORDS LEADERS 4 FORWARD WHAT THEY SAID... FROM THE CO-ORDINATOR You’re holding a very important But, as you would find out in document ─ a publication that highlights this publication, he has recorded all that is good about Nigeria in the unprecedented strides in all the sectors last three or so years when President of the economy. It is said that ‘fact is Goodluck Ebele Jonathan assumed sacred and opinion is free’. Everybody has office.W e at the One Nigeria Coalition their opinion about the performance of (ONC) are interested only in the progress President Jonathan in his first term, but of Nigeria, and we are always very happy ISOKEN OMO we at ONC work with the facts. And the to associate with success. National Co-ordinator, facts are very encouraging. Facts are better We are convinced that President One Nigeria Coalition appreciated when you consider where you Jonathan represents a great forward are coming from to where you are now. leap in the leadership of Nigeria, and Clearly, we have more motorable federal this publication documents important roads today, from 4,500 kilometres in strides by his administration which, we believe, should 2010 to 25,000 kilometres today; we have expanded automatically recommend him for a second term ─ since our tertiary education infrastructure and instructional performance is a key factor in elections. capacity; Nigerians are playing a bigger part in the Improving the quality of life is the responsibility of oil & gas sector; Nigerian farmers are enjoying the any government, and President Jonathan has shown harvests of their lives; food importation bill has gone courageous and visionary leadership which has down dramatically; Nigeria is now a cement-exporting produced results that speak not just to today but will country; the airports are wearing a new look; the also lead us to a greater tomorrow. power sector is off on a firm footing with the successful privatisation; and so on and so forth. As the 2015 He met a lot of inadequacies on the ground: millions elections draw near, this is not the time to start risking of children out of school, insufficient infrastructure for the experience of trial and error by a new government tertiary education, thousands of kilometres of non- that may be more interested in politics and vengeance motorable federal roads, a retarded agricultural sector, than development. Having been in office for the last a fraud-ridden civil service payment structure, fading few years, President Jonathan is more in tune with the glory in sports, a troubled power sector, a convoluted current realities. This is no time for experimentations political system and several other challenges that made and reversals. life difficult for the average Nigerian. Nigeria has to move forward, not backward. FORWARD is a publication of the One Nigeria Coalition, a non-profit, non-partisan group committed to promoting the political and economic development of Nigeria. ONE NIGERIA COALITION Address: 8 Abriba Close off Yola Street, Area 7 Garki Abuja Email: [email protected] Phone: +234 (0) 9099705934, +234 (0) 9099705935 SPECIAL THANKS to the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Research, Documentation and Strategy for providing the highly valuable information reproduced in this collectors’ publication. We also thank The Lady Kaduna Foundation for its support ******* Magazine Design: Cover and Interior by Sunny Hughes ‘Sunza’ FORWARD 5 10 REASONS TO VOTE JONATHAN AGAIN There are at least a thousand and one reasons why President Jonathan deserves to be re-elected. Below is a selection of just 10 of the obvious ones. NIGERIA SHOULD PROMOTING ONE GO FORWARD, NOT NIGERIA IS NON- 1BACKWARD 2NEGOTIABLE One of the major setbacks for the In the history of Nigeria, President development of Nigeria is the trend Jonathan ranks among the most whereby a newly elected government committed in terms of uniting the nation. reverses or abandons the policies of Forget the propaganda of the opposition the previous government, especially and the mischief of the disgruntled: if both do not belong to the same President Jonathan has the most diverse party. This is very common in states but cabinet, electing to appoint more people also happens at the federal level, both from other parts of the country rather “ONE OF THE MAJOR in military and civilian dispensations. than his own ethnic group. Unlike in the Nigeria would most probably have past when heads of state and presidents SETBACKS FOR THE overcome many of its challenges in always gave certain positions to their sectors such as power, education, oil kinsmen and women, President Jonathan DEVELOPMENT OF NIGERIA and transportation if previous plans had bucked the trend by making critical not been altered and implementation appointments, especially in security and IS THE TREND WHEREBY truncated by successive governments. finance, from across the nation. Federal A NEWLY ELECTED The reasons for this trend are many, most projects and appointments are evenly of which are political. A new government spread. He refused to play one part of GOVERNMENT REVERSES OR wants to say it has its own ideas, the country against the other - although thereby jettisoning good ideas of the his political opponents constantly accuse ABANDONS THE POLICIES OF predecessor. Having criticised a sitting him, without substance, of playing ethnic government in the quest for power, the and religious politics. For someone who THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT, successor will almost certainly jettison comes from a minority group and has that government’s plans just for the sake close friends from all religious divides, ESPECIALLY IF BOTH DO of it, so as not to be seen as endorsing President Jonathan’s desire is to see a ideas it had fiercely criticised.T o avoid country where people talk less about NOT BELONG TO THE SAME a reversal of key policies of President sectional issues but focus on one PARTY” Jonathan such as the privatisation of the indivisible nation. He demonstrated power sector, agricultural transformation his belief in uniting and strengthening and industrial revolution, wise voters will Nigeria by successfully convening the give him another term in office. National Conference in 2014. 6 FORWARD WHAT THEY SAID... GOING FOR A MAN OF PREFERRING A BIRD IN 4HUMILITY 5H AND Humility is, ordinarily, a virtue. With Anybody who listens to the opposition will humility, there is a down-to-earth conclude that they have the magic wand WE HAVE A disposition, a readiness to listen to to solve Nigeria’s problems. They criticise PRACTICAL, others, a willingness to accord honour virtually every programme and policy of 3HANDS-ON LEADER to whom honour is due and a desire to the Jonathan administration. They criticise forge co-operation even with those who the administration’s records in education, In spite of a very demanding and disagree with you. For President Jonathan, power, healthcare, roads, agriculture, unforgiving work schedule, President humility is a defining value which cannot job creation, anti-graft war and, in fact, Jonathan has earned the reputation of be compromised. Coming from a humble everything. They promise that if they are a public administrator who shows more background in Otuoke, Bayelsa State, elected into power, they will solve all of than a passing interest in the practical he grew up going to school without Nigeria’s problems. Not so fast! Charity, side of the work of his administration. shoes. This is a part of his story that he they say, begins at home. The governors Those who work closely with him often is ever willing to tell in order to inspire that were elected on the platform of the marvel at the barrage of questions he hope in millions of Nigerians who also opposition - or those who defected to the asks them concerning the progress of have humble beginnings. As President party along the line - can hardly claim to projects, be it a road construction, a of Nigeria, he has done the unthinkable have solved these problems of their states. retreat or a book. Commenting on the many times - bowing in reverence to How many of them have transformed administration’s initiative to reform men of God, elder statesmen and other healthcare and education in their states? sports after Nigeria’s failure at the 2012 senior citizens. To his opponents, this is How many of them have vigorously fought Olympics, former Minister, National “demeaning”. His humility is, in their corruption in their states? How many of Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Bolaji judgment, devaluing the office of the them have created jobs for their youths? Abdullahi, said in a media interview: “We President of Nigeria. This easily calls to How many have done rural electrification? were lucky we have a President Goodluck mind the story of King David in the Holy Is it when they get to Aso Rock that they Jonathan that understood the significance Bible also known as Prophet Dauda in the will suddenly become magicians? Wise of sports and he immediately convened Holy Quran. When the Ark of Covenant voters will give President Jonathan a a presidential retreat.