Former President Jonathan Not A Hero – Poll

Following the recent nomination of former President Goodluck Jonathan for Nobel Peace Prize, premised on his concession of presidential poll defeat, Amebo24 team went to the field to sample opinions of Nigerians. This is in addition to a one-month online poll on whether or not Jonathan qualifies as hero of Nigeria’s democracy.

The online poll had 5,659 participants. 36 per cent of this population believes former President Goodluck Jonathan qualifies as a hero of the nation’s democracy by his conceding defeat to his opponent, President Muhammadu Buhari, even when the results of the March 29 presidential poll were being counted, thereby saving the country from post-election crisis. 64 per cent, however, feels that the former president had no other choice than to concede defeat since it was clear that he had been defeated in the poll.
Posing the question to a random sample of Nigerian respondents, “Will Jonathan be remembered as a hero?” the majority of answers received were negative. What exactly qualifies one as a hero? In academic clime, a hero is someone who is admired or idealised for courage, outstanding achievements or noble qualities. The question is whether former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has set standards and recorded achievements that demand such a description.
The one reason which influenced people to give him the title of a hero was his commendable act of making a call to his then opponent, Muhammadu Buhari. The call was made before the final announcement of the winner of the elections even though at that time, it was already clear who the winner was to be. The call was made with congratulatory tone and it helped to maintain peace after the results were announced, no doubt. But there was nothing extra-ordinary about his conduct. It was certainly a sign of good sportsmanship and that cannot be denied, but can this singular act after six years of being a president qualify one as a hero? The sample respondents to the question beg to differ. They do not consider him to be a hero for simply conceding defeat. A few responses are looking up to the new administration to see the change they will bring about.
According to Muhammad Gidado, Jonathan does not qualify as a hero with the level of corruption, power and fuel shortage, massive killings in the North Eastern which characterised his administration.
While some people gave him the credit for a peaceful election, others believe the peaceful election was as a result of a collective effort of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other stakeholders. Measuring from the responses, most Nigerians do not think the singular act of conceding defeat is enough to earn Jonathan the recognition of a hero.
Former Bayelsa State governor Timipre Sylva is one of those who feel that the former president should not be accorded the status of hero of democracy, as he had no choice than to concede an obvious defeat.
Sylva, who spoke in Yenagoa last weekend, said the decision by Jonathan to concede defeat should not be seen as an extraordinary conduct.
“For me, conceding defeat is not an achievement. Let us take a look at the events. They tried everything to subvert and thwart. They tried to go to court to stop the announcement of the result. Even former minister, Godsday Orubebe, tried to stage a coup during the announcement to allow some paid ex-militants to invade the venue.
“They asked the former Inspector-General of Police to withdraw security from the venue to allow ex-militants invade the venue. When all these failed, what did you expect him to do? If the Super Eagles played a football match and were defeated, they now accepted defeat, is that an achievement?,Sylva queried.
Unlike Sylva and like minds, there are others who feel that the outcome of the 2015 elections has thrown President Goodluck Jonathan up as a true hero of democracy.
According to an Abuja-based journalist, Bode Gbadebo, by calling President Muhammadu Buhari, Jonathan has entered into the pantheon of nationalists and many will accept and appreciate his good nature.
“Jonathan has shown how committed he is to allowing free and fair elections in the country. In the past, he displayed statemanly disposition when his party lost in Anambra, Ondo and Osun State. Although his party won in Ekiti, it cannot be linked to rigging.
“Jonathan has restored hope in one Nigeria and obviates the feeling of insecurity and apprehension over possible outburst of crisis in the nation as the 2015 election erased the ignoble do or die agenda of most dye-in-the-wool poll.
“While his party loyalists created a feeling of insecurity in the country with a view to exploiting such to achieve their “inordinate ambition”, Jonathan rose above the fray by insisting that his continued stay in power was not worth anybody’s life.
“It is to his eternal credit that bloodshed has been averted. His steadfastness on ensuring that people’s votes count in the spirit of one man, one woman, one youth, one vote without unleashing the apparatus of state security on opponents makes him an undisputable hero of Nigeria’s transitional democracy,” Gbadebo said
‎Adot Okodi-iyah crowned it up on a negative not, “Jonathan never appreciated the opportunity he had as president. He left every single sector of Nigeria’s economy in a disastrous state. He allowed himself to be used and manipulated all through his tenure by people who had zero interest in improving the welfare of the Nigerian people or the country as a whole. The only good thing he did was stepping down peacefully and quietly after he lost the election. I’ however, saw it as an opportunity feel to right all the wrongs during his administration.”