Yar’Adua and the Road to Second Term
By Zayyad I. Muhammad
Barely two years to the next presidential elections in Nigeria; controversies surrounding the desirability or otherwise of a second term for President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua dominated the Nigerian political discourse during the last several weeks. There seems to be a fair degree of heated debate surrounding the issue, with three schools of thought emergent regarding the matter- The proponents of second term for the President; the opponents and the onlookers.
The proponents of a second term for President Yar’Adua, believe that it’s natural for a serving President to seek a second term; they argue that, Presidents begin their second terms with four years of on-the-job training; which gives them increasing effectiveness that comes with experience in office, and free them from the cares of re-election politics that many Presidents regard as impediments to doing the best job possible.
The opponents of a second term for the President, ague that in most cases, Presidents who were not prepared for the job for the first term, their second term almost invariably turns out to be less successful than the first term- they ague that, their second terms tend to be disappointing, and most Nigerians leaders who show early interest to prolong their stay in office , whether they are entitled to it or not, end-up having their judgment warped during that period by the desire for an extension of tenure.
Whichever way one sees it, Yar’Adua has the constitutional right to seek for a second term; and it is natural for most first term Presidents to seek another term. But the Nigerian people are the ones who have the final decision. There are quite a number of questions to ask here- is it not too early to start the debate on a second term for a President that has spent only two years on the job? Is Yar’Adua ready for a second term? Has the President done enough to warrant him a second term? Would Nigerians give Yar’Adua another term?
In politics- real Nigerian politics, it is not too early to start campaigning for second term in One’s year two in office. And for whether President Yar’Adua is ready for a second term or has he done enough to deserve a second term, only ordinary Nigerians can give genuine answers. But if you were Yar’Adua, what would you do? Despite the facts that Yar’Adua is the only person that can give a true answer to this question, if one were to be Yar’Adua; regardless of what the opponents or supporters of a second term are debating, one would seize the current situation in the country to seek a second term- by asking oneself the pertinent question- has the last two years been period of monumental changes in the lives of ordinary Nigerians? The answers to this question are definitely the recipes for a second term for President Yar’Adua. President Yar’Adua’s supporters will for sure give answers to this question in the affirmative, while his opponents will give negative answers.. But onlookers’ point of view is to advise the President to boldly use the remaining two years in office to prove to Nigerians he deserves a second term.
If President Yar’Adua really needs a second term, he should make his remaining two years in office a strategic tool for the development of the country. Yar’Adua should see Nigeria as an enterprise and himself as its CEO, who has well-defined and attainable targets. Yar’Adua should copy China’s Chairman Mao’s plan- the Great Leap Forward – attending to the basic things by employing ‘small thing’ – most of Nigeria’s basic systems that have collapsed need some short-term measures to resuscitate them.
The current painful situation where inadequate electricity supply has plunged Nigeria into a backward nation can relatively be addressed by employing short-term measures, which would be supportive of the mid and long term strategies in revamping of the Nigerian electricity infrastructure i.e. the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP). The use of Photovoltaic Wind Mill Turbines, which are cheap, energy efficient and can be sited in any part of Nigeria; the hiring of electricity generating barges and the introduction of measures to encourage the use of solar panels should also be employed as short-term measures to address the issue of electricity in Nigeria. If Yar’Adua really needs a second term, let quick steps to freeing Nigeria from the ‘prison of darkness’ be taken.
Time has come for the proponents of a second term for the President to transform the strategies of Yar’Adua’s 7-point agenda into results-generating-tactics for a quick
diagnostic review of the state of road infrastructures so as to restore their sustainability and growth - this is also another weapon to secure a second term for President Yar’Adua.
An increase of one mega watt of electricity or building/ maintaining of 1 km of road will have a positive impact on the lives of ordinary Nigeria; because efficiency in the electricity supply and good of road networks will trigger development in the entire sphere of the Nigerian economy which in result propels the freeing of Nigerians from abject poverty. If President Yar’Adua can within the remaining two years he has in office vigorously solve at least 50% of the problems in the electricity and roads sector, on Election Day he can cross his legs; enjoy a well-prepared salad by Hajiya Turai, while Nigerians give him their votes; because bringing development to the people is the easiest way to win a free and fair election, but anything short of that, the road to a second term for Mr. President will be seriously bumpy.
Zayyad I. Muhammad writes from Jimeta, Adamawa State, zaymohd@yahoo.com , 08036070980
