We have noted with surprise, The Economist’s tongue-in-cheek endorsement
of General Muhammadu Buhari in the run-up to Nigeria’s general elections
and the international magazine’s baseless, jaundiced and rather malicious
vilification of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who retains the trust
and confidence of majority of Nigerians as the outcome of the Presidential
elections will undoubtedly show.
We are sure that many Nigerians and other readers of the usually urbane,
thoughtful and well-reasoned editorial opinions of the Economist will be
shocked that the magazine has taken the very ill-considered decision to
throw its weight behind a candidate who, as a former military dictator,
curtailed freedom of speech, ordered the kidnapping of opponents and
jailing of journalists, and is accused of incitement to violence and
grave human rights violations in Nigeria’s current democratic
The Economist may feign ignorance of President Jonathan’s remarkable
achievements as leader of his country in the past six years, but Nigerians
who, unlike the magazine’s opinion writers, will actually vote in the
country’s forthcoming presidential elections, know that President Jonathan
has worked very hard to fulfill all the major promises he made to them on
assumption of office.
Nigerians know that President Jonathan has developed our economy and
created more jobs, they know that he has given policy support to the real
sector of the economy, so that Small and Medium Enterprises can thrive,
they know that he has encouraged locally owned enterprises to take
advantage of our resources in growing the domestic economy and they also
know that he has successfully attracted greater foreign direct investment
to the country.
Unlike the clearly poorly informed and distant authors of the Economist
Opinion titled “The Least Awful”, appreciative Nigerians are also aware
that President Jonathan has worked tirelessly to improve power supply
across the nation, rebuild and expand national infrastructure, improve
public transportation and provide greater access to quality education for
all Nigerian youth.
They know very well too that President Jonathan has significantly improved
healthcare services in the country, revolutionized agriculture, promoted
gender equality and women empowerment, and done his very best to stem
corruption in government.
Contrary to the Economist’s assertions, Nigeria, under President Jonathan
has made very considerable progress.
In spite of the significant challenges of terrorism and insurgency the
nation faces today, President Jonathan has ensured that Nigeria has
become a more vibrant democracy with free media, an independent
judiciary, free, fair and credible elections, and greater respect for
human rights.
The Economist is entitled to its erroneous opinion on who represents the
best leadership option for Nigeria in the coming elections, but happily
for the country, it is not the magazine’s lead writers, but more
knowledgeable and patriotic Nigerians who actually work and live in the
country, that will vote and re-elect President Jonathan for a second term
in office.
They will do so, because unlike the Economist’s opinion writers, they
understand that a Buhari Presidency will, for their beloved country,
represent a stark setback and retrogression from the tremendous ongoing
positive transformation of Nigeria under President Jonathan’s leadership.
Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
February 6, 2015