*How Jonathan handles presidential politics
*Insider's story of how a president runs his day
This is the story of President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan as he prepares to run Nigeria for the next four years with his new mandate. This report attempts to present the man who would rule Nigeria to Nigerians. Beyond the man in public glare, this is an insider's account of the man, Goodluck Jonathan.
His demure demeanour has become his greatest asset; Goodluck Ebele Jonathan that is.
The story starts from the dingy backwater settlement of Otueke 51 years ago.
When last October he told Nigerians that he went to school without shoes and carried his books on his head, he was not telling an unfamiliar story.
However, what made his story inspiring is his ascendancy to the exalted position of President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. There can be only one at any given time. He is the one.
Rewind to Friday December 11, 2005. His boss and former Bayelsa State governor, Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha, was being flown to the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, in handcuffs after his impeachment had been arranged.
But, while some aides to Jonathan savoured their new disposition as aides to a new governor, Jonathan, who had just been sworn-in as governor, locked himself away and broke down in tears. Here was a man he had served under as his deputy for seven years being whisked away while he took over his post. The joke in some circles then was that Jonathan was perhaps the most subservient deputy governor in Nigeria. But subservience, the ugly twin of humility, has its rewards.
By February 2007, those who had despised Jonathan for being a willing tool in the hand of former President Olusegun Obasanjo were to lick their sore when Jonathan was picked by Obasanjo to become the vice- presidential candidate to Umaru Yar'Ádua.
And, if people were in doubt as to how luck works, Goodluck's mysterious rise to become Nigeria's president is an example.
But how lucky can anyone become?
Is luck transformational? Is it a virtue? Does it work easily?
Jonathan, who is married to Patience, developed the virtue of humility. And, the luck that has worked for him is for the simple reason that humility radiates a positive aura which, in turn, attracts luck.
But, that seeming docility which some Nigerians are quick to point at is the very essence of Jonathan's strength. Every leader has had to contend with public opprobrium to his person. While some are said to be brutish, some cunning, Jonathan's cross is that his demure demeanour is incongruous with the personality that Nigerians want. But Obasanjo was quick to look mean and serious and his looks only succeeded in landing Nigeria where the country is today.
Handling treachery in high places
Yet consider:
After the late President Yar'Adua was flown-in in February 2010, a Tuesday night, the country was on edge. Jonathan, who was vice- president, did not know his boss was being flown in. Even after he was wheeled into Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Jonathan was not allowed to see him. Another vice-president would have kicked.
The secrecy involved in the ailment of Yar'Adua, coupled with the governance-by-proxy which Nigerians were subjected to for some four months, got to a head.
While ministers waited for Jonathan to call the EXCOF meeting to order, on Wednesday, February 24, 2010, two security aides to then ailing President Yar'Adua walked into the council chambers. In fact, the two security aides posted sentry behind the seat of the president and commander-in-chief. The signal they sent with their action was that they were waiting for their boss, Yar'Adua, to walk in and take his seat. Some of the ministers in the chambers saw that as an optimistic sign but they were mistaken. It was a sign that Jonathan would not be allowed to sit on the chair and the aides to Yar'Adua wanted to ensure that. They did because the EXCOF meeting of that day never held. The trite argument in some quarters then, back and forth, was that as acting president, Jonathan ought not to have sat on the chair. It was a humbled Jonathan who met with ministers, later that day to announce that the meeting would no longer hold.
Mind you, by the time all these were happening, Jonathan was already acting president, empowered by law. But, by the night of May 5, 2010, that argument became lost.
Bringing PDP govs down to earth
Jonathan was to again shock the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, state governors late last year when he struck at the heart of their conscience.
At a time when some governors were playing yo-yo with their support for Jonathan, the latter made a passionate plea.
A source told Sunday Vanguard details of what the president said to the governors at a meeting: "I have not been known by people to be a desperate individual. Even after the president died, and the mantle fell on me, I attempted to carry everybody along. It is not a do-or-die affair to become the president of this country.
"Whatever we do here," Jonathan reportedly said, "we should put Nigeria first and understand that whatever our party does will affect this country greatly. I am ready to make concessions for all of us to have peace and move ahead as a people and as a nation."
Then the shocker: "If the party leaders and members say they do not want me as their presidential candidate, I would gladly accept it because I believe in God and I believe God Almighty is the one that gives power. As a party, we should ensure that after the primaries, we do not leave ourselves too bruised to win the general elections".
After this solemn plea, the PDP governors came out to openly declare their support for him. That is not all.
Presidential Trickery: Between Jonathan & Sambo
Because Nigeria's political evolution had suffered so many idiosyncrasies, yet the politicians remained incrementally worse, Jonathan was in a quandary when he was confronted recently with the dilemma of who to choose as his vice-president after the demise of Yar'Adua. Obasanjo and some other politicians of note wanted their wards to be picked. Even the Governors' Forum flexed its muscle.
Unknown to all of these individuals and groups, Jonathan had something up his sleeves.
He had had talks with Mohammed Namadi Sambo, the governor of Kaduna State.
While all the jostlings were going on, Jonathan equally consulted widely but had his choice very close to his chest.
In fact, Jonathan, it was gathered from an Aso Rock source, helped some politicians who thought they had so much influence to wield, to fan the embers of speculation in the direction of their own choice.
Sunday Vanguard was informed that Jonathan made it clear to Sambo that he wanted somebody who could be trusted and he found that person in him.
It was also agreed between Sambo and Jonathan that their discussions would be kept as a secret. Both men agreed.
Therefore, while the Senate came out publicly with what it described as its choice of nominee for Jonathan, the latter simply lapped it up.
On the part of Sambo, the Senate's choice of his predecessor, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, as nominee to Jonathan, did not bother him.
Reason: Jonathan never requested any such nominee from the Senate.
Just as the Governors' Forum also flexed its muscle on a possible vice-presidential nominee, Jonathan never requested the forum to forward a name.
What Sunday Vanguard was, however, told was that Jonathan kept it very open. He consulted as widely as possible.
In fact, according to an Aso Rock source, Obasanjo was made to "believe that whoever he presented to Jonathan would eventually get the job. But that was a dummy."
The source further said that "in truth, President Jonathan deferred to the former president but there was never a time that guarantees were made or given on the matter."
Therefore, when Sambo got the nod and his name was sent to the Senate, many could not understand.
However, what they could not understand was that "Jonathan and Sambo had struck a relationship which was nurtured into something wonderful.
"While both men were on the committee on power which the late President Umaru Yar'Adua instituted, they worked together and the trust and bonding was built.
"During the work of the committee on power, Governor Sambo and then Vice-President Jonathan forged a relationship that was based on trust and understanding.
"Even while some hawks were pushing Jonathan to do certain things while Yar'Adua was not around, good counsel from some quarters prevailed and you can guess from where.
"The trust was built so much so that there were times when the vice-president would not approve anything except Governor Sambo had vetted the bills as appropriate," an Aso Rock insider said.
Long suffering as a virtue
What Sunday Vanguard was told is that Jonathan can allow for as many people as possible to make presentations on any matter but his mind is always made up on what he wants.
One of his friends said: ''Whenever you discuss with him and you think you have convinced him, he would come back to tell you that he heard everything you've said but he still thinks the matter should be handled in his own way. At the end of the day, you'll see sense in what he wants you to do."
Jonathan is long-suffering.
While addressing the nation, last week, on the crisis in some parts the North, he said "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH."
The President said: "We are shocked by these horrific acts which strike at the heart of our nation. These disturbances are more than mere political protests. Clearly, they aim to frustrate the remaining elections. This is not acceptable."
He may be long-suffering but he does not suffer fools.
He could also get angry, as he demonstrated while presenting his manifesto at the PDP convention. Responding to former Vice- President Atiku Abubakar's tirade, Jonathan charged in exasperation: "So, what are we talking about; what are we talking about here?
To know more about how dead serious Jonathan could get, ask Mr. Emmanuel Ihenacho, the recently suspended Interior Minister.
For a minister who was also said to be in the Villa to rejoice with the President over his victory, suspending him some 24 hours later was cold.
But Jonathan's got a job to do and he did it. For whatever political reasons adduced for the suspension, Ihenacho's well of luck went dry – his suspension came at a time when peace took flight from some states in the North.
Presidential Routine
How does Jonathan run his normal life outside the perquisites of presidential splendour?
Well, Jonathan lives a normal live in the magnificently abnormal place called Aso Rock Presidential Villa.
When does he go to bed?
When does he get up from bed?
What does he do once he's up?
How does he run his normal day?
As president and commander-in-chief, the demand of his office dictates when he goes to bed and not the other way round – Jonathan does not believe the man should take advantage of the office to play god.
When he rises from bed, he comes downstairs for morning devotion with a handful of people including, of course, Madam Patience Jonathan, the First Lady.
For weekends, if the job permits, he plays his squash game in the evenings.
He also holds court with a few inner circle advisers in the Villa.
At such caucus meetings, Jonathan is said to allow people to bare their minds.
At one of such meetings when a few hawks wanted the president to device a means of whittling down the powers of state governors in preparation for the PDP convention, Jonathan kicked against it, pointing out that what is right is right and what is wrong is wrong.
For Jonathan, husband of Patience, blessed with two children, a girl and a boy (actually the girl is older), Jonathan loves his local meals.
Cocoyam, pepper soup and plantain are his favourites.
Does he gobble alcohol? As an Ijaw man? Well, let's take that as a presidential secret.
Jonathan can be lively and very jovial. Just last Tuesday evening, in the company of Governors Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, Abdurahman Mimiko of Ondo State, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, and Timpreye Sylva of his home State of Bayelsa, at the Villa, he cracked jokes and exchanged banters with the governors who had come to rejoice with him.
Source:
Vanguard Nigeria.
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