Hey nairalanders, presidential elections are coming up in less than two weeks. The candidate we vote for will inevitably make or mar our future and destiny as a country; and we would all do well to remember that these are the most critical elections we have faced yet. I'd like y'all who are really interested, not the siddon-lookers, to check out this brief treatise on why you should vote for Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as president in the upcoming elections. Thanks.I have interviewed upwards of a 1000 people, for a social experiment I am conducting for my own satisfaction and knowledge and also for our great nation Nigeria.
I have done the interviews one on one, on the Phone, on the internet, bbm, whatsapp, social media. I have discussed with the young ones, old ones, very old ones. I have chatted with people that don’t understand what elections are and also those that don’t know who is running.
When I ask people who they want to vote for some people say APC and I ask myself
• Have they already forgotten 2011 and how many young people, youth corpers serving their country died because of Buhari losing? May their souls Rest in Peace
• Have they forgotten his first presidency? Do they even know? Do they care?
• Why do people want a man called General in a democracy?
• What does the man know about running an organization, a business, much less running a country? Which ones has he run successfully? Name 1.
• Is Jonathan really that bad? Or is he merely the wrong tribe and religion
• Are people really that gullible to think that when one shouts change, it is for the better? Who is he changing Nigeria with? Tinubu and Amechie? What does he want to change to? From corrupt to not corrupt? You reading this, how do you run your life, family, business or the people you influence? Be honest with yourself, do you engage in corrupt activity daily? Is it the president’s fault? I urge everyone reading this to check the meaning of corruption. Almost everything we celebrate is corrupt, African time, I am running late because of traffic, I am five minutes away, (when you have not left your house, office or meeting); I will get it to you on Monday when you know it is not true. We have change the meaning of bribe to different less offensive sounding things. Give him PR. Settle them. Finder’s fee. Consultation. Take do weekend. Brown envelop. All these things are not by the president, but by the individuals. How did it come to this?
Back to the matter, if we as a people don’t know who is running, what they stand for, why we should vote, regardless of the choices we have we are leaving our future, that of our children and grandchildren in the hands of men that may not be competent, have our interests at heart or even very mad men and women.
If you don’t believe that their policies affect us, ask any business own or human resources person in a large organization the caliber of workers that just graduate from school. Most of them are bad to say the least. This is a result of policy from the past 40 years. If you look at those above 40 and those below 40, you will see a very distinct difference in work excellence and ethics. Ask around and see if this is true or not.

How do we get to compete as a people if we are not even in the race?

All this can be changed from now. In less than 3 weeks you cast your vote for the one you think has your best interest at heart. The one that that believes in proper education or the one that does not know where is certificate is.

From today, start grooming the next leaders, encouraging those you know with ethics to think of running. Encouraging those there already by not influencing them to give you contract or what have you. Changing your organization or business by encouraging excellence. Social work. Mentoring students. Even obeying driving rules and regulations.
But if all of us, each one teach one and strive for excellence, and if everyone of us becomes interested in politics, not for the sake of talking and condemning others but to know who wants to lead us and why and vote for the right people, I believe every one of us will be better off in the long run.

Why does everyone what to work in a company that has an excellent CEO? It’s simple, the company is run well. How do the CEO’s get hired? Simple by being the best in their field that an organization can hire and afford. If we do the same in government, I believe that before people want to run for office, we will have seen their track record.

Shouting change does not qualify you to run a company or country. It is your past achievements that show that you are prepared and able to do the job.

Because of this, I'd like to encourage Nigerians who are interested in seeing this country rise up from the doldrums to which we have been previously consigned by the hitherto Northern hegemony to vote for our incumbent president, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

I'll post more as we draw closer to the elections.

GOD BLESS NIGERIA.

It's no longer an opinion, it's now a fact and reality. If GEJ ignored his responsibilities nd neglected the needs of this country, turned a blind eye to corruption and praised the indisciplined; knowing he would have to face Nigerians in 2015 elections, what's the guarantee that he wouldn't tear us to shreds in the next 4 years. I think we should put sentiments aside and do what we won't regret by this time next year. HE has failed to give us reasons why he failed us in the past 6 years.
I voted for him in 2011 and did my own share of personal but vigorous campaign to ensure that my fellow 'SouthSouth brother' will become President and open the doors for the minority in Naija.
But not only did he disgrace us, he has also made sure that people will never have faith in leadership by the southsouth.
To make matters worse: He didn't even take care of his own south-south states and Bayelsans would prefer to vote for anyone else but Jonathan.
It really is a shame and sad. But if we don't vote him out, Jonathan will ruin us. He is the worst type of dictator and leader a developing country can have.

lynn79:
It's no longer an opinion, it's now a fact and reality. If GEJ ignored his responsibilities nd neglected the needs of this country, turned a blind eye to corruption and praised the indisciplined; knowing he would have to face Nigerians in 2015 elections, what's the guarantee that he wouldn't tear us to shreds in the next 4 years. I think we should put sentiments aside and do what we won't regret by this time next year. HE has failed to give us reasons why he failed us in the past 6 years.
I voted for him in 2011 and did my own share of personal but vigorous campaign to ensure that my fellow 'SouthSouth brother' will become President and open the doors for the minority in Naija.
But not only did he disgrace us, he has also made sure that people will never have faith in leadership by the southsouth.
To make matters worse: He didn't even take care of his own south-south states and Bayelsans would prefer to vote for anyone else but Jonathan.
It really is a shame and sad. But if we don't vote him out, Jonathan will ruin us. He is the worst type of dictator and leader a developing country can have.

Thanks for your input, bro. Sorry for replying late: I had network issues.
Now, bear in mind that when we talk (or focus) on corruption in GEJ's government, we should bear in mind that corruption has been both institutionalised in Nigeria, and enshrined in the minds of Nigerians. It is not his government that brought about corruption - in fact, the anti-corruption agency formed by his predecessor (and with, which it's far-reaching powers would have been able to sanitize the country to at least a good rate) was only used as a vehicle to witch hunt perceived enemies and political opponents.
Also, mind you, since your support for Buhari might be based on his conjectured anti-corruption tendencies, the tool which was used for that, War Against Indiscipline (WAI), was implemented during a military regime, where the dictatorship has totalitarian powers, as opposed to a civilian government which would not have such unlimited and arbitrary powers...think about that.

Like I said, I will still drop more posts on the achievements of GEJ, which would enable people see that the ongoing transformation in the country is reason enough to vote for continuity. This is why notwithstanding the efforts being made by detractors to tarnish his image, it is clear that Jonathan has worked enough to deserve reelection.