ANALYSIS: Mrs Patience Dame Jonathan, Welcoming The New PDP “Attacking” Machine

Posted by African Examiner Featured Contributors/Columnists Friday, March 6th, 2015

By Tajudeen Balogun, Head, African Examiner, Nigeria Bureau

For the choice of words as well as expressions, in today’s piece, I reserve no single apology for none in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but rather, to every open – minded; critical and objective individuals reading. Reason for the manner of approach is stoutly bothers on the dangerous, disgraceful and worrisome dimensions the ruling house; its members and leadership are presently driving the Nigerian politics. And as it has been established previously by me, the PDP and its members have been so disgusting, uncontrollable and unbearable to Nigerians, now forcing them to join issues, to the extent of involuntarily taking them to personal level.

Without fear of contradiction, the havoc that had been done to the peoples’ psyche and Nigerian political culture (in the last four years) by this political organization and its members is so much and devastating.

Facts are always constant. Due to so many controversies surrounding the present administration and its head, President Goodluck Jonathan, the personalities in charge of the information management in his office and within the ruling party have been unarguably boxed into the corner, hence, since appeared to have no choice than to resorting to roforofo (ruthless fight), attacking and saying what is convenient for them and what the Oga patapata (overall master) wishes to hear as well as what would accords the party good image, even as they were convinced within themselves that what they shun out and trade in, were concoctions, ‘blues’ and deceits.

These men (believing they are well known) have failed in their duties in the PDP and in the office of Mr. President. Reasons. Their misgivings have so far neither taken the party to an enviable level, nor accorded the ‘big boss’ or his ongoing campaign any spectacular good or benefit, given the popular public assessment. And what appears to be common factor in the manner of their operations is that one retreats for another, after committing grievous blunders. No wonder today, the aide in charge of public communication for the President, presently seems to have gone into complete extinction, while his immediate colleague (the only one I still have pocket of respect for, being my role model in the trade) is still unavoidably visible, but will never stop his posts that were so cheap, sentimental and not defendable.

The fact remains that he had achieved nothing substantial, from his desperate efforts, rather, what he continuously gets are insults and all sorts of bashes from the social media active hawks. Again, the one designated for public information job at the party level speaks through the media when it suits him and most of his arguments lacked merits, reasoning and values. Well, for him, may be or not, whether he is cautioned by the feedback received from the public is rarely clear to me.

Now, these men have been clearly put aside with the appointment of more reckless and desperate, party folk – Femi Fani – Kayode, as the ruling party Presidential campaign Spokesperson.

There is no doubt in the fact that both the Presidency and PDP are at home with many of FFK goofs since he has assumed his job. This is the man in his own issues based campaign has challenged the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari – the main threat to the entire PDP family, for public jugging display to pass (his) health test; justified another terrible character in the PDP, the Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose’s death advert on Buhari, #issues based campaign? The same fellow, who had just threatened a legal action (libel) over comments on state of his health by the opposition, yet justified fresh misfiring of his boss’s wife on Buhari. Still, this man feels he had points to make as well as expects Nigerians to have confidence and believes what he says; his party and the candidate he and his colleagues are working for. If that is not the irony of the millennium, what is it please?

FFK by the rating of his ‘master’ no doubt, is doing very well. Yet, it appears he needs more similar hands in the smearing and dirty jobs – the PDP #issues based elections campaign ‘exclusive’ way. Then, the arrival of a woman whose husband is in a position of authority, but from all indications, is powerful and popular than her husband.

Here comes a woman, who by providence, she and her husband today occupies position of highest position of honour in Nigeria, but failed totally in her actions, advances and utterances to depict one in such an esteemed cadre; a woman who have woefully failed to inspire her contemporaries, let alone the younger ones. Those who address her as our mother and follow her, have no single regard for her but deceive her, as she lacks good presentation and charisma. They have remained with her only for personal gains.

A woman who when mounts podium to address her audience, repeatedly commits unpardonable blunders, very unimpressive, constitutes a laughing stock and unfortunately creates disconnection between her and the audience in all her public addresses.

Which woman? The one, whose name has been persistently linked to political animosity, intolerance and violence both within and outside her State – Rivers. As a matter fact, she was the arrowhead of the intractable misunderstanding between her husband, the President and her State Governor, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi. The ruling party eventually lost Amaechi to the opposition. That was an unpleasant development anyway. Never will she stop in her over bearing tendency, the reason for another war between her and her husband’s State – Bayelsa Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson.

This woman – Mrs Patience Dame Jonathan, has gone weird and seriously uncontrollable. Just like her Oga – FFK, in the personality attack which in their reckoning is the issues based campaign Nigerians demand for, Tuesday this week, in Kogi State at a PDP women rally did the unexpected when she fired, descended so low and hauled abuses at her husband main rival – General Buhari.

Refresh again with your First Lady gabbage talk: “Wetin him dey find again? Him dey drag with him pikin mate. Old man wey no get brain, him brain don die pata pata,”

“If you vote Buhari, na your prison; if you vote APC, na your wahala. What is change? Why did you not change things when you were there? Is it now that you want to be doing the things you weren’t doing before? Jonathan looked at us and said women, I am giving you the position of the chief justice of this country. Okonjo-Iweala is a woman, Diezani is a woman. Seventy per cent of his cabinet are women”.

This woman, whose husband and his party would easily accuse the major opposition; its Chieftains and those perceived to be their supporters of orchestrating violence, deploying propaganda, as well as all sorts of sordid acts, reportedly told her listeners that anyone that mentioned “change” should be thrown to death! Is Nigerian at war please? How do we classify such abusive, provocative and very inciting statement by this excessively power drunk woman? Who do you hold responsible if Madam Patience’s directive was acted to the letter by the hired political hoodlums in Kogi? Kindly note, if this woman possesses the liver to make such horrible statement in public, herself, supporters and the PDP would know better, so many other places similar instruction and ‘riot’ act would have been given and read.

With Mrs Jonathan’s “stoning” instruction, is anything still doubtful about who instigated Tuesday, February 17, 2015 deadly attack at Okrika (her home town) APC rally, in which the party Governorship candidate, Dr Dakuku Peterside’s security was killed, himself narrowly escaped being killed and several other injured?

Back to Mrs Jonathan’s reckless speech, did this woman ever weigh the import of “brain dead”. Did she really know the meaning of what she said? Respect begets respect. I have declared that the entire ruling house deserves none, so also is this woman. Let Madam Jonathan realize that her statement were uncultured, ‘unpresidential’, crude and very implicating. Reading through the public comments and reactions, there is no doubt that Mrs Jonathan unfortunately in yet desperate move to rally support for her husband with her superior, FFK, had dealt another big blow to the PDP and President Jonathan’s chances. What do you have to say when over 75 per cent (mostly women) of the reactions were against Mrs Jonathan’s abuse and her husband chance? In fact, one very interesting one to me, confessed that her support for Jonathan would never extend to hailing the barbaric level – the First Lady ‘gutter’ utterance.

Yet, Mrs Jonathan in her imagination had thought the nonsense by her would ginger sentiment from the women folk. Let her go to Okrika and sample the opinion of women of values and substance which she had failed to be, and listen to their independent and candid opinions over the disgraceful speech and outing.

Imagine, Madam Patience was ranting about Buhari’s wide age difference between him and her husband. This is sentimental and relative. Has this woman forgotten the debate that surrounded her husband’s bid to re – contest, that despite resistance by many PDP members, the final and superior argument was that he was a Nigerian, therefore had right to contest the number one position, irrespective of difference of opinion and position of members?

Over to President Jonathan, the PDP and its Presidential campaign information managers – the Okupes; Abatis, Metuhs and the second to the last attacking device – FFK; how do you react to the reckless and crude address made by Oga’s wife? What would have happened had Mrs Aisha Buhari, or any of the opposition Chieftain uttered such unguarded rants? I ask, if this were to be from the opposition, won’t the fellow South South man; the “uncommon” Governor and President Jonathan’s ally open up and begin to whip his propaganda counter? What has the Inspector General Police done or intends doing on the First Lady’s inflammatory statement?

Nigerians are anxious and very keen to know your (above mentioned) position, especially as related to the PDP main opposition. Anyway, the new Jonathan’s point man has spoken and ratified Oga’s unceremonial attack. FFK in his dirty and devilish manner of politics said Thursday “The First Lady, Patience Jonathan, was absolutely right. To say that General Buhari is”brain dead” is an understatement and to suggest that he is suffering from dementia is nothing new. 

“The First Lady has spoken in a courageous and forthright manner and, most important of all, she has spoken the bitter truth. “Instead of crying like spoilt little brats and complaining, the APC and the Buhari Campaign Organisation should live with that bitter truth and leave her alone. She has every right to express herself in any way that she deems fit and she is entitled to her opinion. This is especially so given the fact that her husband, President Goodluck Jonathan, is in the Presidential race. Buhari’s general disdain for women and their opinion is well known. This is a man that said that he would scrap the office of the First Lady if he is elected President. If he is not ready to face public scrutiny and criticism for his often times irresponsible, retrogressive, nonsensical and asinine views, he should quit the Presidential race and consider retiring from politics. Our counsel to the APC is as follows: leave the First Lady alone or prepare yourselves for a relentless verbal blitzkrieg, the likes of which you have never seen before.”

This is the character who had threatened N5 billion libel suit against the Spokesperson of the opposition (APC) for comments on his mental state. Fellow ones, if a person keeps contradicting himself on issues that have direct and identical variables, who then is with health challenges and requires serious medical attention? Decide the answer please. These men have failed woefully and were seriously challenged for now, to be honourable both in their actions and public addresses. Will it not be right to tell FFK to be ashamed of himself; take a break and reflect on the backfiring of his fruitless drives? If this man is truly with his right senses, he must stop the tricks and antics. Well, with Oga’s wife assuming Centre stage, most likely FFK will soon be tactically shoveled aside for the power thirsty Madam to carry on and finally ditch her husband.

Still, I must comment on yet another terrible aspect of this larger than life woman, especially on her control over her husband; his office and government’s machinery. Given her strange and excess zeal for power and penchant for violence, it won’t be out of place to conclude that the traits publicly displayed by Madam Patience will definitely be replicated both at home and in her husband’s office. No wonder, her influence has extended beyond her State – Rivers. Ebonyi State makes a good example here, where the sitting Governor has messed himself up and allowed her to connive with another powerful indigene and current SFG hijacked the State party’s structure and imposed a candidate on him. It’s a pity.

Mrs Jonathan unbridled love for power is not fresh and open to many. It was so unbearable that her husband’s Media and Publicity aide, Dr. Reuben Abati once wrote and categorically condemned her embarrassing mannerism. Read Abati on Patience: “When she misbehaves as she did in Okrika, she creates the impression that her husband is not in control of his own home. First ladies are prominent figures but their conduct is an eternal subject of public interest. In Nigeria, there was Victoria Gowon, there was also Ajoke Muhammed: dignified and restrained.  There was Maryam Babangida – she was influential but no one could accuse her of verbal recklessness; Mrs Abdusalami  Abubakar was a court judge, totally self-effacing, No major social party was complete without Mrs Stella Obasanjo, yet she controlled her tongue. Mrs Turai Yar’Adua was described as the power behind the throne and she proved that during the period of her husband’s illness but she was carefully reticent. At the state level, there was Remi Tinubu in Lagos state and Onari Duke in Cross River state who have both conducted themselves responsibly in and out of office. The new First Lady likes to travel, party, and talk outside the script. People are beginning to learn to read her lips in order to understand her husband. Dame Patience must not push her Goodluck”. (The Guardian, Thursday, August 27 2010)

FFK, are you reading your predecessor’s comments on Oga’s wife, the one you, the same Dr Abati and others are blindly but deliberately defending now? It is just a matter of time that the festival will be over, then every participant rounds off and leaves to his final destination. I don’t know about you (FFK), the person I am mostly bothered about his Oga Abati; After your present assignment, what do you begin to write about when back to your desk, if you so wish, or wherever you choose to go? Would you begin again, to advocate for, morality, discipline, due diligence and good governance which are all lacking in your boss’s administration? I doubt whether Nigerians will take you serious again. Oga Abati, can’t you resign and protect your future? Dr. I still admire you; resign and leave this people alone please!

At this juncture, I have some words of advice for Madam Jonathan and her other colleagues in the attacking room. Kindly stop attacking your Oga’s main challenger, Buhari. Did you ask me why? First, you must believe the man never hates Mr. President; if he hates anything about him, it is his incompetence; mismanagement of economy and high level of corruption (sorry stealing, what Mr. President believes) against the present administration. The same issues are the reasons so many Nigerians have against President Jonathan.

If not, how does one explain a President denying a plain and clear evidence against his party members, yet declines order and demand for investigations and indulges a particular one, by nominating him for Ministerial appointment. Or how do you explain the same administration with Senate President belonging to the same party with Mr. President, vowing he would be a party not to doing the business as usual “take a bow” tradition for an indicted politician on a criminal allegation, just in the name of politics? So many contradictions, injustices and partiality against the current government, under President Jonathan.

These are the issues Nigerians have against Mr. President and why they have repeatedly told him he must go and allow another hand with blank record of corruption. Madam Jonathan and others, know that the man you are attacking has just one vote and members of his family have one vote, each too. Therefore, your focus should not be Buhari or his immediate family, rather, the teeming voting Nigerian public, including the youths which Mr. President had boasted he would empower, but have totally failed to inspire. A President, who failed to rise up to his task and have as a wife, the type of Madam Patience, can never inspire the dynamic Nigerian public and vibrant youths I know.

President Jonathan is presently organizing Public discourse to showcase the virtues of Yoruba and other leaders – among others, Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo ( why now?), yet his team keeps attacking notable living and notable ones. Can President Jonathan declare publicly that he has never benefitted and saved the embarrassment of his life by the duo of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Bola Tinubu influence in Nigeria and South Western part?. But, today, these men are no more relevant as they had decided to remain with the people and refused to join, in accomplishing his sinister plot to hold on to power.

Finally, Mrs Jonathan, and other attacking engines should help your superior; leave his main challenger, Buhari alone and engage in real issues based campaign, if you have any, and avail your man, the opportunity to properly scamper for Nigerians support on a clean and merit grounds (if possible) within the remaining three weeks to match into the rescheduled general elections. However, if this is not reasonable enough, the PDP, its members and leaders might sustain their mischief, but must be told again that the message from Nigerians is that they have resolved about the direction they wish to go in the coming polls and no one could influence otherwise, their utmost desire.

E – Mail: tjaysuccess10@gmail.com; Facebook: Tajudeen Balogun

 

 

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