Don Applauds Jonathan’S Spirit of Sportsmanship
Former Dean of the Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Prof. Aloysius Okolie has applauded President Goodluck Jonathan’s sportsmanship by conceding defeat in the last Saturday presidential poll.
Okolie, in an interview with Daily Times in Enugu yesterday said that the prompt congratulatory message of President Jonathan to the President-elect, Gen Mohammad Buhari shows that he is a true democrat that should be emulated by other African leaders.
“Jonathan has set good example in Africa on politics of maturity, it’s unbelievable that in Africa where some leaders fight with the last ounce of their blood to maintain their political position, one conceded to defeat immediately.
“It’s also an indication that democratic values are gradually taken root in Nigeria.
“I commend Jonathan‘s spirit of sportsmanship and urged other African and world leaders to emulate his good example, ‘he said.
He said Jonathan’s lost in Saturday presidential election should be a big lesson to politicians in the country that no matter your position you can be removed by the people through the power of ballot paper.
“This call for quality delivery of democracy dividend by elected persons, to avoid being disgraced out of office by electorates, ‘he said.
The political scientist however, described the inability of Jonathan to get majority votes in some northern states in last Saturday election as result of high level of conspiracy by those whom Jonathan thought were working with him.
“Some PDP wigs and governors in the North conspired and betrayed Jonathan in that presidential poll’
“The inability of Jonathan to win in states like Jigawa, Kaduna where the vice president hailed from and Bauchi the home of PDP national chairman, is an eloquent testimony of conspiracy and sabotage of PDP members in those states, ‘he said.
Okolie urged the President-elect to see his election as an act of God and to carry everybody along irrespective of political party, religion and tribal affiliations in order to meet the high expectations of Nigerians.
“Buhari should see himself now as father to all Nigerians and not APC alone to move the country forward.
“He should select technocrats and people with good track records rather than mediocre and should avoid using ministerial appointments as political compensation to those who supported his campaigns,” he said.
