Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the current Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, says President Goodluck Jonathan lost because of the mood of voters which was determined by the economic conditions and level of poverty across the country.
Sanusi, who is now known as Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II, said this during an interview with our correspondent on Saturday.
He said the voting showed that areas which had a high rate of poverty felt neglected by the Peoples Democratic Party-led Federal Government over the years.
Sanusi said the presidential poll results showed that the figures of the PDP in presidential elections from 1999 had continued to dwindle significantly.
The monarch said the PDP got fewer votes in 2007, less in 2011 and then fewer votes in 2015 causing the ruling party to finally lose to the opposition party, the All Progressives Congress.
He said, “I think in 2011, it was very clear that Jonathan had lost many states in the North that had previously been won by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. And it was clear that there was a general sense by people of the Federal Government not investing in the areas where there is a high level of poverty.
“I believe more and more of those states began to feel that sense of not feeling the federal presence and not feeling the impact of democracy in their pockets and I think it is extremely important for people to connect with the government and when you have such conditions after 16 years of democracy, it was natural that people would want to have a change and I think this is basically what has happened.
“I don’t think it is something about an individual, I think it is something that has been going on for a number of years and you could see the states won by the PDP in 1999 and what they won in 2003, what they won in 2007, 2011 and you would begin to see the changes in the way Nigerians were responding so it was a matter of time.”
Sanusi, however, commended Jonathan, the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari; and the Independent National Electoral Commission for the conduct and atmosphere of the election.
He said change of leadership was good for democracy as it encouraged healthy competition. He said it was the trend in democracies across the world.
“I think it is good for the country that you have different parties winning and if the APC performs, they get another term and if they don’t, they get voted out after four years and it is extremely important that this happens so let us not see it in terms of somebody losing,” he said.
Sanusi also urged Buhari not to focus solely on corruption but on other areas that required urgent government attention such as education, decaying infrastructure, diversifying the economy and fixing power. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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HRM Sanusi. I love your message. You have spoken well
ReplyDeleteSo what happened to all the schools, nomadic education programme, agricultural investments and the fight against insurgence by the Federal government in the North Central States...Na wa for ingrates.
ReplyDeleteWho are the ingrates if I may ask
DeleteDon't know why your name is changing oh? But if it was meant to clarify that ex CBN Governor is different from Emir so be it. GEJ could only ruffled the former while the latter remains unshakeable
ReplyDeleteDo well to publish my comments and stop being sentimental please.
ReplyDeleteWho are the ingrates if i may ask
ReplyDeleteI think the integrate in this case is one that dragged his mandate through poto-poto by nurturing insurgency for six yrs only to use 6 weeks to nearly wipe it off, to me, an ingrate is the one that will watch the universities and other higher institutions shut down for nearly a year, while he is busy building Almajiri schools, to me, an ingrate is the one that engages people in agricultural production, without a corresponding ready market or storage facilities for their produce. However, if you have contrary views. I equally respect them.
DeleteGood explanation and great point on county area of need. But poverty dwell richly in all part of this country.
ReplyDeleteLol ..Basically
ReplyDeleteJonathan focused on North but this man is now denying it, If you calculate all FG investments in North and in South, you will know that he was trying to please them because he does not want people to say he is favoring his region. Even the FG has a lot of resources on Boko Haram which is still orchestrated and performed by the same north. Noo.. make una carry everything go north and impoverish the people and the land where you are getting the resources from and that will be good for you. We are watching you!
ReplyDeleteNIGERIANS CONSTANTLY TEND TO DECEIVE THEMSELVES, THE 2015 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WAS PURELY AN ETHNIC/RELIGION BASED TUSSLE,TAKE A SECOND LOOK AT THE 2011 VIS-A-VIS 2015 PRES ELECTION, ITS VERY CLEAR THAT THE DIFFERENCE IS IN SOUTHWEST, WITH THE CHANGE IN VOTING PATTERN, APC BECAME VICTORIOUS.PLATEU,TARABA,NASARAWA SOUTH GOMBE, EKITI SE, SS ARE PREDOINATELY CHRISTIAN STATES HENCE THE REFLECTION.IF APC DECIDES NOT TO SHOW GOVERNMENT PRESENCE IN THE CORE NORTH THE VOTING PATTERN WILL REMAIN THE SAME IN 2019.CHECK OUT THE MASSIVE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE TO UPPER NORTH- WHAT DID PDP GET IN RETURN 15% OF THE VOTE.AS I WRITE ENUGU/PH ROAD IS STILL UNDERGOING REVAMP, THE SOUTHEAST GOT LITTLE GOVERNMENT PROJECTS WITHIN THE SAME PERIOD,YET THEY COLLECTIVELY GAVE PDP 75%.
ReplyDeleteUnbiased statement expected from true leaders. U earned my respect again.
ReplyDeleteIt is clear that Kano state voted for PDP but was changed to APC that was why God of fire and brimstone consumed the REC and the entire family just watch and see what will happen before the 29 th of May do not rejoice yet.
ReplyDelete