This
is a must read for all, but I won’t lie to you, it is very long, you have to
be ready to read this or break it into pieces, read part today and part tomorrow, it’s
not for sharp sharp readers , it is for researchers Lol.
Charles Soludo: I read some of the responses to my article, “Buhari vs Jonathan:
Beyond the Election”, and I want to thank everyone who has contributed
to the debate. I am glad that the debate has finally taken off. I have
decided, for the record, to re-enter the debate if only to set some
records straight and hopefully elevate the debate further.
Whom do I respond to? First, let me thank Gov Kayode Fayemi for his
very mature and professional response on behalf of the APC. It forms a
great basis for deepening the conversation. Pat Utomi, Oby Ezekwesili,
Iyabo Obasanjo, and thousands of other patriotic Nigerians have raised
the content of the debate. Femi Fani-Kayode made me laugh, as usual. The
Gov. Jang faction of the Governors’ Forum played the usual politics,
although I know what most of them think privately. Who else? Oh, Peter
Obi. Well, since he can’t write and designated Valentine as usual to
write for him (who never disputed the NBS statistics that Obi broke
world record in the pauperization of Anambra people but instead focused
on lies and abuses) I won’t dignify him with a response here. His third
class performance in Anambra will be the subject of a comprehensive
article later.
Here, I will focus on Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s response (as Minister
of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy—CME and hence on
behalf of the Federal Government). Since I have known her, out of deep
respect, I have never called her by her name: I call her Madam. I must
state that I have great pains seeing myself on the opposite side of the
table with Madam, in this way. I respect you, Madam, and will always
do. If you read my article of September 2010 (before you became
Minister), the tone and elucidation were as strong as the current one.
It is my honest effort to ensure that our choice of leaders is based on
rigorous scrutiny of what is on offer. Part of my frustration is that
five years after, everything I warned about has come to happen and we
are conducting our campaigns as if we are not in crisis. As a concerned
Nigerian, I have a duty to speak out again. Regrettably, you have taken
it very personal.
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