“I do not make
empty promises in my campaign because whatever I promise to do, I had
already carried out adequate study to make sure I can accomplish it in
the next four years”. That was President Goodluck Jonathan speaking at
Onitsha while on the campaign trail on February 27, 2011. It was a
campaign in which Dr Jonathan made over 90 documented promises across
the country. He promised not less than two or three projects in
virtually all states of the federation.
Incredible as his promises sounded, many
Nigerians sincerely believed in Jonathan’s capacity to deliver. After
all, he is not only a trained scientist, he holds a PhD in Zoology.
There was, thus, no cause to disbelieve his confident claim above that
all his promises were predicated on careful and meticulous planning. The
doctorate degree in any discipline is expected to confer on the holder
the capacity for sustained and exhaustive research, rigorous and
methodical thinking as well as meticulous planning.
It was on this rock solid foundation of
intellectualism that Dr Jonathan’s promises were supposedly predicated.
Things have turned out most unexpectedly. His palace of promises seems
to have been built on sinking sand. As he desperately seeks a second
term in office, it is no easy route back to Aso Rock for the former
shoeless school boy from Otuoke. Practically 80 percent of his 2011
promises remain unfulfilled. Nigerians are worse off today than they
were when Jonathan won an emphatic pan-Nigerian victory four years ago.
His PhD has hardly reflected in the quality of his governance. Some of
his unfair critics claim that Dr Jonathan’s PhD may be just a Port
Harcourt Diploma after all. Of course, I do not believe them.
Despite his dismal performance in
office, Jonathan’s fervent supporters continue to proudly flaunt his
doctoral degree as a major factor in his favour. This, they claim makes
him clearly superior to his major opponent and emergent nemesis, General
Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The Jonathan
campaign has sought to make a major issue of Buhari’s educational
qualification. They claim that a man who rose to become a General in
the Nigerian military, a former military Head of State and who has
contested for the country’s presidency on three previous occasions under
the present constitutional dispensation does not possess the minimum
constitutional, academic qualification to run for the office.
Of course, Buhari has since convincingly
dispelled all misleading and mischievous insinuations about his
educational credentials. My teacher, Emeritus Professor of Political
Science and civil military relations at the University of Ibadan,
Professor Bayo Adekanye, demonstrated compellingly in this space last
week that the case against Buhari’s educational qualification to run for
the presidency rests on feeble, logical, empirical and constitutional
foundations.
But then, does President Jonathan’s
doctoral degree necessarily make him a superior leadership material to
Buhari? Let us take a closer comparative look at their curriculum vitae
starting with Jonathan. Born in Otuoke, Bayelsa State, on 20th November,
1957, Jonathan obtained his First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) in
1969, the West African School Certificate (WASC) in 1975, and the
General Certificate of Education (Ordinary Level) in 1976. He also
obtained a B.Sc in Zoology (Second Class Upper Division) in 1976, an
M.Sc in Hydrobiology/Fisheries Biology in 1985 and a PhD. in Zoology in
1995. All his higher academic degrees were from the University of Port
Harcourt.
Now, let us look at Dr Jonathan’s
employment history. He started work as a Preventive Officer in the
Department of Customs and Excise between 1975 and 1977. He must have got
this job on the basis of his WASC. Between 1982 and 1983, Dr Jonathan
was a Science Inspector of Education at the Rivers State Ministry of
Education. It was obviously his B.Sc in Zoology that qualified him for
this job. Dr Jonathan was a lecturer in the Department of Biology,
Rivers State College of Education, Port Harcourt, from 1984 to 1993. His
M.Sc degree qualified him for the job. He served as an Assistant
Director in the defunct Oil Minerals Areas Development Corporation
(OMPADEC) between 1993 and 1998. Again, his M.Sc degree was the basis
for this job even though someone with a first degree could also rise to
the position with the acquisition of the requisite experience.
Since his obtaining his doctorate in
1995, Dr Jonathan has not taught in any higher institution or research
institute. There is no evidence of his having published any academic
papers or engaged in any other form of academic research. He has no
record of relevant experience as an academic. His PhD has thus added
little or no value to his career progression. The University of Port
Harcourt has recently confirmed that President Jonathan indeed obtained
his PhD from the institution. But given Dr Jonathan’s often embarrassing
quality of intellection and articulation, the university may either
have to re-appraise the quality of its certificates or throw Dr
Jonathan’s dissertation open to external peer review. Between 1999 and
now, he has risen from Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State to Governor of
the state, Vice President and ultimately President of Nigeria largely on
partisan and not necessarily meritocratic grounds.
Now let us turn to General Buhari. Born
on December 17, 1942, he obtained his primary education in Daura and
Maiádua (1948-1952), attended Katsina Model School in 1953 and Katsina
Provincial School (now Government College Katsina) from 1956 to 1961. He
obtained his military training at the then Nigerian Military Training
School, Kaduna (1963), Nigerian Military College, Kaduna (1964),
Mechanical Transport Course at the Army Mechanical Transport School in
Borden, United Kingdom (1965), Defence Services Staff College,
Wellington, India (1973) and the United States War College (June 1979 to
June 1980).
Unlike Jonathan’s scanty experience as
an academic, consider Buhari’s rich experience in his chosen military
profession. Buhari began his career as a Platoon Commander, 2nd Infantry
Battalion from 1963 to 1964. Thereafter, he served as Mechanical
Transport Officer, Lagos Garrison (1964-1965), Transport Company
Commander, 2nd Infantry Brigade, (1965-1966), Battalion
Adjutant/Commander, 2nd Infantry Brigade (1965-1966), Brigade Major, 2nd
Sector, 1st Infantry Division, (April to July, 1967), Brigade Major,
3rd Infantry Division (August 1967-October 1968), Acting Commander, 4th
Sector, 1st Division, (November 1968-February 1970), Commander, 31st
Infantry Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, (February 1970 –June 1971),
Assistant Adjutant General, 1st Infantry Division Headquarters, (July
1971-December 1972), Colonel , General Staff, 3rd Infantry Division
Headquarters, (January 1974-September 1974), Acting Director, Supply and
Transport, Nigeria Army Corp Headquarters (September 1974 – July 1975).
Other strictly professional military
positions Buhari has occupied include Military Secretary, Army
Headquarters (July 1978-June 1979), Member, Supreme Military Council,
(July 1978-June 1979), General Officer Commanding, 4th Infantry
Division, (August 1980-January 1981), General Officer Commanding 3rd
Armoured Division (November 1981-December 1983). I do not include here
Buhari’s political experience as Military Governor, Petroleum Minister
or Military Head of State.
Now, what awards have the two candidates
garnered in the cause of their careers? President Jonathan was named
Best Performing Deputy Governor Award in the Federation in 2002 by the
Institute of Public Administration of Nigeria (IPAN), won Award of
Exemplary Leadership Quality and Good Governance conferred by the
National Association of Women in Education Development in July 2003 and
the Honorary Award for Democracy and Good Governance conferred by the
NUJ, Abuja Council. He is also a Grand Commander of the Federal Republic
(GCFR).
On his part, Buhari has won the
following awards and professional military medals: Defence Service Medal
(DSM), National Service Medal (NSM), General Service Medal (GSM), Loyal
Service and Good Conduct Medal (LSGCM) Forces Service Star (FSS) and
The Congo Medal (CM). He has also been awarded the GCFR.
If, dear reader, you consider these two
CVs, who has the requisite experience and qualities to tackle Nigeria’s
current challenges?
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