THE SLEDGEHAMMER AGAINST GOODLUCK JONATHAN

Before the general elections of 2015, it was tough being Goodluck Jonathan, really. You would not be a happy president if the most influential newspaper of Northern Nigeria would publish a map of Borno State indicating that Boko Haram held more territories, in terms of local government areas and land size, than the federal government. Such was the harsh and constant reminder that it was not worth any more bloodletting for President Jonathan to force his way into a second-term reckoning. It was generally sensed that all hell would let loose and that Boko Haram would be miffed the more if Jonathan won a second term. Today, from the newsfeeds coming out of Borno State, it is certain that Boko Haram has expanded their territorial gains under this All Progressives Congress government because other than Maiduguri town, no other place is safe from Boko Haram attacks in Borno State. Yet that most influential newspaper of Northern Nigeria has not published any map of Borno State to indicate the number of local government areas under the control of Boko Haram (that would roughly be something like n-1, where “n” is the total number of local governments in Borno State and “1” would just be the Maiduguri Municipal Local Government Council). Thus, the sledgehammer that was wielded against Goodluck Jonathan by the Northern Press has been conveniently stowed away to make APC looks good; this sort of approved deception does not make a society grow one bit. Sunday Adole Jonah, Department of Physics, Federal University of Technology, Minna