Amb. Dr. (Mrs) Kema Chikwe, former Nigerian minister of aviation and transport, and currently the Nigerian ruling party – PDP – national woman leader, caught up in an interview during her vacation in the Netherlands, said she has no interest in contesting for the office of the president now and in the future.
“By 2019 when President Jonathan would have completed his second tenure I will be then 70 years old, and it would not be in my best interest as a woman to engage in the rigors of political campaigns at that age”, Dr. Chikwe hinted.
In addition, Dr. Chikwe, a former Nigerian Ambassador to Ireland, said that the cost of election campaigns in developing countries is too much and would be beyond her financial muscles. What a rare stance within African political environment where most politicians stay and die clinging to political powers!
However, Dr. Chikwe emphasized her readiness to fully support any qualified Nigerian woman ready to run for the office of the president, but only after the second tenure of President Goodluck Jonathan, the incumbent Nigerian president.
Dr. (Mrs) Chikwe, often described as very controversial figure and strong supporter of the president, still and emphatically maintains her position ‘that there is no vacancy in Aso Rock’ irrespective of verbal attacks from her political opponents.
During an interview, the PDP National Woman Leader made it very clear that she believes in the laudable achievements and vision of the President Godluck Ebere Jonathan. She pointed that it is the constitutional right of Mr. President to run for a second term to consolidate his agendas.
Dr. Chikwe pointed out that no previous Nigerian president piloted the affairs of the nation for only a single tenure. Thus as long as the president is still occupying his seat, no vacancy for those vying for that office.
The former Nigerian Ambassador to Ireland also believes that the president has what it takes to win election in 2015 under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party.
“PDP is the only political party in Nigeria you can find in every polling booth. In every Nigerian state where PDP is not the majority, it is the second with a marginal difference to any other party that has the majority in such state,” she pointed out, demonstrating how strong and viable the party is.
“There is no better candidate in PDP at the moment than the president”, Dr. Chikwe proclaimed, reiterating her commitment to building on the agenda of the president, especially his agenda on women empowerment.
The president is considered the first to give 35 percent of political offices to Nigerian women, with key ministries and posts such as defense and petroleum headed by women ministers. It is also under President Jonathan that a woman for the first time is holding the post of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
Dr. Kema Chikwe, therefore, strongly frowns at those who see President Jonathan as a weak president, and those who often insult him on social media. “If you insult the Nigerian president, you insult Nigeria”, she sadly stated.
She said that the Nigerian leader is not a president by chance, but a tested politician and leader: as a local government chairman, deputy governor, governor, vice-president, and finally a president. In addition, President Godluck Jonathan, as a PhD holder, has the educational background and therefore cannot be considered unqualified or inexperienced for his current position as the president of Nigeria.
Most Nigerian elections are often marred with political and religious violence that is crippling the country and usually politicians take advantage of this weakness to make Nigeria ungovernable. There has been astronomical rise in insecurity and violence since political power shifted to the South of the country making 2015 unpredictable.
Today there are disproportionate threats from several quarters of the country towards what will become the outcome of the 2015 election.
Despite the political sentiments, most Nigerians hope for improved standard of living and job creation, not minding whether the president comes from the south or north. Whosoever that brings these necessary changes would be the right person for the top Nigerian job.
