By 
By Olusegun Oruame
Should Goodluck Jonathan run in the 2011 presidential election? He would probably get answers on his Facebook page where he daily interacts with nearly a million Nigerians since he signed on the social media network less than three weeks ago.
Jonathan has been talking with Nigerians. He has been hearing what Nigerians have to say about his person; his office and his quiet aspiration for change. According to the president, he rescinded his decision to ban Nigeria out of international football competition for two years based on the outpour of opinions he received on his Facebook page.
His Facebook Wall is inundated with thousands of postings on what his Agenda should be for good governance and economic development before 2011. On Facebook, he feels the pulse of a nation in dire need of change. He follows the passion of millions of young Nigerians who are increasingly falling in love with him for finding time to talk and share the burden of leadership with them. He might as well get the critical momentum he needs to take that decision to contest in the 2011 election on Facebook.
Jonathan is the first Nigerian president to employ a New Media tool to interact with diverse people. He is the first to seek opinion outside of the traditional confine of brick and wall governance; and the first to talk with citizens; most of whom he will never meet physically. Behold! Nigeria’s first ‘techie’ president. Behold! The president we can talk to inside our bedrooms, our living rooms and through that tiny wonder gadget called the mobile phone.
By signing onto Facebook, Jonathan has joined the league of ‘e-driven’ leaders such as President Barack Obama who has effectively brought technology to bear on how people can make a choice on who governs them and how they can consistently contribute to how those in leadership can make that change consistent with the desires of the people.
Obama broke through the traditional rank to speak with Americans on the Internet. He spoke with millions who were led to him by the windows opened by IT. He made himself acceptable to millions of Americans online who would rather accept his political currency than be persuaded by the arguments against his colour and skin. They were the ones who mobilized for change and who finally helped to live up to the conviction of Obama that ‘Change has truly come to America.’ That change was powered by technology.
Not many are aware of the change that is taking place with the employment of a new media tool by President Jonathan. Not many are seeing the shift in the rallying grounds for alliances and change. Not many are following the trends. The forces that will oppose the old order and propel Jonathan to assert his decision to contest are gathering outside the traditional circle. Aided by technology, they will create the momentum he needs to be encouraged to act decisively.
Jonathan’s Facebook visitors are growing in numbers everyday. Technology will definitely play a critical role in how Nigerians see him. Technology will change the traditional perception about him and the office of the Presidency. Technology will bring millions to share in his conviction; damn the narrow ‘unwisdom’ of getting a president by zoning; and encourage millions to file behind him for the Nigeria of our dream. Yes! Technology and common aspiration for change will connive to make Jonathan the first true Nigerian president we missed when June 12 was callously murdered.
But if he must contest and win; he should win transparently and convincingly. Here too, technology may come to his aid. And he does not need to go too far to get this solution. The solution for a rig-proof election is in his backyard. Inside NIGCOMSAT Limited, the communication satellite company established by government to chart Nigeria’s communication destiny. NIGCOMSAT has developed an e-Voting System designed to make ballot thieves irrelevant and confine election riggers to our immediate political past.
‘The Solution is 100% designed, developed and fabricated by Nigerian engineers at NIGCOMSAT facility in Lugbe, Abuja. It’s been demonstrated to be very workable and if given the financial support needed to purchase materials, 40,000 sets can be produced within four months.’ The chief promoter of this solution is the young and ebullient managing director of NIGCOMSAT Limited, Ahmed Rufai.
Like many young Nigerians, Rufai represents a new idea yearning for implementation and burning with the zeal to redefine a new Nigeria that many can proudly lay claim to. You will see this zeal in Nasir el Rufai, ex minister of the FCT; you will see it in Mallam Nuhu Ribadu ex boss of the EFCC; you will see it in Raji Fashola as he reconfigures Lagos; it is in Abubakar Umar, former Military Administrator of Kaduna State; it is in Okonjo Iweala and many others. These Nigerians represent the finest part of our common destiny that must not be extinguished.
You only need to visit Jonathan’s Facebook page to feel the pulse of change quietly unfolding. I am getting more convinced that technology will help to snuff out the old order that has caused us all these 50 years of woes. I am led to believe that technology will set in place a new order where the convictions of these people who share affinity with our thoughts will flower. Technology will exterminate parochial, ‘come and chop’ politicians and bring together those yearning to make new great things happen.
That is why Jonathan must pay a visit to NIGCOMSAT Limited. The more reason also why Prof. Attahiru Jega, the new man at INEC, must talk with Rufai. His immediate predecessor spent over 40 billion naira on IT. But it was deployed without conviction. The money ended up in private pockets. But now, there is a synergy of thinking among those in position of power. Jonathan wants a rig-proof election. Jega wants an election that is transparent. Rufai’s NIGCOMSAT Limited has a solution that fulfills this common goal. Nigerians want an election that will bring a leader that is truly elected.
Rufai’s NIGCOMSAT Limited owes Nigerians the duty to bring to public perception this solution that can help add credibility to our election process. And those that must take decision owe Nigerians the duty to listen to NIGCOMSAT Limited and see if the arguments add up. NIGCOMSAT says its eVoting System is cost effective. At its Lugbe facilities, it already has the production line equipments in-place.
Listen to Rufai: “It has also been demonstrated to be efficient because it is user friendly, a simple guide is embedded in the system and as soon as an individual confirms his/her candidate selection, the cast is recorded and sent to a central server, the system is also designed in such a way that each candidate can monitor the votes coming in and for whom. Remember also that the pool of engineers involved is in FG employment. By way of comparison, total cost of ownership will be 20 times as much if imported from abroad as against being produced by NIGCOMSAT.”
NIGCOMSAT Limited supervisory ministry, the Ministry of Science and Technology, is already pushing for acceptance of NIGCOMSAT’s solution within official quarters. Rufai’s immediate boss, Prof. Muhammed K. Abubakar, the minister of Science and Technology during a recent visit to NIGCOMSAT was impressed enough to declare “based on what I have seen here today, I am highly impressed and confident enough to say that my ministry has developed a comprehensive solution for an electronic voting system that will ensure that every votes counts.
“I will bring this to the attention of Mr. President and the INEC Chief for appropriate action. With what the young engineers here have developed, biometric-based voters’ register can be produced before Dec. 2010 by NIGCOMSAT given the necessary financial support. They have all that is takes to do this.”
Change is in the offing. It is left for Nigerians to make it happen. On Facebook, President Jonathan has started the process. He might not fully understand the implications now. But soon, the various ingredients to spur change will come together and perhaps, and just perhaps, President Goodluck will be able to mount the rostrum too one day; and tell Nigerians; “On this day, change has come to Nigeria.”
