I read Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s comments to the effect that he heard from the Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Chief John Oyegun, that former President Goodluck Jonathan had told him (Chief Oyegun) that after the election, he would put Governor Oshiomhole in a hole, but today the ex-president is the one in a hole.

 

This statement, while seemingly an attack on the person of former President Goodluck Jonathan, says more about the character of the Edo State Governor than it does about the former President.

 

A good leader does not act on hearsay and gossip, especially when he has channels to verify such information.

 

One would have thought that Governor Oshiomhole would have learnt his lesson after the embarrassment from the gossip he shared, to the effect that unnamed US State Department officials told him that a minister under Jonathan stole a billion US dollars every month (which was confirmed to be a lie by an investigative report by a national daily).

 

Apparently no lessons were learnt from that misadventure.

 

Even ex-President Jonathan’s arch opponents cannot deny the fact that no Nigerian was ever put in a hole or arrested for his comments or criticism during his time in office. Such is out of character for the former leader.

 

In fact, at the very moment Oshiomhole was making his fallacious claims, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was being honoured in Atlanta by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference for his role in advancing peace and human rights as well as good governance. President Jonathan is to be similarly honoured in Europe in the coming weeks.

 

On July 17, 2012, Governor Oshiomhole said “President Jonathan has demonstrated statesmanship. I think there is hope for Nigeria”.

 

Suffice to say that I understand where Governor Oshiomhole is coming from.

 

Obviously, when your name ends with the word HOLE, you will be afraid of holes, but Goodluck is the portion of Jonathan!

 

Let me end by saying that Governor Adams Oshiomhole is a gifted labour leader and has made progress as Edo state Governor. He had previously been known for prudent speeches. I therefore scratch my head in wonder at what recent events may be making him as giddy as a teenager. Your guess is as good as mine.

 

However, it is no guess, but fact, to state that Governor Adams Oshiomhole cannot put Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in a hole that God has not put him.

 

About the Author:

Reno Omokri is the founder of the Mind of Christ Christian Centre in California and the author of Shunpiking: No Shortcuts to God and Why Jesus Wept.