The Swing Voters Will Decide, By Mark A. Israel

President Jonathan has achieved so much in the last five weeks. He seems to have finally decided to be the commander in chief we wanted him to be. The military has been reclaiming towns and decimating the Boko Haram threat since the February elections were postponed, and Mr president has been visiting the reclaimed 

communities and assuring them of their safety.

'The president,' said one commentator, 'just woke up to his responsibilities.'

President Jonathan and General Buhari.

The President and the military deserve commendation for this surprising success.

There are so many questions to ask. One of such is, how was the military able to achieve this feat, this success that eluded it for almost five years, within four weeks of coordinated assault? Could it be because of the entrance of foreign forces - the Chadians, Cameroonians and the Nigerien forces - into the war, or Mr president has just woken up from sleep and started being the commander in chief? Could it be because, as some conspiracy theorists claim, the government was never interested in routing out these miscreants until now, now that the president's chances of returning to Aso Rock looks bleak.

Whatever are the reasons behind these miraculous successes, it's comforting to know that Baga, Mitchika, and recently, Bama and other towns have been liberated. We've been told that two of the North Eastern states of Adamawa and Yobe are completely free of Boko Haram. The Army may be reclaiming territories from this group but it has not done much in preventing suicide attacks. Its -Boko Haram - capacity to carry out suicide attacks, as we've seen in Kano, Yobe and Borno states this past weeks, is threatening to make rubbish of any success we might have achieved so far.

The security forces and intelligence agencies must therefore go beyond reclaiming territories to preventing suicide attacks.

"If the military achieve more successes and reclaim more towns, I might just change my mind and vote for Jonathan."

Those were the words of Tunji, a guy I met in Lagos three weeks ago. "But If elections were to be conducted now, my vote is for Buhari," he added.
I'm sure, by now, Tunji must have made up his mind to vote for Jonathan.
But for some, these past weeks have given them more reasons to vote him out.

"So," queried a commuter after hearing about the reclaiming of Bama on the radio, "this government can be this effective huh? Even If he provides 24hrs power now, I'll still vote him out."

The forthcoming presidential elections will no doubt be a keen contest. But, it's people like Tunji, the swing voters, who will decide who eventually wins.

Like I said in the opening paragraph, the president and the armed forces are beginning to earn our confidence once again. But, we'll be unfair to ourselves If we vote based on what the government did or failed to do within the six weeks leading to elections.

A friend of mine, whose name shall remain anonymous, made five dot in the 8th semester but that wonderful performance was not enough to earn him a First Class. He didn't even graduate with an upper credit. The reason is because, the school didn't grade him based on the result of the 8th semester alone, but on the cumulative results of all the ten semesters.

Jonathan has led this country for 5years, as commander in chief, judge him based on his cummulative performance within these years and not what he did in weeks before elections alone.

What about General Buhari? Have you erased his passed and given him a new slate? Buhari must accept responsibility for what he did or failed to do during his rule, and we, the citizens must decide whether he's a better candidate to the incumbent. Do you think, based on whatever you know of him, and what he's promised to do, that Buhari is the better deal?

It'll take another four years to get this kind of opportunity, vote wisely.

*An edited version of this article was first published on my Facebook account.*

-Mark Ademola Israel
@Ademola_israel