The bloody riots that broke out in parts of Northern Nigeria shortly after it became clear that incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan had won the April 16 elections point to a well-orchestrated show of shame by the Northern elite, who insist that it is that power must return to the North.
Emir's palaces, INEC offices and private property including the vice-president home have been destroyed in Kaduna, Yobe, Bauchi and Kano.
The so-called protesters are largely the uneducated, poverty stricken and misguided youth that are usually directed at Southerners and their assets whenever the Northern elite have "grievances" to settle.
Both local and international observers report that Jonathan won fair and square simply because the PDP campaign was well-funded and robust, while Buhari could not even reach all the states.
While most Nigerian do not really care where the next leader comes from as long as he can deliver the elusive dividends of democracy, Jonathan deserves an opportunity to prove that he can be his own man.
Being the first person from the much-marginalised South-South region to ascend to Nigeria’s presidency, history will judge his harshly if he turns out to be a failure.
The Northerners are fomenting a revolt because their failure to secure the PDP ticket at the primaries.
This sort of treasonable actions will only stop when those who send the poor to the streets to kill and main while they hide behind the high fenced mansions, with children safely at of harm’s way in Europe or America, are brought to justice.
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