President
Muhammadu Buhari, the ruler of the most populous black nation in the
world might not see it coming as many have predicted he may soon shoot
himself in the foot.
President Muhammadu Buhari
It is not within the power of any man to decide who will die or
not, but a supreme being who knows it all dictates/decides when each
man's life on earth is up. In view of this, it is foolhardy for any man
to play God.
In the human circle, many have made different predictions but none
have been able to forsee what will 'kill' President Muhammadu Buhari. As
the number one citizen of Nigeria, it is pertinent at this difficult
time that we discuss the man at the helm of Nigeria's political affairs.
Here, I will attempt what no one has done.
President Buhari came to power with the goodwill of many Nigerians
in an unprecedented election in which he defeated the then incumbent,
former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. That alone showed the height
of frustration Nigerians must have suffered in Jonathan's adminstration.
There was a massive electoral revolt by the people who were tired of
the numerous unfulfilled promises that had characterized the government
of Jonathan.
The success of Buhari at the 2015 Presidential election was majorly
because of his 1. Past record. 2. Perseverance. 3. Character. 4. A
diabetic ruling party. 5. A society thirsty for real change. 6. Failure
of Goodluck Jonathan to meet the expectations of Nigerians.
Many before had thought it was inconceivable, disgraceful and
unthinkable for a former dictator, coupist and military leader whose
coming to power in 1983 was bloody would ever emerge as the president of
the most populous black nation in the world. How could a man who took
power by force, for which he never accounted for, be elected into power
after more than 20 years since the incident even as he had continuously
denied his involvement in the coup?
Against all odds, Buhari defeated Jonathan in the 2015 Presidential
election. The Jonathan-led government had made things very easy for
Buhari. Jonathan's government considered by many as a terrible joke for
its numerous failures - refusal to tackle corruption that has permeated
the soul of its workforce, the politicians and army; his refusal to
address the issue of electricity which has been a thorn in the flesh of
all derelict past governments; the lackadaisical manner in which he was
fighting the war against Boko Haram; the ridiculous and shameful manner
in which procurement of weapons in the war against Boko Haram was
handled; the abduction of over 200 Chibok girls; increasing rate of
unemployment and cost of living and the government's senseless hike of
PMS in 2012. All these worked together to send Jonathan out of Aso
Villa to Otuoke after almost six years as President.
Buhari came to power as an anti-corruption czar and the righteous
messiah many Nigerians have been waiting for; this was mainly because of
his past record as an outright disciplinarian and a no-nonsense
military leader, at least from what many had perceived of him. So on
that note, considering the pathetic manner corruption had eaten deep
into the fabric of the society, it was a great delight for many to vote
into power a man who would look corruption in the face and slap it
without fear. So, it was like they washed him clean and brought him back
to life as a new man and presented him to the people as a changed and
spotless hero. All his past sins miraculously forgiven him by Nigerians
because they were done with cowardly fellows who would make a
softlanding and give a pat on the back for notorious government
officials known for their pilfering skills. Nigerians needed a man who
would send his son to prison and care less of his feelings if his son
was found guilty of a crime. That was what Nigerians wanted - and they
believed they got such a man in Buhari. His past record and the
underperforming government of Jonathan contributed in sending Buhari to
Aso Villa.
Buhari showed resilience and an untoward perseverance. Nigerians
who were in need of real change and desired it needed a man of his
character. Someone who had contested three presidential elections and
failed until the fourth. Many believed for a man of his status to
repeatly challenge himself even after numerous failures would surely not
just have a good plan, but also have the hunger and thirst to change
things in the country which he found has impeded progress over the
years. Some people had said he was spurred by a desire to right the
wrongs of his government as a military dictator who never accounted for
his days in power. Buhari was considered as a man of character who
wouldn't go back on his words, a man whose desires were to better the
lot of his country men who have been battered over the years by dubious
politicians who have continued to exploit the hunger in the land to
perpetrate, steal and malnourish the same people who voted them into
power. He was seen as the right choice whose years of experience in the
army would bring about perfectly workable and offensive ideas to crush
the terrorist group, Boko Haram that has claimed at least 20, 000 lives
since 2009 and displaced 2.3 million people from their homes.
But in all these, something must be spelt out clearly: Buhari will
die in the eyes of many Nigerians like his predecessors if he falls
victim to the same things he condemned in the past. Some have began to
express doubts over his much celebrated stance as an incorruptible
leader who disassociates himself from anything that could dent his
image. Consider for example, the president's Chief of Army staff, Lt.
General Tukur Buratai who bought two mansions in Dubai valued at $1.5
million (N456,750,000), many had wondered how an army officer could
afford such a hefty amount just to buy properties in a faraway land,
when many in his shoes wouldn't have afforded one of that legally after
over 30 years of serving their fatherland. His critics claimed no
investigation was conducted by relevant anti-corruption agencies before
he was certified clean. The current structure of things defeats the
president's good intentions which many believe have been compromised by
his lieutenants. Many are still suspicious how a top military
procurement officer who worked under the past administration in the Army
now exposed as one of the most corrupt agency of government that
perpetrated the most shocking arms acquisition gaffe in the land be free
of guilt?
Buhari's silence in the face of gross violation of human rights by
his appointees has become a source of worry. In December 2015, the army
secretly buried over 350 Shiite members it massacred in a shallow grave
without the consent of their family members after a confrontation with
at least 350 dead bodies unaccounted for, according to Amnesty
International. The leader of the group, El-Zakzaky was beaten,
reportedly blinded and bundled away by military men who razed down his
house, killed his wife and son and has since 2015 detained him
incommunicado. Numerous protests by his members for his release has
fallen on deaf ears that we have all now forgotten him.
Buhari's Chief of Staff, Alhaji Abba Kyari has been under severe
criticism lately after he was implicated in a N500 million bribery
scandal for which he has been called to quit his office and clear his
name. Yet, the president has not made a decision on what step to take
and repose the confidence invested on him by the people. More recently,
his Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Ameachi who was a core member of
the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) before he defected
to Buhari's All Progressives Congress was accused by two Justices of
the Supreme Court of trying to bribe and influence judgement on his
party's behalf. The revelation came after Buhari through the Department
of State Security Service, DSS had staged a Gestapo sting operation and
invaded the houses of the Judges and arrested them on corruption
charges. The judges had alleged that their prosecution by the government
was because of their refusal to help Amaechi who is a leading figure in
Buhari's government. Nothing has been heard from the Presidency over
the allegations against one of the leading men who made sure Buhari was
elected into power. It has been silence as usual. Nigerians have been
left to wander in perpetual ignorance on government's stance on the
hefty allegations against one of its henchmen - this is in fact one of
the many shortcomings of Buhari's government.
The fight against corruption must be holistic and less selective.
The government must react to pressing and urgent discusses in the
political space. Another example of default is the secrecy the Buhari's
government has handled the monumental fraud allegations brought against
the Speaker of the House Yakubu Dogara by a former chairman committee on
Appropriation, Mr. Abdulmunim Jibrin who had accused Dogara and some
prominent members of the House of fraud and padding the 2016 budget for
which the president sacked many civil servants who had been thought to
have participated. But, unlike the helpless civil servants, Dogara had
been seen walking flambouyantly in and out of Aso Villa after visiting
the President in the wake of the hefty allegations. The president has
not uttered a word on it. Even the anti-corruption agencies seem
clueless on what step to take even as Jibrin was suspended over the
matter. The critics of Buhari see the silence of the president on this
matter as a clear doublestandard, one of many that is capable of
'killing' him.
The national apprehension being experienced now is one joy-killer
the president might not survive. The hardship in the land has increased
over tenfolds. This many say was caused by an unreasonable decision of
the government to hike the price of Petrol with the excuse that by
hiking the price and stopping the payment of subsidy, the government
would have enough money for its infrastructure development. It was a
frustrating plan that instead of alleviating the suffering of the
people, tripled it so much so that an average Nigerian cannot afford
2-square meal a day. Many were put out of business and companies folded
up as a result of government's drastic decision without consultation
from the people it is governing.
The abysmal performance of the naira has crippled the economy.
Before Buhari's election in 2015, naira was a low performer at 200/$1.
But as at October 29, 2016, the naira has seen a disastrous run of form
that it is now languishing N470/$1 at the parrallel market. The result
of this has been the astronomical rise in the prices of goods and
services leaving Nigerians complaining bitterly. This has had a serious
effect on Buhari's popularity as many have become disenchanted with him.
The unemployment rate in Nigeria calls for spiritual intervention; it
has gone beyond the physical. The number of unemployed graduates has
brought about the need for people to engage in more skilled and
vocational training. In a country where companies are massively sacking
its staff with many folding up, being your own boss is the best decision
ever and that's what skill training does. It is still not clear apart
from bogus paper talk, how government plans to rescue the country and
change the future of its people for the better.
But, Buhari still offers hope as he still has time, by stroke of a miracle to redeem himself.
How he plans to tackle the shameful and epileptic power situation,
defeat and ostracise remnants of Boko Haram in the northeast, appease
the irate Niger Delta militants, fix his battered human rights image and
the use of security agencies to intimidate people, battle corruption
and fix the economy are the many things that would either kill or
vindicate him. If the former succeeds, he will go down in the history of
Nigeria as a pretender who wanted power so badly that when he got it,
he became more clueless than his predecessor.
About The Author
Alexander Thandi Ubani writes from Lagos
He's an Editor at Tori.ng
Twitter: @thandiubani
Email: thandiubani@yahoo.com
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