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From “Sai Buhari” in 2015 to “Kai Buhari” 2018
Three years into his presidency, the goodwill that accompanied President Buhari and his party has almost been extinguished. Many of his supporters who put everything out including their “credibility” to campaign for him are now reneging and recanting. These former supporters – Obasanjo, Mrs. Aisha M. Buhari, Fr. Ejike Mbaka, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Wole Soyinka, Dele Momodu, Oby Ezekwesili – have become the opposition. They are more potent than the PDP and they have given the President’s performance low ratings. Dele Momodu captured the sentiments of ex-Buharists well when he said, “it is indeed shameful that those like me who supported you so vociferously have become butts of jokes everywhere we go”.
The issues against the President range from growing high unemployment, disrespect for the rule of the law, incompetence, cluelessness of his appointees, nepotism, fuel crisis, proliferation of weapons, lack of an economic roadmap, infidelity to campaign promises and most importantly, the incessant loss of lives with no remedy in sight. Many, including the Governors’ of Benue, Zamfara and Taraba, have accused the President of complacency in defending the lives and property of Nigerians. He and the relevant security agencies have been complicit in the herdsmen-farmers crisis.
His inactions have made many Nigerians accuse him of being inhumane to and unperturbed by the plights of Nigerians. In response, his cohorts made a documentary called the “Human side of President Muhammadu Buhari”. When former President Obasanjo joined his voice with Nigerians to criticize Buhari’s underachievement (except for tackling Boko Haram), the Presidents’ cohort asked us to tune in to different TV and radio programmes to know the “giant strides of President Buhari as well as the positive impact he has made in the lives of Nigerians”. If President Buhari has a “human side” and has made “giant strides”, we should be feeling it daily; there is no need for documentaries.
The idea of documentaries, TV and radio programmes take us back to Buhari’s 2015 campaign. These were the same tools used to sell us the story that President Buhari was a “converted democrat” and an “advocate of one Nigeria”. During his campaign, he visited almost all the states in the country including Benue. In each state he visited, to show solidarity, he appeared in their traditional attire. Since he won the election, all these theatricals have been dumped. He has been to Ebonyi and Anambra, for personal and party ambitions, but too busy to visit Benue despite its turbulent situation. He has clearly shown his preferences. These are nonverbal signs that Nigerians read, and conclude that the President’s concern are regional not federal. This is sad but an eye-opener for the future.
In 2014, I didn’t buy into the Buhari change tale, not because of any religious or ethnic stereotype. I didn’t see a concrete plan from APC to address all the bells and whistles it promised. Neither of the major contestants addressed issues intellectually and systematically –it was, to paraphrase Davido, a 30 billion contest. The campaign rode on sentiments and propaganda. When the opportunity to debate came, President Buhari refused to participate. As President Jonathan rightly said, “propaganda may help you win elections, but can’t help you govern and, that is what APC has seen in the last 32 months”.
Prior to the elections in 2015, I and my friends struggled to identify the qualities that qualified President Buhari for leadership. (Several times this year, Facebook has shared these thoughts as memories.) President Buhari had only three cards on the table: his integrity, the anti-corruption fight and the war against Boko Haram. Despite his past stints as military Governor and head of state, reference wasn’t made to any economic achievement. Even after his sojourn as a military ruler and prior to contesting for the Presidency as a civilian, he didn’t show acts of leadership.
Leadership is about service and improving the lots of mankind. As an elder statesman he could have used his reputation for integrity to fight corruption, raise funds to tackle poverty, polio, high maternal mortality, Islamic extremism and illiteracy. Unfortunately, none of this happened. He wasn’t even entrepreneurial, he did not even venture into any economic enterprise of considerable value and impact. Without these experiences, what exactly then qualified him for the kind of leadership that Nigeria required? All that while he was merely concerned about clinching the presidency. And now that he wields it he cannot seem to use it. A friend once said, those who expect to find power to make others do things in higher levels of the structure soon find it, but it does not last.
I remember telling those that cared to listen, that personal integrity and zeal to fight corruption though good, weren’t the most important tools for leadership and this current administration has proven me right. The lack of leadership has clearly shown itself in the past three years.
My theory has always been that Buhari has never been the man in charge. In his military era, Tunde Idiagbon was considered the de facto head of State. Even during the 2014/2015 campaign, he wasn’t in charge; if he was he would have lost woefully. Now as president, he isn’t in charge as those in charge of the presidency outsmarted those who ran his campaign. The President has been “ponderous” since he took the oath of office. He makes demands from the judiciary and the legislature but drags his feet when executive action is required. Sluggish and somnolent responses have slowed down the country’s progress. The infighting among his appointees, his indecision to resolve current insecurity challenges and the unwillingness to fight corruption in his administration, are a few examples of executive sloth. I agree with Prof. Wole Soyinka who said the President is under a trance and needs to wake up.
In civilized democracies where true democrats operate, leaders with integrity resign from office when they realize they are incapable of addressing pertinent issues. Where such leader refuses to step down the legislature can proffer a solution: impeachment. Members of the National Assembly, notably the likes of Dino Melaye, Sani Shehu, Senator Isa Misau, Ben Bruce, Kabir Marafa have all highlighted and complained at different times about the ineffectiveness of the present administration. Complaining is not the best they can offer. The 1999 Constitution under Section 143 empowers them. Why are they not invoking it? They claim to be fearless and ready to die but they can’t utilize the tool at their disposal. It isn’t hard to find the President guilty of gross misconduct; disobedience of court orders and legislative orders are examples. The appropriation of funds for subsidy without legislative permission is another.
As Nigerians, I hope we have become wiser, despite the prequels of Buhari’s military era; we bought his conversion story and gave him an opportunity. Now we have seen his performance, and thanks to this opportunity, he wouldn’t have the honor of being called “The best President Nigeria never had”.
Surely we do not need a sequel to this horror movie?
Joshua Nwachukwu
