2019 Election – Why Buhari Should Not Seek Re-Election.

2019 Election – Why Buhari Should Not Seek Re-Election.

To start with, there is nothing political about this piece as I have noticed that people usually read with preconceived ideas, which in turn blinds their ability to understand the purpose of the message being delivered. I do not belong to any political party. The only party I stand with is the party of the people and common sense.

So many factors are against Buhari at the polls and unfortunately, the people around him are too much of a sycophant with selfish personal interests and too greedy to tell the truth.

Age – Nigeria is too big of a Country with so many challenges to have a leader who apparently doesn’t know his own age. If all calculations are right then Buhari should be near 80 or over! This in any way does not sound well. He should not only be retired but have a lot of rest and be spending time with his grandchildren. The rate at which a 45yr old or 50yr old can react, speak, think or be effective is very different as compared to his lacklustre, lackadaisical attitude and body language to urgent national issues. The world is moving away from analogue mode to digital mode and Nigeria as a Country is still struggling to tune its channel right.

Lies and Propaganda - Since the inception of this government, it has been one huge lie after the other. Even when it’s obvious and evident that the government is lying, they will not only deny it but end up making the government appear as inefficient and incompetent with their usual unacceptable defence. The world now looks towards Nigeria for some laugh every week and they have never been disappointed – how exactly can one explain the Federal government’s excuse of “rats” chasing away the President from his office? No not the President of a transport association in your town but the President of the most populous black nation on the planet! What an absurd defence! This is just one amongst too many silly defences! Recently a bold “snake” sneaked into a government office and “swallowed” 36million naira!! What are these people smoking?

The lies are so much that government officials are not even on the same page. The Minister of Information will announce the view of the government to a certain issue and the Secretary of the government will come out to debunk it as false!  I am as confused as you are.

His Health Status – There is absolutely nothing wrong in being sick but if the nature of that sickness is now a secret then we have a problem. For a man of his age, it’s acceptable and fine to be sick. He is very lucky to be alive at that age and God, luck and this Country has been good to him since Independence.  The President was outside the Country for good Three months and during these months, rather than address his people and come clean on his health status, no he was hidden from the people until the uproar was so unbearable, then all sort of photo-ops started, just to show that the President was alive. There were rumours that he had died!

After his three months sojourn in London, the Emperor arrived. I have never seen so much disappointment in people before – the general populace were so unhappy that he was back, they were getting used to him being bedridden and the Vice President being in charge. And Voila the President can actually speak and he addressed the nation, nowhere in that speech did he mentioned why he was away and for what purpose! He didn’t owe anyone any explanation I guess. He hasn’t missed his regular visits back to his British doctors since then.

Security – No matter how we spin this. This government has not only failed woefully in this sector but they have turned a blind eye to areas that pose obvious security risks. This government has proved over and over again that either they don’t care or they are in bed together with the perpetrators of all these mayhem.

The same government claimed to have conquered and defeated the Jihadist militant group - Boko Haram. Months after this claim from the government, the same government approved the release of $1Billion from the excess crude oil account to combat Boko Haram!! The western news reported that the Nigerian Government actually paid Boko Haram a cash sum of €3Million. What sort of government enters into a deal with a terrorist group? There is more to this than we possibly can understand.

Many people are being killed across the Nation by Fulani herdsmen. Hundreds are dead but no single person has been arrested for this and the President as usual kept quiet and neither did he visit anywhere near these mourning communities. I understand just like many Nigerians that he was probably on a sick bed and as usual they kept it a secret!

Every day in this Country there is always news on someone who got killed or scores of people died, either from a road accident, fire disaster or the Fulani herdsmen who for some reason see killing people as their right and of course the government was accused of giving support or at least neglecting their activities. The government didn’t deny nor give any explanation either.

My question to the government is – What would happen if every community in the country is left with no choice but to protect their lives and properties by arming themselves? We are about to have anarchy and chaos!  If the government is refusing to reference and promulgate the Fulani herdsmen as a terrorist organisation then they should be prepared for IPOB, OPC, and Niger Delta Militants groups etc. to protect their people.

Corruption – When this government was seeking power, the major campaign was to make a huge change in the area of corruption. Unfortunately, this government is in competition with that last government of “chop make I chop”. This government has turned a blind eye to all that’s happening under its nose. Money is flying all over the place, disappearing, getting swallowed, vaults are being emptied. Millions of dollars are being found in private houses. Public office holders have been caught to “chop” money, own multiple properties that are beyond their incomes and the government doesn’t see anything wrong and no one has been brought to book yet.

Buhari’s war on corruption has been proven to be nothing but a joke and a fallacy. Those who have been caught out stealing from the public purse during his tenure are still free and claiming to be untouchable. Rotimi Amaechi is still in government, Bukola Saraki is still sitting, Maikanti Baru still there, Abba Kyari is a free man so is Babachir Lawal and Babagana Kingibe!

The case of this government recalling wanted ex-pension boss who was sacked for alleged corruption will go down in the history of this country as where anything is possible with the right connection. The government secretly reinstated Abdulrasheed Maina and worse still – he was promoted as a Director in the Ministry of Interior – Maina has a governorship ambition in his state of Borno under APC!

Mr Maina was accused of being the head of a syndicate that perpetrated a massive pension fraud where more than 100Billion Naira grew wings. He was declared wanted by the last administration and he went into exile to Dubai before being recalled back home with a red carpet and a handshake!

So many high profile appointees of this government are having corruption allegations hanging on their necks but as long as they belong to camp APC, they are untouchable. The President can’t deny his awareness to all these going on around him, it’s obvious that he can’t be bothered. Since APC has come into government all arrested public officers and ex-public officers have been those in opposition parties or the last government appointees.

Unbalanced and Unexplainable Appointments - This government is known to be biased in its appointments to cover all the zones in the Country. Many zones of the countries are feeling left out and marginalised. The government has been busy appointing people into government from retirement, from the President’s Cousins, friends, his town men including people that are too old to speak into his government. Sound like a “come and get paid” appointment. How do we explain appointing an 82yr old man as an ambassador to the USA? In the 21^st century?!

Nigerians woke up one morning to see a list of appointments from Buhari’s government. In this board list, there were 6 dead appointees! The people went mad as this speaks volumes about the government of the day. Nigerians all over social media couldn’t have a better week as they realised how confused, inefficient and unserious this government is. Of course, the government attempted a weak defence as usual “The list was compiled a while ago” – How exactly do you approve a list without reviewing it? This is like signing a cheque without bothering about the amount written on it by your secretary!

Incompetence - Without sugar-coating, this government has convinced the people that they were just after power but without a plan on what to do with it. When they came to power, it took them 6months to appoint ministers and were Nigerians disappointed? You would expect that after taking that long, they will come up with a list of technocrats, people that have the passion to make a difference or critical thinkers! No, they announced a list of same old people that are known to us. People that couldn’t make a difference previously are now being paraded as a team of messiahs.

The government is busy blaming the past government for all its mistakes. We know there were mistakes and that’s why we wanted a change of government. You wouldn’t be here if the last government performed! Rather than hit the ground running, they spent half of their 4years mandate blaming the last administration.

One of their major cardinal programmes was to fix electricity. Well, they have failed to do that and the people are still in darkness. We will make 1Naira – 1USD, well they actually successfully doubled the rate they met it. We will alleviate poverty – well the people are now poorer. We will provide jobs – well the people are now jobless and salaries are being owed to workers.

A lot has gone south in the land and the people are suffering. This government has brought more hardship to the people than all previous governments combined.

This government claimed to have retrieved stolen money and assets to the tune of $9.1billon but the same government is busy borrowing! This doesn’t add up at all does it?

Most Nigerians, either a common man or a man from the middle class including the rich ones. For once, everyone is on the same page with one voice.

This government is clueless, corrupt, visionless, lacks direction and irresponsible.

To the sycophants – It’s fine to protect where one is eating but just so you know, history won’t forget all you are busy doing today. It’s evident that the man is not fit for the job and not healthy either but because of your position or contracts, you choose to bury common sense and your integrity while embracing greed. Pay a visit to Senator Arthur Nzeribe – Yes he is still alive. Nigerians never forgive him for his actions during the June 12 annulment.

Those who are busy singing his praise now and making him believe he is the only man that can get the job done. They did the same to Babangida, Abacha, Obasanjo and Jonathan. To them, it’s just a job! It’s not love but just another day to get fed!

With all due respect sir, please leave the stage and return back to retirement. You have absolutely nothing to offer but promises and blames. The people are tired. However, if you decide to go on as a candidate – my only piece of advice, do not rig the election and if you lose kindly borrow a leaf from your predecessor and hand over gently and gracefully without commanding your troops. If you truly love this country, please leave and do not seek to be re-elected.

Whatever you decide – I wish you all the best and Nigerians are waiting too.