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| Buhari |
Let me quickly clarify before diving into this piece- that I was a core Buharist. In fact, I still am, not withstanding how critical my article might sound to supporters and critics alike of the president. When early in the day, the whaling whalers (Apologies to Femi Adesina) started lashing the president on all fronts regarding his performance and supposed slow nature in handling key decisions, his supporters clamored for more time. The phrase, we should be patient with him went loud in the air. Yours sincerely was one of those that pleaded for more time.
Though, I know many would still insinuate that a year and few months is still too early to do a holistic assessment of this administration. I will enjoin all and sundry to quickly put away that thought and start calling a spade what it is. After all, the morning they say, shows the day.It is particularly disheartening and disturbing for one that campaigned and voted for the president. It is even more painful knowing that I bought into the Buhari Project as early as 2007.
While in school, I was nicknamed Buhari because it was incomprehensible for most of my colleagues then as to why someone from the Niger Delta, in an institution dominated by Southerners would be supporting a Buhari that till date I have not met in person and do not even know of my existence. But trust me, I saw the bigger picture in General Buhari, hence my utmost loyalty and unflinching support. I saw a man that was tough, independent-minded, not easily cowed and of course, someone that could take decisive and tough decisions when the need arises.
But Today, I don’t think I can beat my chest on that high pedestal I placed the president on several years ago.In fact, I am tired of explaining away his inadequacies. The avalanche of excuses I keep putting forward for him to friends and family can no longer hold water. My voice is ebbing away and my ink is running dry. Need I say, many of these people are hounding me with reckless abandon, saying I made them to vote for a wrong candidate, ousting a more competent helmsman in the person of Goodluck Jonathan.
Back to the title of my piece- “Why Buhari is not the messiah we seek“ Let me first and foremost make bold to say I am not one that makes sweeping generalization.
It must be said, the president has not been bad on all fronts. I can see his drive towards eliminating the scourge of corruption. But even his staunchest of followers would buttress the fact that the mass of people are in pains as result of the recession. A man that enjoyed so much goodwill en route the Presidency should be doing more to repay the confidence and trust the people reposed in him.
He busted on to the presidency with aplomb and pageantry, brimming with hope and so much aspirations from Nigerians. We all saw him as our messiah, the man that can clean the Augean stable, the Mr fix it. But the last one year has not been rosy to say the least. Inflation has skyrocketed to an all time high of 17 percent-knowing that this statistic came from a conservative institution like the Nigerian Bureau of Statistic (NBS) Unemployment keeps surging with no solution in sight. Prices of goods and services are so alarming with the common man running helter-skelter. Families across the nation are experiencing the actual and real meaning of the world depression.
In simple layman language, poverty and chronic lack are staring us in the face.
A particular incident happened in Lagos where a man allegedly beat up his wife for daring to open her mouth to say that “Buhari is trying” despite the turmoil regarding the economic situation in the country. It even went viral on social media with the woman’s face looking well battered and bruised. That is how bad things have suddenly become under the current dispensation. Husbands and wives fighting on account of the president‘s performance. Results speak for Itself. United States president, Barack Obama met the US unemployment rate at 8.9%, but today that rate has shrunk to 4% with his approval rating hovering around 53-56%. I dont think spouses in the United States are fighting over that. Would they?
What then is President Buhari doing to curtail the situation? Or better still, what has he done in the last one year? Has it been business as usual? Does Buhari have the solution to our plight? Is he really concerned? Does he care at all? Does he even know how bad the situation is? These are questions begging for answers. But the truth of the matter is, the President and his crew don’t seem to understand what the people are facing. It is that simple.
When Buhari mounted the saddle of leadership we all thought things would be done differently, but no, things have simply remained the same way. The status quo is being maintained with aplomb and finesse. The new Sherrif is simply not different from the old one we sent pacing like a pack of card. Taking a look at his Ministers, it just shows the akin nature of how we do things, business as usual. As one that is conversant with the social-political trends in the country, I know for a fact that we did not put our best foot forward with this bunch of Ministers. So where is the supposed change? A cabinet comprising of idealess and expired politicians, a cabinet made up of serial political contractors. Money bags in politics are holding sway. Are these the men and women that took the president 8 months to assemble?
Hell no! The nation and her people deserve better. Even the president’s die-hard supporters were utterly disappointed when the names were revealed. I can only approve of seven names, if not less, as being competent and capable of taking us out of the woods. How many will staunch critics of the regime now approve? Maybe one! Or none at all.
Oh yes, the fleet of presidential jets are still littering Aso villa, gulping the nations scarce resources in maintenance and repairs. What the heck is the president still doing with a fleet of 12 to 13 airplanes? Is Aso rock a National carrier? Or are we now Virgin or Delta Nigeria? This was one of the reasons why the previous administration was so unpopular with the people and President Buhari is still falling prey to the same predator that consumed Jonathan. We all know the story of the prey and its predator, don’t we?
Or is it the lack of communication! It is on record that since his assumption of office, the President has only had one media chat. The one and only media chat in March 2016. This administration is just not communicating to Nigerians, if they are that I am not aware of, it means they are not talking enough. What happened to our once upon a time spin doctor? Where is Lai Muhammed? An administration that parades two ex presidents of the Editors Guild of Nigeria! Femi Adesina-Special Adviser on Media, Garba Shehu- Senior Special Assistant on Media and public affairs. Then there is even a third breed, Tolu Ogunlesi holding the portfolio of New Media. These offices are in conjunction with litany of other communication executives in one office or another.
Femi Adesina in particular is astounding me with his woeful performance in that office. I expected him to be doing better. I thought he would bring finesse and swerve to public communication with his appointment. But the reverse is the case. He was recently involved in a controversy of his when he said: “Those complaining are in minority” Obviously Mr Adesina has been consumed by power just like Doyin Okupe and Reuben Abati his predecessors in that capacity. How could you say that those complaining are in minority? That is not true! Those complaining are actually in majority! The only people not complaining are those that have held us to the jugular with their anti-people policies-the politicians and their ilk.
There is the police brutality and the return of gagging of Nigerians against the tenets of fundamental human rights. Did you see how the Bring back our girls (BBOG) group were treated recently? On several occasions they were prevented from protesting within Aso Villa, with the police saying they were not giving license to protest. License to protest? In a democracy? Didn’t Buhari say he is now a reform democrat? Was this not the same tactics and method that made the Jonthan administration so unpopular with the BBOG group? So why is Buhari falling victim to the same group that caused Jonathan his presidency? Why not simply call madam Oby Ezekwesili and 2 other top leaders of the group and have a sit-down with them.
The president should be reminded of the vital role communication plays in governance and human relations. When this is absent, you give room for conjectures, innuendos and speculations. And trust me, when the people start speculating, little issues can quickly snowball into wild fire that can consume even the best of regimes, let alone a regime that is struggling to stay on its feet. On the economy, if I am to vouch for the president on anything at all, it is certainly not on the economy. The president has proven over time that he has no solution to our economic challenges. This is a fact. Everybody knows this.
As we speak the president has not assembled a crack team of economists to tackle the recession head on. Only just weeks ago I learnt he consulted the likes of Bismark Rilwani. In as much as that was indeed a laudable gesture, the president should go beyond consultation and find an urgent solution before Nigeria plunges from this recession to depression. After all, drastic times call for drastic measure they say. A stitch in time saves nine.
Clement Ogbemudia is a Journalist and Political Strategist and can be reached on clemogbemudia@gmail.com Also follow him twitter: @clem_ogbemudia
