Politics
Buhari In The Eyes Of History
President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari
The March 28, 2015
presidential election won by the main opposition party, All Progressives Congress (APC) and its representative, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), has, no doubt, opened Nigeria up to another phase of politics. Among other things, it has opened the country to that phase of politics in which the governed matters.
In other words, only that which the people want, at any point in time, should hold sway in governance. This means that the era in which a few privileged people, especially those in government or at the corridors of power, decide what should be without recourse to the overall interest of the populace is over.
This much is decipherable in the words of former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (rtd): “This victory to me conveys two significant statements on our political history and evolution. First, that incumbents can be defeated in any democratic process if the people’s aspirations are not fulfilled.
“Second, that there is good reward for perseverance and hard work. General Buhari has been very consistent in pursuing his political aspiration”, he said, referring to the President-elect’s perseverance in contesting to ascend the highest position in the country in three previous occasions since 2003, which had failed until March 28, 2015.
But Babangida was not done in rightly rubbing home the implications of the APC cum Buhari win. Likening Buhari to former America President, Abraham Lincoln, who had to contest doggedly for several times in pursuit of his political aspiration and ended up enriching the contents of democracy in America.
“General Buhari”, he continued, “lives true to his military calling by remaining very consistent, resilient and courageous right from 2003 till date.
“This enviable feat to me further enriches our democratic process and matures us into the top echelon of nations where democracy has taken firm root. That President Jonathan has indeed conceded defeat and congratulated the President-elect is also cheering news.
“With this election and its outcome thus far, Nigeria has once again recorded another milestone in her march through the enviable ladder of democracy. Our leadership role in Africa will further be enhanced by the way and manner we manage the gains of this process. But I trust that the President-elect will live up to the expectations of many Nigerians that crave for change; and lift Nigeria to greater heights”.
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, also emphasised on the win, noting the crux of the reason for Buhari’s nay APC’s acceptance by the electorate, taking a cue from the words of the late Nnamdi Azikiwe (Zik of Africa).
“The great Nnamdi Azikiwe once wrote that ‘history will continue to vindicate the just.’ Your victory in the polls, with votes from across the length and breadth of our country, bears witness to the acceptance of not just our party, the APC, but also your ideology of justice, fair play and zero tolerance for corruption as the bedrock for national rebirth”.
This, no doubt, is the kernel of truth, embedded in Atiku’s warning when he surreptitiously said, “Dear Buhari, the journey has just begun. Millions of Nigerians have put their trust in you, because they were not satisfied with the status quo. You represent the hope of a new generation of Nigerians, and you cannot afford to fail them.
“Our party has made a promise of change to our young people, to secure and rebuild our country, create jobs and opportunity, and improve citizens’ welfare. We will stand behind you to ensure we keep those promises, just like we did during these elections.”
Atiku said Nigeria needs a new direction, noting that Buhari should see his office as an opportunity to unite and rally Nigerians for development. This, he hinted, is the essence for which Nigerians so overwhelmingly voted for a change, and, in the process, voted out an incumbent government at the national level for the first time..
“We have voted for you, and our party won the election, but when you assume our highest office, you must become the president of not just the APC, but all of Nigeria, including the people who did not vote for you. We look up to you to heal the fractures of our country, and truly unite this country like never before”, Atiku said.
One way the Daura-born 72-year-old Fulani from Katsina is expected to do this is to first heal the wounds of a charged electoral campaign, as he admitted in his maiden speech after he was declared winner of the elections, obviously realising that emotions ran high.
“This was a hard- fought contest. Emotions are high. We must not allow them to get the better of us. This is not the time for confrontation. This is a moment that we must begin to heal the wounds and work toward a better future. We do this first by extending a hand of friendship and conciliation across the political divide. We hope and pray our friends in the other parties reciprocate.”
After this, Buhari needs to know that the Nigeria of today is not the one he ruled about 30 years ago as a 42 years old Major-General backed by the privilege of ruling by decree. Come May 29, he will be inheriting a deeply divided Nigeria with high youth unemployment, an unsafe and economically weak nation, coupled with dwindling oil revenues and an almost non-existent foreign reserve, largely warranted by high level corruption in governance.
Citizens’ confidence in the ability of the government to meet its obligations is at its lowest ebb due to massive corruption and the fall of the price of crude which has remained the country’s economic mainstay, while the widening gap between the rich and the poor has never been this wide.
Another serious issue, which the APC used as a campaign tool, is power generation and distribution, which several administrations have tried but failed to fix since the beginning of Nigeria’s fourth shot at democratic rule in 1999. The change which Nigerians clamoured and voted for certainly revolves round the hope that they will fare better than they are doing currently.
This, in the simplest of words, is in terms of infrastructural development; job creation in order to engage the growing army of educated and restless youths; supremacy of the constitution, which must be amended in tandem with the aspirations of a genuine democracy; and, most of all, a realistic and genuine war against corruption, which the retired General convinced Nigerians that out-going President Goodluck Jonathan was unable to fight, and which largely gave APC the win.
As Buhari waits for May 29 to ascend the coveted throne, this is the time to begin to take stock of the challenges on the ground because it is by these challenges he and the new ruling party will be judged.
Soibi Max-Alalibo
The Tide source reports that Prof. Akinoso was elected alongside 38 other executive members of the party at the congress held on Saturday.
Other executive members are Dr Abiola Olaonipekun, who emerged as Secretary, Alhaja Latifah Latifu, Women Leader and Mr A. Adeleke, elected as Youth Leader.
It was learnt that the congress, which took place at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Oke Ado in Ibadan, was attended by representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police, other security agencies and prominent members of the party.
The election was supervised by electoral committee members, among whom were Prince Diran Odeyemi, who served as Chairman, Hon. Awoniyi Tolulope, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, Queen Stepheine Oyechere, Alhaji Yusuf Abidakun, Mr Olumide Aguda and Dr Phillips Adeniyi, who served as Secretary.
Prof. Akinoso, in his inaugural address, urged members of the party to set aside intra-party differences.
He advised them to concentrate their resources on the promotion of the party, saying, “The primary responsibilities of party executive members are to coordinate party activities, ensure harmony among members, and ensure party victory during general elections.
“Our immediate assignments are to key into INEC released 2027 general election time-tables. As directed by the National Caretaker Committee of PDP, our party e-membership registration starts next week. We must be fully involved and do a membership drive.
“A political party is only relevant and benefits its members if it wins the election. This is our goal. We should set aside intra-party differences; concentrate our resources towards the promotion of the party. We will make necessary consultations and dialogue to actualise this”.
President Tinubu disclosed this during an interfaith breaking of fast with senior journalists and media executives at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Saturday.
He also disclosed that his administration had opened up on the principles of true federalism to the extent that local governments now get direct allocation from the Federal Government.
“There’s no morning that I ever leave my house without going through the newspapers. It’s an addiction. I read all of you.
“It might not be in full detail, but headline, the one that would hit me and the ones that won’t.
“At the beginning of this administration, I was just a little bit stubborn, looking at opportunities to correct things and make life more easier for the downtrodden.
“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money, but how they use it is in your hands. So, don’t bombard me alone,” President Tinubu said.
The ruling party said the ADC had turned criticism of the APC-led administration into its operating manifesto instead of presenting concrete solutions to Nigeria’s economic challenges.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, the party dismissed the ADC’s interpretation of a report presented at a policy dialogue organised by Agora Policy which suggested that the country’s poverty rate had risen from 49 per cent to 63 per cent.
Mr Morka said the opposition party’s reaction to the report as a “damning verdict” on the government’s economic policies reflected either ignorance of economic realities or deliberate political mischief.
“The African Democratic Congress’ attempt to spin a recent report presented at the Agora Policy dialogue indicating a rise of poverty rate of 63 per cent from 49 per cent as a damning verdict on this administration’s economic policies speaks either to its shocking ignorance of economic policy or its wilful blindness to the justification for, and transformative impacts of, ongoing economic reforms,” he said.
The APC spokesman noted that the report itself recognised the necessity of reforms aimed at correcting long-standing structural distortions in the economy.
According to him, the ADC had failed to present any credible alternative policy direction for Nigerians.
“Clearly, the ADC does not recognise itself as a political party. The ADC has not articulated a single alternative policy position or prescription of benefit to Nigerians. Condemning the APC and its policies has become its operating manifesto,” Mr Morka said.
He explained that major economic decisions taken by President Bola Tinubu, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of multiple foreign exchange windows, were necessary steps to rescue the country’s economy from collapse.
Mr Morka said the subsidy regime had for years placed a heavy burden on public finances, consuming trillions of naira annually while encouraging corruption, fuel smuggling and inefficiencies in the system.
He added that the reforms had helped redirect national resources to key sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education and social development.
The APC spokesman acknowledged that economic reforms often come with short-term hardship but stressed that the measures were essential to build a stronger and more resilient economy.
“Economic reform is never cost-free anywhere in the world. The transient hardship experienced by Nigerians was an inevitable cost of reforms meant to build and guarantee a better future for all Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Morka maintained that the country’s economic outlook was already improving, citing recent growth figures and stronger external reserves.
“Our economy has rebounded and is expanding steadily. The country’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.4 per cent last year and is projected to expand by 5.5 per cent this fiscal year, with foreign reserves now exceeding $50 billion,” he stated.
He also pointed to government initiatives designed to cushion the effects of economic adjustments on citizens, including cash transfer programmes, student loan schemes and the rollout of compressed natural gas (CNG) initiatives to reduce transportation costs.
Mr Morka reaffirmed that the APC-led administration would remain focused on rebuilding the economy and expanding social investments to support vulnerable Nigerians.
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