As 2014 general
elections draw closer, Nigerian politicians have been strategizing to outsmart one another. It appears they will stop at nothing to achieve their ambitions given the recent happenings in the country. The political atmosphere is tense and Nigerians are obviously apprehensive that the political class might destabilize the country. The gale of impeachment that is being experienced in some states is ominous and detrimental to the sustenance of the nation’s democracy.
But more worrisome is the fact that some prominent politicians have been allegedly marked for elimination as was the case of former Head of State and chieftain of All Progressive Congress (APC), General Mohammadu Buhari (rtd). Buhari escaped death by the whiskers when his convoy was attacked by a lone suicide bomber in Kaduna State recently on his way to his home town, Daura, Katsina State.
On that same day, a renowned Islamic cleric, Sheik Dahiru Bauchi had also narrowly escaped death in the first explosion which occurred at Isa Kaita Road, Kaduna State, where a suspected suicide bomber who was said to be trailing him on a motorcycle detonated the bomb, killing scores of hapless Nigerians.
In a statement he personally signed shortly after the incident, Gen. Buhari said: “I am personally involved in a clearly targeted bomb attack today at about 2.30p.m on my way to Daura.”
“The unfortunate event, clearly an assassination attempt, came from a fast-moving vehicle that made attempt to overtake my security car, but was blocked by the escort vehicle.
“We reached the market area of Kawo where he took advantage of our slowing down and attempted to ram into my car. He instantly detonated the bomb which destroyed all the three cars in our convoy.
“Unfortunately, when I came out of my vehicle, I saw bodies littered around. They were innocent people going about their daily business, who became victims of mass murder.
“Thank God for His mercy, I came out unhurt, but with three of my security staff sustaining minor injuries. They have since been treated in hospital and discharged.”
It would be recalled that two days before the attempt on his life, Gen. Buhari had expressed his discomfiture over the political situation in the country, saying “the dangerous clouds are beginning to gather and the vultures are circling.
He said, “whether or not President Goodluck Jonathan is behind the gale of impeachment or utilisation of the desperate tactics to suffocate the opposition and turn Nigeria into a one-party state, what cannot be denied is that they are happening under his watch, and he cannot pretend not to know, since that will be akin to hiding behind one finger.
“In my capacity as former Head of State, rather than a politician, I have spoken to President Jonathan in private over these issues but indications are that the strategy has not yielded positive results.
“I cannot, just because I am an opposition politician, fail to do what is expected of me as a former Head of State to help rescue our nation in times of great trouble and palpable uncertainty.
“History will not be kind to me if I sit back while things turn bad, just so that no one will accuse me of partisanship.
“Yes, I am a politician . Yes, I am in the opposition. Yes, there is the tendency for my statement to be misconstrued as that of a politician rather than a statesman. But I owe it as a matter of duty and honour and in the interest of our nation, to speak out on the dangerous trajectory that our nation is heading.
“I can say, in all sincerity, that I have seen it all, as an ordinary citizen, a military officer, a state governor, a minister, a Head of State, a man who has occupied many sensitive posts and a politician. I have been a close participant and witness to Nigeria’s political history since independence in 1960.
“Our country has gone through several rough patches, but never before have I seen a Nigerian President declare war on his country as we are seeing now.
“Never before have I seen a Nigerian President deploy federal institutions in the service of partisanship as we are witnessing now. Never before have I seen a Nigerian President utilize the commonwealth to subvert the system and punish the opposition, all in the name of politics.
“Our nation had suffered serious consequences in the past for egregious acts that are not even close to what we are seeing now. It is time to pull brakes.
“The dangerous clouds are beginning to gather and the vultures are circling and they have manifested in Nasarawa where the ordinary people have defied guns and tanks to protest the plan to impeach Governor Umar Tanko Al-Makura in a repeat of the bitter medicine forced down the throat of Governor Murtala Nyako.
“The people’s protest in Nasarawa is a sign of what to come if the federal authorities continue to target opposition state governor for impeachment.
“In the long run, the impeachment weapon will be blunted. Positions will become more hardened on both sides and Nigeria and Nigerians will become the victims of arrested governance and possible anarchy.
“I, along with many other patriotic Nigerians fought for the unity and survival of this country. Hundreds of patriotic souls perished in the battle to keep Nigeria one. The blood of many of our compatriots helped to ensure the birth of the democracy we are practicing today.
“Let no one, whether the leader or the led, the high or the low, a member of the ruling or the opposition do anything to torpedo the system.
“Let no one, whether on the altar of personal ambition or pretension to higher patriotic tendencies, do anything that can detonate the keg of gunpowder on which the nation is sitting.
“It is time for all concerned to spare a thought for the ordinary citizens who have yet to see their hopes, dreams and aspirations come to reality within the general context of nationhood.”
While Buhari’s statement could be taken to be a serious warning on the dangers lurking around, as well as  a subtle indictment  on the nation’s leadership for its failure to protect  lives and property of the citizenry, the APC governors were unparing in pointing accusing fingers to President Goodluck Jonathan.
The governors under the aegis of Progressive Governors forum (PGF) said that President Goodluck Jonathan should be held responsible for the attempt on the life of one of its national leaders and former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.
The governors, in a statement titled: “PGF Condemns Attempt On Buhari, Holds Jonathan Responsible,” noted that the incident happened two days after Buhari urged Jonathan to stop waging war on Nigerians.
According to them, “the double bomb explosions in Kaduna, the loss of innocent lives and what was clearly an attempt to assassinate former Head of State and leader of the APC, General Huhammadu Buhari were not coincidences.
“We call on the Federal Government to take urgent and radical steps to investigate the assassination attempt and make its findings public. In the meantime, we urge President Jonathan to manage his obsession with power and work for the citizens of this country.”
But the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was not happy over the utterances attributed to  of the APC on the Kaduna bomb blasts.
The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, cautioned the APC leaders to be careful with their utterances regarding the unfortunate incidents and thanked God for saving the lives of General Muhammadu Buhari and Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi.
“We sincerely sympathise with General Buhari. Our hearts go out to him and all those affected in these wicked attacks.
“It has become clear that anybody could be a target.”
From the recent happenings in the country, it is clear that all is not well with the Nigerian State. These are warnings of impending danger. While waiting for the Federal Government and its agencies to unravel the sources of attack on Buhari, it is expected that the nation’s  leadership would be alive to its responsibility by ensuring the security of lives and property.

Reward Akwu

Gen. Buhari