Introduction
In
modern politics, the electorates are beginning to appreciate the benefit of a
holistic participation in electoral process- contributing to opinion pools as
well as partaking in debates. While this fact is more evident in established
and more decent democracies, operational in the developed nations of the West;
citizens of nations under ‘force rule’ of the military and the bastardized kind
of democracy, characteristic of many developing countries of Africa and other ‘Third
Worlds’ are nonetheless making concerted efforts to be part of the system that
chooses who governs them. This they do either through bloody revolution or ‘brain’
reformation, which is a better option!
If our politics would be good, we
need a decent democracy; if we must attain a decent democracy then, the place
of a competitive, strong, but healthy opposition cannot be over-emphasized. This
is one of the most glaring qualities of American kind of democracy, where the
two main opposition parties- the Democrats and the Republicans have had a fair
share of power over the years.
Well! America is a more civilized
and saner clime, where the political and legal institutions are so strong, and
the citizens have a say in the political process. Africa is a different clime,
and Nigeria is from another planet. Here in Nigeria, the ruling party wants to
rule for sixty years- an odious ambition too loathsome for an average Nigerian!
That is why when the All Progressive
Congress (APC) emerged as a strong opposition party to the ruling Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP), Nigerians shouted ‘hurray’ with array of hope. However, in
choosing their presidential flag bearer for the 2015 election, APC goofed!
Buhari as a person is not a worse
devil than Jonathan, neither is Jonathan a better saint than Buhari; after all,
the African kind of politics has no saintly version. However, at this point in
the political and socioeconomic state of the nation, Nigeria, Buhari
presidency represents certain dangerous phenomena that Nigerians should do well
to avert, otherwise, the earlier-feared prediction of a disintegrated Nigeria
come 2015, would become a stark, but fearful reality.
Nigerians should not wait for a
bloody revolution to correct the potential ill Buhari’s presidency would spell
on the nation; this is rather the time to employ the tactics of ‘brain
reformation’, by stopping Buhari right at the poll.
Here are the outlines of the 10
negative and fearsome phenomena Buhari’s presidential ambition represents, and
why Nigerians should be wise enough to reject him at the poll.
1.
Perpetuation
of Old Men Politics:
One of the greatest problems of African politics is
the recycling of the old ‘cargoes’ with senile sentiments, bereft of innovative
ideologies. If the Civil Service and Labour Market will deem a man or woman above 65 years, too
old to have a meaningful contribution to an organisation, how foolish are we to
think that Buhari with an official age of 73 would do the magic of
restructuring Nigeria of over 150 million people? Lagos State Governor, Raji
Fashola once said that Jimi Agbaje, who is in his mid fifties is too old to
rule Lagos, what a political paradox to hear from the same ‘saint’ Fashola that
Buhari’s age does not matter? Does it smack of sabotage and betrayal against
the common sensibilities of the Nigerian youths that APC has in their ranks,
the likes of Fashola, Rochas, Amaechi, Pat Utomi and their likes, and they went
ahead to pick the old man, whose real age may even be 84. Atiku, in all
numerous sins, could have made sense to us. Nigerian youths would be the
greatest fools to vote for their great grand-father Buhari!
2.
‘Born to
Rule’ Mentality of the Core North:
Nigeria today is a 54-year old indepent
nation, and by October 1 this year, she would be clocking 55. For this period
of five and a half decades in the life of the nation with over 250 ethnic
groups, the core North, representing the Hausa/Fulani has had a taste of the
leadership of the country for about three decades, yet they want to rule us to
perpetuity. The commonest slogan in the whole of North, especially North East
and North West, presently is, ‘Power must return to the North’. The Imams as
well as the politicians preach it with every hateful vigour and bloody
intimidation, that one stands a threat to his/her life for mentioning ‘Jonathan’
in the North, except for scorn or defamation. No wonder, even the ‘good man’ Jega
was swayed and compromised to win it for the Northern brotherhood. And that is
the cause Buhari represents- winning it for the Hausa/Fulani dynasty. Unfortunately,
Ndigbo would be on the receiving end!
3.
Military Regime
through the Back Door:
Democracy is fast gaining a foothold all over the
globe, that it is becoming near impossible for the military to interrupt the
democratic process through coup. However,
here in Nigeria, our past military leaders are still having inordinate quest
for power, that they are doing everything possible to come back and contaminate
our democratic process with their ‘force rule’. Abacha had nearly succeeded
himself as a Civilian President before fate took him away. Babangida has tried
his luck to come back, even after his 8-year misrule. The cabals imposed
Obasanjo on all of us, and after eight years, we learnt our lessons in a hard
way- a lion is a lion even in sheep’s clothing! Now this same Obasanjo, who
could have won the award of the most corrupt and autocratic leader in Africa,
is supporting his old military partner-in-crime, so that they would make their
final swoop on our collective gains. And how Nigerians still listen to
Obasanjo, shows our gullibility and shared ignorance. With all the prominent
positions Buhari has occupied in this nation over the years, yet with no
meaningful achievement, won’t it be right for Nigerians to him, ‘Buhari, what
seekest thou in Aso Rock’! Vote Buhari in, and the military is back in power,
and the rule of law would be jettisoned. Even Falana would not talk again!
4.
Imposition
of Islamic mandate:
All over the world, Islam has set out a move to conquer
and control the politics and economy of nations, so that they would have the
stronghold to fight America (This is an open secret). In Europe and other part
of the Western world, they are trying to achieve this mandate by buying up
major corporations and institutions. But here in Africa and other countries in
Asia, they understanding our vulnerability and the ineptitude of our leaders,
are employing the use of force to conquer. No matter the counter claims in some
quarters, Boko haram is a brain child of this Islamic mandate, as ISIS is; and
all Muslim leaders all over the world, including Buhari are subscribed to it. They
know that to conquer Africa, Nigeria should be a starting point. I weep
whenever I see how myopic we are in Nigeria. Even other African countries know
it too well, that’s why they joined in the fight against Boko haram, knowing
that Boko haram is not just seeking the heart of Nigeria, but Africa as a whole.
Buhari is an avowed loyalist to this Islamic mandate and their quest to take
over Nigeria. Remember his statement sometime ago:
“I will continue to show openly and inside
me the total commitment to the Sharia movement that is sweeping all over
Nigeria. God willing, we will not stop the agitation for the total
implementation of the Sharia in the country.”
Richard Grenell, former spokesman
for the United States Ambassadors to the United Nations, recently warned the
Obama administration to ‘wake up’ to the growing threat of Nigerian turning
into an Islamic state. He said:
“Buhari’s
election as head of state would be a disaster for Africa. It would also signal
trouble for the West’s fight against the Islamic State and terrorism throughout
the Middle East. The decision by the 73 million registered Nigerian voters
could have a profound impact on the future of Africa.”
What else do we need hear to make
informed decision? This is not about APC or PDP, North or South; it is about the continual survival of Nigeria
as a united nation.
5.
Looming
Emergence of another ‘Doctrine of Necessity’:
We all remember what happened
in the case of the late Yar’adua; how Obasanjo, knowing fully well of the
health condition of Yar’adua, still imposed him on the nation, thereby doing great
disservice not only to Nigeria, but the Yar’adua’s family and the entire
northern family. Obasanjo was only after a selfish gain. It is very clear
Buhari is very sick, and may not cope with the enormous challenges of running a
nation as big as Nigeria. He has been running out of the country on medical
trips, and the APC men are covering up, while Nigerians sheepishly buy in. this
time, it is not only Obasanjo doing the evil work, but Tinubu also. Tinubu went
to the ridiculous extent of saying that even if Buhari is on wheel chair, they
would vote him. No wonder he placed his man, Osibanjo as the running mate, so
that at any ugly instance, the power goes back to Yoruba, even without putting
up a fight; then Nigeria and the North would lose again. #Tinubuisverycrafty!
6.
A strangling
of the Confab Resolution:
Every Nigerian should do well to have a copy of
the just Confab resolutions, and how beneficial it would be to have those
resolutions implemented. Unfortunately, as applaudible as that Confab was,
Tinubu and other APC Chieftains, in their usual manner of criticising every
innovation of the Jonathan-led administration, were the first to condemn it,
alluding that it was a waste of the nation’s resources. What a pity of a
mischievous conscience! Be sure that if Buhari becomes President, all about the
Confab resolutions are dead and buried, including the creation of additional
state in the South East to correct the imbalance.
7.
A Cruel
Attempt to Marginalize the Minority:
While there is no written code in our
Constitution that an incumbent President must rule for two terms, it has nonetheless
been enshrined in our consciences to allow the incumbents to complete two
terms, even at State levels. But the way the North and APC men are going about
it, with their propaganda and hate campaign against the President, portrays an
ugly sign of how a minority group can be marginalized. Obasanjo was terribly
bad, but no such hate campaign was levelled against him the way it is with
Jonathan. With all that Jonathan has achieved, you still hear these enemies of
a decent society blacklisting Jonathan as the worst President in the Nigerian
political history. Obasanjo and Tinubu are now saints!
8.
Imminent insecurity
Woes (Militants would return to the Creek):
Nigerians be warned! I am not
saying that Jonathan cannot lose election; after all, this is democracy- the
citizens have got the right to choose who governs them. But there is another
version of politics playing out here. It is not out of place to say that APC
has hijacked all the political structures in Nigeria in order to win this
election by fire and force. It is not out of place to say that even the ‘good
man Jega’ has been bought over. Imagine the incumbent President being stoned
during his campaign rallies; imagine an ‘APC Judge’ ordering Mr President to
withdraw the soldiers from the states during election, so that APC thugs would
find it easy to slaughter those who would dare vote for Jonathan, especially in
the north; imagine APC threatening to form a parallel government if they lose (Amaechi
repeated it yesterday)! That is to say, they want to claim Aso Rock by all
means and at all cost. If Nigerians support this satanic desperation, the Niger
Delta militants would return to the Creek; and then the combination of
insecurity threat that would emanate from the militants and book haram would
compound our security woes.
9.
A Backward
Trend in all Sphere:
The begging question is, ‘Are we moving forward or
backward’? If we are ready to move forward, why are we preparing to vote for a
man who lied about his certificate-the one he has not- and APC said that does
not matter! What progressive move is there in electing a 73-year old general,
when APC reminds us daily that power belongs to the youth! How would our
economy fare under Buhari, who has no minute knowledge of macroeconomics, as he
disgraced himself few days ago at Owerri, by promising the more enlightened
people of the South East that he would make Nigerian Naira equal in value to
the US Dollars, if elected- the same way he promised to stop the fluctuating
price of oil! What can the man do, who is busy shouting ‘change, change’! but
refused to attend public debate to tell Nigerians how he would bring about the
touted change! We can’t afford to go 1000 steps backward, by electing Buhari.
10.
A Destabilization
of the Nation, called Nigeria:
The combination of the foregoing factors, if
left unattended to, by taking the right step in voting right, might lead to the
fulfilment of the dooming predictions and prophesies that Nigeria would cease
to be a nation by 2015, and then the enemies of our common wealth would have a
field day!
I wish to end this article here
by saying that nobody hired me to write, as I’m not a member of any of the main
two political parties-PDP and APC. I’ve written out of patriotism and my
genuine concern for the good cause of this great nation, Nigeria. As a
Christian, I keep praying for the peaceful co-existence among all of us- North
and South, East and West.
I have taken the burden to write
this article; the ball is in our court. Let’s do the right thing and save our
nation from impending woes!!!
...Written by
Mr Chima S. Ezuo, a good citizen
