OPEN LETTER TO NIGERIANSWHY BUHARI SHOULD NOT BE RE-ELECTED
In exercise of my Constitutional
Right to Freedom of Expression, in a democratic system, as guaranteed under
Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as
amended), I write this article without prejudice.
So many
Nigerians, prominent and otherwise, have expressed their deep concerns about
the state of affairs of Nigeria under the watch of President Mohammadu
Buhari. But he seems to be unperturbed
about their concerns and the failing Nigeria state he presides over. While I
refrain from the alleged leadership incompetence of Mr President as opined by
so many Nigerians, including past leaders, I will restrict myself to the direct
impact of Buhari’s administration on Nigerians and Nigeria. If nation building
is a collective effort, this is my own way of contributing to the course of
nation building. If the President choose vendetta on this, it confirms his
narrow heartedness and if he accepts it in good fate, it shows how large his
heart can accommodate, which is expected of a true leader.
History tells us
that on December 31, 1983 General Mohammadu Buhari interrupted a democratic
process under President Shehu Aliu Shagari, by a military incursion. Military
governance being characterised by rule of force and dictatorship, Nigerians had
their share of it under the military regime of Buhari. On assuming office again on May 29, 2015 as
civilian president, little did Nigerians know that they were in for hard times
and overthrow of our democratic process under a supposed democratic government? It all began with a propaganda of blame game,
even though it is a common knowledge to great minds that good leaders do not
pass blame, rather they solve problems. Those who advised Mr President to
deploy the approach of propaganda and blame game actually exposed his
inefficiency to the world; either unconsciously, ignorantly or deliberately to
disparage his administration, as only a lazy workman blames his tools.
It is no longer
news that Buhari’s desperate desire to become Nigerian’s president led him to threateningbloodshed of the
citizens he sought to lead. (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/05/2015-ll-be-bloody-if-buhari/).
Which true leader would issue a threat that “…the dog and the baboon would all
be soaked in blood” if he loses an election? In the above report Buhari faulted fuel
increment and insensitivity of government which he is also grossly guilty of
today. Having assumed leadership, Nigerians saw a president that was never
prepared for development but for revenge, vendetta, propaganda and blame game.
Let me refresh our minds on the large scale insecurity, ethno-religious
divisions, massive blood shed by terrorist organisations like the Boko Haram
and Fulani herdsmen attacks on not fewer than ten states that has characterised
the Buhari administration. Buhari’s poor economic policies sent foreign
investors packing from Nigeria and forced local businesses to shot down, with
overall effect of unemployment, where thousands lost their job. The triple
effect is the thousands of other dependants and family members who have to bear
the brunt through hunger, frustration and eventual suicide. Nigerians witnessed
the height of nepotism which is the highest form of corruption, where appointments
are seldom based on merit. ( https://punchng.com/buharis-alleged-lopsided-security-appointments-split-southern-northern-senators/
) ( https://punchng.com/southern-groups-knock-buharis-pro-north-security-appointments/)
The effect of Buhari’s choice of persons (predominantly from the northern and
muslim extraction), to head the security apparatus of Nigeria, is the reason
for the spate of unabated killings. His reluctance and lack of will power, as a
former Military General, to completely dissipate and eradicate the terrorism of
Boko Haram and Fulani insurgents, who are largely untrained, yet overwhelming
our military and army, rated internationally as one of the best infantry
fighters, has brought the nation to her knees. Under Buhari’s administration,
Nigeria is now rated by Global Terrorism Index (GTI ),
as the third most terrorised nation after Iraq and Afghanistan for four
consecutive years. See the link below for full report from the GTI December
2018 ranking. (https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/299425-nigeria-third-most-terrorised-country-for-fourth-consecutive-year-report.html).
For reasons of sentiments, Buhari’s adminisration have refused to deal with the
corruption in the military. Soldiers’ outcry against poor welfare and
inadequate weaponry which has amounted to premeditated command for suicide
mission, despite huge security budget, has left us with the highest loss of
security personnel in recent years, outside the civil war of 1967-1970. Recent
example is the reported Boko Haram onslaught on our army in Metele, Borno State
on November 18, 2018 where over 100 soldiers were killed and over 150 were
declared missing. The US Council on Foreign Relations (CFR )
also reported in mid-2018 that it has recorded nearly 20,000 (19,890) deaths in
Nigeria from Fulani Herdsmen and Boko Haram attacks, under the Buhari
administration since June 2015. The unabated killings became worrisome to the
United Kingdom’s Parliament which held a debate on the development, in which
worries were expressed on the inability of the government to end killings in
Nigeria, warning that ethno-religious violence in the country may escalate to
the Rwanda type genocide, if the federal government remained complacent about
it. (https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2018/07/01/nigeria-has-recorded-nearly-20000-deaths-under-buhari-says-us-body/).
These kinds of report leave one wondering if the lives of Nigerians matter much
to this administration?
Mr President, in
his preconceive vendetta on Nigerians
and the institutions of our democracy launched attacks on the judicial and
legislative arm of government, which are the last resort of the common man and
the coordinated voice of the people respectively. It began with deploying the
security forces to raid and destroy the homes of judges, using state resources
to further a personal fight and perceived corruption, in a bid to erode public
confidence in the judiciary. Buhari could not conceal his desire to have
control over the legislative arm of government by launching a fight (of unsubstantiated
criminal case) against the senate president. For personal reasons, Buhari refused
to forward the name of Justice Walter Onnoghen, to the National Assembly for
confirmation, after he was recommended by the National Judicial Council for the
office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria(CJN), being the most senior justice of
the Supreme Court of Nigeria and in accordance with the provisions and
requirements of the law. Read this report from a US based Nigerian Lawyer and
Judiciary Expert. (https://scannewsnigeria.com/opinion/buhari-refusal-to-forward-onnoghens-name-for-cjn-and-implications-by-ogebe/).
As the 2019
general elections approaches, by plausible deniability, Buhari again launched
an attack on the Chief Justice, in a bid to horridly unseat him, without due
process, on premeditated allegation of improper asset declaration. (https://www.thecable.ng/fg-to-arraign-onnoghen-before-cct-on-monday).
The political undertone is so glaring to Nigerians. Mr President suddenly
forgot the constitutional provisions on how the CJN can be removed from office.
These are obvious violation of our existing laws. With no regard for the rule
of law and court rulings or judgements, Buhari refused to comply with court
order for the release on bail of detained Sheikh Ibrahim El zakzaky (leader of
the Shia Islamic Movement of Nigeria) and Sambo Dasuki. Mr president, even made
himself a god and a law in Nigeria, during a courtesy visit to his office, by a
delegation from Benue State in November 2018, when he said, “anyone caught
stealing from public funds should dare him, they will be jailed”. Here is the
report (http://saharareporters.com/2018/11/23/i%E2%80%99ll-deal-anyone-caught-%E2%80%98red-handed%E2%80%99-stealing-public-funds-says-buhari).
Then I asked if Buhari is the law that should take its course? This is nothing
but the voice of a dictator. At every given opportunity, Buhari does not fail to
denigrate and demonise Nigerians before foreign media. Tagging us corrupt, and
our youth unwilling to work. (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/nigeria-fantastically-corrupt-buhari-admits/).
Read the comments and reactions of Nigerians against Buhari’s denigrating
comments on Nigerian youth .(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k3gzjsIcOk).
The Buhari administration
have been severally accused of shielding
and harbouring corrupt persons and have no political and moral will to fight
corruption perpetuated by persons in his administration. The President reinstated
the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) who was
suspended by the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole on July 6, 2017 on alleged
fraud of N919, 000,000, without waiting for the Anti-Corruption Agencies to
conclude their investigation and come up with a report. Nigerians witnessed
this. (https://www.businessdayonline.com/news/article/lawyers-others-disagree-reinstatement-nhis-boss-buhari/).
Mr President, exonerated the Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF
Babachir Lawal, for receiving N200, 000,000 contract sums to clear grass in
Yobe State, through a company he has stake in. He was indicted by the senate
committee headed by Senator Ahmed Sani? (https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/221411-buhari-writes-senate-clears-sgf-lawal-grass-cutting-contract-scandal.html). It has become the norm for Buhari to shield
politicians he once perceived as corrupt, the moment they defect to his party
and the party has become a safe haven for corrupt politicians. This is clearly
a novel approach to the fight against corruption. Can Mr President with all
honesty and sincerity, boastfully tell Nigerians that his hands are clean, that
he truly is a man of integrity? Can he challenge Nigerians to come up with facts,
if they have any, against him bothering on corruption in his administration,
nepotism and sincerity of purpose and his sworn oath to protect the lives and
property of Nigerians and to defend the territorial integrity of Nigeria?
TO
NIGERIANS BOTH AT HOME AND IN DIASPORA
Nigerians have over time been at
the worst end of bad leadership, and all efforts to right the wrong have
yielded little and insignificant results, on the nation and the citizens at
large. We have had leaders who are widely travelled but are hardly able to
replicate the good governance and working system of the developed nations they
visit and even keep reserves. They attend global leaders’ summit and the likes,
but can’t seem to effect changes back home. For a very long time the citizens
have been relegated as slaves to the leaders; constantly having to worship the
leaders, even when they obviously demonstrate bad leadership and incompetence.
Some of our leaders even take actions that are detrimental to the nation and
tantamount to civil unrest and disintegration of the nation. Their insatiable
appetite for money and power at the expense of the nation have made them unconscionable. We seem to be sentimentally
attached to our leaders by religious, tribal and political affiliations and
based on financial benefits. We do the worst injustice to ourselves when we
openly support bad leadership and ill-governance for reasons of sentiments.
Facts and evidence speak for
themselves. The present government of Buhari may have found grounds to criticise the previous administration. But
truth be told, the situation of Nigeria and Nigerians have steadily grown worst
under the Buhari administration. Sycophants have been deceiving the president
with a false impression of a working system and some gullible Nigerians at home
and in diaspora are held spell bound believing Buhari is indeed fighting the
hydra-headed monster called corruption, when in fact, his administration is
contributing in no small measure to corruption. This is manifestly undisputed
in the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index ranking of
Nigeria in the last three years. If I must restate facts that are already
visible to the blind, let me reawaken the sensitivity of Nigerians. Not a few
Nigerians have been at the receiving end of Buhari,s vendetta and harrowing
style of ruler-ship. Buhari never gave Nigerians governance but ruler-ship, in
that his administration hunts down perceived enemies, opposition members, and
civil rights activists who dare to speak up against the negative effects of his
government. Examples are the deployment of the police force against the
peaceful protest of Charles Oputa ( son of the late Justice Chukwudife Oputa,
popularly known as “Charly Boy” ) on August 8, 2017 against which the court
awarded a N50m damages against the Nigerian Police and a national apology to
Charles Oputa (http://saharareporters.com/2018/10/22/court-orders-police-pay-charly-boy-n50m-attacking-him-during-resumeorresign-protests); there is the arrest
and detention, by the Nigerian police of another Kaduna based rights activist,
Segun Onibiyo, for allegedly being too critical of President Buhari’s
administration. (https://www.newsexpressngr.com/news/64902-Adegboruwa-calls-for-the-release-of-Segun-Onibiyo-activist-arrested-in-Kaduna-over-Facebook-posts ). Let us not forget
the recent detention of a popular Civil Right activist Deji Adeyanju currently
being incarcerated by the police, for exercising his constitutional right to
freedom of expression and leading a protest against the partisan nature of the
Nigerian Police under the leadership of
IGP Ibrahim Idris an appointee of
Buhari (http://saharareporters.com/2018/11/28/police-arraign-deji-adeyanju-criminal-facebook-posts).
For soundness of arguments, it has
become imperative to analyse Buhari’s three-arm manifestoes of: fighting
corruption, insecurity and revamping the economy.
ON
SECURITY
The security of lives and property is the
primary duty of any government. Let it be known that a government that cannot
guarantee the security of the lives and property of her citizens is a failed
government. If we cannot see it or do not know it, or have conspired to be
complacent and indifferent about it, the international community is certainly
watching. The insecurity situation in Nigeria has become a subject of concern
to both US and UK based groups - the
United States Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and the United Kingdom
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW). It has also become a topic of
discussion in the UK parliament. The link below gives further details of their
findings: (https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2018/07/01/nigeria-has-recorded-nearly-2000-deaths-under-buhari-says-us-body/). The US president
Donald Trump had to make a statement regarding the spate of killings in Nigeria
under the Buhari administration. Trump Tells Nigeria’s President that Church
Attacks Must Stop: (https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2018/april/trump-nigeria-president-buhari-fulani-church-attacks-benue.html). Since Buhari assumed office, Nigerians have
witnessed an escalation of unabated
killings in the hands of terrorists – Boko Haram, Fulani Herdsmen, Armed
Bandits, Kidnappers and Ritual killers. The terrorist group, Boko Haram with
its affiliation to the Islamic state terrorist network metamorphosed into
Islamic State West Africa (ISWA) while
Buhari, a military General hold sway as the President and Commander-in-Chief of
the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Read this report on the
complacency of Buhari and his government and tell if the killings are mere
coincidence( http://saharareporters.com/2018/07/10/president-buhari-and-kilings-nigeria-coincidence-facts-and-questions-2019-elections-and). The damning report
of the number of death casualties from Boko Haram and Herdsmen terrorism alone,
since Buhari assumed office is in the public domain (http://dailypost.ng/2018/08/02/22600-nigerians-extra-judicially-killed-three-years-buhari-intersociety/). Buhari’s appointee
was reported to have asked Nigerians to give up their land to the Fulani
herders in exchange for their lives (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/07/giving-land-ranching-better-death-presidency/). This came after
Buhari himself reportedly claimed that the Fulani herders terrorising Nigerians
are foreigners, not from Nigeria, blaming their attack on late Gaddafi of Libya
(https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/264764-buhari-blames-gaddafi-for-killings-across-nigeria.html). In another report Buhari
asked Benue people and by extension Nigerians
to accommodate the Fulani herdsmen as fellow citizens of Nigeria without
a corresponding action to stop the killings (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/01/buhari-benue-traditional-rulers-accommodate-country-men-restrain-people-retaliation/). The question is why
should Nigerians be at the mercy of foreign machineries and also be asked to
accommodate them and their terrorist activities and even give them our
ancestral lands in exchange for our lives, if actually they are foreigners?
What presidency would choose to defend foreigners at the expense of her
citizens? Buhari is a Fulani by tribe and the umbrella body of the Fulani
herders-Miyeti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria have been in
constant clash with farmers in some parts of the country resulting in
casualties. The same association even
threatened more bloodshed if the Anti-Open Grazing Law passed by Governor
Samuel Otom of Benue State, to protect his state from the onslaught of the
terrorist herdsmen, is implemented. Buhari’s soft spot for the Fulani herders
group is the reason he cannot muster the will to stop their killings and
proscribe them as the terrorist group that they are, but very quick to
proscribe a non-violent IPOB members of the South-East as terrorist, for which
he deployed military troops against them, resulting in civilian casualties.
There are plethora of reports, both on mainstream and online media, on the
degenerating security condition in Nigeria and death toll in the last four
years of Buhari’s administration. Nigeria was recently ranked in 2018 as the 3rd
most terrorised nation, only behind Afganistan and Syria (https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/299425-nigeria-third-most-terrorised-country-for-fourth-consecutive-year-report.html). It is disheartening
how many insensitive Nigerians both at home and in diaspora still continue to
chant the praise of Buhari. The question
is have we suddenly lost our sense of humanity and judgement?
ON CORRUPTION
On the issue of corruption fight,
it is no longer news that Buhari’s fight against corruption is lopsided and has
become the biggest deception propaganda of his administration, especially to
those in diaspora. How come the only people not corrupt in Buhari’s perception,
are those who are within his party affiliation? Is the Special Assiatance on
Prosecution to Buhari, Mr Okoi Obono-Obla not accused of using forged certificate
to gain admission into the University of Jos? How come when other so called
corrupt individuals, who fear being investigated and prosecuted, defect to Buhari’s
APC, they all together become saints? We are all aware of the corruption
allegation against Godswill Akpabio (former governor of Akwa Ibom State) which
were suddenly dropped the moment he defected to APC. (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/akpabio-we-know-why/). We have not forgotten the allegations of
corruption against Rotimi Amaechi (former governor of Rivers State) soon after
he left office.( http://dailypost.ng/2018/11/30/reps-summon-rotimi-amaechi-corruption-allegations/). Since he joined APC the dust settled. The
national chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole was quoted on the 17th of
January, 2019 as saying “ …once you have joined APC, all your sins are
forgiven.” ( http://www.informationng.com/2019/01/once-you-join-apc-all-your-sins-are-forgiven-adams-oshiomhole-to-nigerians.html ). Since 2016 a Human
Rights Activist and Anti-Corruption Crusader had petitioned EFCC to investigate
Adams Oshiomhole the past governor of Edo State and now National Chairman of
APC, on the source of the funds with which he built for himself a palatial
paradise while in office as governor and on sundry allegations of financial
misappropriation, illegal and corrupt property acquisitions and violation of
due process. The petition is attached with 86 exhibits with pictorial evidence
of houses worth billions of naira belonging to the former governor, which he
could not have acquired through legitimate earnings. Frustrated by the EFCC’s
refusal to take action, the Human Rights Activist dragged both the EFCC and
Adams Oshiomhole to the Federal High Court asking the court to compel EFCC to
investigate Oshiomhole. (http://saharareporters.com/2018/06/15/oshiomholes-fraud-efcc-blindness-and-buharis-endowment-corruption-bishop-dr-osadolor). The court through
justice Anwuli Chikere gave the order on October 9, 2018, yet no corresponding
action had been taken by the Anti-Graft Agency. Similar petition against the
former governor had been brought to the EFCC on May 4, 2012 by one Matthew
Edaghese, which the EFCC equally ignored.
Let Nigerians take a look at the aerial view of Oshiomhole’s paradise
and all the infrastructures therein, through this link and confirm or otherwise
that his salaries both as a governor and labour leader was sufficient to get
him those property (https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D0wA9oJzhYTo&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwj7hcm6yPHfAhXJ2OAKHQpfAH0QFggFMAA&client=internal-uds-cse&cx=partner-pub-2698861478625135:3033704849&usg=AOvVaw15XN_UBqnY8jNxkxJkfBUs). But because the
EFCC and her boss, Ibrahim Magu have long been compromised by the Buhari
administration and reduced to a mere hammer in the hands of Buhari for
harassing, intimidating and hunting oppositions, no form of prosecution is in
view. Both the EFCC and Buhari could not muster the will power to proceed with
investigating and prosecuting Adams Oshiomhole and other APC members and
loyalist who have been fingered in corruption allegations. What about the case
of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation-SGF, Babashir Lawal who was
indicted by a senate committee on grass cutting contract enrichment and was
subsequently sacked? After the senate indictment, Buhari set up a panel headed
by the vice president to further consider the allegation and the panel found
him and former head of NIA, Lawal Oke culpable. Dissatisfied, Buhari asked the
EFCC to conduct investigation into the allegations. (https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/247792-buhari-asks-efcc-proceed-investigation-babachir-lawal-oke.html). Despite the indictment by senate committee,
the sack of the SGF and the EFCC investigation, Buhari still claims he has no
proof of fraud against him and as such cannot prosecute him. (http://dailypost.ng/2019/01/17/cant-prosecute-ex-sgf-babachir-lawal-fraud-buhari/). The sacked SGF has
since been a major campaigner for Buhari’s re-election in his home state,
Adamawa. There is the corruption allegation that rubs on the president’s moral
standing concerning the fraudulent and questionable acquisition of Keystone
Bank and Etisalat by a close friend of Buhari, Isa Funtua, through his
son-in-law, Ahmed Kuru, who was planted as CEO of AMCON, by Buhari without the
expiration of the tenure of the former CEO, Chike Obi. Kuru helped his
father-in-law who is a friend of Buhari, using the resources of Assets
Management Corporation of Nigeria-AMCON in connivance with CBN and NCC to
acquire Keystone Bank and Etisalat without following due process. If this is
not corruption, I wonder what Buhari will call it.( http://newsroom247.com.ng/?p=21166 ). Have EFCC suddenly
lost her powers under the law? What
about the certificate saga trailing the president and members of his cabinet.
Did WAEC not fabricate a certificate for the president when he could not stand
the heat from Nigerians asking him to show his O’Level certificate being a
minimum requirement for the office of the president? Did Buhari not appoint a
finance minister (Mrs Kemi Adeosun) who forged her NYSC Discharge Certificate
and was she not given a lee way to escape to England when her forgery was
discovered?(https://www.premiumtimesng.com/investigationspacial-reports/275319-exclusive-finance-minister-kemi-adeosun-skips-nysc-forges-certificate.html ). ( https://www.nigeriaserve.com/index.php/2018/09/16/shamed-former-apc-minister-kemi-adeosun-flees-nigeria-escapes-on-justice/ ). The man described
as the face of Buhari’s Anti-corruption fight, Ibrahim Magu, who currently heads
the anti-graft agency, the EFCC occupies that position without due process of
our law. He was indicted by the DSS on issues bothering on corruption, undue
financial enrichment and living a flamboyant life above his earnings, yet
appointed by Buhari to head the EFCC.( https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/12/16/damning-dss-report-indicts-magu-for-corruption-living-double-life/ ). Consequently he
was refused confirmation by the Nigerian Senate. Buhari refused to reappoint
another competent person to head the commission, instead allowed the said
Ibrahim Magu in acting capacity for over three years. What moral grounds has
the kettle to call the pot black? Nigeria still continue to rank high in the
Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index for 2018 released in
January 29, 2019 and published by Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre
(CISLAC), with Nigeria ranking 144 out of 180 countries, under the Buhari
administration (https://prnigeria.com/2019/01/29/transparency-report-corruption-ngeria/). It was just one day
after this damning report that the Buhari administration, shamefully ordered
the EFCC to file charges against the sacked Babachir Lawal, former secretary to
the government of the federation (SGF) and Ayodele Oke, former Head of the
Nigeria Intelligence agency (NIA) who was removed from office after millions of
dollars belonging to the agency was found in an apartment(https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/308926-efcc-files-corruption-charges-against-babachir-lawal-ayo-oke.html).
ON THE
ECONOMY
Lastly on the issue of the
economy, I want to point out how much the economy of Nigeria nosedived under
Buhari’s administration. Such that the exchange rate of naira to dollar
skyrocketed from N197 to $1, prior to Buhari taking over the saddle, to above
N500 to $1 immediately after, and currently N360 to $1. Before Buhari assumed
office fuel pump price was N65 but today it is N145 for an oil producing nation
like Nigeria. Buhari government told Nigerians the pump price was up because
government subsidy payment to oil marketers is being removed. But that was not
true. Government still pay subsidy to the tune of trillions of naira for fuel
importation. See this report on subsidy payment
by the federal government to oil marketers as at 14th
December, 2018 (https://www.tribuneonlineng.com/177666/). Another report puts Buhari under fire for
astronomic fuel subsidy bill (https://guardian.ng/news/buhari-under-fire-over-astronomic-fuel-subsidy-bill/). One would ask, why
is fuel pump price on the increase together with subsidy regime still on going?
There is more to it than meet the eyes. The corruption in NNPC under Buhari’s
watch as the minister of petroleum, as revealed in this report is mind blowing
(https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/11/subsidy-buharis-nnps-as-cesspool-of-corruption/). The inflationary rate continues to rise from
9.01% in 2015 to 15.7% in 2016. Then to 16.5% in 2017 and then dropped to 12.4%
in 2018 (https://ww
w.statista.com/statistics/383132/inflation-rate-in-nigeria/). Assessing Buhari’s
mid-term performance in 2017, it was show that the fragile economy had gone bad
with inflation rising from a single digit to double digit, government’s policy
on dollar weakened the naira against dollar such that for the first time, the
dollar exchanged with the naira at the rate of N520 to $1; fuel pump prise
rising from N65 to the current N145, all resulting in general hike in prices of
commodities and food stuffs and the nation falling into recession. While
Nigerians were suffering the heat of the recession mostly occasioned by this
administration, it was reported by the Economic Confidential Financial Magazine,
that the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission approved for
the president and vice president, 50% of their ‘annual basic salaries’ as
hardship allowance(https://www.legit.ng/972507-recession-nigerias-suffer-buhari-osinbajo-receives-hardship-allowance.html). More worrisome is
the fact that Nigeria has acquired huge debt from borrowing under Buhari.
According to the Debt Management office, Nigeria’s debt as at June 30, 2018
stood at $73.21 billion (N22.38 trillion), which is approximately three years
budget of the nation. Under Buhari, Nigerian’s Human Development Index ranking
by the UN dropped to 152 out of 188 countries and our National Health Care
ranking by the WHO dropped to 187 out of 189 countries. All these and other
economic issues bothering on hardship, poverty, joblessness and insecurity were
reported by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) of the global economist
magazine and a multinational banking and financial services company (HSBC) WITH
A WARNING THAT: “The Economy Of Nigeria
Will Continue To Be On A Stretcher If President Mohammadu Buhari Is Given The
Opportunity To Govern The Country For A Second Term”(https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2018/09/16/the-economist-hsbc-reports-a-timely-warning/). Nigeria was again
ranked in 2018 as the poverty capital of the world, a nation with the highest
number of poor people having overtaken India (https://punchng.com/).
Unarguably, if a government has
good policy, it does not take too long before the people begin to see the
effect. The same is true of a bad policy. How long did it take for the dollar
to exchange with the naira at an all-time high exchange rate of N520/$1, owing
to Buhari’s poor economic policy and restrictions on foreign currencies in
Nigeria? If for four years of governance Buhari still blames previous
administration for his failures, it means he neither had an economic policy
plan nor blueprint for nation building before assuming office. Buhari should
have been the most prepared president because he had been a serial contestant
since 2003. Yet it took him 6 months to set up his cabinet. If he had not been
the president, some Nigerians would have said Buhari was the best president
Nigerians never had. But today we have tested him and seen his capacity. Very
poor! Even the outspoken former CBN
governor HRH Sanusi Lamido gave his expert opinion on the negative effect of Buhari’s
economic policy (https://www.newsexpressngr.com/news/27547-Sanusi-slams-Buharis-economic-policies-writes-off-economic-management-team-Warns-of-impending-economic-doom).
CONCLUSION:
ADVICE
My candid advice to well-meaning
Nigerians is to beware of Buhari and his party APC in the 2019 general
election. They mean no good for Nigeria and Nigerians. Their governance is
characterised by division, intolerance, violence, insecurity, nepotistic
corruption, bloodshed from Fulani Herdsmen terrorism, subjugation of the rule
of law, violation of due process, weak economic policies, flagrant disobedience
to court orders and incompetence. Buhari and his APC have undoubtedly become a
threat to the unity of Nigeria. Never in the history of Nigeria have we been so
sharply divided as under the Buhari administration. Every well-meaning Nigerian
must lend their voices against the miss governance of Buhari. Nation building
is a collective effort and as such we cannot sit and watch Buhari, destroy
Nigeria and her democratic process. Buhari is reintroducing a new form of “democratic
dictatorship”. We all need to savage our nation from Buhari’s divisive,
sectional and incompetent leadership. It has been severally confirmed and
corroborated that if Buhari returns to power, he will be brutish and tyrannical
than we have seen. There would neither be rule of law nor freedom of speech and
the press. He will use the police force and the military to gag opposing
voices. Buhari’s administration and the security forces under him, are
returning Nigeria to the dark days of dictatorship and suppression of the voice
of the press and civil society organisations. The Nigerian military have
recently asked Amnesty International to vacate Nigeria because of their damning
report on the military operation in the troubled north east region. And on the
6th of January, 2019, the army raided the premises of Daily Trust Newspaper
in Bornu State and seized their computers under a democratic government. And
Buhari wants Nigeria to vote for him for a return with a “Next Level” mantra.
With all that Buhari could offer in his ‘First Level’, I can only imagine how
terrible that “Next Level” would be for Nigerians if he is returned.
But let me bring it to the notice
of Nigerians and poiticians whether in APC or PDP or any other political party,
that the return of Buhari will change the economic and political landscape of
Nigeria. Let it be known that Buhari is not a politician; neither does he have
regard for party loyalty or for instituted authority. Those who think they are
shielded by Buhari today and those who think they are on a jolly good ride with
Buhari today will be disappointed at his returns to power, irrespective of
party affiliations. Some may have to go on self-exile. His tyrannical rule,
vendetta fight and nepotism would infuriate sections of the nation, capable of
sparking up uprisings, agitations and revolution, which could lead to
disintegration of the entity called Nigeria. It is not a prediction; it is the
fact flowing from Buhari’s antecedent.
Buhari’s desperation to retain
power by all means is reflective in his compromise of the electoral body and
process. How can a free, fair and credible election be guaranteed when the
electoral umpire, INEC have to appoint Buhari’s relative (niece), Amina Zakari
as Head, Presidential Election Result Collation Committee? This was explained
away by the INEC Chairman and APC party men that Amina Zakari is not Buhari’s
niece. That she is from Jigawa State while Buhari is from Katsine State. And
that she is only a foster daughter to Buhari’s sister who got married to
Amina’s father from Jigawa State. (Meaning she is the daughter of Buhari’s
brother-in-law). What a ridiculous explanation! The Oxford dictionaries define Niece as “the
daughter of a person’s brother or sister, or of one’s brother-in-law or
sister-in-law. Even the online Dictionary.com extended the definition to
include the “daughter of a person’s spouse’s brother or sister. This privileged
report further explains the family ties between Buhari and Amina Zakari. (https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2019/01/06/amina-zakari-is-lying-about-her-relationship-with-buhari/). All of these are
evidence of affinity in the
relationship between Buhari and Amina. How can the February general elections
be credible when Buhari’s mercenary, Governor Nasiru El’Rufai of Kaduna State
is issuing death threat to international observers, promising their return home
in “body bags”? Statements capable of inciting violence.(https://www.thecable.ng/your-threat-cant-stop-us-eu-replies-el-rufai/amp). Let it be on record
that El’Rufai would be held responsible in the event of any mishap or casualty
recorded on account of local or foreign election observer and any violence
resulting from his inciting statement, in the course of the February general
elections. It is obvious El’Rufai does not want the election monitored by
observers so that his party can perfect their glaring sinister move to
manipulate the process. How can the election be fair when the Vice President,
(Pastor, Professor) Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) and his so called N10,000 ‘Traders
Money’ suddenly metamorphosed into vote buying exercise across the nation,
where gullible Nigerians were subjected to either disenfranchisement or
premeditated vote sale and voting in advance for Buhari in order to access the
N10,000. Osinbajo made the people compromise their electoral rights and indulged
them in pre-arranged voting even before the election dates, thereby securing
fraudulent votes for Buhari for fear of electoral failure, in the wake of the
president becoming increasingly unpopular among Nigerians. His modus operandi
is in the public domain. The same government that claims it is fighting
corruption is neck deep into corrupt practices. Osinbajo should be aware that
he is only being pushed against the law, only to be abandoned soon and later
left to face the consequences of the law alone.
Again have someone bothered to
ask why the militarization of the south east in the name of “operation python
dance”, weeks to the general election? I will not be surprised if it is a
premeditated plot to deploy the military across that region, being the strong
hold of several oppositions, for the purpose of intimidating the electorates
during the election. The biggest display of desperation by Buhari is the
eventual removal of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Walter Onnoghen
and replacing him with his stooge, Justice Tanko Mohammed, apparently to do the
president’s bid in manipulating the outcome of the 2019 general election, as it
is most certain that the election results would be subjected to petitions and
trials up to the supreme court. (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/01/uproar-as-buhari-suspends-onnoghen-installs-mohammed-as-ag-cjn/).
Let it be drummed into the ears
of Buhari that his plans to manipulate the election to retain power would spark
a nationwide revolution that he and his cohorts would not be able to curtail.
His actions have already placed the nation on the precipice of disintegration.
And any further push will occasion a grave consequence. May I also warn all
those currently joining force with Buhari to destabilize Nigeria for selfish,
party and individual interest, against the will of the people of Nigeria, to
get prepared for the aftermath? You cannot take up hot coal in your palm and expect
not to be burnt. After inciting violence, hostility and setting the nation
ablaze, bear in mind that you have nowhere else to hide, not to other nations
for safety. I wonder how so insensitive they all are to make themselves, enemies
of the people of Nigeria and agents of destabilisation of the nation. I pity
how much so hypnotised they have become, to be personally instrumental in
pulling down their own country. How so debased their brains have become, with
their level of education and exposure, to allow a recently glorified WAEC
holder, at the helms of affair, to play on their intelligence and manipulate
them for personal vendetta and sinister agenda. How much they have soiled their
earned degrees in the mud. Even though some of them are PHD holders, Professors
of Law, Senior Advocates, Authors, Business moguls, experts in their respective
disciplines, respected Nigerians and Religious title holders, yet they have
consciously and unconscionably desecrated the supposed honour and dignity of
their personalities, for parochial interest; violating the rule of law and our
democratic principles, in an attempt to unlawfully rewrite our laws without
repealing or amending same. Let it be known to you that history will never
forgive you and your names will remain odious and contemptible for attempting
to truncate the course of our nation building and drag Nigeria back to the dark
days of colonialism and dictatorship. History can never forgive you for unconscionably
dragging Nigeria into another civil war, all for parochial interest. You have
allowed party interest and affiliation to erode your sense of patriotism. What
makes you feel Buhari care so much about you? By the time Buhari’s motives are
fully unleashed on Nigeria, you will all regret your roles and participation,
if you are not all together charged as accomplices.
I call on the international
community and the International Criminal court of Justice (ICJ) to be notified
of the attempt by the Nigerian president, Mohammadu Buhari, together with his
mercenaries in government, to plunge Nigeria into a state of dictatorship and
war. I call on the US, UK and EU observers not to be deterred by the threat of
one of Buhari’s men in government, Nasiru El’Rufai, but to stand by the truth
and help salvage Nigeria from imminent catastrophe. Thank you all.
By: E.I.IMOUKHUEDE (ESQ)
Bridgelinesolicitors@gmail.com
Comments