BUHARI IS BACK AGAIN, AGAIN

NOW THAT BUHARI IS RUNNING AGAIN:

The stage is set, well almost, the APC is still shopping for a deputy for its flag bearer General Muhammadu Buhari. What is certain however is that Buhari will be running against Goodluck Jonathan for the second time and the for the fourth time in a row (he thinks he is the Abraham Lincoln of Nigeria), GMB has contested against all Presidents in the present Democratic dispensation, OBJ, Yar'dua and GEJ. After the 2011 elections it was a tearful and emotional Buhari that bid active politics goodbye and many thought the man with the iron clad integrity will never return to active politics but then even Integrity too has a Price. So GMB is in the race again and unless elections are conducted and won on social media GMB supporters should not be surprised if he fails again. Some posers for GMB Cheerleaders; who convinced Buhari to run again against his will? What was he promised? Are there some agreements reached? Soon breeze go blow, fawo yanch to open.

This piece is not about Buhari’s integrity or the lack of it, it is about the obvious loopholes that the APC had failed to cover and may stand on path to stop their dream to occupy the Aso Rock Villa come 2015.

CAMPAIGNS:

As a child, I was in our little village – far smaller than what it is now – Back in 1983 when the Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo flew a Helicopter to land in the only primary school field in the Village then - Temezibau Primary School, Okpokunou - on his Campaign trail for the 1983 Presidential Elections. The whole Community was agog with celebrations as Awo! Awo!! Awo!!! Rant the air. Chief Awolowo did not win that Election but his Party the UPN pulled 7.9 Million of the about 25 Million vote cast and his Party won the then Bendel State with Professor Ambrose Alli as Governor. A  Democratic Process that GMB truncated and jailed Alli for corruption, which eventually led to the death of Prof. Alli. Even though evidence abound that GMB was wrong in incarcerating these men most of whom were men of more impeccable character than GMB, am yet to hear an apology from him. But the result was that of an aggressive campaign.

The Elections holds next February 14 barely 59 days from now, Buhari does not have a running mate talk much more of embarking on a campaign. Except elections are won on paper, GMB apologist should brace for the worst showing of their principal.

AGE:

“Old age is good and pleasant. You are gently shouldered off the stage, but then you are given such a comfortable front stall as spectator.” ~ Confucius.

Many GMB cheerleaders do not see anything wrong with the Age of GMB at 71, they readily point to other Nations where the Country’s Leaders are by far older than Buhari - Robert Mugabe is almost 91 -  and insist Age has nothing to do with it. But I beg to differ, at a time when the world is tilting towards a generational change in leadership; it will be folly for us to turn a blind eye to this global trend simply because we want power at all cost. Kosovo’s President is barely 36, General Yakubu Gowon became Head of State at 32, and History records that GMB was asked to take over power after Officers led by IBB had toppled the Alhaji Shehu Shagari NPN Government at age 41. Am not surprised though, because as a People we suffer from selective amnesia

But am surprised that in a Nation of over 150 Million People, the APC could not find an Energetic, Young, Visionary and Qualified Nigerian to fly it’s flag but an aged Buhari whose only achievement is the much touted but highly contested incorruptible stance. Nobody has pointed to a major project that GMB began and Completed when he was a Military Administrator, Minister of Petroleum, Head of the NNPC or Head of State. Please I will like to see such laudable projects form the cheerleaders.

THE BOKO HARAM CONNECTION:

It’s said that “A man’s ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis.” Unfortunately we can’t say that about Buhari.

Is GMB a bigot as some claim? Hard as the APC and Buhari’s apologist have tried to distance the Party and its flag bearer from Boko Haram, the links are so obvious and incontrovertible, so much so that in recent times many have come out to say if GMB wins Boko Haram will be History, that is coming from his own camp. Femi Aribisala a scholar and International Affairs expert in his treatise “Who is Afraid of Jonathan? 2” has this to say;

“APC members have shown greater determination in attacking the Nigerian government than in attacking the Boko Haram.On September 24, 2014, Atiku Abubakar of the APC declared at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja that he was running to be president of Nigeria. The occasion was without incident. This was followed on October 15, 2014 by Muhammadu Buhari of the APC who declared in Eagle’s Square, Abuja that he was also running for president. Again, the occasion was without incident.But on November 10, 2014, the day before Goodluck Jonathan declared that he was running for president at Eagle Square in Abuja, the Boko Haram struck. 50 students were killed and about 80 injured in a suicide bombing in Potiskum, Yobe State. This shows in clear and unambiguous terms that the Boko Haram has no problem with either Atiku or Buhari running for president. But it is against Goodluck Jonathan”

He further rubbished the purported attack on GMB thus “APC supporters should forgive me for being totally cynical about this.  The so-called attack on Buhari’s life benefits no one but Buhari himself because it fits into his new script of trying to distance himself from the Boko Haram.  Buhari does not normally go around in a bullet-proof car.  But quite conveniently, when he was attacked, he had borrowed one especially on that occasion.  His car was not bombed but sprayed with bullets.  Some people died from the attendant bomb blast, but not a single one of Buhari’s aides died.  In any case, the Boko Haram never declared they were the ones after Buhari.”

The APC in its desperation for power had failed to plan, and we know that he that “fails to plan, had planned to fail” My Concern is that we will witness a repeat of the bloody massacres that accompanied GMB’s failure in 2011 as Dr. Ahmed Gumi had stated in his letter to Buhari. We continue to pray; Lord let your will be done. It’s really doubtful that a Party that cannot decisively pick a running mate for its Presidential candidate will ever be decisive about any other thing. Oh sorry, they are decisive in their resolve to criticize the President and the Presidency.