OU.
Are we saying those past leaders who did not commit Buhari's ethno- religious ' original sin' succeeded in attracting diverse experts who produced the goods and services right on demand?
This seems to me to be Baba Kadiri's point and we should not skirt round it. Are people not complaining merely because this time around the gravy train has been circumscribed?
OAA.
Mr President you took an oath to rule according to the Constitution.
Where are the schools to promote the teaching of the country's lingua francas?
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
-------- Original message --------
From: 'Okechukwu Ukaga' via USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Date: 13/10/2020 00:42 (GMT+00:00)
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - ARISE O NIGERIANS (VI)
This message is eligible for Automatic Cleanup! (usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com) Add cleanup rule | More info "Strange enough, Nigerians who criticise Buhari for lopsided ethno-religious appointments are never concerned about competence and efficient delivery of goods and services required of appointed Salimonu Kadiri
Note true, brother Kadiri. It is precisely because of the obvious incompetence and lack of efficient delivery of goods and services that Nigerians are criticising Buhari for lopsided nepotistic appointments. Had the appointment been very effective at doing the needful, most Nigerians would not have worried even if the officials came from the same family (although that would still be a violation of the constitution). But when a leader overlooks more competent people and appoints folks from mainly his geographic, ethnic and religious affiliation whose failures result in suffering for all, you can't expect people to keep quiet and suck that up. Or are we to believe that in a country of over 150 million people, there are no better candidates than what we currently have? As you rightly noted, Buhari singlehandedly appointed key officers of his administration to tackle insecurity, corruption and economic collapse. And we know that these officers have been unable (or unwilling) to effectively tackle insecurity, corruption, and economic collapse. Things have gotten worse NOT better. In other words, his appointees are overseeing increase in insecurity, corruption, and economic collapse. Yet, he has refused to even change them, leading some at home and abroad to assume that Buhari is in fact pleased with or at least not bothered by the worsening insecurity, corruption, and economic collapse. If all 11 players representing Nigeria in a team wins the world cup, few will complain. But if they keep failing, Nigerians would be correct to ask the coach why only folks from one family are allowed to represent us when there are better players? And beyond the issue of competence and delivery, there are also legitimate questions of Justice, equity, diversity and inclusion without which you cannot build and maintain a sustainable country or anything else.
OU
On Mon, Oct 12, 2020 at 1:23 PM Gbemi Tijani <tijanigbemi@gmail.com> wrote:
Thanks for this series.In fact until I set out to drop a line to thisA-O-N.(VI) 1 haven't seen nor read any of the previous series.But I must say this is a good enough critical reflection of the Nigerian history especially the recent 30 years ,a decade before the military-turned - civilians who also remained in the polity as key players like in smaller African countries except in Ghana where Rawlins called it quit once and for all honorably with a revolution that re- made Ghana till date.I was particularly touched you highlighted the needless SIX - MONTHS Go Slow after PMB had had electoral victory he could ve spread appointments across the gigantic multiethnic Nigeria insofar his recommenders will be remotely responsible for their incompetence and otherwise integrity should they fail along these basic credentials for advisory & governance.I love to quote Eric Rowe ,a Nottingham University political scientist for his saying: in politics it doesn't matter what offices are to be filled but what manner of men -- they are - that filled the offices'.I doubt it not if I didn't quote the same author in an article published in 1985 in Daily Sketch ,'Anatomy of Infected Democracies' by Tijani MST.I love your connected chronology of Nigerian history which to me was not too aesthetically different except that the actors and players aren't in khaki uniform of thedyachy era.Your concise reminder from the archives of the same set of rulers seizing government by coup d'etat ,fired by recurring issues and socio - economic problems confronting Nigeria including annulling systemic poverty and which of the rank & file of Nigerians except the political class can be justifiably said to be empirically enjoying a befitting standard of living.Which of the problems they identified crucial to be tackled have been resolved after two successful coup d' etats and NINE ASSEMBLIES with free or fair or not so fair election s have governed the coubtry till date?
What of politically budgeted programs meant to tackle major & perennially named Road s & Bridges ,grid power nation wide have been delivered?Despite all these have not only grasped the attention of aware Nigerians since 25 years,none of these have been delivered. But no matter -none of the huge emoluments , SUV infrastructure and all the humongous allowances of the Politicians will never go unsettled. I was so surprised both NLC & the FG are still dragging the 30k minimum wage which has been trending since political campaign of 2015 & this is 2020!
I m always interested in the many monitoring Agencies established within the government to feed the nation with unbiased assessment of budget performance as each Assembly spent 2 years and before they end their 4- year tenure of office.Why are we aloof to assess billion by billion of dollars accounting approved by successive government to provide these infrastructure far belated for industrial economy and where s the readiness to fund the digital economy withhout stable power from 1984 till 2020.Where s the money already budgeted and appropriate d by previous assemblies?Didn't they all swear an oath to serve Nigeria with all theirwherewithal - especially the high office of their portfolios?
In fact why has Nigeria always chosen to maintain the largest cabinet on earth despite no clear cut other than gas & hydrocarbon to fund the budget? Our exportable resources are not only competitive in the world market but are scientifically proven to have alter natives by our major buyers.Why have we been inured with hydrocarbon all these years when all and sundry have touted Agriculture is so viable to fund other sectors of the economy in the nearest future if we mechanize and politically dispassionate about which part of the country contribute both cash & food crops to the level of food security?
Why are the majority hungry in the midst of plenty which ought to be turned around for organic revolution and later achieve & record a food self - sufficiency target with Surplus which smaller nations can benefit in the years to come?Why is an Agricultural revolution not felt and achievable within a 4 - year term of a political party popularly elected to power not only to reduce corruption to the human reality level but to redeem all loot at home and abroad because as A.G .said they are Nigerian 'assets'?
Nigeria is so blessed from colonial to independent era to the extent General Gowon said during the oil boom of the 70s that the problem of Nigeria is not money but how to spend it.Why is Nigeria sinking into chains of indebtedness despite the informal sector are diligently contributing their own productivity daily to the nations economy and they could ve done better had it been basic expectations like security of life & properties are guaranteed on their precious farms & Greenhouse structures of unquantifiable cost & purpose?
.Imagine young graduates farms being attacked by marauders and they also kidnapped and killed her partner& fiance not long a sad true story in Oyo state.Young men as inspired adults are ready to go into farming within and beyond the FG & States farm settlement programmes but how secured with their investment be?How secured are their lives within the prevailing notorious narrative of banditry,kidnapping,epileptic WATER & POWER supplies?How can this situation attract any one that care for basic livelihood let alone morph to effective living that should have endured fulfilment of purpose and impacting on the community?What of amenities that should also reach the larger farming community in the rural areas & far from city settlements? What s Nigeria doing with her arable land that stretches across the land? Have the experts assessed a maze of many commodities consumable & exportable rooted from our flora & fauna and aquatic resources?
If we are blessed with patriotic experts as Advisers why is Nigeria not viable to fund few Universities appropriately to world standard? Their hitherto products are doing fine abroad as academics and professionals and are also needed in more than one continent?* This issue of blaming PMB other than his initial Go Slow and ethnocentric appointments preference does not go down with me beyond this.Why are the advisers and ministers not fill the void?It's a big privilege to be so honored,called to serve ,why is there evident sloth in the first tenor ?I must unfurl my observations from past administration that hardly had the political aspirants to the highest level of governance prepared how will their administration will be funded.I have blogged about this in a series of Political Value Engineering series for Aspirants & Voters too prior to 2019 elections.
* What if, while aspiring for Presidency ,possibly three or four years or more depending on my age - for such a chubby position and I have done my own mandatory homework well -- prior to contesting for any post as competitive as and as publicly financially demanding as a LGA s,Governor's & The President s tenure are..Had it been most Nigerian Aspirants to these now hugely coveted posts had done enough research and asked crucial unregrettable Questions such as:How will my Administration help to fund specific programs other than State Money or Reserve?How will I focus on what can be done & concretely executed possibly within my tenor?* How will I ensure proper funnelling of State Money ?Who Wil help to shepherd Revenue sources & staff integrity & periodic reward for this at intervals as incentive for unexampled faultless un-licking treasury?
How will I honorably network for international help without putting my nation into now or later shame?What are the in-depth cultural historical ,geographic & ecological research that can enhance tourism and boost it to a level Singapore and other nations without enormous natural resources sailed through ? But with a determined Political will to change,Singapore did emerge triumphant from the muddy beginning to a gloriously Deserserving nations destiny.If I were any of the aspirants I would have thoughtfully prepared far ahead of time who & who fund my dream projects and party programs.*.I would have enjoyed enough f.o.c.consulting with future advisory eligibles about Nigeria & her Great potentials.Her physical & human resources of unquantifiable measure could have been studied. Despite we are yet to launch into a tech race- but still a consumer nation without commensurate balance of payments which could be agricultural or mining or tourist surpluses But Not Yet A Surplus Season... Almost all,in fact emphasis on ALL the Presidential aspirants except perhaps Late Chief MKO Abiola whose mandate of winning 1993 election was impotently redeemed 25 years later!He thoughtfully included Reparation in his manifesto of Hope 1993.A politically illiterate who does not know his national identity nor continental history will not identify nor conspicuously prioritise such a project that will need solid legal intellectual, wary and global networking for it to be actualized.If he had come to fruition or not that should have paved way for other global networking or at worst it should be sparked the beginning of African political leaders not accepting almost everything hook line and sinker especially from the West & China too!Why has the neo-colonial mentality still evident in the way we embrace programmes & policies since post independence in 1960 till Covid 19 season of 2020?Whereas Nigerians and Africans have been exposed to Western education , medical & pharmacognosy,herbal sciences inclusive -- since the 1870s.W est Africans are among the earliest lawyers and teachers and medical doctors trained abroad and few at Forabay College,Oxford,LSE,Cambridge Howard Universities and they did well enough to qualify more than degrees - a few were promoted for their research in Herbal medicine which they came down to research and sent back to present in England.Even on matters of epidemiology & medicine & coronavirus, African scientists and technocrats shouldn't be pushed in on matters of method ology and therapy choice such as which vaccines are imposed on us?Has a Nigerian not led WHO before 25 years back?Was he not a decolonized intellectual not just a Pontif Professor of Psychiatry? He even prophetically recommended 'Psychological Tests for public officers since the late 80s concerned by the reckless stealing of public funds then not knowing that s just the beginning of an endless perversion we don't even know how to stem it or what can be used to treat it nor annul the kleptomaniac in public office.*The current allegations, trials of top echelons for financial impropriety lend credence to this - to me - exposure of public corruption. I have not seen much of the so calledFighting Against Corruption except regular exposure and widening gossip rooted in published facts from regular registered newspaper and radio-tv media owned by Federal & State Governments.They are now formidable in outreach by private licencing of TV,Radio & online news media.There are hundreds of news media and independent broadcast stations unlike past decades.
* As for banditry, kidnapping ,raping and killing -- here are my modest impromptu thoughts in an online article published by sunnewsonlineYesterday between four & five....
PS.apologia for errors.314pmFellow Nigerians --i opine a kind righteous living will be difficult to embrace & live by unless ostentation & excess greed for money ,the universal energy of materials are systematically eradicated in our national integrity redemption & family consciousness to achieve the same & flee away evil doings.*See the lives of the Ts in the report of sunnewsonline ,Sunday edition above & follow the negative metamorphosis of their integrity & human values.I ts in sharp contrast to what their Southwest counterparts will call OMOLUABI--one whose character & wealth are beyond reproach.NB.I used to fantasize how ample our land will become If God can heal both the citizens & political leaders , the congregation & the GOs & all strata of faithfuls in all sectors of worship & secular service - especially direct from above. Implying necessarily through all the genuine prophets He sent to Planet earth we would be a people blessed with abundance that will be attractive to all humanity through our different callings.As it is now in past 20 years are the religions & political performance of these decades leading us near this destiny fulfilment level & freedom?Are our spiritual & physical potentials choked both by the worship & governance milieu?What's your take?Is it impossible to bear the whole armor of God?c.Eph6:13-17 &Eoh 5:6-17It will help us a lot to live & thrive in the Light than in the darkness.Has this Possibility verse been erased from the Bible,Matt 19:26,Mark 10:27*Aware I m in a country with vast faithfuls in the Quran, which in itself abounds in excellent moral values but evidently almost all of the adherents of the imported religions - many Christians inclusive are not manifesting the rich fear of God which the teachings expect us to actualize in our daily livingEach of us is expected to be a watchman to our neighbors and others indulging in ungodly activities and wicked occupations before they become hardened as criminals.If this act of wickedness or banditry is kindly checked or nipped in the bud earlier at their ethically naive time ,don't you agree that their repentance will be genuine or expedient? Whereas this sort of character change can't be treated with money & materials alone.It needs more than that material intervention.Why has it not solved other mikitant issues in Nigeria till date?Right from President UmaruYaradua of blessed memory & his experiment which offered by money & sundry technical scholarship holes hips. why has the problem still endemic with us ?It's needs a holistic cleansing of the moral fibre of the whole society.If billions are voted or allocated for a Entrepreneurship or Infrastructuralproject ,will this laudable political response be monitored to the nearest Naira & time of execution?Or again as we ve witnessed recently or better said as usual prior to and during the pandemic how billions of dollars are scantily accounted for.* It has happened to covid 19packages in South Africa and President Rhamasphosa has petitioned ANC & NEC & they have approved investigation s & punishment for all those involved in the corruption of this vital relief packages.He himself said he s ready to appear before the Integrity Commission.So moral rehabilitation goes beyond one side of vulnerability.We should be bold to examine the leaders the parents the public officers & community desiderata of the Chiefs and other significant others & peer s and quality of entertainment exposure,are they moral laden or a conduit for mimicking crimes?Do you know an average Jewish or Egyptian families in the UK or USA will be wary or actually block their kids & teens who ard are already grownups not watch some TV programs let alone internet as a kid.According to Mother Jones a US private investigative magazine,some will even withhold book gifts from friends and relatives before permitting them to be read by the family!Therefore in the Nigerian free-for all milieu since Independence--60 years till date how many of our parastatals & public leaders are exonerated from approving any foreign proposal,program policy inclusive of local & foreign films CDs & materials which can corrupt our own local culture? We also witness this during the Covid pandemic.Anything in the US or Uk or Madagascar is prioritized for replicating than ours whereas we also submitted more than 21 products to Nafdac but are ours prioritized for use evdn if they are formulations for remedies not vaccines that take a longer span of research trial to patent.See Russia,isreal &Oxford & the US research efforts in more than 70 labs ,users & peer vaccinologists are already complaining of their effectiveness showing that Rome wasn't built in a day.What of China & Japan & India too can they be left behind in this kind of Medical & pharma tech to combat Coronavirus?No.but they always look onwards first - including their heritage & acquired expertise via West education.China s example is precise because she s also once very corrupt in their earlier era of existence but now you can find a lost to well or box of dollars forgotten in an hotel in modern China.Why can't Nigeria Creative industry & all stakeholders concerned kick start a re orientation of video & film & musical producers & the larger primary audience the Nigerian homes for a more decent & moral impact productions that will discourage ostentatious life style & kidnapping and raping & city,e express road banditry & forest estates/hideouts - all to gradually annul these evil actions?This rehabilitation & reorientation of values are multi sectoral & interdisciplinary matter.We must meditate dispassionately and holistically and plan spiritual & psychological impact intervention to reduce their notoriety.Nb.This Wil still fail ,however well packaged unless simultaneous prosecutions and quick deterrent actions are meted on looters and avalanche of rapers and roadside robbery & thriving by the support of their abettor s! Otherwise youth & chronic adults & their abettor s will not see any danger in perpetuating the dangerous acts.*The tenor of arrest and prosecution is too long ,a few spanning for months & years!What of bargaining in case of looted matter or assets? Must recovery steps or bargaining option Impoverish Nigerians?No.Thats why all rank and file involved in Correctional Agencies & Functions must be or ought to be patriotic and be beyond reproach.* Because moral rearmament is just material,all intelligence & bureaucracy involved in amnesty must think beyond material settlement.Dollar allocation could be an assurance to cushion their livelihood and to sponsor their preferred vocation.How will they repent As the local & foreign Press & social media have amplified per second/second crime rate & brutality partly rooted in increasing disparity between the rich & the amorphous unemployed & the discontented masses morphing Into sophisticated militants as distinct from activists or groups pressing for equitable change.Our adopted culture of boundless materialism despite our unbeatable religious ity & tithing without commensurate godliness have tacitly heightened crime acts & ungodly inhuman occupations.Corruption is or used to be rudimentary in humans -- to err is human as we unapologetically quote in those days of better decorum at family & school levels but today 20 years in the 21st C the world has collapsed into one global accessible village with its paradoxically infectious & wealth-laden new tech & new propensities -- impacting in bottomless greed & temptations.*If you think God & His Holy Word s can heal & make us contrite ,which way other than Reformation?Can a human being remain aloof from any of the known religions? Are our religions damaged as a prolific pastor has observed? Are we preaching & evangelizing the right doctrines of these Books of Books? Are budgeting too much time for heresies and GO worship at the expense of our own livelihood & God s callings for our own purposes .The trendy aware church for Right Doctrine unpolluted and same for other missions too can help to facilitate it's fulfilment as Sons of God prepared to impact fruitfully elsewhere thus enriching God s Love & Abundance prophetically meant for us all---if we believe?###Annulling banditry,Rejecting ostentation,Moral rearmament urgent #Redeeming Blessings on Nigeria#Civicconcern # effective Living #Gtjmst11102020/454pm--
On Oct 11, 2020 4:21 PM, "Salimonu Kadiri" <ogunlakaiye@hotmail.com> wrote:
--In all Nigerian ethnic languages, none has equivalent word for million, or billion, or trillion because our numerical system of counting was still at thousand when Nigeria's development was interrupted, stagnated and retarded through classical and colonial enslavement. It is only in Nigeria's colonial and official language, English, spoken and understood by a minority of Nigerians that there are millionaires and billionaires in terms of money. Up to 1966, in the Yoruba part of Nigeria, a bag of money was equal to £100 which was a big money at that time. As it was said in a radio broadcast on 15 January 1966, one of the reasons given by Major Patrick Chukwuma Nzeogwu for executing the 15 January 1966 military coup was because public officials were receiving 10% bribes on government contracts and procurements. Ordinary Nigerians abhor thieves and stealing. That is why majority of Nigerians, especially the illiterates, express their revulsion against a thief who, for instance, steals a wallet containing money as small as N20, by roasting the thief to death in what is commonly called jungle justice or extra-judicial murder. Surprisingly, the same illiterate Nigerians look unconcerned when they hear of public officials stealing millions or billions of naira from our collective patrimony. This is partly because the numerical size and value of the stolen funds exceed their counting ability and partly because they do not know that the stolen funds really belong to them. Since January 1966, stealing of public funds in Nigeria, otherwise known as corruption, has progressed from 10% to 100%. Nigeria has become a country where people celebrate money and not moral and, worse still, it has become a society with people whose sense of right and wrong are determined by ethnicity and/or by adopted foreign religions e.g. Islam and Christianity. As I stated in part (V), President Jonathan realised that Nigerians were being defrauded of billions of naira on fuel subsidy by a few ethno-religious cartels but no one was being punished for the fraud. In Acts of Apostles Chapter 5, of the Bible, God was said to have struck Ananias and Sapphira to death with thunder and lightning for fraudulently concealing a basket of wheat from the church in order to avoid paying tax. In Yoruba mythology, Sango, the god of thunder is alleged to possess the power not only to strike a goat thief to death but also to bring the stollen life-goat onto the chest of the dead thief. In Nigeria, fuel subsidy funds worth billions of naira were stolen, but neither God nor Sango came to the aid of the Nigerian victims of state theft. As Nigerians look passively at their own exploitation, dehumanisation and impoverishment, President Jonathan eventually proposed what seemed to be a face-saving solution when fuel subsidy frauds became public.
President Jonathan reduced the proposed pump price hike of petrol from N141/litre to N97/litre. Interestingly, the new pump price of petrol according to the government was not to compensate for high cost of fuel subsidy but the difference between the old pump price of N65/litre and the new price, N97/litre would be used for what the government named, Subsidy Reinvestment Empowerment Program ( SURE-P). As usual, SURE-P turned out to be another conduit pipe, for well-paid public officials, to steal funds meant to elevate Nigerians, especially the youths, from poverty and joblessness. The theft of SURE-P funds by public officials was exemplified by the Lagos High Court decision of 17 August 2017 when it approved the request of EFCC for an interim forfeiture of N664, 475, 246. 60kobo and $137, 680.11c., found in accounts belonging to Clement Illoh Onubuogo, a Serving Permanent Secretary, in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment. Mr. Onubuogo's duty was to supervise numerous programs under SURE-P, including Technical and Vocational Education, Training and Community Service, Women and Youth empowerment programs. Instead of executing those programs, Mr. Onubuogo diverted funds meant for various SURE-P programs under Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and converted the funds to personal use. Mr. Onubuogo awarded his company, Clement and Bob Associates a fictitious and fraudulent contract of N94,829,845. 60kobo from SURE-P funds. A cash payment of N81,110,250 was paid into Clement and Bob Associates bank account number 1013449507 using fictitious names. Clement Illoh Onubuogo, the Permanent Secretary of Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment was also the Director of Ojeagu Farms and Ojeagu Global Service. Yet, all Permanent Secretaries in Nigeria, like Mr. Onubuogo, are on superscale salaries. Besides that, if they are not housed in a free Government Reserved Area (GRA), they are paid house allowances; for their transportations, to and from work, they are paid car allowances; and they enjoy servant as well as children allowances. Despite that, all senior public officials, whether in the armed forces or in the civil service, including senior judicial officers in Nigeria, register briefcase private companies in their names or in the names of their close relatives, if not immediate family members. The economic and financial plunder of Nigeria was so deep-rooted in 2015 to the extent that it even permeated the Armed Forces and caused Boko Haram to occupy 50,000 square kilometres of Nigeria which it declared a Caliphate. Premised on that situation the APC, as a new party, sought the mandate of Nigerians to oust PDP's government of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.
At the APC Presidential primary election in Lagos on Wednesday, 10 December 2014, Muhammadu Buhari addressed a letter to party delegates that contained, among other things, the following excerpts : I have placed myself before you seeking your help to nominate me as your standard bearer for our progressive party, APC. Personal ambition does not drive me in this regard. I seek to be the next President of our beloved nation because I believe I have something to offer Nigeria at this time of multiple crises. Insecurity, corruption, and economic collapse have brought the Nation low. Time is past due that we work together to lift Nigeria up. I am ready to lead Nigeria to its rightful future. ...//... I do not intend to rule Nigeria. I want to democratically govern it with your help. With the exception of Boko Haram, all the evils troubling Nigeria which Buhari and his APC wanted to liberate Nigeria from were, in fact, listed for measures by the military coup that propelled Buhari to power in December 1983. Here follow excerpts from the national radio broadcast of the 31 December 1983 military coup : Fellow countrymen and women, I Brigadier Sani Abacha of the Nigerian Army address you this morning on behalf of the Nigerian Armed Forces. You are all living witnesses to the great economic predicament and uncertainty, which an inept and corrupt leadership has imposed on our beloved nation for the past four years. I am referring to the hash, intolerable conditions under which we are now living. Our economy has been hopelessly mismanaged; we have become a debtor and a beggar nation. There is inadequacy of food at reasonable prices for our people ... ; health services are in shambles as our hospitals are reduced to mere consulting clinics without drugs, water and equipment. Our educational system is deteriorating at alarming rate. Unemployment figures including the undergraduates have reached embarrassing and unacceptable proportions. In some states, workers are being owed salary arears of eight to twelve months and in others there are threats of salary cuts. Yet our leaders revel in squander-mania, corruption, and indiscipline, and continue to proliferate public appointments in complete disregard of our stark economic realities. In the evening of 31 December 1983, General Muhammadu Buhari emerged as the new military head of state in a broadcast to the nation. Corroborating what Brigadier Abacha said earlier in the morning, Buhari told Nigerians : While corruption and indiscipline have been associated with our state of underdevelopment, these two evils in our body politic have attained unprecedented height in the past few years. The corrupt, inept and insensitive leadership in the last four years has been the source of immorality and impropriety in our society. Buhari and his Chief of Staff, General Tunde Idiagbon, began with War on economic indiscipline culminating in their botched attempt to airfreight Umaru Diko in a crate from London with the assistance of Israeli secret service, MOSAD. A little after a year in power, Buhari and Idiagbon were overthrown. Thenceforth, economic indiscipline and corruption escalated in Nigeria and reached maximum in 2015, when Buhari returned as an elected civilian President.
Before the 2015 presidential election, Muhammadu Buhari had contested similar elections on the platform of ANPP, in 2003, jointly with the late Dr Chuba Okadigbo as well as in 2007 on a joint ticket with Edwin Ume-Ezeoke but he was declared defeated on both occasions. When members of the ANPP, including Ume-Ezeoke, accepted to serve under Yar'Adua broad-based government while Buhari was still at the election tribunal challenging the validity of Yar'Adua's election, Buhari resigned from the ANPP after the election petition was resolved against him. He therefore formed the CPC to contest the Presidential election in 2011 on a joint ticket with Tunde Bakare in which he was declared defeated by Goodluck Jonathan. When the 2015 presidential election was fast approaching, the CPC, ACN, a tiny fraction of APGA and the so-called new-PDP, submerged to form the APC that later elected Buhari as its presidential flag bearer in the 2015 election. As a person making a fourth election attempt to become President of Nigeria, it was assumed by many Nigerians that Muhammadu Buhari, in 2015, had prepared for how he was going to govern should he win the election. Yet, after Buhari was declared the winner of the 2015 presidential election and was inaugurated on 29 May 2015, he kept the nation in suspense for six months without naming his ministers and appointing key officials into the government and parastatals. When a house is on fire, as Nigeria was in 2015, it cannot be sensible to think that slow and steady action will quench the fire. After sixteen years rule of the PDP, the country required declaration of emergency in all sectors of governance in the country. Instead the APC that won the National Assemble and Presidential elections ceased, almost immediately after the election, being a national political party.
Organisation of political parties is not culturally entrenched in Nigeria after many decades of military rule and most Nigerian politicians join politics out of self-interest and not for national interest. For the Nigerian politician, politics is about dispensing patronage and pillaging the commonwealth than of service to the fatherland for the common good. The pursuit of self-interest in politics by individual politician should have been rid of if the guide line for membership in a political party as stated in the constitution of Nigeria is strictly adhered to. For instance, Section 65 (2b) of the 1999 Constitution as amended requires anyone wishing to contest for an elected office in Nigeria to compulsorily belong to a political party which must sponsor one's contest. Further in Section 68 (1g), it is stated that any legislator who leaves the political party on which platform he/she was elected before the expiration of the term for which the House/Senate is inaugurated will automatically lose his/her seat in the National Assembly. Similar condition is stipulated for Legislators in the State's House of Assemblies in Section 109 (1g). With these provisions in the Constitution, a political party is superior to individual member because if a legislator is expelled from his/her party he/she cannot remain in the legislature. In 2015, the National Chairman of the APC was John Odigie-Oyegun and under his watch, the APC National Assembly majority members constituted themselves into opposition to the APC presidency (Legislature against Executive). John Odigie-Oyegun remained aloof instead of reigning dissenting members into party line with the threat of either suspension or expulsion if their intransigency against the party line continued. His aloofness emboldened the new and the old PDP to seize control of the National Assembly (the legislature) and it became clear that the presidency (the Executive) was going to have problems in getting laws, to deal drastically with corruptions, enacted by the legislature composed of scores of treasury looters. Had the President acted politically matured, he would have summoned the national caucus of the APC together to deliberate on the composition of his cabinet and his advisors. Instead, Buhari went solo as if the APC was just a means to win election and to be discarded afterwards. As long as Ministries, Departments and Agencies are designed to produce goods and services to the entire nation the ethno-religious inclination of an appointee to any MDA is of no significance if the concerned MDA official is qualified, competent and efficient in delivering products and services to all Nigerians. Strange enough, Nigerians who criticise Buhari for lopsided ethno-religious appointments are never concerned about competence and efficient delivery of goods and services required of appointed officials. What has ethno-religious identity got to do with constant electricity, potable water, decent housing, functional crude oil refineries, functional iron and steel industry, good schools for children, well-equipped hospitals etc.? The same Nigerians, most especially the intellectuals, who demand ethno-religious balancing in official appointments, for instance, ride Mercedes Benz cars even when they do not share the same race with, or speak the same language as, and perhaps do not believe in the same religion as the producers (makers) of Mercedes Benz cars. That is just by the wayside. Contrary to the promise made in his letter to the APC delegates at the presidential primary election on December 10, 2014, that "I do not intend to rule Nigeria. I want to democratically govern it with your help," Buhari singlehandedly appointed key officers of his administration to tackle insecurity, corruption and economic collapse without any influence from the APC, his political party base. (To be continued)S. Kadiri
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