Buhari: Let This 2015 Cup Pass Over You.

Politics is a strange and complex game engaged by witty individuals in their aspiration to genuinely serve the people as exemplified by General Muhammadu Buhari, exhibit an attempt at serving the people while milking the public cow and outright looting of the state as a significant majority of previous and past leaders at all levels have arrogantly demonstrated.

What has defied understanding is the “conspiracy” of these politicians and the masses in ensuring that a dedicated and service oriented leadership is perpetually deprived the country. The masses place ethnic and religious considerations before ability to deliver on electoral promises and even go to the ridiculous extent of rationalizing the failures of these leaders on same grounds. What is the value of a leader who cannot provide you with electricity, water, good roads, minimal health and education?

Until Nigerians extricate themselves from this cocoon, tears shall continuously stream down their eyes. Is it difficult for Nigerians to understand that our leaders consider their network of friends across the country as members of their ethnic and religious groups? The masses only enjoy pride of ethnic and religious affiliations.

They only become relevant when the leaders are in trouble and out of the proverbial sharing formula. They wheel the gullible masses to fight a worthless cause that deprives them of the essentials of life. The later part of last week was medially awash with stories of Gen. Buhari’s declaration of his continued interest in politics which was maliciously presented as a confirmation of his interest in the 2015 presidential election. In fact the Congress for Progress Change (CPC) did not help matters by issuing what I consider a very ill termed and bogus press release that ended up muddling the waters.

It is even a disserve to Buhari and Nigerians that a party that has remained comatose since April 2011 suddenly found its voice in such a manner. What has CPC contributed to the democratic process after the 2011 presidential election? Gen. Buhari is a man of impeccable integrity and incorruptibility imbued with all the necessary qualities to lead and salvage the country from the present abyss we are in.

My analysis however is that he is devoid of the political orientation required to clobber political realignment with capacity to defeat a behemoth PDP in a presidential election. I do not see the General as a man who will water down his exemplary ethics and moral in pursuit of political power. What is stranger is that the followers of the General have not exhibited any iota of his good qualities either in government or opposition. Since 2003, most northern politicians who were clueless on how to dislodge or keep at bay a rampaging PDP have endlessly rode on the back of Buhari to win elections and dump him after their victories.

They hailed the late Chuba Okadigbo’s political arithmetic of January 2003 and pretended to be political children of the General. They turned their backs on him immediately their mandates were secured. While the PDP cleared the entire south (with the exception of Lagos state), the Buhari factor ensured that the ANPP maintained seven out of its nine states. For how long will Buhari be an election winning tool in the hands of ungrateful politicians? These political lightweights later became his nemesis in his quest for presidential glory.

Attahiru Baffarawa and Ibrahim Shekarau both played spoilers in 2007 and 2011 respectively after concluding their governorship tenures. It is important to note that most of the people who converged at his premises were young men and women looking forward to the forthcoming local government elections. They have realized his electoral value quite early and angling to cash on that. What is the guarantee that they will not walk the same lane as the previous beneficiaries of his good name?

This is a question he must answer in considering their request which amounts to a “poisoned chalice” in my view. Buhari must also understand that his limited success so far in presidential contests could be attributed to the generally held view that he is a principled and disciplined man. His greatest marketing quality has been his integrity and belief that he will never recant on his words.

His acceptance of this call to contest in 2015 by opportunistic individuals will irreversibly damage his reputation. He has no money to engage the ruling PDP in an expensive campaign. Another angle to this is the interest of some known political opponents of Buhari who are bent on justifying any call for him to run in 2015. Some even celebrated this development and interpreted his speech as presidential declaration. Shine your eyes my General!

The CPC machinery has never failed to amuse me before and after the presidential election. Any unbiased observer could easy notice that Buhari was betrayed by the managers of the party and his campaign team. A serious political party could have capitalized on Buhari’s name and incorruptibility to build structures all over the country. It did not occur to the party leaders that elections are won and lost at the polling stations.

They left the entire south to the whims and caprices of the PDP in their naïve understanding that the northern votes were enough to deliver the presidency. The elementary electoral duty of assigning trusted polling agents was not done. How could a court of law reverse an election result when there is no evidence to support fraud? It is always dangerous for political parties to share positions before elections are won and that affected CPC to a large extent.

That is the easiest route to electoral defeat. A party that shunned all opportunities to build structures after the election has now issued a press release because it sees in Buhari an opportunity to win more seats and continue to enjoy without caring for the masses. The party needs to educate us on their policy direction since April, 2011. What is the party’s position on fuel subsidy administration and removal? Did CPC present an alternative to the 2012 budget?

What is its position on revenue generation and sharing? Has the party released a roadmap to resolving the Boko Haram menace? An opposition party must at all times be a government in waiting with clear cut policy direction which the masses must be conversant with. The CPC has failed to do this since April, 2011.

Finally, Buhari has served his country in flying colours as Military Governor of North East, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Executive Chairman of Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) and more importantly, the voice of opposition for the teeming masses for a very long time. He has seen it all and distinguished himself in his service to his fatherland. There is nothing more to prove. What is required is for the General to keep mentoring younger Nigerians to imbibe those qualities that endeared him to majority of Nigerians. Buhari should say a big no to 2015.