Buhari: Victory as a reward and as a debt

It was a victory foretold but a victory impressive no less. The President triumphed over, on one side, the Scylla of impertinent intervention by the traditional kingmakers, who choose and dethrone Nigerian Presidents, led by President Obasanjo, as well the new self-proclaimed king-anointers (prominent church leaders), smashing every pretensions of both, and on other side, […]

It was a victory foretold but a victory impressive no less. The President triumphed over, on one side, the Scylla of impertinent intervention by the traditional kingmakers, who choose and dethrone Nigerian Presidents, led by President Obasanjo, as well the new self-proclaimed king-anointers (prominent church leaders), smashing every pretensions of both, and on other side, the Charybdis of a resurgent PDP, sending it back to the drawing board, assuming it survives the post-election recriminations. The last time it was defeated it suffered a heart attack. Another heart attack could be fatal. When it was over, the electoral map of 2015 had not moved significantly, although clearly President Buhari’s support in the Southwest has softened a bit. What is more important though is that PDP has a bit more time to do in Purgatory to atone for its grave sin of misgovernance and brigandage, with the hope, real or forlorn, that it shall unlearn its habit or philosophy of “share the money.” That is a sin that is beyond President Obasanjo to forgive. PDP is without doubt one of the most harmful organizations ever placed in charge of the nation’s affairs and treasury. At its zenith, PDP was essentially a criminal organization. “Bring back corruption” should never be an attractive political slogan is one lesson of the 2019 elections.

This victory is a reward for integrity. I believe Femi Falana, SAN made the point clearly recently in words to the effect that, in this election, while Atiku Abubakar tried in vain to run away from his reputation of questionable integrity, President Buhari ran on his integrity. Therefore, this election may have been more about trust than anything else, as I suggested here on the eve of the election. To that extent, it is 2015 in 2019.

This victory will be remembered for many things including ironically that this may be the last victory of APC. Lacking any leader comparable to Buhari in charisma and mass devout following, and perhaps also Spartan integrity, Buhari’s demise or the effluxion of his final term may also be the expiry date of APC as a dominant national party, unless the party can get its act together soon. For now, it remains a rough patchwork of disparate groups ruled by separate bosses pulling in different directions most of the time. We saw how the party wasted its majority in the 8th National Assembly, where the parliamentary wing of APC was effectively the Opposition to the President. Going into the 2019 elections, the only thing that united APC was Buhari’s candidature. Infighting led to the exclusion of the party from elections in Rivers and nearly also in Zamfara State but for a last-minute reprieve. Local party leaders in several states are actively campaigning for opposition candidates for Governor and for the National Assembly. This clearly negatively imparted the performance of the party in the presidential elections.

This victory is also a debt. In a democracy, one does not second-guess voters. They are king. Nonetheless, it is difficult to see how, in general, the voters could have rewarded President Buhari for the work done, for this government has without doubt underperformed. This victory is a debt tied to the promise that this government will deliver. If the economic policies of this government have not had enough time, following the 2016 recession, to have a substantial impact, now the government has bought itself extra time. Its prudent management of Nigeria’s external reserves despite the drastic fall in oil revenues is an indicator that there is a capacity to generate significant economic growth with proper implementation of economic policies. There is the problem of insecurity. President Buhari must review the nation’s security infrastructure to deliver this critical goal. The anti-corruption fight, the signature programme of this government, is lethargic at best. This is the time to ramp it up. Voters clearly rejected the nonsensical self-serving idea of amnesty for looters. Also of popular concern is the apparently nepotistic recruitment for senior government positions. Even if this is not correct, the appearance alone is disconcerting. If this election was a referendum of ‘restructuring’ of our nation’s governance system, the party that championed restructuring was rejected. Still, unclear as the concept is, it is an issue that resonates strongly with the electorate in the South. For that reason alone, it deserves a place in the agenda of President’s new term. It is terrible mistake to suppose that an election having been won and lost, the issues that animated the electorate have expired. I do not mean any of those uninformed fairy tales of federalism being bandied about. A convenient starting point is for the President to look again at the APC Report on True Federalism. With a strong APC majority in the next National Assembly secured in the 2019 election, the President can achieve a lot rapidly if he provides leadership. Nigeria has not been more in need of effective leadership. One of the regrettable developments of the period since 2015, and indeed even preceding it, is that President Buhari’s near fanatical followership in the North is matched by a large population, especially in the South, that simply loathe him, and for some he is an existential threat. Some of this is prejudice, ignorance or emotions – a mass catharsis for the 2015 defeat of President Jonathan. But there is also genuine concern. During his next term, the President must do everything in his power, and conformable with good principle, to reassure those who loathe him. I do not include people whose grievances are their being investigated or tried for corruption. Greatness beckons.

“My second term will be tough,” says President Buhari. Yes, Mr. President, it will be tough in part because there are many deferred expectations. It is not too early to set your hands on the plough even now. Let the work begin. Because this victory is in part a debt.

 

Ukhuegbe wrote this piece from Abuja