Different takes on Aisha and Kyari

While it is comfortable to go along with dominant views, it does not enrich debate or understanding of issues. Most of what I am reading in the formal and social media leaves too many unexplained lacunae, to be conclusive. This is especially so in respect of comments on Aisha Buhari, the wife of our President; […]

While it is comfortable to go along with dominant views, it does not enrich debate or understanding of issues. Most of what I am reading in the formal and social media leaves too many unexplained lacunae, to be conclusive. This is especially so in respect of comments on Aisha Buhari, the wife of our President; Abba Kyari, his Chief of Staff; and on the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (Shi’a).
Aisha goes to London and strips her husband naked on BBC Hausa Service and becomes a heroine overnight, with the aim, according to her supporters, of ensuring that her husband and his party get back on track, abide by their election Manifesto, and preventing the over 15 million who voted for them from abandoning ship in the next election, adding that unless he changes she will not be campaigning for him next time. Apparently this resonated so well with some in the ruling party, who had been complaining of being side-lined after the elections, as well as with, not surprisingly, most opposition supporters.
An alternative explanation could be of a woman not happy with her husband’s refusal to continue with the erstwhile tradition of a powerful First Lady, with offices, staff and budgetary allocations from public treasury, exercising significant influence. In any case, what she really said is totally unworkable. Without doubt, party members and others who supported and worked towards her husband’s victory during the elections expect, rightly, to be appointed to various public offices, but so also do other Nigerians who have something to contribute, whether or not they are in APC. Actually, what she is asking for goes against Chapter IV (Fundamental Rights), Section 42, of our Constitution. In summary, that section provides, that a citizen of Nigeria of a particular … political opinion, shall not, by reason only that he is such a person – be subjected either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force … or any administrative action of the government to … restrictions to which citizens of … other political opinions are not made subject (nor be accorded privilege or advantage for his or her political opinion which someone with a different political leaning is excluded from, simply for that difference). Aisha also complained that she does not know more than ten per cent of those Buhari appointed to political offices. So what? Does she really know all those who contributed to the success of the elections, all the political horse-trading that took place, all the alliances entered into and promises made? Sure she is free to campaign for the opposition in the next elections, if she is frustrated; she is a Nigerian citizen after all. This way she can prove herself a true politician.
The biggest problem was her assertion that there exist clearly agreed objectives and directions that the President is not adhering to. Aisha is right to speak about a “campaign manifesto” (there must have been one filed with INEC). Whether it is being implemented (or is implementable) is certainly of public interest. However, to jump from an election manifesto to “a comprehensive policy programme”, as people assume APC has, is the crux of the matter. There seems to be some agreement to exploit the popularity and charisma of Buhari (most of our elites lack popular trust or national acceptance) to pursue some generally agreed goals such as providing security and fighting corruption, but no such agreement exist, from what we can see, on the economy and other areas. On privatization, devaluation, removal of subsidies, ownership of national assets and even the respective roles of public and private sectors, the APC leaders merely assumed they were on the same page. Now the differences are manifesting. They seem to differ even on how to respond to the current recession or the PDP counter-attacks.
Which is compounding the fractured nature of the coalition that came together to form the APC in the first place. While most of the godfathers got some of their people appointed, they are not satisfied. They are focusing on the next round of elections, and how to use the party, if it remains one, to get what they believe is their due share and are not happy with the way things are going. Which is why they are not bothered about the direction, the policies or concrete programmes of the Government, nor leading discussions on these issues. The complaints now are about appointments and access to the president. Hence they obsessed with the concept of a “cabal”, which Aisha is also popularising.
The term is problematic in itself but that doesn’t stop the narrative. Unlike Reuben Abati’s spiritual capture, the claim is more down to earth; Buhari is under the control of his nephew, Mamman Daura who is using an agent, the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, to dictate all that Buhari is doing. This sounds to me like the lamentations of the weak and powerless. To begin with most of us who voted for Buhari did so because we believe he is his own man; dedicated, trustworthy and straightforward. So where did this supposed puppet suddenly emerge from? The Buhari we know takes his decisions and accepts responsibility for them. If the APC big shots cannot get their acts together and build a party which can help him they should allow him to continue trying his best. That way, he would be held responsible, not any appointed advisors or relatives.
My friend Kyari will of course continue to be the “bête noire” of the Villa, as would any other Chief of Staff in his place. It is in the nature of the job. The Chief of Staff is the most important appointment of the President not subject to anybody’s endorsement. As his advisor-in-chief; gate keeper for all files and other communications; purveyor of bad news; communicator of presidential decisions, he is the closest person to his boss. He mostly decides who sees the boss and who doesn’t. It is not a particularly popular job, not one that endears you to people. I do not envy him.
Much has been achieved, and some of us are still proud we used our votes well. Still, there are problems in the land, we all must concede, and with the way they are being handled or mishandled. Some appointees should not have been given such public trusts. Government should explain more, consult more and do more on several major issues. But the bigger problem is within the APC, or the refusal to abandon, at least for now, personal ambitions. Aisha and those who may think they can use her to achieve their goals should focus on more ennobling alternatives. Get the approaches to our problems clear, provide and work towards actualising concrete alternatives and get the country moving again. Not on how much influence we can have on the President, or who is blocking us from achieving that.