Why Nigeria needs Buhari now

This is the fourth attempt by Buhari, who was military head of state 30 years ago, to ascend to the Presidency through the ballot box, with the popular mandate of the electorate. Unlike the three previous attempts, things are looking up for him this time around because his party, the APC, has a large followership […]

This is the fourth attempt by Buhari, who was military head of state 30 years ago, to ascend to the Presidency through the ballot box, with the popular mandate of the electorate. Unlike the three previous attempts, things are looking up for him this time around because his party, the APC, has a large followership and millions of admirers all over the country, running neck and neck with the PDP in popular support.
Accordingly, Buhari’s presidential campaign rallies across the country have witnessed mammoth crowds at virtually every place he visited. But there is something else attracting his audience. The message of change he preaches appears to address the anxiety, worries and frustrations of a lot of Nigerians who are tired of the worsening insecurity in the land, the seemingly untamable corruption in high places and the economic downturn with the consequent mass poverty, rising unemployment and general destitution that have become the lot the masses of the people.
The seed of Buhari’s message of change is not essentially different from what he preached in 2011 when he lost the presidency to Jonathan. But now it has found a fertile ground in the hearts of the people. There is mass disaffection against President Jonathan over his failure to live up to his promises. Many believe that the nation is now left with no other option than to try the Buhari alternative.
In 2011, many things worked for the good of Jonathan. There was mass expression of sympathy for the South- South region he hails from to ‘taste’ power at the highest level. Jonathan himself appeared prepared for the job, having been a deputy governor, governor and vice president. He was also well educated, the first doctorate degree holder to hold the lofty post. And then the photograph of him kneeling down before God under the ministration of the highly revered man of God, Pastor E. A. Adeboye, generously splashed on national newspapers, portrayed him as one who would rule with the fear of God. Emotions, sentiments ran high and he was the ultimate beneficiary.
The mood of the nation has changed now. In four years of his administration, the nation suffered serious reverses and the signposts are clearly visible. The insecurity situation in the country is far worse than what it was in 2011. It has overwhelmed him. Today, Nigeria’s economic wellbeing is seriously threatened because of Jonathan’s incompetence. The robust foreign reserves left by Presidents Obansanjo and Yar’Adua have been badly depleted. Also, the money saved by the two former presidents in the Excess Crude Account to prepare Nigeria for the rainy day had virtually been emptied by his administration, even when oil price was still relatively stable. Now that the oil price has fallen drastically, there is no buffer to cushion the revenue shortfall. The naira has greatly lost value: from less than N150 in 2011, it now exchanges for over N215 to 1US dollar. This has reduced the purchasing power of Nigerians several times over.
Worse still, his government has been borrowing consistently from international financial institutions. He has returned Nigeria to foreign debt bondage, from which Obasanjo redeemed her many years back when he settled her debt burden of $30billion.  Jonathan’s government failed to tackle corruption; rather it appeared determined, right from inception, to encourage it. For example, Yar’Adua, his predecessor, tackled corruption in the fuel subsidy administration. He reduced fuel price from N70 to N65 per litre. But within one year of Jonathan’s administration, fuel subsidy jumped from N300 billion to N2.3 trillion and he asked Nigerians to pick up the bill despite the revelations at the House of Representatives’ hearings on how the subsidy was administered. The report of that hearing never saw the light of the day.
It would also be recalled that Jonathan refused to investigate the allegation by former Governor of the Central Bank (CBN) now the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi that 20 million U.S dollars oil revenue was missing in the accounts of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Again, another former CBN governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, has alleged that over N30trillion went missing under Jonathan’s administration. Should these serious allegations be ignored? If he is so short in accountability and transparency, why should Nigerians entrust their mandate to him again for another four years.
It is good that he finally admitted his failure when he declared recently at a campaign rally that no government can fix Nigeria in four years. But he missed the point. No government has eternity to deliver on its promises. He should simply have said he could not do it, not that it cannot be done. Nigerians must now seize the opportunity of change which General Buhari offers. The man has built a reputation of integrity for himself for over 35 years since he came to national prominence as minister of petroleum resources under the Murtala/Obasanjo administration and later as head of state from December 1983 to August 1985
The PDP and Jonathan know very well that Buhari is the game changer at this material time, when they have failed the nation. This is why they have been trying viciously to rubbish him through false accusations, manipulated opinion polls, ill will advertorials and malicious documentaries.
It is instructive that within the short time Buhari ruled then, Nigeria gained a lot from his uncommon self discipline, forthrightness, patriotic zeal for national value reorientation and the courage to lead the people to do what was right and edified their aspirations to greatness. Above all his incorruptible disposition was and is still unparalleled. Buhari’s military antecedent does not conflict with his present democratic aspiration. Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings found himself in the same situation as Ghana’s military head of state. He took harsher decisions, wiped out a whole generation of leaders perceived to be responsible for the country’s woes. Yet Ghanaians in their wisdom still elected him civilian president. Today the people of Ghana remember Rawlings as the leader who restored their country to the path of greatness. Ghana has been growing steadily on that path ever since.
Part of the vicious campaign of Jonathan, the PDP and their friends against the person of Buhari is the allegation that he is an Islamic extremist and that Christianity will not prosper under his administration. This is certainly not true of a man whose many close aides are Christians and who for the second time has chosen to run for office with a reputable pastor whose faith cannot be compromised. Nigerian is a secular country. Anyway, the constitution does not empower any president to prevent either Christianity or Islam from flourishing.  What Christians should be concerned about is whether the leader Nigerians will elect on February 14 will rule in righteousness as commanded by God in Proverbs 14:34. That is the standard of God for measuring a good leader, whether he is a Christian or Muslim. It is also the hallmark of a God fearing leader.
Seyi Adeleke, [email protected]