BUHARI’S BURDEN
- Details
- Category: ARTICLES
- Monday, 21 May 2012
- By Kelechi Jeff Eme
Political correctness and uniqueness are two functional factors of power quest and in most cases power acquisition. The former is defined by the media and pundits who bombard us daily with their individual ideologies which are essentially self-serving and
at times archaic. The later appropriately situates the identity, character, charisma and potential policy orientation of a politician irrespective of personal prevailing status. The above tendencies are rare commodities in the political basket and politicians thrive in delusional acquisition of both notwithstanding the virtual nature. You can purchase political correctness but not political uniqueness. I posit that while their non-mutual exclusivity is an unbeatable tool in winning an election, political correctness could singularly catapult an aspirant to power.
Public discourse in the past week has been distracted by the speech Gen. Muhammadu Buhari made when the Niger state chapter of his party, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) visited his Kaduna home. As the case whenever he spoke, the media, ever ready to paraphrase his speech and in so doing adduce their interpretation and meaning, presented him to Nigerians as a bloodthirsty and violent leader. They carefully navigated the ever gullible masses into believing that GMB was inciting violence not minding the outcome of the polls in 2015 that is three years away. The PDP latched on this well-orchestrated reportage and went for the kill. Reuben Abati pounced, Olisa Metuh “knifed” and the ethnic champions took center stage and propagated the message of deception. Issues of governance were allowed to slip through our fingers.
I admonished GMB a few weeks ago to disdain calls for him to contest the 2015 presidential election and I stand by that no matter the circumstance. Buhari is a unique politician who is devoid of political correctness as prescribed by the “mob” who endlessly strived to mode our perceptions in swallowing the abyssal nature of his leadership. Part of his uniqueness is his integrity which his opponents are bereft of. It will be politically suicidal for an integrity branded politician to recant his words in pursuit of a contest in which he lacked the financial resources to challenge the status quo. The value of salt is lost when divested of its taste. This to me is what Buhari must consider when appraising the calls by opportunists for him to contest the next election. I have no doubt in my mind that president Jonathan will recant his promise to Nigerians to serve a single tenure and a Buhari turn around will amount to the same. GMB will be thoroughly diminished if he allows the sycophants and linear strategists to mislead him.
The hypocrisy of our opinion leaders and media analysts must indeed be celebrated. I have read different interpretations to what Buhari said in Kaduna. The man deployed a proverb of dogs and baboons to illustrate the fierceness of the impending 2015 polls, yet our “glorious” opinion moulders presented a well doctored version to us. Must we thrive on hate and bigotry forever? Is there no point when we can collectively say enough to this charlatanism? It becomes more absurd focusing the entire spectrum on Buhari when the eminent Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, the National Chairman of the ruling PDP declared that the Boko Haram sect are fighting for justice. We could have been railroaded into stoning Buhari to death had he made that comment. Former President Obasanjo declared the 2007 presidential contest as a “do or die affair’ when he was a sitting president, yet he is a statesman. What about those who are harassing us daily that preventing the sitting president from contesting the 2015 election will be tantamount to war? How many of our “eminent” leaders have publicly predicted the dissolution of the federation in 2015? What could be worse than that?
Buhari’s uncanny political frankness is totally alien to the clime in which he is operating. A campaign declaration that all looters must vomit their loots bandied out on the trail was a recipe for failure in a country of vested corrupt interests. The masses must have cheered, but the targeted elites took notice and oiled their counter attack mechanism to ensure the derailment of his challenge. The looters understood his reputation and concluded that he had the mindset and positive rigidity to prosecute the anti-corruption war. This frankness to speak from the bottom of his heart in a politically charged atmosphere is what I see as the Buhari’s burden. He has shown his hands and is now a marked man. He needs to shunt himself aside and promote candidates that are capable of clubbing together a worthy alliance to challenge the status quo and deliver the elusive dividend of democracy. These men are in all the political parties in the country. Let him be a statesman and power broker henceforth.
Nigeria is arguably the only country in the world where a hungry man will on the basis of creed and tribe back a political leader that deprived him of food. What is the value of leadership that is incapable of resolving the minutest problem the citizens of the country are facing? This did not start today and we must ensure that Nigerians vote based on visible achievements of politicians. Nigerians cannot continue to complain when they are themselves the architects of their problems. Your tribal or religious soul mate in power will not build a different petrol station for you to access cheaper fuel. He will not build a subsidized market for you to buy cheaper food stuff and other items. So what do you really gain from a non-performing tribesman who has looted the coffers of the state dry? Is the pride of association enough soothing balm for your deprivation? I simply don’t get it.
Our tendency to be distracted by pedestrian matters is quite legendary. How many Nigerians took time to discuss and debate the present moves by government to borrow a whopping US$7.9 billion? This is a debt that is capable of returning us to the league of heavily indebted countries and all we are witnessing is the silence of a graveyard from the vocal community. The impending increase in the pump price of fuel and electricity tariff has been treated as unimportant. Nigerians are waiting to hit the streets as usual when the deed is done thereby wasting human lives and daily manpower. The government and its officials are not magicians hence they need our promptings to do what is right. You are killing a government you claim to love by shielding it away from positive criticisms.
Finally, let us intensify the promotion of Nigerians of good humanitarian disposition and unifying credentials to lead the charge to our redemption. We need a leader who has the capacity to fight corruption without the inertness induced by godfathers. On this shall our march to true nationhood hinge. Let us rescue Nigeria together.
KELECHI EME
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
