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Okey Ndibe’s Criticism Of Buhari By Sabella Ogbobode Abidde

Okey Ndibe’s criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari was unnecessary. It added nothing to the ongoing discussions about good governance, separation of power, party discipline and supremacy and the efforts at moving the nation forward. From my own perspective, therefore, the essay -- Buhari’s Disappearing Presidency -- was nothing but a distraction.

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Professor Ndibe would have been justified in his assessment and criticism if (a) Buhari was operating using Jonathan’s playbook or something similar; or (2) if post-May 29 2015 was going to be business as usual. But that’s not the case. His is a departure from the old ways and old days.

From day one the President made it known that he would not allow state governors, godfathers or party official to force nominees down his throat. In addition, he made it clear that there would be a thorough vetting process. He easily could have appointed his ministers within 48-hours if this was business as usual. Fortunately, this is a new day; a new beginning.

With this in mind, how is one to react to Okey Ndibe’s fictional statement that President Muhammadu Buhari “is dangerously close to leaving Nigerians disillusioned”? Nothing can be farther from the truth. Across the country, Nigerians are excited and hopeful about this President.

Because we have just gotten out of several years of economic, political, social and psychological mess, they are willing and determined to walk and work with him and his team. No one is disillusioned or even close to be being so– except perhaps those who bastardized, mortgaged, raped and exploited  the country and its resources. 

Nigerians can be very critical of their leaders. They are a very impatience bunch of people.  But they are a fair-minded people. They will not hurry or stampeded a leader they know is hard at work. In this case President Buhari is hard at work trying to fix a country that was breaking apart.

We waited for four electoral cycles to elect the man we truly deserve. So, what’s thirty or one hundred days without ministers? With all the ministers and advisers and legions of spongers Jonathan appointed within 30 days, what did they accomplish? With the exception of one, two or three ministers, what did the rest achieve?

Pro-PDP and Jonathanians had expected the President to start swinging from day one.  For instance, they thought he would, upon assuming office, fire the National Security Adviser and the Service Chiefs. But he didn’t. Eventually, he may. But to have fired them right away without a full and complete report of the nation’s security needs and shortcomings would have been immature and calamitous.

Many had expected him to immediately undo many of former President Jonathan’s last minute shenanigans. But he didn’t. He may; but he needed time to understand if things were done properly. And many others expected the President to start hauling suspected thieves to jail. He didn’t.  This is not a military regime. Democracy calls for due process.

That the President has not named members of his cabinet is not a sign of weakness. Not at all! Public records indicate that Buhari has done more in this short a period than President Jonathan did in his first six months in office.

Now, let me tell you why it pained me to comment on Okey Ndibe’s essay. He is Okey Ndibe. It is that simple. When you are this brilliant and gifted and wise, you don’t go dumping on or heckle a man like President Buhari.

If Okey Ndibe and a few others are disillusioned or palpably close to disillusionment, well, that’s OK. But this is not the case for the millions of Nigerians who supported and or voted for him.  If the elections are conducted today, and re-conducted tomorrow, Buhari would win.  He’d win more votes and more hearts.

There is nothing President Buhari has done or not done that’s indicative of private or public weakness. Nothing! The problem here is that Buhari did not validate “their” thinking and expectation. He has not played or acted according to their script. Buhari has not turned out to be the kind of leader they though he would be:  a tyrant, an executioner!

They thought Buhari would come to town chopping off and chopping down trees. They expected him to dig up graves. They expected him to start throwing people into prison without the benefit of due process. All through the campaign and during the elections, they painted this giant of a man as a monster.  We the Buharists knew he was not. We knew the manner of man he was. We knew his character. We knew that his only concern was the people and the country.

Since he was declared the winner of the 2015 Presidential Elections, the larger Nigerian society, and indeed the world, has come to see and know a Nigerian President unlike any since General Yakubu Gowon in terms of sense and sensibility and character and courage and grace.

This was not the Buhari they expected and that frightens them. They see a brave and measured and courageous democrat. They became alarmed the moment he signaled he would be a man of law and order and due process– not of irrationality, arbitrariness and compulsions.

Even in the face of stupidity and senselessness by some members of his own political party, he has remained unruffled. For he truly understand the need for Separation of Power. He also understands that a president need NOT interject himself into every conversations and deliberations.

So, fellow Nigerians, there is no disillusionments here; what we see and who we have as our president is an inspiration, a Democrat and a statesman. The past is the past; Buhari is the beginning of great things to come. And right there with him is Professor Oluyemi Oluleke Osinbajo.

Sabella Abidde can be reached at: [email protected]