Skip to main content

Buhari Afraid Of Debate, Ashamed Of His Performance... Sowore Is The Real Alternative By Bayo Oluwasanmi

August 27, 2018

As we're getting ready for 2019 to elect a new president, we should emulate civilized democracies of having mandatory presidential debates to assess qualifications, health status, and readiness of candidates who want to lead 180 million people.

 

Image

Karl Max was right when he said a moribund society creates its own morbid gravediggers. Revolt against injustice is not only honorable, it is imperative. Since independence in 1960, Nigeria has been blessed with nonentities as leaders. Leaders who perceive no need-spots for specific problems. Leaders who possess no gift and no competence to address the needs of the people. President Muhammadu Buhari in his three-year plus as a spectator and absentee president, he has elevated incompetence in leadership to a new low.  

Buhari continues the trend of leaders who have no vision. Leaders who are not able to attract others to join a cause. Leaders who pursue no purpose and employ no measures to accomplish the desired goals. As president, Buhari has failed to cast a national vision. It is evident that there is no one in charge in Nigeria: everyone and everything thrive in chaos.

As we're getting ready for 2019 to elect a new president, we should emulate civilized democracies of having mandatory presidential debates to assess qualifications, health status, and readiness of candidates who want to lead 180 million people. Most importantly, the debate will put to rest the often regurgitated falsehood by Buharists that there's no credible alternative to Buhari.

The presidential candidates owe Nigerians the respect and the obligation to come out of their protective shell to tell Nigerians their vision, who they are, why they are running for the highest office in the land, why they are the best and the most qualified for the job, what they will do differently, and where Nigeria is headed in the next four years.

Buhari as the incumbent, needs the debate more than any of the candidates. It's an opportunity for him to present his report card for the past three years to Nigerians. In a debate, Buhari will have the chance to persuade and convince Nigerians why we should re-elect him, and why the other challengers who want his job need not apply.

Majority of Nigerians believe Buhari is afraid of debate and ashamed of his performance. He has no record to run on. Buhari lost the war on corruption. What happened to corruption courts he promised to to establish? In fact, he has retreated from fighting the thieves because he surrounds himself with thieves and other despicable  characters. The poor are getting poorer while the ruling class - the thieves -  are getting richer.

Debate will expose Buhari's lack of vision for Nigeria. After all, he hasn't been able to articulate his vision for the country since he took office almost four years ago. Millions of youths are still unemployed. Buhari's so called n-Power job program is not only a ruse, but a farce.

Lack of social safety net for our hungry, haggard, senior citizens portrays Buhari as a president who doesn't care about one of our most vulnerable citizens. Buhari has no plan for Nigerian workers. Like inflated currency, Nigerian workers have lost the real meaning of living. They look like a huddle of stragglers from a beaten army.

Nigeria under Buhari, has become the most lawless and disorderly nation. The judiciary is on a permanent vacation because it takes forever for our courts to conclude simple cases. Judges are bought by the highest bidders like Bukola Abiku Mesujamba Saraki which is why he's been able to stay out of jail despite all his numerous crimes. Mesujamba Saraki continues to make mockery of a weak president and a corrupt system.

The federal government is too powerful, too rich, and too irresponsible. The federal government controls 68 legislative items under the exclusive list and shares 24 with the state governments on the concurrent list. Such matters include education, health, security, infrastructure. There's little or no separation of powers and checks and balances.

Buhari has failed to carry out his campaign promise on restructure. The present revenue allocation formula gives the federal government the lion share of all revenues at the detriment of states where the revenues are derived. Buhari sees nothing wrong with the formula.

Buhari's record on safety and security reads like a funeral dirge. His promise on state and local police are non starters. Boko Haram killings continue unabated. The herdsmen terrorists roam freely. Kidnappers, abductors, armed robbers, and killings by ritualists have literally turned Nigerians into prisoners in their homes and curtailed their freedom of movement from one place to another. On infrastructure such as roads, electricity, water, and other areas in education, industrialization, no meaningful and visible change has taken place. These and other important issues should be addressed by Buhari and other candidates in a debate.

Buhari spends more time in overseas hospital than on the job for which he was elected to do – to govern. His three-year regime shows Buhari lacks leadership traits: integrity, compassion, shared vision and action, engagement, fearlessness, passion, honesty, focus, fairness, creativity, ability to communicate, commitment, ability to inspire, intuition, motivate, knowledge, broad perspective, ability to recognize when change is needed, set a good example.

With all these leadership flaws and incompetence of Buhari, it smacks of treason for some Nigerians to suggest that there's no credible alternative to Buhari in 2019. What the hell is wrong with  these people? What gives them the idea that the best Nigeria could offer for president is the octogenarian Baba Go Slow?  Has Buhari performed to their expectations? Is there any sign that Buhari is in charge of this lawless nation? Any semblance of government in Nigeria? Are Nigerians better off today than they were three years ago when Buhari took office? Is there any peace, progress, and prosperity in the land? Can't these people see and feel the sufferings, hardships, poverty, hunger, fear and uncertainties that daily torment the poor?

Buhari propagandists are working over time to package, re-package, and sell the tired and weary Buhari for second term. Listen to some low life scavengers and interpreters of maladies: Okorocha - “Buhari's administration is approved by God.” Keyamo: “No government has touched lives of the poor like President Buhari's administration.” And Buhari's Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo in his sermon on the mount, he declared: “The President's focus has always been on the common man.” Heresy. Hogwash. Balderdash. Bullshit!

Not only do we have credible alternative to Buhari, Buhari and Buharists are hell scared of the alternative which is why they are afraid  of debate. I dare them to sign on Buhari for two or three presidential debates with Omoyele Sowore and see whether or not we have a credible alternative. A nationally televised debate between Buhari and Sowore will clearly produce Sowore as the real alternative for 21019. 

Bring it on... And let's go there!

[email protected]