I have taken special interest in the furore engendered by the statement credited to the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) National Leader, General Muhamadu Buhari (GMB) while receiving a delegation of political admirers in Kaduna some days ago. In that occasion, General Muhammadu Buhari had stated, inter-alia, that owing to the leadership deficit and the truncation of the hope of the common man through the pervasive injustice in the land, he would continue relevant political activism in the run to the 2015 general elections.
I have taken special interest in the furore engendered by the statement credited to the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) National Leader, General Muhamadu Buhari (GMB) while receiving a delegation of political admirers in Kaduna some days ago. In that occasion, General Muhammadu Buhari had stated, inter-alia, that owing to the leadership deficit and the truncation of the hope of the common man through the pervasive injustice in the land, he would continue relevant political activism in the run to the 2015 general elections.
The entire media space has been inundated with several calls why General Muhammadu Buhari should not aspire for the highest office in the land. Several reasons was adduced by skeptics and his traducers why he should not aspire for the Presidency chiefly because he participated in a military putsch that truncated the highly corrupt government of Second Republic.
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But his supporters are of different opinion and many reasons informed their decision why he should re-contest for the highest office in the country. General Muhamadu Buhari(GMB) is admired by many for his uprightness and stand against corruption. The government he led between 31 December 1983 till 27 August 1985 is revered for their ability to keep the country afloat by making progress through sheer economic ingenuity even when it rejected IMF loan and refused to adopt IMF conditionalities to devalue the Naira.His government is praised for its gain in reducing inflation by refusing to devalue the nation's currency, the Nigerian Naira, curbing imports of needless goods, curtailing oil theft and using counter trade policy to barter seized illegally bunkered crude oil for needful goods like machineries,enabling it to export above its OPEC quota during that period.
General Muhammadu Buhari was appointed Head of State and Commander In Chief of the Armed Forces, General Muhammadu Buhari justified the military's seizure of power by castigating the civilian government as hopelessly corrupt, and his administration subsequently initiated a public campaign against indiscipline known as "War Against Indiscipline" (WAI). Aspects of this campaign included public humiliation of civil servants who arrived late for work whilst guards were armed with whips to ensure orderly queues at bus stops the whole measure even though draconian brought a measure of sanity into the country during that period. General Buhari's admirers believe that he was overthrown by corrupt elements in his government who were afraid of being brought to justice as his policies were beginning to yield tangible dividends in terms of public discipline, curbing corruption, lowering inflation, enhancing workforce and improving productivity compared to the excruciating decay and malfeasance in our polity today.
i) What Is Good For The Goose Is Also Good For Gander:
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It’s really appalling when people especially the educated, enlightened and well-informed ones make so much noise that General Muhamad Buhari being a former Military Ruler should not aspire to rule Nigeria again. Many of the people with this opinion are being economical with the truth, reason the ruling government Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presented a former Military Ruler General Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999 for election ,he won the election and ruled democratically for 8 years. More examples abound in PDP, there are 2 serving Governors today in PDP who participated in Military Junta in the past. Former Military Governor Niger(Feb 1976-Dec 1977) and Former Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Murtala Nyako(Rtd) is the current Governor of Adamawa State, Former Military Governor of Benue(August 1985-Aug 1986), Gongola(Aug 1986-Dec 1987) David Jonah Jang is the current Governor of Plateau State. In the upcoming Edo State Gubernatorial election PDP candidate in that election will be a retired military man, General Charles Ehigie Airhiavbere. Serious explanation is needed from the skeptics why PDP the ruling party can have Ex Military Officers participating in a democratic setting but General Muhamad Buhari does not enjoy same privilege.
ii) Examples From Far And Near:
There are many examples of Military Dictators who transmuted into civilian leadership and General Muhamad Buhari will not be an exception.On 22nd July 1994 a young officer(28 years old) Col Yahya Jammeh seized power from President Dawda Jawara in Gambia.Two years later in September 1996 he was elected democratically and still in power up till date. Another example of a former Military Officer is Hugo Chávez of Venezuela, he became a career military officer, and after becoming dissatisfied with the Venezuelan political system, he founded the secretive Revolutionary Bolivarian Movement-200 (MBR-200) in the early 1980s to work towards overthrowing it. Chávez led the MBR-200 in an unsuccessful coup d'état against the Democratic Action government of President Carlos Andrés Pérez government in 1992, for which he was imprisoned. Getting out of prison after two years, he founded a social democratic political party, the Fifth Republic Movement, and was elected president of Venezuela in 1998. He subsequently introduced a new constitution which increased rights for marginalised groups and altered the structure of Venezuelan government, and was re-elected in 2000 and still in power till date and going for reelection soon. The examples will offer the opportunity for skeptics and traducers of General Muhamad Buhari that his aspiration to be transmuted to a democratically elected civilian is not out of place. Moreover the record of the two gentlemen mentioned since they transmuted to civilian leadership has been excellent,the Gambian economy has improved tremendously under His Excellency Yahya Jammeh watch.The tourism industry in Gambia is second to none in Africa.Likewise President Hugo Chavez is giving all the Multinationals in the Oil and Gas Industry sleepless nights in Venezuela especially in Orinoco Basin where vast Hydrocarbon deposits was discovered,the Local Content Act in Venezuela is addressed to the letter.The Venezuelan economy improved tremendously since he assumed power also.They offer strong, virile, credible and honest leadership which is what is lacking in Nigeria today and for Nigeria to exit the present doldrums where malfeasance pervades our polity we need a STRONG, VIRILE, CREDIBLE,HONEST and INCORRUPTIBLE man like General Muhamad Buhari to rule again.
iii) Boko Haram Militancy And Religious Extremism:
As for its religious leaning as Islamic adherent, General Muhamad Buhari in anyway cannot be described as extreme more than any other person would be who practice his religion devotedly. Moreover a man that appoints a Christian South as his cook and steward cannot be an extremist because your life depends so much on them. Another serious allegation leveled against General Muhamad Buhari is the issue of Boko Haram militancy and the alleged sponsors of the Sect. We all knew from record that Boko Haram was formed since 2002 but the militancy and the spate of bombings escalated when Muhamed Yusuff self-styled leader of the Sect was killed extra judicially in 2009, why anyone will now blame General Muhamad Buhari for the Sect activities beats imagination. Some people went to the extent that because he was quiet and mute during the bombing after the Presidential election means he is complicit in the whole saga that will be the lamest excuse to accuse anyone of such grievous offence and its intellectual laziness of the highest order.
iv) Achievements And Records As Public Official:
General Muhamad Buhari first came to widespread public attention in 1976 when he became the Minister (or "Federal Commissioner") for Petroleum and Natural Resources under then Head of State General Olusegun Obasanjo. Before then he served as Governor of the newly created North-Eastern State (Borno) during the regime of Gen Murtala Mohammed. He later became head of the newly created Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in 1977. Before being asked to head the Military Junta that overthrew the corrupt regime of the Second Republic in 31 Dec 1983. During his time as a public official the man is revered as being Incorruptible, Credible, Honest, Discipline, which is what is lacking in our present crop of leadership.
It is on record that General Muhamad Buhari mandated the former Petroleum Minister Prof Tam David-West to award the Petrochemical Refinery Eleme Port-Harcourt in 1984. During his stint either as the Federal Commissioner for Petroleum and Head of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation two other Refineries were built; Warri Refinery Petroleum Corporation (WRPC) and Kaduna Refinery Petroleum Corporation (KPRC) and he also rehabilitated the old and first Refinery in the country Port Harcourt Refinery. In 1985 the first phase of the biggest power station in the country Lagos Thermal Station Egbin via Ikorodu Lagos(1,320Megawatts) was commissioned by General Muhamad Buhari the total amount spent then was around 2Billion Naira. Since he was overthrown in August 1985 the country has not been able to build any new Refinery and not one single Megawatt has been added to the National Grid for power consumption whereas since PDP assumed power in 1999 we are regaled with several National Independent Power Projects (NIPP);Geregu,Alaoji,Okpai, Omotosho,Olorunshogo,Egbema. We all got the report from Hon Ndudi Elumelu leo Power Probe Commission that PDP Government spent a whooping sum of $16 Billion on the power projects and till date not one single megawatts has been added to the National Grid
The list of General Muhamad Buhari achievements and exemplary records as public official are endless compared to the ruling Government but the man is being maligned all over the country for reasons yet unknown, the only reason for the general widespread accusations against him will be because of his avowed stance against corruption. But if we desire an egalitarian and disciplined society again please let us give General Muhamed Buhari a chance to clean the “Augean Stable”.
Femi Ogunsanwo is a Social Commentator and Political Analyst
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