...I have a question for the wailers: Who’s more dangerous- Coronavirus, Buharivirus or Mumuvirus?
It’s been only eight months plus out of four-year second term of President Muhammadu Buhari. But for Buhari’s critics, haters, and wailers, it’s felt like 1000 years: long Stone Age centuries chock-full of plague, illiteracy, suffering, poverty, corruption, insecurity, and madmen without specialists running roughshod through the ruins of ancient city.
These harshest critics of Buhari accused him of not addressing Nigerians on the scourge of COVID-19. I invite the wailers to listen to Mallam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity. He said such calls were cheap politics. “We also plead with Nigerians not to see this most peculiar of times as one to be politicised or seen as an opportunity to regurgitate grudges against the government or the ruling All Progressive Congress. North, South, East, and West - all Nigerians must unite to fight this plague, irrespective of religious or ideological affiliation,” says Shehu.
“In this regard,” continues Shehu, “populist advocacies such as the one accusing the President of ‘complacency’ simply because he has not made a television address by ranking members of our respected parliament are cheap and sensational. These are not the times for populism and cheap politics,” says Shehu.
One important fact the critics are missing is that Buhari knows a lot more about COVID-19 than all the scientists and doctors in Nigeria. The only trusted information on COVID-19 that he gets daily comes directly from Abba Kyari (Chief of Staff), Tukur Buratai (Chief of Army Staff), Ibrahim Tanko (Chief Justice), Ibrahim Magu (EFCC Chair), Danladi Umar (CCT Chair), Ja’afaru Ahmed (Controller General, Prisons), Mohammed Adamu (IGP), Yusuf Magaji Bichi (SSS Director-General), Ganduje, Kano State Governor), Malami, (AG), and Abubakar Shekau (Boko Haram leader). Buhari is so smart and knows so much about everything. He is a man of great intellect and weird instincts. He’s a complete genius and a real truth teller.
Though Buhari’s behavior often defies satire. The most annoyingly offensive people are the bumbling simpletons whose advice do not match the superior intelligence and clairvoyance of Buhari. Nigerians are too forgetful. Remember, Buhari is a president in rebellion against his office. He does his own thing at his own time without any haste. He’s a slow, calculative, and deliberative person. This is why he doesn’t rush to the scenes of natural disasters to comfort afflicted Nigerians as you expected him to do. This is why he’s not and will not rush to address Nigerians on television about COVID-19. If Nigerians had harken to his advice that we should live together as good neighbors with Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen terrorists because they have “repented”, Boko Haram would have been history in six months as promised before he took office.
Buhari supporters and defenders scoff at the president’s detractors because they could not understand why such a devout Muslim, a loving and caring grandpa, a man of high integrity and courage should not be given the benefit of doubt in running the affairs of the nation. Why should lazy Nigerians want Buhari to do everything for them? Why should he run his government according to the evil desires of their hearts?
Nigerians be happy, don’t worry! Buhari is on top of COVID-19. He doesn’t need to address you on COVID-19. That’s asking too much. That’s an act of ingratitude for all he had sacrificed for the nation. Any Nigerian who questions Buhari’s competence in handling the problem of COVID-19, wants to undermine the president. And more importantly, they are capable of spreading COVID-19 across our nation.
Nigerians, I have good news for you: Buhari tests positive for empathy on COVID-19! He’s the best prepared African President that has put everything in place to tame and shame COVID-19. The hospitals are ready - in top gear. There’s overstock of hospital beds, equipments, drugs, materials, food, water, ambulance, fire trucks, name it. Doctors, nurses, the police, fire fighters, and other first responders are ready to go to work. Buhari is completely in command of the situation. As part of his stimulus package to prevent Africa’s “largest economy” from going comatose due to the economic impact of COVID-19, Buhari reduced gas price from N145 to N125 per litre. Central Bank of Nigeria approved N1.1trn to assist businesses.
Buhari is a blessing to Nigeria!
Wailers and haters stop brainwashing millions of Nigerians with hate speech that Buhari is not talking or doing something about COVID-19. By the way, ask not what Buhari can do for you, ask what you can do for Buhari.
Finally, I have a question for the wailers: Who’s more dangerous- Coronavirus, Buharivirus or Mumuvirus?