President Buhari departed Nigeria to London and stayed for 105 days to attend medical treatment. On arrival precisely, on 18th August, 2017 all nooks and crannies of the country were in euphoria and jubilation especially in the Northern states and other APC states; what a heroic welcome back!
It is logically clear that majority of the citizens are not deceived by the detractors. This also makes me to wonder is there any person in Nigeria if not Africa that is being loved by his people like Baba Buhari as he is fondly called.
Buhari’s return has left his critics and detesters alike in shame and disappointment. They have peddled all sorts of rumors that, Buhari was living on a life-machine.
Some of these critics and false prophets were even vowing to their gods and deities that Buhari will never return alive as if his life is in their hands.
The ill-fated Resume or Resign campaign that was spearheaded by Charles Oputa (aka Charley Boy) is still fresh in Nigerians memory.
I called it ill fated simply because, from the onset there was no reason or any bases for its commencement, as the President had properly handed over to his deputy and at the same time communicated his intent to the National assembly, so why the protest? Charley boy ought to have known this as he is not an illiterate unlike many of the mobs that attempted to attack him, whose many of them are street hawkers One may wander what prompt this group of people to exhibit this kind of criticism and personal attack on Mr. President as if it is illegal to be sick.
More so, Mr. President left no vacuum in the government when he left this country as he rightfully handed over to his Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo. Had it been he didn’t do so then the story could have been a different ballgame.
Even, after the President returned back to Nigeria the criticism continues, first of all with his speech.
To all right thinking and patriotic Nigerian, the speech was very apt, precise and straight to the point. Though shot in its length but very encompasses in contents as all the current trends and emerging issues in Nigeria’s political realm have been pinpointed especially, the Unity of this country which is a no go area.
But the critics didn’t perceive it that way instead, they continue their usual stuff, pouring all sorts of unappreciated blames. Some have said the speech was very short and dumpy, prerecorded. Others said they are very disappointed and unimpressed with the entire speech as they expected President to talk wide range of issues especially on the economy.
Some said President’s speech-writers could have done much better with a short but crisp message to Nigerians and many flimsy excuses to justify their criticism and personal attack to Mr. President. How could a right thinking man expect a President resuming from a medical vacation to outline economic blue print on his first day? Like I said earlier that, there was no vacuum when he left, it is the same government before and now that he resumed.
Beside, Osinbajo has been the Chairman of the Economic Team right from the inception of this administration; so why all the uproar for new policies and economic direction from President? What stopped them from forwarding same agitation to Osinbajo all these while because; he has been spearheading the government for over a hundred days. Why did they see no reason to criticise Osinbajo as the acting President until their enemy is back!
To me this is an absolute double standard, yes indeed a double standard.
Another baseless and uncalled criticism that many critics wasted their energy on, was the issue of Rats/Rodents where the president’s spoke person mentioned that, the president will be performing his duty from home because rodents have caused a lot of damage to the furniture and the air conditioning units” in his office.
The postponement of Federal Executive Meeting was another issue that is in the bubble. These two issues have caused commotion on Nigerian especially, on Media. But let me ask these questions; when did weekly meeting becomes constitutional to warrant the uproar for not holding it? How does rat invasion of Presidential Villa becomes an issue of national importance? Does it stop President from performing his job? Where in the constitution it states that President most work in that particular office? In as much as Mr. President doesn’t breaches any of our extant laws then, let him stay wherever he feels comfortable to perform his duty.
The current criticism that is raining is on the government resolution to tackle the excesses of hate speech which is threatening our unity and common existence as a nation. Right now some people have perceived this as a target to clamp down oppositions or directly targeting one section of the country.
Within the short period of his return, Mr. President has embarked on Laudable projects and measures that will in no small measure put our nation forward. Some of these activities include; the receipt of the long awaited report on the Secretary to the Government of Federation (SGF) and Director General, NIA which has been hanged even after the committee has completion their work.
Another important activity embarked was the briefing from the Service chiefs; followed by the signing of bilateral agreement and Mutual Legal Assistance with the United Arab Emirates on extradition and repatriation among other Eight (8) important treaties.
The concord on Extradition and Repatriation will immensely help the acceleration and facilitation the repatriation of Assets and funds stashed away through unlawful means. He then signed the approval of commencement of Rail line projects that will link most of the Nigeria states especially the coastal states and hinter land and even the neighbouring countries, like the Republic of Niger and Cameroon.
When completed, this will surely boost the country’s economy and transports of persons, goods and services. But still some naive Nigerians have started criticising the project but for me I see it as a welcome development. You can only appreciate this initiative when you read the economic history and revolution of developed nations like Russia, USA, France and England etc.
Had it been we have an alternate means of transportation, our roads will not be in sorry states they are today.
The easiest way to become people’s enemy in Nigeria is to do the right thing and ask people to do the same, this way you will be hate”. But hatred and criticism should not deter someone from doing what is deemed to be right.
A lot of leaders are afraid of this fact hence, prefer to keep to the wrong path so as to stay temporary safe and impress the confused Nigerians. But that’s not the leadership; leadership is about doing the right thing even if no one agrees with you and avoiding the wrong even if everyone thinks you have offended them.
At the long run the truth will surely come out. And that is what Buhari is doing and he is doing it for our own benefit not for his own as he mentioned even before he becomes president. We need to appreciate him rather than criticise him. Criticism is welcome but a constructive and objective criticism not a destructive one. People can easily criticise but when you ask them to proffer a solution they will never do so.
The truth is that some people who are not happy with this government for reasons best known to them are behind most of these criticisms. They indirectly bend to rubbish the successes recorded and thwart the efforts and mechanisms put in place by the current administration to recover our shattered economy, using media as their key weapon to achieve this plan.
My advice to the critics and alike is that, in as much as its their constitutional right to express their grumble, through criticisms and protest, it is also not wise to always insensibly criticise every government policies even such policies are imperative to the national development. Of course for our Democracy to sustain we need criticism but a constructive criticism not destructive one.
I therefore implore them to always be constructive and objective in their criticism. Let me end this with the Mr. President’s remark at the meeting with the APC and PDP National Leaders that, “Opposition doesn’t mean hostility, enmity or antagonism.
Democracy needs opposition, one which is vibrant but responsible”.
One nation in spite of our diversity; God bless Nigeria
Sanusi Moyi
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