President Muhammadu Buhari

By Amiru Halilu 

“When the calamity we feared is already arrived, or when the expectation of it is so certain as to shut out hope, there seems to be a principle within us by which we look with misanthropic composure on the state to which we are reduced, and the heart sullenly contracts and accommodates itself to what it must abhor.” William Godwin. 

Somewhere around the globe leaders convey joy, happiness, prosperity and economic development to the ruled. Over a decade, the aforementioned essentials for good leadership have waxed and waned in Nigeria. In the last thirteen years, Nigerians have drowned in blahs and are growing more melancholic every day. The mention of names: “Buhari, Jonathan” made the blood of an average Nigerian to boil. These nightmares ruined the nation beyond a remedied state. Instead of pursuing excellence and give the nation a clear sense of direction, both Buhari and Jonathan pursued retrogression, hopelessness; salivating the underlings and quibbling beyond what is reasonable. 

What really determines a leader is largely one’s political formation, national commitment, love for his country, cognitive intuitiveness of identifying brilliant minds and ideas, self-denial and sound sacrificial ideals. Unfortunately, neither Jonathan nor Buhari possessed and exhibit the aforesaid principles. Throughout the unproductive six years of Jonathan and now the wasteful seven years of Buhari, Nigeria lost international honor recognition and dignity; the nation has been grappling to cast-away the numerous disasters caused by the senselessness of these deuces. Each runs the nation as if he was/is assigned a mission to wreck havoc on the populace.

It is obvious now the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) is on the cups of something terrible and that thing is the ugly idea of bringing Jonathan back to the throne. And perhaps, he may be better than many evil contestants under the party’s platform, but surely, darkness reigns at the foot of APC. What does this pack of deceitful scoundrels called APC mean by this suicidal mission? Is APC ready and well prepared to reconcile the clear contradiction between the brand (Jonathan) they putdown, tar-brushed as grossly incompetent, clueless, recklessly insensitive, brazenly irresponsible, irredeemably corrupt and the brand new Jonathan they are now trying to make their standard-bearer?

At this sober time of national renewal, at this time of gross social upheaval when the nation is in the sea of uncertainties, at a time when the economy stocked in reverse gear, in this auspicious moment when character and integrity are the signs and symbols that are absolutely needed, the man that was universally described as ineffectual buffoon and who had already done a colossal damage to the nation is certainly not the right man for the same job that requires certain degree of trust. He who participated in destroying Nigeria in the past would not partake in rebuilding her because destiny doesn’t believe in failure.

A person of Jonathan’s tragic qualification and profile shall never be asked to correct the wrong which he himself had instituted and normalized. We can’t expect the author to burn his own book. Jonathan could no more be a re-builder of Nigeria the way a wind can’t turn to rock or mud into gold. But Buhari and his handlers have seen Jonathan as the ultimate alternative because he managed to sink even lower. It’s hard to ever imagine that Buhari will have a remote link with Jonathan in respect to succession plan, but for an intellectually handicap, politically naive like him who had already convinced the world that there is neither honor nor integrity in governance in Nigeria it’s all in a days work.

Buhari’s attitude towards governance illustrates that Nigeria’s car has continued to be driven in reverse gear by drivers, including himself, who seem to be permanently on drugs. Thinking of bringing Jonathan back is just like calling back the captain of a ship whose negligence and inexperience had caused the death of many. The only thing that such mediocre captain will achieve is to completely submerge the ship and make sure that no single one on board has survived the next accident. Jonathan had melted down Nigeria; Buhari has milked her to her knees, and looking at the caliber of people Buhari wants to succeed him is a confirmation that he doesn’t mean well for the entire nation. 

The only candidate who perfectly possessed presidential credentials doesn’t seems to be Buhari’s favorite. The choice of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu will not and will never go down well with those parasitic cabals who are less assured of themselves about what is possible in private life without the country’s largess. Today, we are just five days to the presidential primary elections yet, the presidency has been in limbo and drowned into the abyss of confusion in view of which puppet to field. A pliable puppet who will carry them along, cover their evil wrongdoings and forever follow their dangerous path and eventually sink the nation even deeper.

They perfectly know that Tinubu is a movement; he will not go with the flow; he will definitely sing a different tune. He is just like a medicine, good for you but hard to take. Those who love the party and those who want to save the party from collapsing before general election, must choose competence over hype; integrity over corruption; decisiveness over wavering; rationalism over chauvinism; action over rhetoric and above all, security over living in fear. Else those who have fed the party so well and feel that they have been paid with evil would likely leave the party after the long awaited presidential primary election.

Amiru Halilu writes from Kaduna and can be reached through haliluamiru@gmail.com or @AmiruHalilu

By Uzair Adam Imam 

President Muhammadu Buhari has reacted to the barbaric killing of Harira Jibril and her four kids, threatening that the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) should expect a tough response. 

The president criticized the killing of innocent people in the South East and other parts of the country. 

Recall that the Daily Reality reported how the outlawed terrorist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has mercilessly murdered a pregnant woman and her four innocent kids in Anambra.

The woman identified as Harira Jibril was killed alongside her four kids and six other persons of northern extraction on Sunday, May 23, 2022. 

The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the president, Malam Garba Shehu,  disclosed this in a statement signed Wednesday, May 25, 2022.

However, the president described the incident as “wild, barbarous and wanton killings of innocent people.”

Buhari further urged citizens to avoid hasty steps or conclusions that could exacerbate the situation.

He cautioned that the general public should allow the law to take its proper course.

He added that “the public is against the indiscriminate sharing of posts on social media so as to deny vested interests who seek to divide us and create disturbance the chance to do so.”

By Uzair Adam Imam

President Muhammadu Buhari met with the family members of Kano explosion victims for commiseration.

President Buhari who was reportedly in Kano for the Nogerian Air Force Week event, met with the victims family at the Kano State Emir Palace.

The president also commiserated with the Emir and the Kano state governor on the unfortunate incident that claimed the lives of innocent people.

The explosion which the police said was caused by a gas/chemical explosion, had also seriously injured dozens of people.

Speaking earlier, the governor of Kano said the government already gave N9million as compensation to the family of the deceased persons.

Ganduje added that N2million was also given to 10 persons seriously injured and N1million was given to those with minor injuries.

He stated: “A business centre, African Centre, affected by the explosion was given N2million while Winners Academy, which students suffered injuries from the explosion and the its glasses shattered got N1million.”

On his part, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, expressed gratitude over the president’s kind gesture.

By Salisu Yusuf

When President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida created Katsina State in 1987, we were full of hopes and euphoria that this fledgeling state would fastly grow and prosper from the grips of a complex Kaduna State. The late singer Mamman Shata aptly captured this mood in his popular song “Allah raya Jihar Katsina.” Fortunately, successive military administrations of Governors Abdullahi Sarki Mukhtar (1987/88), Lawrence Onoja (1988/89), and John Madaki (1989/92) gave us the belief as Katsina became the envy of its neighbouring states. But then the curse of anointment sets in.

During the 1991 general elections, Alhaji Sa’idu Barda of NRC (who controversially became the governor) contested against Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’adua of SDP. The latter was so popular that no candidate could beat him in a free and fair poll, thanks to the social leverage his older brother, Alhaji Shehu Musa Yar’adua, wielded. 

Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’adua was about to win the contest when President Babangida intervened and asked the electoral commission to declare Sa’idu Barda the winner. 

President Babangida had a grudge against Shehu Musa ‘Ya’adua. Hence the annulment of the first presidential election in which the late ‘Yar’dua of SDP was leading. The rest, they say, is history. Even though Governor Sa’idu Barda was anointed, he was a gentleman though he lacked ideas and focus. 

From November 1993 to May 1999, during the rules of General Sani Abacha and General Abdulsalam Abubakar, there were three military governors: Emmanuel Acholono (1993/1996), Sama’ila Chama (1996/1998) and Joseph Akaagerger (1998/1999). They ruled but performed less than the first three crops of the military.

Governor Umaru Musa Yar’adua (1999/2007) was the only unanointed governor Katsina has had yet. Although he had his weak links, he was the people’s darling. Public service was politicised as PDP membership guaranteed the executives, political appointees and thugs to go beyond the ethical and the conventional.

Governor ‘Yar’adua (un)knowingly nurtured those politicians who introduced political brigandage in Katsina political space; late Abba Sayyadi Rumah, the immediate past secretary to the Katsina State Government, Alhaji Mustapha Inuwa, etc., were his political disciples. 

However, Governor Yar’adua spearheaded the transformation of the modern Katsina State. He built the famous Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, the new Katsina master plan, College of Legal, Daura, State Secretariat, Katsina Eye Center, Turai Hospital, etc. His legacies are numerous to mention.

Around 2014 when President Obasanjo singlehandedly anointed Late Governor ‘Yar’dua to contest the presidential seat during the 2015 General Election, he further asked ‘Yar’adua to field an unknown figure in the person of Alhaji Ibrahim Shema to contest the governorship seat. ‘Yar’adua had rooted for Alhaji Aminu Masari, the then speaker of the House of Representatives. Umaru had no choice but to oblige because he was also a product of anointment. Obasanjo was also settling a political score because, in 1999, Speaker Masari had vehemently opposed Obasanjo’s tenure elongation. 

Though Governor Shema too performed miracles, it was during his term that corruption was institutionalised. His subsequent trials under the EFCC concerning the Local Government Joint Account fund are a testimony. Shema was so arrogant and daring that he called those outside the PDP cockroaches who deserved to be killed if they interfered with election matters. 

Governor Masari was also a product of anointment though he was also a victim of anointment. During the 2014 APC primaries, the late Senator Kanti Bello was about to win the governorship ticket when the exercise was hijacked in favour of Masari by the so-called Abuja politicians. These people pressurised then General (retd.) Muhammadu Buhari to intervene. Subsequently, the election was skewed in favour of Masari. Late Senator Kanti could not forgive Masari until his sudden death in 2017. 

Legacies are hard to point out in the seven years of the current APC government. So many people taunt the government that its only legacies are the refurbished traffic circles (roundabouts) in Katsina and the painting of schools in APC colours. Katsina State is today indebted to the World Bank and the IMF.

However, one salient advantage of Masari’s government is political tolerance. The government has given the people the right to political affiliation, which was lacking during the PDP.

For Katsina, the anointment curse continues as Governor Masari points to Alhaji Abba Masanawa, the immediate past Managing Director of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, Abuja as his anointed successor. 

Only time will tell when Katsina will be free from the grips of anointment.

Salisu Yusuf wrote from Katsina via salisuyusuf111@gmail.com.

By Ibrahim Mustapha Pambegua

After an initial denial of rumours that he would join the ruling party, the former Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan, has finally ditched his party. However, after long speculations, his defection to APC has continued to elicit mixed reactions in the country.

Before his defection, many signals emerged that the former president had stopped attending activities organised by his former party. The Bayelsa state’s gubernatorial election conducted in 2020, whose former party lost to APC before a court ruled in its favour, suggested Jonathan’s indifference to PDP affairs. Does Jonathan’s defection have to do with how the party treats him during and after the 2015 general elections?

While the former president might have lost the 2015 election due to the zoning arrangements of PDP, which he disregarded and refused to abide by, the betrayal and backstabbing that ensued among trusted party loyalists led to his resounding defeat remains fresh in his mind.

The emergence of a new PDP split group led by Atiku Abubakar, Bukola Saraki, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and other heavy party juggernauts who abandoned him at the tail end of the party’s convention had wreaked great havoc on his re-election bid. With these politicians who deserted him returning to PDP, Jonathan would not feel comfortable staying with them.

As a former president, Jonathan should be the party’s leader. However, Nelson Wike, Rivers State governor, has hijacked the party and has since been calling the shot. Wike and his surrogates have firmly controlled the party and failed to consult or engage the former president on the party’s decisions.

The inability of PDP to respect or recognise Jonathan as their leader must have dampened his morale and forced him to change his mind. One imagined how the former president, who was a governor, a vice president and president under PDP, could suddenly ditch his benefactor.

The former APC national chairman, extraordinary convention committee, Mai-Mala Buni, must take credit for Jonathan’s defection. The Yobe state governor, during his stint as chairman, visited and subsequently wooed him to APC. Do Malam Buni and his co-travellers sign a pact that they would throw their weight behind his presidential ambition if he joins the party? Jonathan did not only join the ruling party but also bought nomination form through the northern youth group.

Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential ambition has raised some critical questions. First, is the ruling party toeing the dangerous path of PDP by jettisoning its zoning arrangement? With Buhari completing his tenure, one will advise for equity and justice. There is a need for power to be shifted to the South.

Also, during its recent convention, APC opted for Abdullahi Adamu, a northerner, as the National chairman. This development has further buttressed that the South will produce the next president. Moreover, with Jonathan joining the presidential race, what will be the future of southwest politicians, especially Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who sees his contest as a lifetime ambition. It is no understatement to say that President Muhammadu Buhari’s victories in 2015 and 2019 are to the credit of Tinubu and other southwest politicians.

If APC fields Jonathan, the southwest politicians will unite and reject the party. To them, having played second fiddle in the previous elections, the 2023 ticket should be exclusively reserved for them. But, on the other hand, if the ticket is not given to them, there is every tendency of anti-party, as these politicians will ally with either PDP or Kwankwaso’s NNPP to ensure APC loses the election in the region.

Second, who and who are dragging or promoting Jonathan’s presidency and their motives? It was reported that Jonathan’s presidency had two northern governors’ tacit support. One from the northwest and the other one from the northeast. If their plan works as scheduled, Jonathan promised to pick one of them as running mate.

The legal technicalities that may await the former president will unarguably discourage APC from giving him its ticket. Jonathan took an oath of office twice.  If he is allowed to contest and luckily wins the poll, Jonathan will take his third oath of office, which is unconstitutional. This will open up serious court litigations.

What will happen if the opposition PDP finally settles for Atiku Abubakar as their candidate? Will APC stick to Jonathan’s presidency? The former president had received accolades globally for conducting a free and fair election in 2015. Jonathan was the first African president who conceded defeat and called and congratulated the winner even before the result was announced.

Since he left office, his diplomacy performances have endeared him to many Nigerians. However, the former president should have kept a low profile, continued his diplomacy engagement, and advised the country where necessary. With the former president throwing his hat in the ring, what will be his fate during and after the 2023 general elections?

Ibrahim Mustapha Pambegua wrote from Kaduna state via imustapha650@gmail.com.

By Ibraheem Abdullateef

Ahead of the 2023 presidential elections in Nigeria, the race for the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has never been so terribly chaotic and funny. Pegged at an outrageous N100 million naira, no less than 25 aspirants have obtained the nomination and expression of interest forms as of Friday 6, May 2022 to contest in the primaries later in the month. As Nigerians, including the media and the CSOs, were still debating the moral rectitude and leadership capacity of the long list of contenders, the news hit the airwaves on Thursday that the Central Bank Governor of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele has also obtained the form by proxy. 

There is no word fit to describe this action, not even anomaly. CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele is taking Nigerians and Nigeria for a ride with his presidential bid. By the extant Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007, the Bank is an independent, apolitical body and whoever is the Governor is not allowed to be partisan. The series of political-related activities, consultative meetings, and branding in his name would vitiate the law and ethics of professionalism, and it makes a mockery of the public image of the nation’s apex financial and monetary authority in the international community. 

As if to forestall quackery, the section 8 (1) which is on Appointment, Qualification, and Remuneration of Governor and Deputy Governor of the CBN says both of them “shall be persons of recognised financial experience and shall be appointed by the president subject to confirmation by the Senate on such terms and conditions as may be set out in their respective letters of appointment.” 

While corroborating it, the next section in the Act, Section 9, on full devotion to the service of the bank, says “Governor and Deputy Governors shall devote the whole of their time to the service of the Bank and while holding office shall not engage in any full or part-time employment or vocation whether remunerated or not except such personal or charitable causes as may be determined by the Board and which do not conflict with or detract from their full-time duties.” 

Yet, the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has continued to pursue a presidential bid under the APC. What started a few months back recently reached a crescendo when pictures of about 50 well-branded campaign vehicles hit social media. It also followed the hosting of banners, including rallies across the nation. Despite denying the ambition in April, the eventual purchase of the nomination and expression of interest forms less than two weeks to party primaries show that Emefiele is partisan and has been involved in activities, not in tandem with his office. This impunity is unprecedented. It is not unexpected the outrage of Nigerians, condemning what is perceived as immoral and unethical behaviour. 

As a Nigerian, the 1999 constitution allows Godwin Emefiele the right to pursue any political ambition. But to pursue a presidential bid without resigning, may erode the confidence of investors, international partners, business magnates, and other stakeholders in the financial sectors in the Bank, thereby affecting the economy. Many Nigerians have begun to wonder if the weakening Naira values, including the introduction of policies like E-Naira and banning cryptocurrencies, were not informed by decisions influenced by partisan interests. Regardless of the intentions, the moment Emefiele submits his nomination and expressions of interest form, he must not spend a minute longer as the CBN Governor, unless it becomes a sad precedent to other officeholders, further bastarding the national institutions. 

While spelling out conditions for disqualification and cessation of appointment, section 11 (2) (f) of the CBN act empowers the president to remove the governor. The CBN governor may also be relieved of his appointment if he is “guilty of a serious misconduct about his duty under this Act.” By being openly partisan, it is enough ground for the Board or the National Assembly to summon and question the professionalism and ethics of Godwin Emefiele, in relation to this stewardship. 

The only way Emefiele stays in office is to dissociate himself from this development. If truly he has an ambition and would rather face it squarely, he should vacate the office immediately (provided that he has given at least three months’ notice in writing to the president of his intention to do so). It is not the time to keep mute and be evasive. It is rather a moment to prove a test of character and integrity. President Muhammadu Buhari must address the issue and take positive action to salvage the sanctity of the nation’s foremost financial and economic authority now. 

Ibraheem Abdullateef is a Nigerian youth leader and freelance journalist. He tweets at @_ibraheemlateef.

By Muhammad Sabiu

Oby Ezekwesili, Nigeria’s former Minister of Education, has called on the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, to resign and stop embarrassing the country.

Mrs Ezekwesili’s remark came after reports that Mr Emefiele had acquired the All Progressives Congress presidential nomination and expression of interest form for N100 million on Friday in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

“I just read your waffling neither-here-nor-there tweet reacting to news of your payment of N100M for the APC Nomination form for 2023 Presidential election,” Mrs Ezekwesili tweeted.

“Seems you did not read what the APC Spokesperson said to @Bloomberg. Resign. Stop embarrassing the country. Stop.”

Mr Emefiele, according to the former minister, has turned over the leadership of the apex bank to the president since assuming office.

She went on to say that the bank’s “ill-advised monetary actions” during the last seven years were “political.”

She added that Mr Emefiele’s CBN’s bad monetary policies after Buhari took office in 2015 were proof that the bank had turned over its independence to the president.

By Ali Tijjani Hassan

Lately, in the previous weeks, Adamu Garba, from Adamawa state, declared his interest in vying for the office of the President of Nigeria under the platform of the ruling party, the APC, in 2023. Adamu, a young entrepreneurial pedagogy with fervent learning ability, nestled the slogan of the Youth-4-Youth movement. He’s a source of motivation, inspiration, and encouragement to the young generation.

After watching his declaration of interest speech and reading his visionary parable, “This is my Nigerian vision for the Presidency”, I learnt that; bundles of courage and braveness are kept in this young man. He meant business-like to his ambition. If elected, Adamu vows to tackle national threats like corruption, unemployment and insecurity.

The young Adamu, in his 40s, held no public office before his declaration. He’s likely to be a corruption-free citizen, and he could make a good President if elected and be the ‘Mr. Integrity’ we were craving earlier. As he said, “we failed many experiments with individuals that know nothing but public service”. Adamu’s mind is not obsessed and dominated by lively greed.

Adamu dreams of lifting the country close to heaven by transforming it into 21st century Nigeria. So, we can compete globally in diplomacy, development and economic productivity.

The audacity of fundraising:

President Muhammadu Buhari bamboozled Nigerians to send their accumulative income to his ‘fes benk’ account when contesting in 2015. Numerous Nigerians see it as fraudulent and daylight robbery that the aspirants use to avoid bankruptcy. If they do, so they lose to make it in the primaries. Buhari used this beguiling technique twice during his democratic terms, becoming a modus-operandi among shining politicians. It’s one of Nigeria’s political cultures that many Nigerians hate.

If this fraud has to be put into practice amidst this life plight and economic hardship, no politician fits the kind of supportive gestures from his followers than two political idols; Sen. Shehu Sani of Kaduna state and Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano state. But to all my pleasure, these humble men surreptitiously take their form of interest without coward ploy.

Adamu Garba ll has adapted this weapon and paved his way to national legendary. The matter arose and transmuted to night thunder not only to Adamu Garba ll but also to many deceitful cartoon-sketch candidates. But alas, he received the shocking response of his life, as most of the responders took his notion as a joke and responded with a kind of joke we’ve never witnessed.

The saddened part is that some people are busy promoting this delusional love to the spendthrift governor like one of Yobe state. In a saner clime, people to used their hard-earned money to sponsor any candidate is not a good idea. Still, with the kind of deception we witnessed from the previous candidate that went through the same system, the culture has to be stopped and allow people to deal with the incompetency of these politicians.

Ali Tijjani Hassan wrote from Potiskum, Yobe state via alitijjanihhassan@gmail.com.

By Engr. Mustapha Habu Ringim

The innovative Almajiri School Initiative of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ), directly or indirectly, challenged northern Nigerian elites on the intense need for a proper plan and execution of any sustainable way of curtailing the menace of the Almajiri system of education. He did his best during his tenure. We expect the incumbent government and the next one to build on where that administration stopped to ensure continuity.

I don’t know how Northern Nigeria is becoming so loose that our communities find it difficult to maintain essential infrastructures like those installed during the GEJ government. Instead of optimising the system, we allowed the structures and the equipment to rot away. We abandoned the schools. Today no one cares to adopt the strategy even in our localities, neither our philanthropists nor any NGO.

Most of our elites are only good at criticism. You will never see them when it comes to action. They instead spend their energy on empty talks and promises. While in a situation like the one Arewa is subjected to, action is mostly needed, with less noise. Though we all agree that “facta non verba”, actions speak louder than words, we always end up talking the wrong walk instead of walking the right talks.

Alhamdu Lillah, we started a model of such a system within our jurisdiction, called ENGAUSAR ALMAJIRAI, under Engausa Global Tech. Hub, which has recently attracted an intervention from NITDA Nigeria and a solo philanthropist from JOS Plateau State, Alh. Yusuf Yahaya Kwande. I don’t want to say much about the outcomes at the moment until we achieve enough to discuss. I always prepare walking the talk instead of the opposite.

We had witnessed a similar effort to revamp the TSANGAYA SYSTEM in Kano State during Malam Ibrahim Shekarau’s tenure. Shekarau transformed the Tasanga (Almajiri School) system and provided Almajirai and their teachers (Malaman Tsangaya) with sustainable means of livelihood. But unfortunately, the innovative Tsangaya System, sphere-headed by Dr Bashir Galadanci, a man with a sincerity of purpose, was abolished by the successor of Shekarau. And all the achievements recorded from the innovative system were brought back to square one.

Moreover, this is how the monotonous lack of continuity in governance, lack of patriotism, and focus are consuming every program or policy designed to transform our socioeconomic and sociocultural activities. In the same way, Kano ICT Park and Jigawa Galaxy Back Borne and Informatics suffered from the unpatriotic people at the helm of the affairs of Nothern Nigeria. Both Jigawa and Kano would have been ahead of Lagos regarding the digital ecosystem and digital economy. As of 2005, Jigawa was rated as the best ICT State in Nigeria due to the achievements recorded from those iconic “digital wings”.

Our society needs a new set of purposeful leaders, the likes of Borno State Governor Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum. We require leaders who are ready to sacrifice their lives for any struggle necessary to save our society from obscurity to prominence. With such Zulum’s prominent achievements, the progress recorded under Shekarau in Kano, and that of Goodluck at the federal level, we now have a concrete reason to disagree with anyone who thinks Nigerians will never be taken to the proverbial promised land.

Engr. Mustapha Habu Ringim wrote from Kano via ringims@gmail.com.

By Ahmad Abdullahi

About eight years ago, the All Progressives Congress (APC) appeared to be in a huge dilemma over the selection of a Presidential Running Mate who will fly the flag of the party alongside its candidate General Muhammadu Buhari who just won the party’s primary election. APC’s dilemma was justifiable as they were trying to bring on someone credible that will balance the ticket and make it acceptable enough to stand a strong chance against the mighty PDP.

After so much intrigue within some intense and eventful 48 hours, Professor Yemi Osinbajo got the Vice-presidential ticket to the surprise of many Nigerians. Many expressed fears about whether he carries the political capital strong enough to help the ticket deliver. Little did many know of the Professors’ charming simplicity and intelligent technicality alongside his mass appeal that saw the ticket going all the way. The rest is now history.

Like in 2015, today, we are again witnessing a period when Presidential candidates are being profiled based on their ethnic affiliations instead of their pedigrees. We are having candidates getting attacked desperately on sentiments and arguments that bring nothing to the table except confusion and division. Being a front-runner for Nigeria’s number one job, the Vice President is one of the most prominent victims of these ethnoreligious motivated attacks

As expected, the build-up to Osinbajo’s presidential declaration has been greeted by so many criticisms, many of whom are targeted towards tarnishing his image and rubbishing his candidacy through lies, character assassination and carefully tailored misinformation. Osinbajo’s attackers are hell-bent on bringing down his candidacy even before it gets started. This goes to tell how significant he is in the political equation of 2023 despite many trying hard to dismiss his impacts over the last seven years.

The Vice President has been accused of being a religious and ethnic bigot. Some have gone as far back as his pre-political life to try to convince people of what many facts have proven him not to be. If we are to be fair to Osinbajo, the man is solely building his presidential campaign on the strength of his adventures of the last seven years in which opportunity has entrusted him with a national assignment that requires him to be fair to all Nigerians. As such you cannot use any other criteria to judge him.

In his first five years in office, he has supervised and presided over the initiation and implementation of the largest Social Investment Programme in the history of Contemporary Africa. A program that has been transparent, just and detribalized. Nobody can prove that he has used his position to skew the benefits of the social investment programme towards favouring any religion or region. It is one of the rarest programmes that tricked down to the doorsteps of the poor and downtrodden across all states of the federation.

In mid-2017, Nigeria almost plunged into a national ethno-religious crisis when the Biafran agitators were at the peak of their renewed call for separation. The Federal Government under the wisdom and initiative of the then Acting President Professor Yemi Osinbajo conducted a series of consultative meetings with various groups of leaders and people of societal influence across the country to make sure that the situation is tamed and controlled. Osinbajo tirelessly interacted separately with leaders of thought from the North and the South East, traditional and religious leaders from the same regions as well as all 36 state governors. This was no doubt a big positive step that even the opposition Peoples Democratic Party commended.

In their first tenure, Osinbajo’s same Christian constituency which some believe he is favouring accused him of working with President Buhari to Islamize Nigeria. The outcries became so worrisome that Osinbajo made a public clarification. He said that one day, he woke up around 6:00 am in the morning and saw a text message on his phone sent by a renowned Christian leader who said to him that one day he will account for his actions of allowing Muslims to dominate and take over the government of Nigeria. The Vice President has passed through all this only now to be labelled a Christian bigot.

He further said that he wondered what informed that sort of message while statistics show that there are two more Christians than Muslims in Buhari’s cabinet as of then. He cited an example of a time when a Northern Senator visited President Buhari in his presence and complained bitterly about the marginalization of his people. He however left with the embarrassing information that North West, his zone was leading in the number of heads of government parastatals with 47, followed by South West, South-South, South East, North East and then North Central. Why didn’t this senator do his homework before complaining? Misinformation.

I remember in one of our interactions with him in the last two years, he said if Nigeria disintegrates into smaller countries that can be run over at will by powerful ones, every region will be disadvantaged in different proportions. He, therefore, said our strengths lie in our diversities, number and size. He gave the example of Lagos State’s economy being six times bigger than that of Rwanda despite all the so-called giant strides recorded by Paul Kagame over the years. He emphasized that the country needs not to disintegrate into smaller parts for people to have the opportunity of holding public office and if it is his face or that of President Buhari you dislike that you want secession, then know that, their days in office are numbered but Nigeria can live forever.

As Acting President, he made one of the most diplomatic and yet authoritative efforts to save Nigeria from untimely disintegration in 2017. He brought together all political, traditional and professional stakeholders in Aso Rock to further boost their confidence in the Nigerian Project. Therefore, no one can question his resolve for national unity and integration.

I think the Vice President can be accused of anything but not religious, regional or ethnic bigotry. If anything, he is perhaps the most qualified Nigerian among those seeking the Presidency. He is the first and only Professor to become President or Vice President in Nigeria and has so far adequately demonstrated why the most educated among us need to be allowed to serve at the highest level. He is the most adequately educated and professionally inclined Presidential hopeful among the very top living Nigerians today.

The Vice President has delivered within the limit of authority, opportunity and responsibility at his disposal. He has spent seven solid years serving Nigerians and the President with uncommon patience, dedication and humility. He has never been disappointed in any task assigned to him. Unlike many Presidential hopefuls who are planning to run from regional, religious, political and selfish motivations, the VP plans to become a true Nigerian candidate and a president for all Nigerians.

That he has been to almost every Local Government in Nigeria is not and cannot be an exaggeration. His long-life push for justice reform in Nigeria has taken him to so many nooks and crannies in the country, The trader and market Moni social investment programmes have seen him monitor and visit rural and remote areas that even ward councillors may not fancy going. The same people who accused him of show-off and pretence when he was making such visits are now the ones denying he ever embarked on such visits.

That he has declared to continue from where the President Buhari has stopped is a diplomatic way of saying that he is the man who understands all the successes of this administration and is in a better position to build on them, and also the man who understands all its shortcomings and is in a better position to make up for them. However, some are hell-bent on twisting the narrative.

Those accusing him of political betrayal are tactically telling Nigerians that the Presidency is the birthright of some mighty individuals and it is, therefore, a crime for ordinary people like Osinbajo to make an attempt on it. What some people are having very difficulty swallowing is why will an ordinary teacher and lawyer who is not even a former governor or ex-minister and has become Vice president just become President? Who is he? But they forget, that power belongs to God.

The 2023 presidential election would have been won and lost by this time next year. It may be Osinbajo or anyone else. However, it is clear even to his worst enemies that the Vice President has all the required credentials to make a good President. Deploying arsenals of calumny campaigns to stop him will not work, only divine destiny can do that.

The writer is the Team Lead of the Osinbajo-Face of Hope Project. He can be contacted via info@ofaceofhope.com.