Indeed, the loneliest place to be is at the top. The enormous powers enjoyed by the president and the governors are such that every time their often helpless and dispensable assistants only massage their egos just to retain their source of livelihood and the splendor and affluence that come with public office.
Anybody free from any mood-altering substances should be abreast with the excruciating pains that Nigerians go through these days. Anybody with a substance-free vein would agree that indeed Nigerians are going through pains. You must be a millionaire to boast of taking three balanced diets daily with a family of six in Nigeria today.
Prior to May 29, 2015, when the All Progressives Congress (APC) took office under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, the party harped on its avowed commitment to check corruption, fight insecurity and grow the economy. On all fronts they have failed abysmally. That they have failed is not the problem but their consistent and irritating insistence on scoring themselves high even when available evidence on ground does not support those claims, is what I find insensitive and dump.
On June 16, Malam Garba Shehu, the president’s media aide, in a statement, said at the Passing Out Parade of the Regular Course 4/2016 Cadets of the Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil, Kano State, that the policies and actions of the government made impact on the tripod vision, in spite of challenges, assuring that more would still be done to safeguard lives and property, enhance livelihood and ensure probity.
Hear Shehu quoting the president: “As you are all aware, this administration came to office determined to make an impact in three main areas: security, building a sustainable economy and fighting against corruption.
”We can say that recent positive developments in these areas have shown that despite the challenges on ground, we can see general improvement in all three areas.
“In the area of corruption, as you are all aware, I am determined to ensure that we do not have a repeat of what has gone on in previous administrations and we have taken a strong stand against pervasive corruption.
“This administration has also focused on security by repositioning our national security to perform their duties effectively.”
I had initially chosen to ignore and dismiss that allegory supposedly made by the president as one of those comments which the president knew nothing about. After all, it has become characteristic of President Buhari to feign ignorance on several national issues.
But when last Tuesday, the president again claimed that Nigeria is now far better off than he met it, it became obvious that indeed, the president is simply trying to pull a wool over our eyes.
The President took to an exclusive interview session anchored by Bloomberg, a foreign media organisation to defend his policies as a government.
In his estimation, indices on corruption, insecurity and economic rejuvenation which formed the crux of the administration agenda upon assuming office have been shored up.
He said, “We are leaving Nigeria in a far better place than we found it. Corruption is less hidden for Nigerians feel empowered to report it without fear, while money is returned; terrorists no longer hold any territory in Nigeria, and their leaders are deceased; and vast infrastructure development sets the country on course for sustainable and equitable growth.
“In 2015, Boko Haram held territory the size of Belgium within the borders of Nigeria. Today they are close to extinction as a military force. The leader of ISWAP was eliminated by a Nigerian Airforce airstrike in March. The jets acquired from the US and intelligence shared by the British were not provided to previous administrations and stand as testament to renewed trust re-built between Nigeria and our traditional western allies under my government”.
Commenting on the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the impact it may have had in his administration and what led to its proscription, Buhari said his administration will go down history to have implemented a solution to decades-long herder-farmer conflicts, exacerbated by desertification and demographic growth.
According to him, the National Livestock Transformation Plan, which promoted ranching as a means to deplete the competition for resources, ended the clashes.
“We urge those same international partners to take additional steps costing them nothing, by proscribing another group – IPOB – as a terrorist organization. Their leadership enjoys safe haven in the West, broadcasting hate speech into Nigeria from London, spending millions lobbying members of the US Congress, and freely using international financial networks to arm agitators on the ground. This must stop.
“My administration is the only in Nigeria’s history to implement a solution to decades-long herder-farmer conflicts, exacerbated by desertification and demographic growth. The National Livestock Transformation Plan, putting ranching at its core, is the only way to deplete the competition for resources at the core of the clashes. Governors from some individual states have sought to play politics where ranches have been established; but where there have been disputes have dramatically reduced.”
First, the president simply lied. We cannot be talking of a country that is still shell-shocked by the activities of gunmen all over the country and the president is talking about decimating leaders of Boko Haram. But pray, which is more serious is it Boko Haram controlling territories in one state, or the universal spread of bandits, terrorists and killer-herders? Our forests in the country have been taken over by killer-herders and terrorists – you can call them whatever name you want – who are unleashing mayhem, killing and taking hostages and demanding ransom, how can the president in clear conscience claim that the nation is better secure now than before 2015?
The president’s choice of narrative of farmers-herders clashes is one made to deceive. The truth is that the Fulani herders have been, as part of their expansionist agenda, sacking communities taking over abodes of original indigenes. Can President Buhari tell the world why Fulani herders carry AK-47? How can a cutlass-wielding farmer engage an AK-47-bearing herder in a clash? It is a one-sided attack that is accentuated by the fact that President Buhari and his likes turn a blind eye, while the killer-herders enjoy a free rein.
President Buhari’s claim of fighting corruption is another black lie that cannot be supported by facts on the ground. The level of corruption and impunity under this administration is unprecedented. Nepotism is the worst form of corruption and the president does not score well on that. The consequence being that the president runs a government where everybody is lord onto himself and herself. The humongous resource reported to have been embezzled by Ahmed Idris, former accountant general of federation gives a clear picture of the reign of the APC in government.
Similarly, the president’s fixation about IPOB and his selective approach to fighting insecurity is the main reason the entire nation is in turmoil. IPOB for all the atrocities they are accused of cannot be compared with the activities of rampaging Fulani killer-herders who have not hidden the fact that they are above the law.
The president was also insincere in claiming that the National Livestock Transformation Plan, which he said promotes ranching as a means to deplete the competition for resources, ended the clashes. It is also not true as the killings continue till date.
The president’s preference for open grazing is known to all. He has pursued that agenda to the point of dividing the nation, but for the resistance by the people, he would have had his way. To President Buhari there is nothing wrong with cows taking over the federal secretariat complex in Abuja.
Nigeria is at the precipice and the President’s actions and decisions always tilt in favour of his ethnic tribe, region and religion; these have brought the nation on the verge of collapse on several occasions. That is the reason we are where we are now; his inability to manage our diversity. Telling the nation that things are better now than before is a lie told with a straight face.
