2023 Election: More Questions as Buhari, Friends Part Ways
- Ahead of the 2023 general election, there are so many questions on the lips of Nigerians regarding the performance of the president so far
- The candidate in the forthcoming polls would determine to a large extent if the nation would progress or retrogress
- Meanwhile, this piece by Legit.ng highlights President Muhammdu Buhari's close allies and how they've dumped him a few after months before 2023, after being confused with the results of the administration so far
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Ahead of the 2015 election, the majority of Nigerians believed Buhari would make a better president, hence they formed what appeared like an alliance with the then opposition, the All Progressives Congress (APC). Nigerians believed that having made several attempts at the presidency unsuccessfully, Buhari would do a better job.
Former president, Goodluck Jonathan was the man under the heat of that moment.
Nigerians had complained of a marginal rise in dollar and pound, high cost of living and most of all, high level of insecurity.
Source: Facebook
Insecurity weakened Jonathan
One of the weakest points of the Jonathan government was the invasion of the nation’s capital, Abuja by the Boko Haram insurgents and the bombing of strategic places like the Force Headquarters and Banex plaza. And analysts believe that if there is anything Buhari had done, it’s the pushing of the insurgents far off the nation’s capital.
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Recall that the Zuba-Dei-Dei axis used to experience serious traffic due to the stop and search operations by the military upon arrival of travelers and visitors into Nigeria’s capital (Abuja).
Lai Mohammed’s defense for Buhari govt
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed had said at several fora that Buhari saved the nation’s capital from the ‘claws and jaws’ of Boko Haram; something he had claimed Jonathan failed to do. He alleged that the government under Jonathan was not able to stop the insurgents from penetrating the nation’s capital, something Buhari had been able to stop since his emergence.
The federal government had on several occasions reeled out several achievements by President Muhammadu Buhari and one of them was a press briefing by Lai Mohammed. Legit.ng recalls the Tuesday, June 1 mid-term report of the administration's second term in office.
According to Mohammed, no administration in the history of the country had achieved what Buhari had achieved since his assumption of office.
The Minister said:
“Let me repeat what I have said many times in the past: Never in the history of our country has any administration done so much with so little. This administration has achieved so much despite the paucity of funds.”
Activists, others make U-turn
But a majority of Buhari’s friends have not only disagreed with him, but have parted ways with him, and now becoming the president’s most dreadful critics.
Those at the forefront of the campaign against Jonathan’s government have made a u-turn in regrets, and have since gone into a serious battle with Buhari. Activists such as Omoyele Sowore, Dele Momodu, Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah, Rev. Fr Ejike Mbaka, Haruna Abdullahi Aliyu, Dele Momodu and a host of others including the media have decried the worsening insecurity and high cost of living under the current government.
Some of the activists have either been detained or arrested for allegedly inciting the public against the government, while some media practitioners have been prosecuted by the government. Punch newspaper which was at the vanguard of the campaign against Jonathan has made a U-turn. The paper now refers to the president as General following the alleged human rights abuse under his watch.
Newspapers protest
It’s a general belief that the media played a major role in the enthronement of new leadership in the country, displacing the then incumbent, Goodluck Jonathan.
But on July 12, 2021, major newspapers across the country published a special artwork on the front page of their publications. The action, according to them was a protest against poor press freedom under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Haruna Abdullahi Aliyu regrets supporting Buhari
Popular northern Nigerian singer, Haruna Abdullahi Aliyu, had deeply regretted his support for President Muhammadu Buhari, saying supporting the president was a big mistake since he had failed the country.
Aliyu who sang Buhari’s campaign song while speaking in Hausa said, "I deeply regret singing support songs for President Buhari because he's failed Nigerians, he's not kept his campaign promises.
The singer said he regrets supporting Buhari on a number of issues badly handled by his administration. Aliyu, however, said one may not regret everything but that he regrets the majority of what he had experienced.
Fr. Mbaka laments bad governance
The Director of Adoration Ministry in Emene, Enugu, Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka, was very vocal ahead of the 2015 election and was instrumental to the success of President Muhammadu Buhari. Mbaka used his adoration ministration to drop powerful political commentary against the government of Jonathan. This turned things around for Buhari and his campaign team in the southeast, at least to a reasonable level.
But the cleric said it is wrong for Buhari to be unmoved even when insecurity is staring at him in the face. He faulted his grave silence amid widespread insecurity across the country.
According to Mbaka, if the president does not act fast, his government may be consumed before the end of its tenure.
Following his comment, the president fired back and accused the religious leader of demanding for contract as compensation for his campaign in support of the APC government. This resulted in heated controversy as Mbaka defended himself in another statement.
Matthew Hassan Kukah’s views cause controversy
The Easter message by the Bishop of the Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah has caused a devastating blow to the presidency, leading to a reaction that stressed on critics trying to divide the country. Femi Adesina had in a response blamed the bishop for being part of those attempting to divide the country.
Kukah had in his message accused President Muhammadu Buhari of placing more emphasis on the rehabilitation of ‘repentant’ Boko Haram insurgents than working to rescue school children and thousands of others from kidnappers' dens or keeping Nigerian universities open. Kukah was one of those instrumental to the success of the 2015 elections which Buhari won.
Other activists such as Omoyele Sowore who campaigned for Buhari in 2015 have fallen out with the president. Sowore had been detained severally by the Buhai government for being too critical of the government.
It’s not clear yet whether these disagreements and regrets will cause the APC government an opportunity to return to ASO rock, but it’s believed that Buhari’s image is synonymous with that of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Recall that on Sunday, April 17, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, said President Buhari has destroyed every aspect of life in Nigeria but has allowed corruption to thrive and grow.
Kukah who referred to Nigeria as one big emergency hospital alleged that everything had broken down.
In his further reply to the presidency’s reaction that castigated him, he revealed how he ensured that the 2015 election in which Buhari emerged the winner was peaceful despite an alleged threat of war.
2023: Buhari reveals crucial plan to APC governors, ministers in closed-door dinner
President Muhammadu Buhari has promised Nigerians that the 2023 general elections will be devoid of rigging and poll malpractices.
The president on Tuesday, April 19, noted that the introduction of modern technology and the Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) will make it impossible for anyone to claim millions of votes again during elections.
Buhari said this when he broke the Ramadan fast at Presidential Villa, Abuja, with some heads of government agencies, ministers, and governors on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Source: Legit.ng
Esther Odili (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Esther Odili is a journalist and a Politics/Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng with 6+ years of experience. She Holds OND and HND in Mass Communication from the Nigerian Institue of Journalism (NIJ), where she was recognized as the best student in print journalism in 2018. Before joining Legit.ng, Esther has worked with other reputable media houses, such as the New Telegraph newspaper and Galaxy Television. In 2024, Esther obtained a certificate in advanced digital reporting from the Google News Initiative. Email: esther.odili@corp.legit.ng.
Adoyi Ali Ali Adoyi is a prolific writer and a graduate of the Benue State University, Makurdi, Benue State. Adoyi holds a B.A Theatre and Communications Arts. He has bagged many awards both in academics and in journalism. Some of the awards are 10 years Journalism Merit Award, Best graduating student (Dept) Most Outstanding student (Faculty), and others. Adoyi can be reached here: adoyi.ali@corp.legit.ng
