By Toyin Dawodu
Buhari Isn’t Getting Better, But He May Be Getting Worse!
A recent report in the Nigerian publication, SaharaReporters,
revealed that President Buhari is having
difficulty eating and drinking but is not being allowed to travel for medical treatment. As at the
time of writing this article, the president has not refuted this report.
*Buhari |
For more than
six months, Buhari’s administration has kept quiet on the president’s
deteriorating health. No one has even told the citizens of Nigeria what
ails the president. We don’t know if he is capable of discharging his
constitutional duties. We don’t know if he has the ability to make sound
decisions anymore. We don’t even know if he retains power over his own day to
day activities. All we know is something is most certainly wrong.
We have men and
women whom we elected to office who have not demanded transparency of Buhari’s
administration. The Nigerian people have a right to know if their president is
unable to fulfill his duties.
In a statement
issued by Chief Bisi Akande, the founding National Chairman of the All
Progressives Congress (APC), Akande called on Nigerians to “pray fervently” for
Buhari’s health.
After prayers,
then what? Buhari is sick! He cannot perform his duties. If Chief Akande wants
to lead any movement for Nigerians, it should involve more than just sending
prayers. There must also be progressive action. A movement that truly helps Nigeria would
be encouraging Buhari to resign to allow his capable Vice President to lead the
nation. Refusing to act is not an option, and failure to do so will result in
electoral punishment for APC, come 2019.
Leaders like
Barrister Femi Falana are urging the president to go on medical leave.
Nonsense! Ask the president outright, “What
ails you, Mr. President?” and “If you
cannot perform your duties, sir, we respectfully ask that you resign.” Are
Nigerian leaders really so gutless they would rather watch
This level of
incompetence reminds me of an article I wrote two years ago in which I
postulated that Nigeria
is not a country, but a conspiracy of the elites.
It is unethical
and perhaps even unconstitutional for representatives to stand by in silence
when Chapter VI, Section 144 (1) of the Nigerian constitution gives them the
power to relieve Buhari of his duties if he is too sick to lead Nigeria .
Now, the
question is who among Nigeria ’s
den of “legisla-thieves” will stand
up and make such a demand?
Is it the
President of the Senate who is currently under indictment for corruption?
Maybe one of the spineless corrupt leaders of the so-called ruling party will
speak up. Even the elected leaders of the opposition have gone silent. My
theory is that they owe their various legislative committee chairmanships to
the conspiracy that ushered in both the President of the Senate and the Speaker
of the House.
And so, the conspiracy continues. The nation is almost at a
standstill. The people grin and bear it while the elites play host as cruise
directors of the sinking ship that is Nigeria .
It is Time for People to Rise Up!
Two years ago, President Jonathan summoned enough courage to constitute a national conference but lacked the will to follow through implementing the outcomes decided in the conference. So too the leaders of the APC - who cooperatively are just as corrupt as the Katsina Mafia - are too spineless to make their party implement regional autonomy or complete federation as called for in the constitution.
Two years ago, President Jonathan summoned enough courage to constitute a national conference but lacked the will to follow through implementing the outcomes decided in the conference. So too the leaders of the APC - who cooperatively are just as corrupt as the Katsina Mafia - are too spineless to make their party implement regional autonomy or complete federation as called for in the constitution.
Courageous
people like Femi Fani Kayode have advocated regional autonomy. The elites would
never allow such a thing to happen because they don’t want to risk losing their
grip on the corrupt, yet profitable, centralized system from which they derive
their power.
Restoring order
is now left for the people of Nigeria ,
and we will do what we must. A revolution that cannot be brought about
peacefully will lead to unforeseen circumstances. Let me be clear. I am not
advocating violence or the unconstitutional removal of President Buhari. But it
may be time for Nigerians to review, protect and strengthen whatever remains of
the bond that holds the country together.
We must
acknowledge the fact that President Buhari is very sick. As a fellow Nigerian,
my heart aches for him and I fervently pray for his full recovery. But that is
not all that must be done.
In my recent
article about Buhari's health, I urged him to retire from his post and focus on
his health. But even if that is Buhari’s wish, his handlers are unwilling to
comply. These are greedy men who only care about maintaining their control of Nigeria ’s resources, not the recovery and
success of Nigeria
as a nation. The President’s two closest advisers have been implicated in
several corrupt allegations by Nigerian newspapers. Neither the president nor
his henchmen have made any attempts to refute any of the allegations.
If Buhari fails
to resign, Nigeria
is in danger of imploding politically. If he loves Nigeria as much as he claims, he
will not lie on his deathbed and refuse to pave way for an orderly transfer of
power. Nigeria
has a capable vice president who can successfully and healthfully finish the
term of Buhari’s administration and create a legacy for his presidency.
There is an old
theater saying: "An actor leaves the
stage while the ovation is loudest."
Nigerians
elected President Buhari because Nigeria is in need of change. So far, the only change that has
taken place is the driving of Nigeria 's
economy into a ditch. The APC party by which Buhari came to power has
proved it is just as incompetent as the PDP it succeeded.
Some people
would like to believe Nigeria
needed Buhari to continue the fight against corruption. But Buhari’s cohorts
are corrupt. How effective can he really be in a fight against those closest to
him?
Anyone who
knows the history of Nigeria
would understand that Buhari may claim not to be corrupt, but he has the
mandate to maintain the stranglehold of the Fulani or the Katsina Mafia with
the full cooperation of the greedy elites on the Nigerian economy.
When Buhari
announced that he was still interested in running the affairs of Nigeria , I was
just as enthusiastic as every Nigerian to support his efforts. But the moment
he announced his transition committee and made Ahmed Joda his transition
chairman, I knew all his promises to clean up corruption were for nothing.
So, now I ask
again: Who has the balls to call for President Buhari to step down?
Ahmed Joda is
one of the ex-Super-Permanent Secretaries who has controlled Nigeria for more than fifty years.
Joda has personally been part of nearly every administration in Nigeria , in one
form or another. Does he have the guts to publicly call for Buhari’s
resignation?
Are there any
national leaders of the APC who will speak for Nigeria ? It is time for APC members
to take stock of Buhari’s achievements. Has he made good on any of his
promises? What has Nigeria
to gain by keeping him in power?
Yes, let’s pray
for the president, by all means. And then let us demand of our elected
representatives that they help Nigerians to protect Nigeria .
Nigerians are
hungry for wise leaders, leaders who are bold and fearless. Where are these
leaders? Where are the men and women who will lead Nigeria in the right direction,
even in the face of constitutional crisis and national chaos?
*Dawodu is a commentator on public issues
A good write up and a challenge to the National assembly;....Indeed,all Nigerians should arise and demand full implementation of our constitution before the ship sinks.
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