Masses, Presidency, Mrs. Buhari Who Got It Wrong

May 29 2015 Nigerians witnessed the new dawn with inauguration of retired Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari as the president of Federal Republic of Nigeria after Nigerians voted out a sitting President Good luck Jonathan out of office.

As the new administration assumed office, hopes and expectations of Nigerians are obviously very high, with most people expressing the belief that president Buhari would correct all perceptible anomalies in the political and socio-economic life of the country.  Such expectations are widespread, considering the “change’’ mantra of the APC and its presidential candidate in the lead-up to the 2015 elections.  

One of the reasons Nigerians voted for PMB’s administration was to sanitize the system and put an end to things like secretive employment, corruption and nepotism but unfortunately, things like this have continued to happen under your watch at an alarming rate, and the most painful part of it is your continued silence. Unfortunately PMB administration is characterized with high level of nepotism at the detriment of the Nigerian masses that sacrificed a lot and spent hours under the sun to vote for you.  The people’s expectation for a pragmatic change in every aspect of national life was quite high and   Nigerians fail to see changes promised to them by PMB and all became disillusioned.

Securing job by graduates son and daughters of common Nigerian were shocked and disappointed to say the least when we heard about it because the children of the masses were not aware of any public recruitment conducted by FIRS, NNPC, NPA and other lucrative agencies.   Despite all these set backed Nigerians exercise patient with hope   President  Buhari would led  Nigeria’s economic turn-around and create the basis for its improved prosperity, but still Nigerians heard more excuses for failure in that regard.    Nigerians expected Buhari-government   to provide urgent solutions to some of the myriad challenges facing the nation and its citizens. But the Nation’s economy and wellbeing of Nigerians suffer most because economy has gone from modest growth to its first recession in 25 years, putting the nation’s goal of becoming one of the world’s 20 largest economies by 2020 virtually beyond reach.

Unemployment has risen from 8.2% in the second quarter of 2015 to 13.9% in the third quarter of 2016, and the year-on-year inflation rate has doubled from 9% to an 11‑year high of 18.7% in January 2017.

Nigerian masses are angry and questioning PMB leadership and style of governance Masses and even Buharist but not blindside one condemned and frowned at it in totality. We couldn’t imagine that an injustice of this nature could happened under his able leadership, nearly end of his first term in public office and investors are still awaiting his economic agenda. Nigerians are doubtful with his statement that he belong to everybody and he belong to nobody. We are beginning to think that he belong to them and he does not belong to us. Nigerians hopeful to see his administration to be indifferent from the previous administration but with the way things are going couple with his continued silence, Nigerians  are no longer sure if he is really alive to the plight of the masses and if he really have Nigerians at heart.

On several occasions the wife of the president Aisha Buhari voicing her fears about her husband and the administration. Though in our African culture its wrong but she was saying the truth and nothing but the truth, but she was saying the fact.

Show me the woman in her shoes that would not get mad with the way things are moving where as our perceived Lion King is encircled by jackals and hyenas – and even rodents that never fought for the birth of the administration came onboard and are having a field day.

But in all Aisha’s outburst against the administration was a genuine expression of concerned about her straying husband as it was not a personal cry for freedom from  monstrously powerful people in the Presidency who were wrapping her husband around their small fingers.

Wife of the president having had a low key life watching things on sidelines but without trepidation broke her silent when the masses cried loudly on the ways things went wrongly and the way so called  invisibles behind the power maneuvering the administration in their own selfish ways.

Its apt to quote her interview with Hausa BBC London,  ‘’a lot of people are expressing their unhappiness over the way few acquaintance of the president  that  have hijacked power while neglecting people that works for his success.

I am not a government official, but in my opinion as a women and mother, I need to state that my position was a result of my sense of justice and not confrontation or disrespect. “as we are all aware, Nigerians elected this administration based on the trust and confidence they have on PMB husband; I, therefore, feel that we are here to serve Nigeria to the best of our ability.

At the heated debate of the issue President Buhari tried to deflect the bombshell by joking in an interview (with German Chancellor Angela Merkel sitting by his side), that his wife should be forgiven for venturing outside her place in “the other room.

May be she does secretly in other room without heed her feared. To many the interview was considered too critical of her husband’s administration but to her convictions was based on sense of justice and was not meant to be confrontational or a sign of disrespect, as she said “I need to state that my position was a result of my sense of justice and not confrontation or disrespect. I was brought up to stand by the truth and this is how I have always been.

Last year, the wife of the President, also paid an unscheduled visit to the State House Clinic in Abuja where she criticize the management of the hospital for their inability to provide basic drugs and equipment despite billions of naira proposed for the hospital in successive budgets.

Supporting her criticism, she said “I was sick  they called  Aso Clinic to find out if the X-ray machine is working, they said it is not working and  didn’t know I am the one that was supposed to be in that hospital at that very time.

“I had to go to a hospital that was established by foreigners in and out 100 percent. What does that mean?

As bold and fearless wife of the president, Hajiya Aisha Buhari  lambasted the All Progressive congress (APC) for its alleged undemocratic principles.

In a tweet on her official handle said, APC denied many aspirants the opportunity to earn the party’ tickets after purchasing its expensive forms.

“It is disheartening to note that some aspirants used their hard earned money to purchase nomination forms, got screened, cleared and campaigned vigorously yet found their names omitted on primary election day, these forms were bought at exorbitant prices.

If we can be honest all in these incidents she erupted angrily does it for the achievements of her husband.

Now we are fast approaching the 2019 elections not knowing that his popularity among his  followers is fast diminishing especially in the North West as those that encircled Lion King telling him he still have the upper hand and best thing ever happens to Nigeria since unification of the country in 1904.

They know that his popularity among masses is no longer the same due to the administration policies which masses each passing day battling for survival.

If care is not taken and its seem is too late Baba is at the risk of a rebellion in his own base for neglecting those (masses) that had been his glue since 2002 voicing their reservations for lack of respect and sense of belonging to them by those in the administration.

In fact without contradictions what she had feared is likely to roof top on the administration if care is not taken, the scenarios that shaped 2015 elections will repeat itself where a seating government will be voted out as a result of masses anger.

Like mine Buharist since 2002 feeling alienated to be honest, opposition party presidential candidate is gaining ground in Kano state which its hotbed of PMB political base and other part of northern states. It’s a creepy situation even as die hard Buharist are having rethink of continue working toward his success due to neglect and lack of respect from the administration officials.

For example among those that were appointed by the administration from Kano is  one rascal using electronics medium to insult anyone he wishes Kai!!!, Even the sitting governor is not immune from his rascality.

To add salt to injury most of his officials from Kano state are not accessible and those that accessible arrogantly tell people that they are not politicians and cannot help because they benefits nothing from the system  of  our own former lion as generally perceived.

So where does she got it wrong when voicing her fear about her husband and the administration?

Abba Dukawa can be reached at abbahydukawa@yahoo.com