Editorial

Buhari’s declaration to seek a second term

 

Earlier this week, at the National Executive Committee, NEC meeting of the All Progressives Congress, APC, President Muhammadu Buhari announced to his party men that he was going to seek their support for a renewed tenure since his first four years is coming to an end next year. As we speak the president has been in power for two years, and nearly eleven months. By May, it will be three years since he assumed power from what can be termed “electoral revolution” especially from a Nigerian point of view.
His declaration expectedly has generated wide reactions. While partisans are divided according to their interests, independents are equally divided according to their interests. Many APC faithful are glad at the news. They are elated for different reasons. On the other hand many members of the opposition have decried the declaration. To them there’s nothing new the president is likely to return to do differently. They claim that he has performed poorly, old and has been ill as such may not be the right person to run Nigeria going forward. Of course, the country has gone from severe economic troubles which engendered high unemployment rate, recession, etc.
On the president’s part, to be fair he is yet to let us know why he is contesting again. He merely announced to his party men and we expect that he will give a comprehensive report in due time. Nonetheless, if we are to go by the words of some of his advisers and admirers, there are indeed some accomplishments that the president can rely on. Although things were bad, it could have been worse, it could also have been better. The jury is out there. At least for us, contesting election in Nigeria should not only be about rights. Yes, the rights are fundamental, but should not replace the core mission of an aspirant.
We say this because of the noise that has been made over the last couple of weeks. People, some very important personalities have come up to tell the president not to seek re-election. The comments by people like Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida for example tried to dissuade the president from seeking re-election. Our fears at the time was that the unsolicited advise was going to steer discussions during the campaign period to rights or no right. Nigerians will be occupied by the constitutionality of Buhari’s ambition rather than questions about his performance in office.
The question will equally be whether he is strong enough considering his age and health status to run the country should he win post 2019. We have allowed mundane issues (again) to take centre stage of what we should be discussing. At this time, the issues should be the point. Issues about economy, unemployment, insecurity, education, health should be at the centre stage of our election discussions, not age and more importantly, not the advice of some individuals, no matter how highly placed. The decision to contest or not for any position in Nigeria should be left to the individual, his, not his family and the political party. Instead of asking another person not to contest, the rest of us should focus on propping up an opponent so that the people we do not want can be defeated in a free and fair poll not by subterfuge.
The country has outgrown where a president is asked by individuals to not put himself or herself forward for possible election. It is better for the person to lose the election than to chicken out in the circumstance. Now therefore, since the president has thrown his hat in the ring, let the game begin. It’s instructive that so far, not many gladiators have shown real interest in the biggest job in the land. It’s as if people are scared or are they bidding their time? In the APC, the president is the first and only person to show interest in the presidency. In the main opposition party, Atiku Abubakar has shown a lukewarm interest. There are other names that have been bandied about in PDP yet none has come forward, ten months to the poll in 2019.
Interestingly, a few new faces have come up either in New parties or some that have no parties yet. Some of these other persons are leveraging on their fresh face or young age. They feel that Nigerians are on the look out for young people to lead them. They cite examples from far and wide. They feel that the age of Nigeria’s leadership is then cause of our underdevelopment.
Well, posterity will tell if this is true or not. We are however glad that our political space has been opened to everyone who feels he or she has what it takes. A liberalised political system ensures stability and safety. At least everyone is free to ventilate his or her ideas and rights. The president has shown the way, let everyone that nurses one ambition or the other speak up now. And let people get serious.
Winning election in a complex country like Nigeria is not a product of brainwave, you need to put in a lot of work. Let the campaigns begin.

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