I am going to warn anybody who thinks he has enough influence in his locality to lead a body of thugs, snatch ballot boxes or to disturb the voting system, he will do it at the expense of his own life,” the Nigerian leader said at a caucus meeting of the ruling APC.
‘It is more damaging for a leader to say foolish things than to do them’ so said Cardinal de Retz who lived between 1613 and 1679. Kill anyone snatching or stealing ballot box is rather too much coming from head of a family or a good leader, was the reaction. A democratic nation or jungle? You may want to ask too.
Applicable provision of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) Offence and Penalty stated that anyone “destroying or snatching any election material shall be imprisoned for a period of 12 months”. While unlawful possession or selling or buying of voter’s card, bribery of INEC officials or security officer to rig election attracts half a million naira or an imprisonment of two years. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Federal Executive Council (FEC) members through Lai Mohammed also agreed and very few others see nothing bad in that just in the name of winning election at all cost.
But the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said at a press conference in Abuja thereafter and disagreed with Mr President. The Professor and his commission chose to stand by the ‘Electoral Act’.
Indeed, you can’t run away from your weakness, maybe the INEC chairman needs to be seconded as a political adviser to prevent re-occurrence because of what such statement can do as damage in our polity.
That’s a military hangover, democracy does not permit summary execution of suspects…you can arrest them and prosecute them. But to order the extrajudicial killing of citizens, that’s clearly another sign of anti-democratic attitude on the part of the present government. It does not have a democratic mood; a tweeter tutored the President’s legal team.
Many thought that was the best of the best of the latest drama but imagine the trending video, OMG! Baba Buhari is checking to see if his wife Aisha voted for him…’trust no one’ a friend tweeted only if you don’t trust yourself. There is no shame being afraid, we all do, but what are you afraid of is the question Nigerians should ask our president. He made it come alive; indeed, allegiance is truly very flexible.
The process of eating is gratifying, so is the process of peeping, but everyone knows what to expect when you touch and smell poopoo, I knew that since I was a child.
Yes, Hajia may have laughed it off, but in her inner mind, the storm. I wondered how she felt, even what will be their children’s thought about this…but the ‘woman no get choice’ but to look, see, hear but say nothing.
But the question begging for answer is the appropriateness or otherwise. Though, condemnations are in millions, many agreed it shows the undemocratic life of Mr President…what an irony? Imagine, if this can happen in public space, then….only God knows what goes on private…many think what is private should be private and what is public should be treated as such.
Some take is ‘only God knows what type of husband he is; to pry into his wife’s civic right and ‘constitutional duty’, I pity Hajia…we sometimes give the best of our hearts uncritical of those who hardly think about us in return.
Yes, information is critical to power, lack of it separate men from the boys, foreknowledge of where she belongs and choice of vote ought to have been known by now, or what do you think?
None of the political aides, ministers, kitchen cabinet boys and even the cabal know her mind, I Stand with her…truly; foreknowledge cannot be elicited from the spirits or from gods.
You do not judge your opponents by their intentions but by the effect of their actions, Baba Buhari just proved that…power is a game and this cannot be repeated too often.
Ordinary people see through their normal eyes, I wish he had no advisers. Many thought because he need not stare publicly if he must know, or what is your thought about that?
When you believe the only means to gain one’s end with opposing views and people are by force, it is as it was clearly shown that there is ‘no democracy’ in Buhari’s family – Mr President needs to understand that democracy is about the people ability to express different opinions. Life without different opinions can never make success…to be very successful you need a critical mind with other options.
-many are wondering how long with another of such from the highest office holder in the land teaches the youths.
Despite their differences, they fought together..a matter of rhetoric is abstaining, Buhari is making Goodluck Ebele Jonathan look like a better statesman; according to reactions from other friends, GEJ never did such to Mama Peace. In fact, GEJ and Mama Peace always support and represent each other’s voice and image. Many belief they must have sought out things privately and never in public space. It is a case many considered the action coming from a ruler more than husband. Or maybe there is more than meet the eye…an enemy you don’t know may be coming to take you – was just the simple explanation.
No better place for low pursuit than beneath the ground. Though, that a woman who always say the reality and truth is truthful, wise and serious counsels Baba need to heal to.
Everything you’ve ever wanted in on the other side of fear, a cat cannot become a dog…so just be the best cat you can be. An Indian philosopher said leaders see through spies, as cows through smell, Brahmins through scriptures and the rest of ordinary people through their normal eyes. In valour there is hope, one may fully understand what it feels until you’ve experienced it yourself, ask Aisha.
In this land of the two-eyed, the third eye is what is needed to give you what you wanted, you see further than others and you see deeper too, my simple advice to Baba. *Ayobrown, Senior System Analyst, National Pilot
Newspaper, writes via aayobrown@gmail.com
