Olatunji ‘Lanre-Baruwa: I campaigned against him in 2011, but now I choose Muhammadu Buhari

This opinion piece is inspired by the need to put the critical issues concerning Nigeria vis a vis the upcoming elections in proper perspective.  The February 14 Elections will be a referendum on the performance of the administration of the incumbent President and, the road to take to the prosperous Future of Nigeria.

Four years ago, I campaigned against General Buhari’s candidacy. Then, I hinged my arguments majorly on his age and the availability of a ready alternative to almost all the qualities he brought to the table. That alternative was Malam Nuhu Ribadu, the former EFCC Czar. It was my resolve then that Ribadu has the same (or even more) energy, audacity and integrity to fight our national albatross, Corruption, to a standstill, and win (if we all support him).

I argued in 2011 that after the Buhari/Idiagbon Regime, no Government has really attempted to fight Corruption in Nigeria. The Babangida Regime, as we come to agree, institutionalized corruption. The Shonekan Government was absolutely toothless. The Abacha Government that took over did well economically for the country, but it was as evil as it was corrupt. Then, Abdulsalam came. His stay was brief and crudely corrupt as well. The Obasanjo government was different things to many people. I never voted him. His ego was elephantine. He attempted to truncate our Democracy through his botched Third Term plot. But a lot of our national resurgence happened under him. He had an inspiring Team. It is on record that he fought corruption only selectively. But, his hatchet man, Nuhu Ribadu, stood out, along with many, for boldness and passion.

I saw Ribadu as a younger alternative to Buhari. He has a sizeable chunk of Buhari’s Anti-Corruption value and Public Service uprightness that I believed Nigeria needed to prosper and fulfil her latent potentials. In that choice, there was a silent approval of Buhari’s persona. However, I desperately wanted a younger but competent face from Nigeria to the world. Wishful thinking you will say. It never came to be. We (Team Ribadu) were trounced roundly during the Election. We couldn’t get the good number from all over, and especially the North (where he came from), to back him.

Now, it is year 2015. What has changed? A lot has changed. The General is four years older. I am four years wiser. And, Nigeria has stagnated and crawled through that period when she ought to run and fly respectively. What has changed? The fiery Nuhu Ribadu is not on any ticket for the Presidential Election this time.

What has changed? Nigeria is more deeply and disturbingly polarized along all her sensitive fault lines. These were visible in 2011. Rather than been arrested, they have been played on consistently and fed by the political class. What has changed? Nigeria is gravely more insecure now than in 2011. Nigerians in the Northeast are slaughtered at will with little resistance by her Military, who controlled the states under Emergency Laws. And the Military? Deeply polarized too. Young Officers are disgruntled. Infantry men desert, or flee. Wives of soldiers even protested against deployments of their husbands, which they view as Death Sentence because of inadequate resourcing.

What has changed? Nigeria’s economy is in more serious crisis than been acknowledged. And, as we go into the future, the indices are very far from positive. The major fulcrum of our Revenue is broken. And the damage is progressive and not looking like easing off. As I write this morning, the international CPB (Cost Per Barrel) of crude oil is at a low of under $48 USD and looks sure to further decline. However, our 2015 Deficit Budget is built on a rate of $65 USD. Where will the differential funding come from? We have slept for so long that we forgot to map out a Plan for an Economy not dependent on the black gold.

What has changed? The nation has a visibly worse Leadership crisis now. The incumbent has failed to lead from the front. Instead of showing compassion to bereaved Nigerians at several times, he ‘danced’ on their graves. In his best moments, he keeps mute and have his aides cast aspersions and blames on others. He never visits insurgency plagued zones within his own territory to assuage citizen fears or inspires his demoralized Military. Show me a Leader of a nation who does that. From America’s seemingly war hungry Republican George Bush to the pacifist Democrat Barack Obama, we have seen Commander-In-Chiefs who visited foreign war-fronts. Our own is afraid of his own shadow within his backyard, even with all the apparatus of power. Will you not vacate the kitchen if the heat is too much?

What has changed? The Social Demographics are depressing. Girl-Child education has dwindled. Out of School kids are increasing in number in a particular region due to insecurity. Violence against women has surged. Evidence is the fact that 219 of our Chibok daughters are still missing after nine months of their abductions from a Government Secondary School in Borno State. Youth Unemployment is at its highest. Ease of doing business is still dithering. The economy is Africa’s biggest, yet can’t create jobs. Pensioners and the Aged are becoming increasingly frustrated through the various thievery of funds meant for their settlements. Life Expectancy of an average Nigerian has dropped even lower.

What has changed? Our Corruption Perception has darkened ridiculously. Every man with integrity baggage (with Criminal Cases in Courts) is now a friend of the President. Most politicians who bagged prison sentences in previous Administrations have gotten State Pardons or Appointments (and in some cases National Awards). My President does not think it is wrong. Neither does he think that maintaining a ‘political distance’ from them is fair. Mindboggling tons of monies have been stolen with little efforts to retrieve them. To engrave his scandalous Corruption Friendliness, he has maintained that “Stealing is a Common thing and not Corruption” (my paraphrase). I will not reproduce his quote on “How much Jim Nwobodo stole”.

Finally, what has change? I HAVE CHANGED. I now believe, based on available facts, that General Muhammadu Buhari is the best candidate to restore Nigeria. I will give you a few details.

Corruption is the Mother of All Issues in this Country now. Who do you all think can fight Corruption better? I believe that the answer is GMB.The incumbent has had Six Years to make a statement that will reveal his inner fire and disposition against Corruption. He has failed to articulate any. The climate in Nigeria has become more conducive for thieves. The Anti-Corruption Agencies seemed to have been decapitated. Most of their high profile cases have been bungled through deliberately ill packaged defences and or many no-shows at the courts. The body language, yes, body language, of the Commander-In-Chief must not be ambiguous. We must be sure where you stand. In that way, good people within the system will be encouraged to standout and work for the nation without fear. This is crucial.

If we fix Corruption, our Economy shall be reinvigorated and strengthened. At that point, more entrepreneurs, both local and foreign, will feel more convinced to commit huge resources to industries within Nigeria. Corruption perception deters serious and sincere business people. Why? What should ordinarily be a fairly straight and predictable outcome become skewed by forces of criminal compromise. If we fix Corruption, we are on the road to fixing our many bleeding revenue sources from the Customs, Tax and Petroleum stables. How do you think 400,000 to 500,000 barrels of crude oil disappears daily from the Niger-Delta region now manned by former Militants through the legendary benevolence of the President? How else do you think the Customs and Immigration Agencies can be held to account? If we fix Corruption, our Economic outlook will not only improve, we will be able to honestly deliver a rounded Power Reforms and bring electricity to every Nigerian home. This will be a major stimulus to Manufacturers, some of whom have relocated from Nigeria. This Economy is not being propelled on required throttles. I am confident that GMB, and not GEJ, can correct the fundamental flaws.

Who do you think can fight Insecurity better in Nigeria? The answer to that is no other than GMB. I do not think, by any stretch of imagination that he has a silver bullet that will cure and obliterate the insurgency that is ravaging our Country, breaching without retreat our territorial integrity and disgorging our citizens from their homelands and farmlands. But, I do believe that he has the firmness of character and strength of purpose to lead the much criticized Nigerian Military and Security Agencies to secure us as a people. Who would you rather leave your Children or elderly Parents with to protect them? Who do you think the dreaded insurgents will be more afraid of? Jonathan or Buhari? No one, with available facts, will choose the incumbent. The General is the best man I can see in the field of aspiring candidates presently.

On the strength of available information and facts to me, I humbly believe Nigeria needs a General Muhammadu Buhari for a time like this. If you have contrary opinions, put it on paper. Come forward with issue based reasons, not religious bigotry and parochial figments. Some folks told me that all the problematic issues of Nigeria predated Goodluck Jonathan. I agree. But, the problems have all progressively degenerated under his Leadership. If you are hired as the CEO of a struggling business, it is mandatory by obligation to revive such and restore it back to a State of profitability, where the critical stakeholders desire. It is not only unethical to ascribe your inability to deliver, on a viable resuscitation plan, to the previous state of dilapidation before your engagement, it is an obvious sign of glaring incompetence. It is worse if you have had six years and you are still getting ready to find solution. When will you deliver result?

Some supporters of the incumbent claimed we are all not innocent of the problems. They say that it is a generational problem created through two to three decades of inaction, impunity and lack of vision. I consider it derisive. If we say we are all guilty, in essence, we are saying No One Is Guilty. All cannot go to prison for a crime. The man on duty should. We are deliberately blotting over the fact that, at different intervals, some people were entrusted with responsibility to lead the people of Nigeria. So, we cannot universalized their failure. Such must be properly and appropriately ascribed. The man and team who has led over the last six years is immediately guilty, and not the one who led twelve years before.

Hinging Goodluck Jonathan support on Christianity is saying a crime is less a crime when it is committed by a Christian. It is saying incompetence is less dreadful when it is exhibited by Christians. It is saying insanity is a better haven, when a corrective option is presented. And I disagree. I will walk the path of excellence over mediocrity. It doesn’t matter whether I am in a tight corner or not, I will walk the path of honour over lies; a path of stable values over flexible morality. If Jonathan is the best Christendom can put forward for Nigeria to embrace now, then the message of our Lord JESUS CHRIST has been diluted.

For these reasons, let another man in Buhari take his place.

GOD bless Nigeria.