Why Buhari Is Not Fit For Presidential Seat

The 2015 presidential election in Nigeria is coming very soon. The polls are almost here. Today, December 10, 2015, is the final battle for the presidential candidates of the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC). The former Head of the State General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) is among them.

Last week, Naij.com wrote about good sides of the retired General, now we offer you to have a look at his shortcomings.

1. Coup-plotter

General Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria After Coup, January 1, 1984. 

General Buhari is a coup plotter. He planned the coup that exiled a democratically-elected president. Major-General Buhari was nominated to lead Nigeria by middle and high-ranking military officers after the successful military coup d’etat that overthrew civilian President Shehu Shagari on December 31, 1983. Buhari was chosen as the Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and Tunde Idiagbon was appointed the Chief of General Staff (the de facto No. 2 in the administration). Buhari justified the military’s capture of power by criticizing the civilian government as hopelessly corrupt, and his administration subsequently initiated a public campaign against indiscipline known as “War Against Indiscipline” (WAI).

2. Abuse of human rights

Guardian journalists Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor

Human rights must be protected and must not be abused. Immediately General Buhari seized power, he proclaimed that he would “tamper with” the press.  Soon, the infamous Decree Number 4 was broadcasted, which made even the publication of the truth a punishable offence. Under this cover, Buhari jailed innocent journalists, including Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor.  He abolished civil liberties, promulgated retroactive decrees enabling him to kill Nigerians through jungle justice, proscribed civil society organizations and professional groups and exercised “absolute” power.

3. Buhari jailed Fela Anikulapo-Kuti

Fela Anikulapo-Kuti

A decree was passed that nobody take out or bring in foreign currency into the country. He imprisoned a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist, musician, composer, pioneer of the Afrobeat music genre, human rights activist, and political maverick Fela Anikulapo-Kuti on trumped up charges under emergency law, which prompted the sentencing judge to confess that he was ordered to do so and to apologize to Fela. It was Buhari’s administration that said it has “decided to deal with this Fela problem once and for all.” Buhari locked up politicians without trial.

4. The leader of the North

Without any doubt, Buhari has massive support in the North. Indeed, he is the most popular Northern politician in the Nigeria today. But that precisely remains his undoing at the centre. Even in the North, his support base is limited to the Muslim population.  He does not appeal to Northern Christians.  Then there is the added factor of the opposition of his implacable opponents among the Northern elite.

5. Age

Buhari is no Nigerian Mandela and never laid claim to that. Last December 17, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) turned 71. A lot of his competitors says that he is not able to rule Nigeria because he is not young enough. He will be 73 in 2015 and he should reveal to us his health status. At 72, most people actually live on drugs and food supplements. May be his time has passed and he is of more use to Nigeria and Nigerians out of the presidency?

6. Islam Fundamentalist

 The excerpt from newspaper, where Buhari calls for Sharia

Many times Buhari repeated that he is not a religious fanatic. But let’s recall just his desire of Sharia implementation in some northern states and concluded that the Islamic legal system has restored sanity in the affectedstates. Recently the APC presidential aspirant, says that he can pick a Muslim running mate for the 2015 election if he emerges victorious at the party’s primary election.

7. He is not loyal

The presidential campaign of General Buhari in 2011

Buhari has been a candidate in every election since 2003. Twice as the candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples’ Party (ANPP) and once as the candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). Both parties are now defunct having merged with a third-party, the Action Congress of Nigeria. The ACN was the main base to form the APC. If he succeeds in becoming the APC candidate later this year, it will make it his fourth attempt in a row. He dumped from party to party chased the lucky for being president. Just before the 2011 elections, Buhari addressed a campaign rally in Lagos where he made it known that it would be his last shot at the office. But he didn’t keep his promise and try again.

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