The long and short of PMB’s presidency

One of the most enduring images of the period leading to the 2015 general elections was the public demonstration led by President Muhammadu Buhari. In that demonstration, he led the current governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, the former chairman of the party, John Odigie Oyegun and many other leaders of the All Progressive Congress (APC). I think the demonstration was in response to the postponement of the elections for about six weeks. But the reason is not as important today as the implications of that march.

The march resembles that of the civil rights of the 1950s and 1960s in the US, those against apartheid just over two decades ago, and or the one led by Indira Ghandi against British colonial laws in 1930. The march connotes that of freedom fighters desperate to deliver Nigerians from the shackles of poverty, ignorance, and tyranny. Many Nigerians, and I believe many of those that voted for President Buhari in the elections afterwards, following the demonstration, believed they have found a leader that will fight for their cause, lead their freedom, and deliver Nigeria’s long term growth and prosperity agenda. Unknown to many, even supporters of President Goodluck Jonathan that felt Nigeria could do better, also fell for what has turned out to be a scam, one chance, and expression of the worst kind of mediocrity Nigeria has ever seen.
Oh no, Nigerians did not spite themselves by voting for the President in 2015. They saw in the President the active and serial determination to become President as evidence that he has thought very carefully of his plans for Nigeria. They had thought to themselves never to hear the words of regret that he was the best President Nigeria never had. So, as I argued two weeks ago, Nigerians reluctantly reconciled the lack of clear evidence of his plans, and held one to the promises made, which suggested that it could not be worse than the People’s Democratic President (PDP) they sought to replace.
For many, the superb manifesto of the APC reignited their hatred for President Goodluck Jonathan, reminded them of the excesses of his party, and generated the raw domestic and international emotions needed for the push in 2015. They relied on the optics, the tweets, the new suits, and the optics of a broadminded democrat and reformist. In case you never read it, or you have forgotten, let me remind you of some of the promises made by APC in their 2015 manifesto. They included proposals to amend the constitution with a view to devolving powers to the states, strengthen the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reduce/eliminate electoral malpractices (this one makes me laugh in Spanish, given recent experiences), consultations towards the amendment of the constitution to enable states employ police, and bring permanent peace and solution to the Niger Delta and other conflict prone areas such as Plateau, Taraba, Bauchi, Borno and Abia. Wow!
These are just some of the promises. If APC had truly made a dent on these promises, would they need to rig in Ekiti, Osun, or relying on extreme propaganda ahead of the 2019 elections? Now, the failure of the APC to meet even the basics of their promises is not new in our politics. They have simply repeated and replicated the failures of the past. Ahead of the 2019 elections, we must then begin to analyse what the underlying problem is. I can hazard two reasons. First is that the promises were never the ideas of the President seeking the position. The second is that they never tell us how they will be achieved. Let me provide some details.
Since the aspirations of the President started to gain momentum, and some will argue that since he was forced out of office in 1985, the President has become accustomed to delegating responsibility, but lapping up the glory. So, it is very clear that the President is not aware of the contents of the manifesto, and he spoke nothing about it in 2014 / 15. Just weeks ago, they suggested that the Vice President will represent the President in the 2019 elections debate, and in the last few weeks, the Vice President has represented the President in conflict and environmental disaster areas including Anambra, Plateau, Niger States. But Nigeria cannot make progress with a delegated presidency, especially when the delegated authority does not trample on the President’s core believes, attitudes, and primordial sentiments.
Following from this, the argument that the President is long on his promises and short on delivery is flawed. The president did not make promises. Indeed, there is no record of him promising Nigerians what he would do as their President. It was the Vice President and the wing of the APC in Lagos that felt and was convinced that they need to make promises in order to garner support for the President. As far as President Buhari is concerned, his ambition was very modest – be the President of Nigeria again, be called the President of Nigeria, and deal revengefully with those that he believed was responsible for denying him this possibility since 2003. And for 2019, his aspirations are modest again –to do his possible best for Nigeria.
In conclusion, and ahead of the 2019 elections, I am tired of consultants writing manifestoes, party members speaking for candidacies, and spokesmen speaking for the President. I am tired of someone or some group buying presidential forms, and primaries holding when the president is far away in New York (by the way, did you hear of the millions that voted using the APC app?). I am simply tired of someone being called the President, presiding over mediocrity, but we keep blaming people that have no such tags. Let every presidential candidates bear their own cross.

I thank you.

Ogho Okiti