The first presidential media chat by President Buhari since taking office last May, was disappointing for failing to accurately capture the state of the nation; and indeed a great disservice to Nigeria and its international image. Most importantly, the president failed to inspire hope in the citizens about the direction of the state. The president came across as evasive, angry and unconvincing. The president failed to account for the kidnapped Chibok girls, and provided no concrete answers to questions posed on the economy, security and the war on terror. It was obvious the President wanted to paint a rosy picture over an otherwise gloomy state of affairs, but in the end, succeeded only in wasting a golden opportunity to share frank and blunt information with the Nigerian people.
Across the world, it is the practice of statesmen to cash in on special moments to address their countrymen by means of national broadcast, in which the affairs of the state are often scrutinized. The chat was an ex cathedra opportunity for the president to reflect on governance and make visionary statements about the direction of the nation. Buhari missed the opportunity to do so, as his media chat was at once an anticlimax and the butt of cynicism by ordinary citizens. The claims of the president were so glaringly inconsistent that they did not reflect the prevailing conditions in the country.
The president largely glossed over the challenges facing his seven-month old administration, which included a distressed economy serviced by a distorted energy and power supply base, and of an imploding social infrastructure; the negative legacies of insecurity, of impunity and profligacy in governance, indiscipline and monumental corruption. The nation also faces burgeoning unemployment, civil strife, a subsisting Boko Haram insurgency, renewed agitation for a secessionist Biafra state, and sporadic fuel crises exacerbated by industry malfunctions.
Notably, misrepresentation of reality is routine in government, as spin doctors craft and turn them into political capital. But unsubstantiated claims, once made, translate into nothing and rob the government of every grain of legitimacy it requires to steer the ship of state. A cursory glance at the above claims would reveal their hollowness. The president gave no answers to questions pertaining to his campaign promises, the fight against the insurgency and rescue of the Chibok girls, the future of the naira, the sudden plunge of the economy under his watch, and the gradual loss of democratic rights and freedoms.
Seemingly bereft of answers to the precarious economic and security situation, Buhari rattled the country with his unapologetic and extremely shocking disdain for the rule of law. Despite court orders granting them bail, Buhari defended the continued detention of former NSA, Sambo Dasuki and Nnamdi Kanu, director of Radio Biafra and leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). He said it was not in the interest of the country to release Dasuki and Kanu because of the weight of the allegations against them, arguing the duo might jump bail if released. A situation where the president openly declares accused persons guilty without trial and sanctions their continued incarceration despite being granted bail by the courts, presents a dangerous precedent and portends grave danger for democracy and constitutionally-guaranteed rights of the people.
The President’s scorn for the principle of separation of powers, especially the independence of the legislature, was manifested in his declared craving to regulate the funding and running of the National Assembly, a matter constitutionally vested outside the jurisdiction of the executive. The president contradicted himself on the issue of devaluation of the naira, and had no concrete answer as to why the Chibok girls remain missing after he promised during his campaign that within two months of his assumption of office, he would secure their freedom. The president sounded pedantic saying Boko Haram has been technically defeated even after the insurgents bombed Maiduguri, killing and injuring many civilians. On the economy, Buhari was too pedestrian, and displayed limited understanding of the sound economic management, to take Nigeria out of the doldrums.
The president needs to be reminded that insecurity and gross violation of the right to life has been ascendant in parts of the country, a reality to which FDI is allergic. Unemployment in the country is above 50% and is constantly on the increase. While the president’s efforts at the war on graft could be subject to debate, the claim about Kanu owning two passports and travelling to Nigeria without any valid travel document stands out sorely. The president said: “And the one you are calling Kanu, do you know he had two passports – one Nigerian, one British – and he came into the country without any? Do you know he brought equipment into this country and was broadcasting Radio Biafra? Which kind of government do you think should harbor that kind of person? There is a treasonable felony suit against him and I hope the court will listen to the case.”
The other fundamental point about the president’s media chat is his amnesia about the selective nature of the anti-graft war; and denying the presence of corruption in his government. This is the fly in the ointment. The president cannot pretend not to know that some former PDP governors who defected to the APC, who were indicted in their states, are not being investigated. Rather, they were appointed into cabinet positions. The country is still reeling from the trauma of oil-subsidy scam of mind-boggling proportion, which hit the public domain as an aftermath of citizens’ resistance to the controversial subsidy removal policy. Those indicted for corruption walk the street without any qualm of conscience. Corruption pervades every sector in Nigeria and has been the bane of national development. Indeed, corruption thrives with impunity in low and high places.
These factual errors woven into the president’s response ought to have been thoroughly vetted before the president went public. Ideally, all these contradictions ought to tell the president’s men that all was not well with the chat. Truly, the muddled parley underlines the profundity of the dearth of values and is indicative of leadership dysfunction and a pointer to the manner in which the country is now run.
Weeping over problems, either as a public relations gimmick or a genuine admission of cluelessness has become a nauseating but defining style of the new administration. Until the right policies are adopted, the much-talked about change will never replace lamentations as an art in which administration officials appear determined to outdo each other. Buhari must get his act together and seriously address nagging problems facing the country, not put a gloss over an appalling situation. On their part, Nigerians need to begin asking more questions about their own affairs. Such inquisitive citizenship will not only compel responsible leadership, it is central to the building of a truly democratic society.
Normal.dotm
0
0
1
1044
5951
huhuonline
49
11
7308
12.0
0
false
18 pt
18 pt
0
0
false
false
false
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:”Courier New”;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-font-family:”Courier New”;}
