Buhari and the ‘slow and steady’ movement

The All Progressives Congress led federal government appears not to be concerned more about resuscitating the ailing Nigerian economy, than running after perceived political enemies in the name of anti-corruption fight. CHRIS EMETOH writes

In the course of his America trip during the week, President Muhammadu Buhari disclosed obvious reasons behind his inability to constitute his cabinet some two months after he was sworn-in, citing his indubitably perceived role model, President Barack Obama who ruled the United States of America for about seven months without a cabinet as instance.

By President Buhari’s position on the subject, he wants to set the Augean stable clean by possibly clearing whatever mess, according to him was left behind by former President Goodluck Jonathan, a predecessor he has always taunted as Nigeria’s democracy hero who saved the country from chaos and anarchy when the situation seemed daunting.

Of course it is no longer a hidden fact that paradoxically as far as Buhari and his people are concerned, conceding defeat to him and the APC is about the only good thing that Jonathan can be associated with in the entire six years of his administration. Ever since Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) occupied Aso Rock Villa, the desire and hunger to crucify Jonathan over so many yet to be established or should I say spurious allegations has been their preoccupations.

Hitherto, it took the intervention of outspoken Nigerians and some flippant civil society organizations to bring the Buhari’s administration back on track to realize that he was voted into power by Nigerians for the serious business of governance and not for witch hunting and names calling, especially considering that the days of electioneering campaigns are over.

Buhari’s vice president, a lawyer and university don, Professor Yemi Osibanjo whose only stint in office as a politician was when he served as commissioner to former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, took it upon himself as part of his official brief and mandate to drum into the ears of every Nigerian anywhere he finds audience that Nigeria is running on empty treasury. Of course again Jonathan is the culprit!

When Prof Osibanjo visited a petrol tanker accident scene in Onitsha sometimes ago, the subject of his visit which was to commiserate with the government and people of Anambra State and families of the accident victims became a matter for another day as he used the opportunity to tell the people that they met an empty treasury. At that point, “we met an empty treasury” became the anthem of the newly formed APC government.

For the records, this piece is not to castigate the Buhari administration but rather an inquest to establish the true purpose of the APC led government, whether they are indeed ready to make a change in the governance of Nigeria or on the contrary set a record as the country’s worse, considering  that the ‘Change’ they professed and chanted seem to have been almost jettisoned in pursuit of some phantom individualistic ambitions and unarticulated display of power, especially as seen in the recent actions of the President which are Gestapo-like in approach and manner executed.

I need not cite many instances on this since they are common knowledge. The Sambo Dasuki and Gordon Obua examples can suffice in the interim.

Personally, like many other Nigerians I have no quarrel with that if it will bring back sanity to the system where corruption has eaten deep into the fabrics of the Nigerian society, and is celebrated like Christmas and Sallah, while corrupt government officials are eulogized and revered like demigods at the expense of the economy and future of Nigeria. But that is if only the intent is devoid of any political motives and mischievous undertone as widely perceived.

The President has always made it clear that his administration will have zero tolerance for corruption and in his Washington Post article he said that September is when Nigerians should expect the release of his cabinet list. It is just a month ahead, but that gets me wondering what manner of men would make the list even as I am certain that I may not be alone in this state of wonderment!

However smart that may look, my guess is that Buhari may have come up with that statement about his cabinet being expected in September, to buy himself more time to sort out biting issues with members of his party and its aggrieved leadership which has since inception of the administration been ensnared in conflicts. Recall that the national leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has been having a running battle with the President (even though they have both denied it) over control of the party to such extent that a ministerial list compiled and submitted by Tiniubu to the President was rejected outright and dumped by the latter to the chagrin of the former who felt let down.

The situation has been a vicious one that has been variously reported as setting the two leaders on collision and even spread among their loyalists. Recent interface between the two leaders as we were meant to believe by Tinubu was a mere face saving measure for APC, which is already distracted on so many fronts including at the national assembly where the legislators have not held more than six plenary in about two months since the inauguration of the 8th Assembly.

If my instincts are correct, has anyone also wondered why no APC leader made the list on the President’s entourage to the USA? For me and without sounding mischievous, Buhari’s entourage was a political statement ostensibly directed at someone and it seems to say categorically, “I’m in charge.”

While the crisis in APC is nowhere near end even with Buhari’s unfolded agenda for the growth and development of the country’s economy, it is still unclear how APC intends to achieve anything tangible within the four years tenure of this administration. Besides the infighting between the APC leaders and the Presidency which of course plays out in the national assembly and fuels the imbroglio that has consumed both the Senate and the House of Representatives, there is also apparent indications of a face-off between the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and President Buhari especially since after the emergence of Saraki as Senate President, a development that most informed political analysts have described as very precarious.

Indeed one can only imagine the effect of a strained relationship between the executive arm of government and the legislative arm. The smooth success of any government would largely depend on the harmonious relationship between the two arms. When the President of a country refuses to give audience to the President of the Senate and by extension, the Chairman of the National Assembly and the country’s number three citizens it speaks volume.  It is either that the President is yet to understand the workings of a democracy, and that he would only be a lame duck without the support of a functional legislature, or that he is still grappling with the euphoria of electoral victory that he underestimates the power of the national assembly.

I refuse to believe that our President could also still be basking in the fantasy of military dictatorship where one soldier is all and all, which in today’s reality is just an illusion.

From the genesis of APC which many have often termed “nest of strange bed fellows,”   the soul priority had perhaps been to sack Jonathan and the People Democratic Party (PDP) without a clear cut agenda. Happenings within the party since it was handed over the reins of power indicate that it is still grappling with the sudden realization of victory over PDP.

In the interim APC has no harmonized position on its manifesto or what they intend to achieve in their four years tenure.

The national assembly is saddled with the problem of contending over ambitious APC lawmakers who have held the business of legislation to a standstill. APC as a party and at the national level is fighting hard to assert its supremacy over rebelling members and does seem to be doing so the wrong way without recourse to the constitutionality of the national assembly as an independent institution that should be devoid of any political party interference, especially in the constitution of its leadership. While the Presidency has kept itself busy chasing perceived political enemies in the name of fighting corruption even as it watches the economy shrink.