By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – It is no longer strange to see President Muhammadu Buahri-led government picking quarrels and fighting dirty with every report that says something about declining goodwill previously enjoyed by the administration and how it may hampe chances of his re-election in 2019.
Rather than focus on how to redeem eroding image by addressing some of the concerns raised, the presidency dissipates positive energy defending its inactions and pouring invectives in some cases and issuing threats without talking steps reverse the ugly trend.
Not far-fetched example was the letter written early this year, precisely January 14, by former President Olusegun Obasanjo wherein he pointed areas of abysmal performance of the Buhari’s administration. Obasanjo who informed of “Lice of poor performance in government” listed poverty, insecurity, poor economic management, nepotism, gross dereliction of duty, condonation of misdeed (or outright encouragement of it), lack of progress and hope for the future, lack of national cohesion and poor management of internal political dynamics and widening inequality as very much pronounced in present day Nigeria under Buahri’s watch.
With the alarm raised, one would have expected that the government of President Buhari will swing into action, up its game and show frank attempts addressing the issues. Doing so would have had the potency of disabusing the minds of the people from the negative.
Instead the government, through the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, listed the achievements of the current administration after his initial plan to attack and take Obasanjo head-on and extract his own pound of flesh was punctured by the president.
Recall that President Buhari while speaking in Bauchi during a state banquet in his honour on 26th April said, he would have preferred to remain silent on the matter but for Mr Mohammed’s insistence that there ought to be a response from the Federal Government.
He said after his initial reluctance, he consented to Mr Mohammed’s wish after an agreement had been reached that the minister would not mention Mr Obasanjo’s name in his response, a report by The Cable noted.
It also quoted Buhari as saying that “Lai Mohammed was agitated about replying but I said no. I said no for two reasons: one, he is much younger than the person who wrote the letter and myself; two, he is from the same constituency as the person who wrote the letter.
However, on May 22, President Buhari gave former president Obasanjo a piece of his feelings concerning his letter while receiving the Comptroller-General of Customs-led Buhari Support Organisation who visit him in the Presidential Villa.
The president used the occasion to remind Obasanjo that he has a question to answer over $16 billion spent on power projects during his administration. Although the president did not mention Mr Obasanjo’s name, he however, asked “where was the power after a former president claimed to have spent $16 billion on the project?”
Recall that the power project which was done during the Obasanjo administration (1999-2006).
Now tune to the report published by global financial organisation, HSBC Bank at the weekend. The global financial institution had after taken analytical look at several sectors of the economy predicted Buhari may not be re-elected. Adding that a second term for Mr Buhari however raises the risk of limited economic progress and further fiscal deterioration; prolonging the stagnation of his first term, particularly if there is no move towards completing reform of the exchange rate system or fiscal adjustments that diversify government revenues away from oil.
Stressing that the election impact is likely to be negative as increased political uncertainty precludes policy reforms, weighs on confidence, deters investment spending and restrains the growth outlook.
HSBC Bank further said that security concerns persist across the country with the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East, militant activity that has disrupted oil production in the Niger Delta, and more recently escalating violence between cattle herdsmen.
It recalled that the polls look set to be a closely contested affair, particularly given that these policy challenges are exacerbated by strains within the APC coalition. HSBC reminded that the exodus of several high profile APC members – including Senate President Bukola Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker Yakuba Dogara from the ruling party to form the Reformed All Progressive Congress, and potentially join forces with the PDP may portend danger for the ruling party in 2019 general election.
Again, rather than looking for ways to navigate out of these time bombs, the Federal Government not only dismissed the report, but also accused HSBC Bank of laundering money for corrupt politicians. The government, who described it as a form of psychological warfare against president Buhari’s anti-corrupt policies, also alleged that most of the funds reportedly stolen by late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha are lodged in HSBC bank.
This tantrum, name -calling and banter against any person who raises issue against the party will not enhance the party’s chances of winning the 2019 polls. What will position the party for victory in the 2019 general election is to see these views as corrective recommendations and work towards improving the service delivery of the government to its citizenry as promised during 2015 electioneering campaign. This way, those who are losing hope with the performance of government will have their hope rekindled and continue to pledge loyalty and support to the party.
The chances of president Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 general election is not going to be decided or measured by how bad he was able to ruffle the feathers of his presumed critics – because the more aggressive affront presented when issues of wrong-doing and maladministration are presented without visible effort of solving the problem, the more people get agitated to re-elect Buhari come 2019.
First, President Buhari owes the people accountability and good governance for the initial confidence reposed on him by electing him in 2015 before soliciting for re-election in 2019 because one Igbo adage says: “It is only when a journey is good that you embark on it the second time”. Therefore Buhari’s re-election or otherwise, depends on how good or bad he has delivered on the first mandate measured in terms of citizens’ welfare.