Leadership (Abuja)
Uchenna Awom
29 October 2009
Abuja — All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) presidential candidate in the last general election, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) yesterday dismissed the government of President Umaru Musa Yar�Adua as a complete failure in all spheres of governance.
He spoke at the gathering of opposition forces in Abuja which he jointly convened with the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, immediate past Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Athahiru Bafarawa, and other leading politicians and former political office holders in the country. The group which transformed from National Democratic Initiative to National Democratic Movement (NDM) has been having a series under- ground meetings. Also Atiku in his address at the closed-door session was said to have warned that the country must resist the PDP's determination to push the country into a one-party system.
Among those present at the meeting were former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, former Minister of Information, Chief Dapo Sarumi; former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Tom Ikimi; former Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Chief Dubem Onyia; former Minister of Education, Dauda Birma; former Governor Ashiek Jarma, former Governor Saidu Barda; immediate past Senate Minority Leader, Senator Lawali Shuaibu; immediate past Deputy Senate Minority Leader, Senator Daniel Saror. Buhari, who presided over the meeting, had in an address before the closed session, said: "Today we are talking of a government that has failed in the most basic of functions of governments - maintaining law and order and providing a secure environment. This government and its predecessor have failed to take charge of the security situation, which has remained parlous such that no one is safe wherever he is - at home, on the road or even in bed. The law and order situation has been routinely breaking down among various communities throughout the nation.
Kidnapping and ritual killings have put personal security in great jeopardy." He noted that the failure of government to meet its basic responsibilities like roads and education signalled prominent failures of governance which, he said, was traceable to the regime of former President Obasanjo "If the situation of the provision of education is bad enough, that of water supply is even worse. Isn't it a shame that after expenditures of billions of Naira on water supply contracts and the purchase of water treatment plants and chemicals, there is not a single town or city in 21st century Nigeria with uninterrupted water supply. With respect to power supply, perhaps the less said the better." Flaying the administration's attitude to corruption, he said:�In the past we had the dishonour of being one of the most corrupt nations in the world; and since then we have remained among the five most corrupt. Today, with the ever increasing daring and sophistication of its operators and the official blessing that they seem to enjoy, only God knows our real rating. Perhaps the truth, though we may find it very bitter indeed, is that no nation can really beat us." Atiku in his own comments said: "This effort is not about any of us leaders, whatever our political or leadership aspirations or antecedents. And whether we like it or not this effort is larger than each of us. It is about Nigeria and Nigerians, the millions of our country's citizens who have been serially disappointed and betrayed by incompetent, visionless and absent-minded leadership. It is about the millions of Nigerian children and youth who cannot get good education in our public schools or secure well-paying jobs."
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While it is true that Nigerians are not persuaded that the Yar'Adua presidency has succeeded in good governance, and while it is true that Nigeria needs a good government, should one really ignore the antecedents of Buhari, Atiku and some of the people they convened? Buhari is yet to apologise to Nigerians for his anti human rights regime which executed people using a retroactive decree. Atiku cannot claim to have been insulated from the corruption and other vices of the Obasanjo administration. Both Buhari and Atiku emerged as presidential candidates of the ANPP and AC respectively in a process that was less than democratic. Nigeria needs good leaders. But if we want to be honest with ourselves, we must ask: do these men have the credentials of democrats?
It appears that some of our leaders are now waking up from their slumbers. With Gen. Buhari who was himself once a head of state of Nigeria, now openly speaking the truth about the state of affairs of Nigeria, is astonishing though commendable. And the calibre of people present at the gathering where he (Gen. Buhari) made his statement points in the direction that something positive is about to happen in our country.
Like his predecessors, President Yar Adua has proved that he lacks both vision and competence to run the country. Not only that, his administration has woefully failed, looking for routes of escape from their responsibilities and distractions from from their incompetencies.In effect, the country is sinking at an alarming rate.
At this point in time, Nigeria has capable and willing citizens- no matter how few- to serve it. Unfortunately, the same group of people that have been messing up the country are still around, imposing themselves forcefully in power for protective purposes and selfish interests. All efforts-internal and external- should be directed towards getting the right people into the realm of affairs of the country, and most importantly the presidency. We must ensure that the next president is visionary, knowledgeable and competent to run the affairs of Nigeria.Such a person will undoubtedly has love of his country at heart.
We can no longer accomodate ignorant, selfish and destructive elements on top of Nigerian affairs if the country is to move forward and we are to be reckoned with internationally.