The famed presidential debate has come and gone, and all the presidential candidates were there except Buhari of APC. It’s a shame, a humiliation of the North, to Muslims, and disrespect to all Nigerians, except the misguided few that keeping chanting ‘Sai Buhari’, notwithstanding Buhari’s catalogue of shortcomings, warts and all.
And then, to add insult to injury, Buhari had spent a whopping N5bn just to speak to a small number of British people at Chatham house in London. This is as he keeps claiming falsely that he has no money. So, where did all that money come from? Was it from Amaechi, Tinubu, or the ISIS/Boko Haram-linked Arab Sunni billionaires that intelligence sources reported he met with in London?
One pundit had mocked Buhari then by saying: ‘Imagine Mit Romney of USA, in the middle of the 2012 presidential election in America coming to Lagos to give a speech at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) on the way forward for the United States after refusing to debate Obama’? That’s a question to Buhari and anybody who sees no wrong in what he did.
Keep in mind that this is a Buhari who calls himself a patriot; yet he belittled all Nigerians by finally dodging the rescheduled presidential debates held by the Nigerian Elections Debate Group (NEDG) few days ago. Needless to say that Buhari exhibited the the same arrogance he had shown in the past by refusing to appear before the Justice Oputa Panel. What is Buhari hiding from Nigerians that makes him so afraid and angry to face public scrutiny?
It will be recalled that, recently, the presidential candidate of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Dr. Chekwas Okorie had faulted that infamous appearance of Buhari at Chatham House.
To the approbation of Nigerians, Okorie had said that “the sovereignty of Nigeria and the supremacy of Nigerian people on Nigerian affairs must be projected and defended at all times. I invite General Buhari and President Jonathan to join me at the newly rescheduled presidential debate on March 22, 2015, which is more important than appearances at Chatham House”.
Okorie’s call is patriotic but vintage Buhari still ignored him. But Jonathan did not, and demonstrated it by appearing at the debate. This should count for Jonathan as Nigerians go to the polls on March 28. Based on post-debate news reports, it was noted that Nigerians were happy to watch Jonathan and other presidential candidates debating one another on Nigerian soil, and explaining themselves on all the important issues facing the nation and the people.
So, considering that Buhari saw fit to speak to foreigners in London, he is supposed to have also participated in the debates here in Nigeria. As a presidential candidate, he must realize that his appearance at that debate is an irreducible minimum to a Nigeria that he is so desperately waxing to rule. That he tucked his tail behind him and dodged the debate must therefore count against him.
Ibrahim Danlami wrote from [email protected].
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
