I will be brief with my position on the todays letter from former President Olusegun Obasanjo to President Buhari to do what he terms the needful by stepping out of the election race come 2019.
In arriving at his conclusions, General Olusegun Obasanjo throws around such words as ‘needful’ and ‘honour’, making the distinct mistake of not taking cognisance of a fundamental right in law available to President Buhari, to wit, the right to stand in for an election with all criteria set by law duly met.
In Nigeria, the right to vote and be voted for is a fundamental human right derived from the right of Nigerians to participate in the government of their country, as embedded in the federal constitution and other human rights obligations, nationally and internationally. President Buhari as an adult, full citizen of Nigeria has by virtue of sections 131 and 137 (1)c at least a tenure left to run for office as President.
That said, the imperative on the the Nigerian people would be to convey through their votes a statement of confidence or the absence thereof in President Buhari ‘s second tenure ambition- as soon as he leaves the shadow of his forerunners already selling that ambition in scented words.
Let’s be reminded that the three cardinal promises made by this administration to the Nigerian people was the eradication of the trio of poverty, corruption and insecurity. Even a cursory look at the state of the nation shows that in all of the above indices, this administration has scored low. If their response is more promises at the polls, then it is the responsibility of the suffering suffrage mass to register their displeasure and steal the show from its caftan-ed crew.
Perhaps a common weakness of most Nigerians is the tendency to forget so soon and forget so easily, a wave of collective amnesia that may yet explain the audacity of a pre-election pro-Buhari trader to suddenly take a reverse course and presume to know what is best for rest of the nation. With his presidency days now years behind him, General Obasanjo must wake up and accept the truth that Nigerians and Nigerians alone know what is best for them.
In the forthcoming election, this truth stands; every Nigerian, irrespective of status, has the power of just one vote and nothing more. This much is true about General Obasanjo as with every ordinary (but not so ordinary )man on the street. The time has yet again presented itself for Nigerians to assert themselves and make a political statement that will resound down memory lane. NIGERIA IS NOT A BANABA REPUBLIC NOR ANYONE PRIVATE BARRACKS.
President Muhammadu Buhari reserves the right at law to stand in for the next election, it is mere grandstanding to presume to deny him this right. The people- the generality of Nigeria make the next decision and not someone still living out the illusions of his power as a two time civilian president.
