“Dear Sir,
OPEN LETTER TO GENERAL BUHARI
I have been constrained to write you through
the media because I do not have an alternative
way of reaching you. Permit me to share my
opinion on your presidential ambition, which I
think is equally shared by many Nigerians of my
generation irrespective of ethnic or religious
differences.
Sir, I heard about you first on the 31st of
December 1983. Then I was a ten year old boy in
primary six, celebrating with the whole nation on
the arrival of our military Heroes. At least so we
thought! The jubilations were spontaneous. The
nationwide celebrations signalled the demise of
the second republic and ushered in the military
dispensation commonly referred to as the
Buhari/Idiagbon regime. Immediately you
launched the War Against Indiscipline and
introduced the Nationwide Monthly Sanitation
Exercise. The WAI crusade stuck in my brain and
still reverberates up till now. To simplify the
message my Teacher introduced an Igbo acronym
for WAI: Wepu Ajo Ihe; which literally translates:
Remove Bad Thing.
Sir, I must confess that the image that stuck in
me about Buhari/Idiagbon was that of two no-
nonsense characters, straight talkers, people who
meant yes when they said yes and vice versa.
This impression I believe was equally shared by
many others in my generation.
Today, I am a 41 year old Nigerian. A lot has
changed. I see things differently now. I am now
a fully grown man who can analyse issues
critically. One thing I believe passionately is
that it is very important for one to set a
standard for oneself, but equally more important
to sustain the standard.
On the final lap of your presidential campaign
for 2011, you made an open declaration in front
of the media and your supporters, without
mincing words you stated emphatically that 2011
would be your last attempt to contest the
Presidency. Going by your legacy and standard,
many People including I took you by your words.
After all Buhari means yes when he says yes.
However that promise was short lived. Before one
can say Jack Robinson you have joined the race
again for the fourth consecutive time, contrary to
your open declaration.
Of course I concede you have every right to
change your mind and contest every election as
long as you live. It is however very remarkable to
observe that you shot yourself in the foot when
you reneged on your promise to Nigerians not to
contest the Presidency again. So judging you by
your own standard, you have fallen below
expectations. The pertinent question people are
asking now is ” HOW CAN WE EVER TRUST YOU
AGAIN”? Another important questing worth
asking you is ” WHAT IS NOW THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN BUHARI AND OTHER POLITICIANS”? I
would say none! Oh yes you have got the
constitutional right to contest, but eating your
words has done your reputation more harm than
good. People now see you, and quite justifiably,
just like a typical politician who is unstable and
unreliable.

Some of your supporters continue to amuse me
by claiming that President Jonathan allegedly
signed a one term pact with them. Unlike you
Jonathan never made any open declaration to
serve only for one term. Those of them who
continue to make this ridiculous allegation have
refused to produce the transcript of the said
agreement or tender any proof to substantiate
this. So as far as Nigerians are concerned
Jonathan never struck any one term deal with us.
But you did promise openly and suddenly
reneged. In fact you actually sealed the promise
with your tears. An elder Statesman of your
calibre and pedigree made a promise and shed
tears to seal it, that should have been final. It
is very symbolic when an Elder sheds tears in
the continent of Africa. It was a covenant with
Nigerians not to contest again. A promise
abruptly broken. But this is politics. Everything
is possible in this game.
Sir, I know you have many reasons for reneging
on your promise but most of these reasons are
laughable. Some claim your supporters put
pressure on you to change your mind, but this is
an old excuse which is as old as Nigeria. Even
late General Abacha had people begging him to
contest. A principled and disciplined officer like
you should have remained steadfast to your
open declaration. Others claim you are still
young, after all you would be only 72 by the next
Presidential election. At 72 you would still be
much younger than Mugabe. So they claim!
But they conveniently refused to check Mugabe’s
next door neighbour Madiba. Suffice it to say
that Mandela is the very opposite of Mugabe
and the ideal role model for all African leaders.
Mandela declined to go for a second term
because according to him , age was not on his
side. He could have won a second term and
transformed to a life President if he wished. But
he never did. He voluntarily made way for the
younger generation to continue from where he
stopped. This is what is expected of you now to
retire voluntarily and join the respected league
of Elders where you truly belong.
Another reason which some of your supporters
have tendered is that you are genuinely
motivated by service and patriotism. I gladly
take this on board. I can give you the benefit of
the doubt that you are driven by the urge to
serve your fatherland. This is a very valid
reason. But Sir, I have an important question
here for you. The question is simple, MUST YOU
SERVE NIGERIA AS A PRESIDENT ONLY? IS THERE
NO OTHER CAPACITY YOU CAN SERVE US EXCEPT
THE PRESIDENCY?

It is very erroneous to imagine that you can only
serve Nigeria only in one capacity. During the
regime of late General Sani Abacha, you
accepted the appointment to serve as the
Chairman of the then Petroleum Trust Fund PTF.
The general opinion was that you served
faithfully in this capacity. Well done Sir! But you
never asked Abacha to vacate office for you as
your former subordinate in the army. Never! In
fact that would have been a dangerous move, if
not suicidal. Rather you served faithfully under
your former junior in the army. Sir, imagine if
you take on another job like the Chairman of
EFCC or ICPC or NDLEA. Nigerians actually need
you to serve in one of these capacities much
more than they need you in the Presidency.
Mere mentioning your name as Chairman of EFCC
would drive many corrupt men underground. But
you wouldn’t . Either the Presidency or nothing.
So it seems!
Sir, let us examine your service records. I
consider your generation a very privileged one,
indeed. In 1975 at the age of 33, you were
appointed the Military Governor of the North-
Eastern State, present day Borno & Yobe states.
In 1976 at the age of 34 you became the
Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources. In
1978 at the age of 36 you became the Chairman
of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation
(NNPC).
Today the reverse is the case. Most Nigerians at
age of 35 are still unemployed and still living
with parents. Many are still not married. During
your time you were already Governor at this age.
One major reason for this unfortunate turn of
events is that many elders like you have refused
to voluntarily handover the baton to the next
generation. Life should be a relay race where
one runs his race and hands over to the next. In
Nigeria many elders like you have run their
races and are still holding on tenaciously to the
baton. When are you going to handover to the
next person? It is either you do it voluntarily or
risk disgrace at the polls. In 1983 at the age of
41, exactly the same age as my humble self now,
you became the Head of State.
Most Nigerians in my age have not had the
opportunity to serve, but we still remain
committed to the Nigerian project. You should
rather be graceful to God and to Nigerians for
the numerous opportunities that have come your
way to serve Nigerians. Others are begging for
just one opportunity to serve.
Sir, you have to accept the stark reality on
ground that you have served your time already.
That is life for you. You run the race, you
handover the baton for others to run, you cannot
hold on to the baton more than is necessary. As
a former head of State you are already a member
of the Council of State Meeting. You have every
avenue to channel your views across. You don’t
necessarily have to be in a frontline role, you
can serve in an advisory capacity. That is still
service.
In conclusion, let me state that the greatest
beneficiary should you emerge candidate of the
APC would be President Jonathan. It is crystal
clear that you cannot defeat President Jonathan
in a free, fair and credible election, even in
Katsina State. Sentiments aside, Jonathan would
cruise to a landslide victory should you emerge
candidate of the APC.
In fact many political analysts believe that
President Jonathan wants you to emerge as the
APC flag bearer in order to secure a cheap
victory. In fairness to you, any of your Children
would pose a serious challenge to Jonathan more
than yourself. I do not see Nigerians electing a
72 year old former Head of state to lead us in
this Digital era.
With due respect to you Sir, you belong to the
Analogue age and therefore, will not fit in as
president in this digital era. This is the blunt
truth. Please do not enter the Guinness book of
world records on a negative note. Losing four
consecutive Presidential election would not
augur well for your reputation. It is in your best
interest to assume your position as an elder
statesman and allow others to serve. Nigeria
does not belong to you alone. It belongs to us
all.”

#Sauce(source): http://www.naij.com/303544-2015-open-letter-to-muhammadu-buhari.html

I have heard stories about Buhari from older folks, both the good, the bad, and the urgly.

It is better heard than experience!
Buhari has ruled when I had not even been conceived. He ruled my grandfathers 35 years ago.
Now, my grandfathers are all dead and gone, and the same Buhari wants to still rule me.

#NOTINMYDAYS