A former ardent supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari and Associate Professor at the Kennesaw State University, Georgia, United States, Farooq Kperogi, tells BAYO AKINLOYE that Buhari has failed many who had high hopes of him

With your criticisms of President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration, it appears you’re against him. Is it that you hate the President?


I am neither against him nor do I hate him. On the contrary, my criticism of the (President Muhammadu) Buhari administration’s tragic missteps and rank incompetence is animated by love – tough love. If you were familiar with my work, especially my ‘Notes from Atlanta’ weekly column in the Daily Trust, you wouldn’t ask this. I was one of Buhari’s advocates in the run-up to the 2015 (presidential) election – and even before then. You can check the records. For instance, in 2012, when pundits – and (ex-President Goodluck) Jonathan’s media team – tore him to shreds for saying kare jini, biri jini (Hausa for ‘the dog and the baboon will be soaked in blood’), I vigorously defended him.

In 2015, when he was ridiculed for saying ‘President Michelle of West Germany’, I also defended him with all the resources of logic and erudition I had. I explained to Nigerians that Buhari wasn’t ‘clueless’ but was suffering from age-induced memory lapses colloquially called ‘senior moments’ in (United States of) America. Even when he visited the US in July 2015 and made his infamously unwise comment that he didn’t give a hang about people from the deep south who didn’t vote for him, I defended him because I thought he realised his error and retracted what he said in the same speech. As recently as November 19, 2016, I defended him against false charges that he contributed millions of dollars to Hillary Clinton’s campaign. I can go on, but that’s irrelevant now.

But even in my support for him, I’ve also been critical and cautious. I called him out when he refused to declare his assets. I criticised what I called the embarrassing ‘Arewacentricity’ of his appointments, and so on. Now, it is obvious to me that Buhari doesn’t have the preparation, the competence, and the moral strength to govern any country. It’s a sobering epiphany.

Are you former President Goodluck Jonathan’s apologist then?

Me, a Goodluck Jonathan apologist? That has to be the funniest thing I’ve heard all my life!

What do you think about Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade?

Is there any anti-corruption crusade? As I said many times, Buhari’s so-called anti-corruption fight is the most invidiously selective, the least transparent, the most brazenly unjust, and the silliest joke in Nigeria’s entire history. Here is a man who doesn’t give his corrupt political opponents the benefit of the doubt. He orders their arrest, jails them, and uses the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to smear them in the media on the basis of allegations, but tells astonishingly bald-faced and easily falsifiable lies to defend, deflect, minimise, and excuse the corruption of his close aides and political associates. You call that anti-corruption crusade? Please!

What do you make of Senator Shehu Sani’s ‘insecticide and deodorant’ statement to describe Buhari’s fight against corruption?

It’s a perfect, poignant metaphor to encapsulate the scorn-worthy lies, deceit, double standard, and crying unjustness of the Buhari administration’s so-called anti-corruption fight. In Buhari’s Nigeria, there are two judicial standards for fighting corruption. The first standard is that the president’s opponents are always guilty until proven innocent – and they can never be proven innocent. They are always already condemned by the mere fact of being the president’s opponents. The second standard is that the president’s corrupt aides and associates are always innocent –until they are ‘cleared’ by the president who has now reduced himself to the pathetic position of the ‘Clearer-in-Chief of Executhief Corruption.’

Isn’t that a serious indictment against a man considered as ‘Mr. Integrity’? Has Buhari lost his integrity?

Perhaps Buhari never had any integrity to start with. It was our desperation for a hero that caused us to dress him in borrowed robes. What man of integrity would lie that he took a bank loan to buy his presidential nomination form while two of his children were enrolled in a United Kingdom university? What man of integrity would have a multimillion-naira house in Abuja but lied that he had modest houses only in Daura, Kaduna, and Kano? What man of integrity would be afraid to publicly and transparently declare his assets after promising to do so? What man of integrity chooses to be the sole signatory to his presidential campaign’s bank account to which millions of poor, struggling Nigerians donated tens of millions of naira and not give an account of how he spent the money? What man of integrity perpetually surrounds himself with corrupt people and, worse still, defends their corruption?

People who are intimate with President Buhari told me several months ago in the heat of my unrestrained enthusiasm over his emergence as president that he was morally and temperamentally unsuited to fight corruption. They said the undue premium the president places on ‘personal loyalty’ causes him to ignore, excuse, and even defend the corruption of his close associates. I was regaled with troubling tales of the mind-boggling corruption against close, loyal aides that he swept under the carpet at the PTF (Petroleum Trust Fund), The Buhari Organisation, and at the defunct CPC (Congress for Progressive Change). They say likes attract. You can’t be a man of integrity and continually surround yourself with corrupt people. I can go on; but it is obvious that Buhari isn’t the man of integrity he has been alleged to be.

In the current situation of things, some people have said there is no difference between Jonathan, alleged to have allowed corruption to fester under his watch, and Buhari – accused of glossing over corruption allegations against his close aides. Do you see any difference between the two?

The only difference between Jonathan and Buhari is that Jonathan made no pretences to being anything other than an everyday Nigerian politician dedicated to mindless hedonism. But Buhari grandstanded about being the scourge of corrupt people. He erected a false moral pedestal and stood on it. But his government is shaping up to be one of the most audaciously corrupt governments in Nigeria’s history. In light of the unravelling of the corruption that pervades the Buhari government, the government now deploys unintelligent lies, annoyingly sterile propaganda, and unimaginative chicanery to deflect people’s attention from the irredeemable disaster that it is.

Does it bother you that Buhari seems bent on having the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, confirmed as the commission’s substantive chair, despite the Department of State Services’ report on him and the Senate’s refusal to confirm him?

It doesn’t matter who the chairman of the EFCC is, so long as Buhari himself isn’t serious about fighting corruption. The EFCC is nothing more than the poodle of the president. He instructs it to go after his opponents but to spare his associates. Even if you bring an angel to head the EFCC, the angel can only be as effective as Buhari wants the angel to be. So it’s actually pointless who the chairman of the EFCC is. Buhari’s war on corruption is already lost before it has even started. If I were him, I would just call off the charade and apologise to Nigerians for taking them for a ride.

It appears that Nigeria’s intelligence outfit, the Nigeria Police and the EFCC, are tied to the government’s apron strings. What do you think can be done to make these security agencies more independent of political control?

I had hoped that Buhari would use his second coming to build enduring institutions that are independent of and unencumbered by loyalty to personalities in power. Because of the extreme personalisation of power in our politics, there is frankly nothing that can be done other than to have a president who really and truly allows the agencies to operate unfettered. People have suggested that the heads of the security agencies should be appointed by independent, professional bodies. While I see the merit in the suggestion, the fact still remains that the president can manipulate the independent, professional bodies to do his or her bidding.

Former US President Barack Obama is famous for saying ‘Africa doesn’t need strongmen, it needs strong institutions’. But strong institutions don’t come out of thin air; they are built by strong men through the strength of their personal example. I had hoped that Buhari would be the strong man who would build strong and enduring institutions that are fiercely independent. I was naïve.

Some are expressing fears that what happened to former President Umaru Yar’Adua during his ill health and eventual death may befall Buhari. Do you think those fears are misplaced?

I see eerily uncanny similarities between the public management of Buhari’s health and that of the late Yar’Adua’s. I once wrote an article in June 2016 titled, ‘The Yar’Aduaisation of Buhari’s Health by His Media Adviser’, where I called attention to the unhealthy and unhelpful secrecy around the president’s health. The issues I raised in that article are still relevant today, although I must give the president credit for always handing over to the vice president (Prof. Yemi Osinbajo), as the (Nigerian) Constitution demands, each time he travels abroad for an extended period. Yar’Adua never did that; nor did Obasanjo. I hope the president survives his current indisposition. In spite of my strong disagreements with his policies, I wish him well.

What do you think is the way forward in all this just as some are calling for the resignation of the President?

If Buhari resigns, that would be wonderful. It is obvious by now that he is superintending the most unprepared government in Nigeria’s history. He has absolutely no business being president. The presidency is above his pay grade. Every day in Nigeria is worse than the previous day, and there is no hope in sight. But should Buhari decide to stay on in power in spite of his proven incompetence and cluelessness, we have no option but to wait until his tenure expires. All we can do is put his feet to the fire and hope that he would get a clue and do – or get the right people to help him do – the right thing.

http://punchng.com/buhari-not-competent-govern-country-kperogi/

Wg

I swear a single state like LAGOS buhari cannot govern.

PrinceFromDilli:
I swear a single state like LAGOS buhari cannot govern.

Lagos ke, even local government chairman he is not fit

Hmm. Zombie becomes Wailer.

not even association of cow rearers

He wasnt prepared to govern, rather he was preparing to soak his own/families' dog n baboon in blood!
How come herdsmen that usually carry sticks, now have full assult riffles?

How come now they are now on rampage? And mr integrity is mom?

Not one herdsman arrested since these rampage started! R they ghosts?

Who is decieving who?

The fg doesnt have christian @ heart! His islamic agenda is so glaring but he has failed!

Imagine a country with all security heads from one part of the country! All juicy appointment to same part even though they hate been educated n have to have so many encouraging considerable so as to read!

kperogi should not try to absolve himself from anything.

the negatives he is expressing now have always been inherent in PMB & for a man of his status & learning, it is/was obvious that he purposely misinformed people about the person of PMB.

Nigerians had to chose between the deep blue sea (GEJ) & the devil (PMB) & 'we' chose the devil... because people like kperogi knowingly presented the devil as a Messiah.

Buhari is not competent enough to oversee his family ,,, let alone a country... The man is a definiction of failure and epitome of nepotism... His illiterate policies have made prices of ordinary commodities to skyrocket...i dont blame him.. I only blame the 15million fools who voted for a dullatd..

ivandragon:
kperogi should not try to absolve himself from anything.

the negatives he is expressing now have always been inherent in PMB & for a man of his status & learning, it is/was obvious that he purposely misinformed people about the person of PMB.

Nigerians had to chose between the deep blue sea (GEJ) & the devil (PMB) & 'we' chose the devil... because people like kperogi knowingly presented the devil as a Messiah.

he made a mistake... Error in judgement.. And he has realised that and doing all in his power to rectify it...
Unlike a certain region that keep on cheering for the dunce even with an empty tummy... Where is sarrki et all.... Have u praise the dullard today?

Story for the gods... he should go n die.

So there is a cure for zombites I feel hopeful.

Firefire:
Story for the gods... he should go n die.

At least we know that zombies are not forever brain dead and can be born again

HARDDON:
He wasnt prepared to govern, rather he was preparing to soak his own/families' dog n baboon in blood!
How come herdsmen that usually carry sticks, now have full assult riffles?

How come now they are now on rampage? And mr integrity is mom?

Not one herdsman arrested since these rampage started! R they ghosts?

Who is decieving who?

The fg doesnt have christian @ heart! His islamic agenda is so glaring but he has failed!

Imagine a country with all security heads from one part of the country! All juicy appointment to same part even though they hate been educated n have to have so many encouraging considerable so as to read!

The reformed zombie is a liar all those things they are counting now, we the Wailers warned them far before 2015.

ivandragon:
kperogi should not try to absolve himself from anything.

the negatives he is expressing now have always been inherent in PMB & for a man of his status & learning, it is/was obvious that he purposely misinformed people about the person of PMB.

Nigerians had to chose between the deep blue sea (GEJ) & the devil (PMB) & 'we' chose the devil... because people like kperogi knowingly presented the devil as a Messiah.

How much was he going to change in 5 years? He built up agri, minerals and mines, brought in hundreds of foreign investors, built schools in the North, built a rail system, maintain and built new airports, got rid of 10,000 ghost workers, kicked the cabal out of Aso Rock like OBJ and Tinubu. He did so much more but never got credit.

Only foolish and gullible Nigerians expected a miracle from him.. In a sane country, Buhari's name is not suppose to come close to a ballot paper in a democratic climate.... 90 percent of those that voted for the statue did it out of religious or tribal sentiments the remaining 10 percent were just fed up of PDP and just needed a change... Am just happy that the northerners with their must rule mentality will be shortchanged again and a yoruba man might just likely rule till 2023.. Then when 2023 comes again, it will be the turn of the igbo to deceive the gullible northerners by joining force with another old, half dead northerners, maybe this time it will be IBB or maybe Gowon who will rule for one year again and start spending state funds on treatment before going to the other world.. Yeye people

Bitterleafsoup:
How much was he going to change in 5 years? He built up agri, minerals and mines, brought in hundreds of foreign investors, built schools in the North, built a rail system, maintain and built new airports, got rid of 10,000 ghost workers, kicked the cabal out of Aso Rock like OBJ and Tinubu. He did so much more but never got credit.

he also introduced some of the most potent anti corruption weapons... TSA, BVN, FoI, money laundering laws etc...

GEJ was not perfect & should have done better, but his failings does not justify the amount of hate thrown his way...

Jonathan built our economy to an enviable height,in less than a year the economic terrorist and dullard ran it aground.
This shows how useless we are to prefer a nepa bill holder and empty brain over a PH.d holder and vibrant president.

I believe those that manipulated the system and installed this calamity are enjoying the dividend now and have learnt their lessons.

THIS ONE NA BAD MARKET FOR APC AND THEIR CHANGE MANTRA

The fool has found idiotus who celebrate his cankerous statement out of sheer idiocies and myopic grandstanding.

This facts were known to me right from the days of herbert macauley.



It is however unfortunate that someone of high intelectual standard in the like of kperogi is just realising who buhari truly is now.


But the question is; how did buhari convinced you and your likes to vote him into power

KidsNEXTdoor:

he made a mistake... Error in judgement.. And he has realised that and doing all in his power to rectify it...
Unlike a certain region that keep on cheering for the dunce even with an empty tummy... Where is sarrki et all.... Have u praise the dullard today?

my brother don't be deceived that region doesn't mean well for buhari physically they are with buhari but in their heart they wish him evil .that tribe is evil and fetish

vedaxcool:
The fool has found idiotus who celebrate his cankerous statement out of sheer idiocies and myopic grandstanding.

not funny and too dry try again

I'm amazed that a Northerner can be this 'de-zombiefied' and embrace the universally-known common-sensical factoid that the dullard is a glorified empty barrel.

Unfortunately pro-dullards from the land of the odoriferous oduans (especially their muslims) have sworn never to pull their heads from their asses and visualize the truth about their greatly senile dullard.

Yes sir! I can confirm that some merciless shots have been fired at mr president! They could be fatal!

ivandragon:


he also introduced some of the most potent anti corruption weapons... TSA, BVN, FoI, money laundering laws etc...

GEJ was not perfect & should have done better, but his failings does not justify the amount of hate thrown his way...

Yes he did his best in a society that thrives on corruption at every level.

Only a brainlame and chuckle head would believe a saint who is fighting corruption with the likes of Buratai,Kyari,Saraki,Amaechi,Fashola,Babachir,the frog eye kleptomaniac(fantastically corrupt criminals) as his team.

Only a doofus would trust a yahoo yahoo who borrowed to fund his election but have his children in the best schools in Europe.

Only a shallow minded would accept hook,line and sinker that the present vultures and pirates with the connivance of the walking corpse are not sinking the country with their deliberate forex manipulation.

Only a bastard would accept myopically that corruption starts and ends with stealing.

The saint said this but his zombies will always avoid it

Zombies masturbate over this:

Wow!

Isn’t that a serious indictment against a man considered as ‘Mr. Integrity’? Has Buhari lost his integrity?

Perhaps Buhari never had any integrity to start with. It was our desperation for a hero that caused us to dress him in borrowed robes. What man of integrity would lie that he took a bank loan to buy his presidential nomination form while two of his children were enrolled in a United Kingdom university? What man of integrity would have a multimillion-naira house in Abuja but lied that he had modest houses only in Daura, Kaduna, and Kano? What man of integrity would be afraid to publicly and transparently declare his assets after promising to do so? What man of integrity chooses to be the sole signatory to his presidential campaign’s bank account to which millions of poor, struggling Nigerians donated tens of millions of naira and not give an account of how he spent the money? What man of integrity perpetually surrounds himself with corrupt people and, worse still, defends their corruption?

This summarises everything for me. He has no integrity! Desperate gullibility led idiots to dress him in borrowed clothes, simple!
cc: doctokwus, beremx (Can't help calling out these 2 cos I always ask them what they were thinking! They don't even have the benefit of tribal affiliation to becloud their senses or reasoning so what overcame them really?)

vedaxcool:
The fool has found idiotus who celebrate his cankerous statement out of sheer idiocies and myopic grandstanding.

What about the bastard mediocre that is currently lying Hale and healthy in the hospital bed? Where is the national failure that is a monumental disgrace to this entity called Nigeria?

Remember that a corrupt gift is not bribe - Buhari