By Segun Balogun
October 5, 2010 03:20AM
print email


Mohammadu Buhari’s record as a military head of state will perpetually render him unelectable because Nigerians will never desire a repeat of such administration, said Nasir El-Rufai, former FCT Minister.

Reacting to statements made by the Mohammadu Buhari’s party, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), regarding the advice he gave the retired army general to retire from politics, Mr. El-Rufai, in a statement on Monday, said age is certainly a factor in the coming presidential election since Ibrahim Babangida has already defamed young Nigerians as unfit for national leadership.

“While it is true that neither youth nor age supplies wisdom on their own, it makes sense to ask those who have been recurring decimals in our country’s sorry history to leave the stage. I’m amazed that General Buhari cannot debate this matter without scurrying to the gutter, making claims that are baseless and unsupported by any facts,” said Mr. El-Rufai, describing Mr. Buhari’s leadership style as parochial and insensitive to Nigeria’s diverse background.

He asked whether “the failure [of Mr. Buhari and Mr. Babangida] to do their best for Nigeria when they had the chance qualifies them for a return to office. Our people surely deserve better.”

He was obviously irked by the claims made by CPC regarding his administration as a federal minister, describing them as fictitious and prejudicial.

“Despite the difficult decisions that had to be taken to restore Abuja, Mallam El-Rufai continues to receive deserved praise and recognition for his achievements in restoring the Abuja master plan, introducing Nigeria’s first computerised land registry, and helping thousands of Nigerians achieve their dreams of home ownership in the federal capital,” the statement said.

A reminder

“In 1984, Buhari allowed 53 suitcases belonging to his ADC’s father, to enter Nigeria unchecked, at a time the country was exchanging old currency for new. Against all canons of legal decency, he used retroactive laws to execute three young men for drug-peddling after they were convicted by a military tribunal, and not regular courts of law.

“Buhari was so high handed that he gave himself and his officials immunity, even from truthful reporting. That obnoxious Decree 4, against which truth was no defence, was used to jail journalists and attempt to cow the media as a whole. That tyrannical legislation shows the essence of his intolerance.

These are facts of recent history,” the statement said.

A new mindset

Mr. El-Rufai said it will take more than slander to become electable in 2011 because Nigerians will rather cherish an intellectual discourse about their daily problems.

While saying he still respects both Buhari and Babangida as elder statesmen, he emphasised his belief that their age, experience, and guidance are best used to contribute to the success of any future government.

Mr. Buhari, according to him, is not the kind of leader that can move the country forward because “now is the time for a new generation of leaders with new thinking and wholesome democratic attitude.

“The vicious response by the Buhari camp to a simple statement that their almost-70 principal should retire, is proof enough that a Buhari, the new Democrat, tolerant of views different from his own, is yet to evolve. And that is sad, for his fledgling party and its leadership,” the statement said.

Correct,
1 shot of Ogogoro for you