The presidential candidate of Nigeria's foremost
political opposition party, the All Progressives
Congress (APC), Major General Mohammadu
Buhari (Rtd), while briefing the press in Abuja,
the federal capital yesterday 17 March, declared
that he would not engage President Goodluck
Jonathan in a political debate in view of the
forthcoming general elections on the premise
that the activities of both himself and Jonathan
are in public domain.
When I got wind of this development I was not
as surprised that Buhari was avoiding a debate
with his arch opponent for the umpteenth time
as the reasons he advanced for that elusive
inclination. I don't understand what Buhari
means by that realities about himself and GEJ
are in public domain. What does/could he
mean?
Is this not the same Buhari that addressed the
international foreign policy community in
Chatham House and fielded questions from the
audience? Is the International Institute of
Foreign Policy not aware of his dictatorial
genius of the past? Why did he have to go and
assure them of his alleged conversion from
autocracy to democracy? The mere fact that he
had subjected himself to the democratic
tradition for the fourth time on end was enough
to assure his international audience that he was
now a 'converted democrat'. They, as we, were
not blind, so why the debate?
Why is Buhari changing the reason for his
elusive mien from the accusation that the press
is biased to purported immanence of his and
GEJ's 'political data' in public domain? Is this the
type of change we shall be experiencing should
he win? Jumping from pillar to post all in the
unwholesome bid to avoid responsibility? This
may not be the change Nigerians are looking
forward to.
To my mind, Buhari and his APC cohorts have
better but covert reasons for not wanting to
address the Nigerian electorates by virtue of a
debate. These reasons could be these:
* Buhari is afraid of Jonathan's democratic
credentials in respect to his.
* Buhari is not a democrat as alleged.
* Buhari may not be able to rationalise his
dictatorship of yester years to the Nigerian
public as he did in Chatham House.
* Buhari is not honest as purported.
* Buhari does not have a sound policy
framework of his anticipated presidency.
My disappointment with the electioneering
campaigns in this year's general elections has
been that, this campaign has not been founded
on ideology/issues. The PDP and APC including
their candidates at all levels -gubernatorial,
senatorial, representative, and presidential,
have not been able to expressly tell us what
they want to use public office for and how they
intend to actualise their visions!? The most the
APC has said is that they wish to deal with
corruption, security and arrest a dwindling
economy. The corollary is HOW!? HOW!? And
HOW!? You have not told us how!
The business of governance is complex but
scientific. Buhari should be able to tell us how
he intends to pay social benefits when the bench
mark for crude oil is becoming as dynamic as
possible.
The mere fact that Buhari cannot engage
President Goodluck Jonathan in a debate where
he would marshal out a scientific roadmap for
addressing corruption, security and a comatose
economy suggest that he is not a democrat, for
democracy is government by, for and of the
Nigerian electorates electing you based on
sound Democratic credentials of politicians
vying for public office.

Na you sabi
sai baba, sai buhari