I wrote this yesterday about President Buhari of Nigeria. There’s been a lot of interest in the blog in Nigeria. I’ll answer a few of the key points raised, here.

First, if you’re a president then it’s up to you to show people you’re alive and well – it’s not up to your people to prove the opposite. Every politician in the world knows this. A statement from a PR guy doesn’t cut it. Angry ripostes from supporters don’t cut it. Only your personal appearance cuts it.

Second, if your’e a president and you’re not well, then a doctor needs to come out of the hospital and explain to your nation what’s up. This let’s everyone, including your people and the markets, know if your alive at all, alive enough to recover or have just sprained an ankle.

Unless these things apply, then there will be shenanigans. For example, a dead person will be kept hooked up to a machine and advisers, politicians, traders, all the people ‘in the know’ will be jockeying for position and none of the regular people of the country will know anything about it. Nigerians have done themselves proud on the democrtic front in the last few years; this is no time to start accepting bullshit again.

Before the last election, I shared a platform in Nigeria with half a dozen ex-prime ministers and ex-presidents, both African and European. After the event, I had dinner with one along with his ambassador. The ambassador gave me a first class analysis of the political situation in Nigeria. The PDP had become unstable but was considered a more stable bet than the new APC. That said, the international diplomatic community thought the rise of a new party of opposition a thoroughly good thing and felt they might win ‘the election after next’. As it turned out, the APC actually won the election and Goodluck Jonathan actually stood down. It was pretty amazing.

That doesn’t mean the APC has all the answers. For now, they have the same problem the PDP had when its president died. But they have the additional problem of their opponents now presenting them as rootless, a punctuation mark between the end of one PDP administration and the start of a future one. The dynamics of the government of course mean there’ll be a lot of horse trading going on around the succession if the president is indeed dead. Not a bad idea in future to choose a younger president?

Anyway, where’s the Nigerian media? Cowed, maybe? And where’s the UK media? Uninterested, probably, because it’s almost entirely white – in spite of many Africans living in London – and to most UK media folk stories about Africa are boring unless there’s a big famine, terrorism, or a war.

But in the end, this is about how Nigeria is on its way to becoming a front-rank nation. That’s good news. Accountability to regular Nigerians about the present situation with the president is a big, big part of that.


http://www.ericjoyce.co.uk/2017/05/nigeria-its-for-a-president-to-prove-hes-alive-not-for-his-people-to-prove-he-isnt/

Vegetable Buhari prove to Nigerians that you're alive by yourself, not your media aid's

Buhari, Are you alive?

something is cooking

The constitution is very clear on this as an incapacitated President can be removed from office only that the powers to convene a medical board do not fall within the purview of the National Assembly but to the Federal Executive Council.

This is the only advantage the cabal is using to hold Nigeria to ransom.

The Senate however have the responsibility to conduct their own investigation and to force the British govt to put pressure on Buharis doctors to issue a medical report on the state of the President from where impeachment proceedings can begin.

influenz:
Buhari, Are you alive?

He is dead . . . till a confirmed live video feed appears to the contrary.

You guys should stop propagating fake news. Mumuharri is alive (although Ekwensu is dealing with his ass).

You can't vote in a slowpoke for a variety of silly reasons, then midway start wishing he dies. It doesn't work like that. Sorry, you have to live with the consequences of your misjudgement.

The Animal will complete his term ( even if he does this from London) and nobody is promoting the "mere commissioner" to President.

Rip to the vegetable.

If I catch this Eric guy eh....if LL tell me wetin Nigeria do am. People can not mind their business again

leofab:
Rip to the vegetable.

leo, let's talk

gberra:
leo, let's talk

are you amount the coup plotters?? Richyoungnigga come and see gberra oh.

TheTrueSeeker:


Anyway, where’s the Nigerian media? Cowed, maybe? And where’s the UK media? Uninterested, probably, because it’s almost entirely white – in spite of many Africans living in London – and to most UK media folk stories about Africa are boring unless there’s a big famine, terrorism, or a war.

But in the end, this is about how Nigeria is on its way to becoming a front-rank nation. That’s good news. Accountability to regular Nigerians about the present situation with the president is a big, big part of that.


http://www.ericjoyce.co.uk/2017/05/nigeria-its-for-a-president-to-prove-hes-alive-not-for-his-people-to-prove-he-isnt/

Most instructive portion of the entire write up.
The media has a duty not only to report news but also to investigate - investigative journalism.
Seems most of out media outlets, just wait to hear from the government before they report any news. Quite unfortunate. Sahara reporters, tries a bit, but most atimes gets into a personal war, which undermines their professionalism.

Curlieweed:
You guys should stop propagating fake news. Mumuharri is alive (although Ekwensu is dealing with his ass).

You can't vote in a slowpoke for a variety of silly reasons, then midway start wishing he dies. It doesn't work like that. Sorry, you have to live with the consequences of your misjudgement.

The Animal will complete his term ( even if he does this from London) and nobody is promoting the "mere commissioner" to President.

i concur, no thru the back door tinubu presidency, buhari is alive and is our president ho ha

You all are pathetic!

This Eric guy is just an idiot. Has Buhari died or not? He should be consistent with his story and stop writing nonsense for traffic.