In the build up to the 2015 presidential elections, I wrote an article wherein I advanced the view that choosing between the former President Goodluck Jonathan and the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari (then an opposition candidate) was like choosing between two evils.

I went further, however, to argue that, when contrasted with Jonathan, Buhari was the lesser evil because of his seemingly towering anti-corruption image. By so doing, I implied that Buhari was the better candidate. And quite regrettably, the past four years had only proven one point - that I was wrong. Buhari has by far turned out to be the greater evil.

Buhari, the Making of a Banana Republic

Buhari, packaged in a shiny suit and riding into power on the horseback of change, only succeeded in returning Nigeria to the Stone Age. The vehicle of our nationhood was put on an economic reverse and it will take great efforts to return Nigeria to where it was before Buhari came to power.

The indicators are very clear. With an average annual economic growth rate of 7.4%, Buhari was in 2015 handed a country that could boast of being one of the fastest growing economies in the world. It is no news that Nigeria's economy plunged into recession shortly after Buhari assumed power. Today, Nigeria has overtaken India as the country with the highest number of people living in extreme poverty in the world.

Not only that, Buhari has turned Nigeria into a banana republic where court orders are disobeyed and elections are rigged. Although, freedom of speech remains guaranteed, what happens after expressing it remains unguaranteed. I can go on and on but I will save that for another day.

The Candidates of the 2019 General Elections

The drums of a general election are now beating on the Nigerian soil and we have seen diverse politicians throwing wonderful dance steps to entice the electorates. Jostling for the top job of the country, are two major candidates, the incumbent president, Muhamadu Buhari, and a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.

Although there are several other presidential candidates such as Fela Durotoye, Omoyele Sowore, Oby Ezekwesili, Kingsley Mogalu, Donald Duke, etc, only Buhari and Atiku stand a chance of winning because of the highly monetized political climate in Nigeria.

Unfortunately, neither Buhari nor Atiku, methinks, has what it takes to set Nigeria on the path of progress and happiness for the good of all. In short, choosing between Atiku and Buhari is like choosing between six and half a dozen - the only difference is the nomenclature. I have already hinted on Buhari's woeful performance as incumbent president and why I deeply believe that he cannot take Nigeria to the promise land.

Consequently, it will be unfair if I conclude this article without expressing my views about Atiku Abubakar and why I think he is no different from Buhari. I now turn attention to Atiku Abubakar, the self acclaimed highest employer of labour in Nigeria.

Atiku and the Integrity Question

To begin with, Atiku is arguably one of the most corrupt politicians in Nigeria's history. As the Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku was in charge of the privatization of public assets during the Obasanjo administration between 1999 and 2007. Atiku cleverly used this opportunity to corruptly enrich himself. Today, he is worth over 1.5 billion dollars.

On top of that, a US Senate Committee report revealed that Atiku was deeply involved in the Halliburton scandal that saw him wiring over $40 million through offshore companies to his American wife, Jenifer Douglas. Consequently, in 2004 the then President Bush barred Atiku and other corrupt politically exposed persons from being issued visa to the United States. To this day, Atiku has not been allowed to enter the US although his apologists have continued to make laughable excuses.

We Know That Atiku is Corrupt But He is More Competent Than Buhari

I have read online some disgusting comments from the apologists of Atiku who claimed that, though Atiku was a corrupt politician, he is more competent than Buhari. And on each occasion I asked, why should we entrust a yam to a goat? Why should we entrust Nigeria to Atiku?

Unfortunately, Nigeria cannot be entrusted to Buhari too. How can we entrust Nigeria to a man who, due to gross negligence and incompetence, not only returned Nigeria to the Stone Age but gave political appointments to dead people when the living remains jobless?

It is clear that neither Buhari nor Atiku has the capacity to achieve the dream of a new Nigeria where the pursuit of human progress and happiness will overshadowed political greed and incompetence. A vote for either Buhari or Atiku is a vote for another four years of disaster and backwardness.


Looking at the smaller political parties, it appears they have some exceptional candidates who, if given the opportunity, have the brilliance and courage to rescue Nigeria from the current mess made of it by the crop of recycled political class. Nigerians must refuse to choose between six and half a dozen in the forthcoming presidential elections, refuse to choose between the devil and the deep blue sea. We need to breathe fresh air. And, of course, the air of Buhari and Atiku are toxic for the progress of Nigeria.

David Ademule is a student of human society and crime. He lives and writes from Lagos where he goes about carrying his magical pen in his pockets.

Source: http://Facebook.com/thesocialmicroscope

Buhari is a disaster.

next!!

Tired of all this old men jaare



Check Siggy for best deals