Democracy is about the people, not individuals, a strong leader can only lead only to the level that his followers are willing to follow him. However, more fearful is the possibility of having an aloof leader with a holier than thou posture towards issues, stern, unflinching and unwilling to see solutions as they are, relying more on his knowledge rather than consulting especially in areas where he is not vast. These are the more telling qualities of Gen Buhari, who singlehandedly overthrew a democratically elected government under the pretext of corruption thus leading us to the shit that we are now in. He betrayed his oath of allegiance to the Nation and the symbol of the nation which was, at that time, his President, Shehu Shagari, exploited his position as a Military Commander and took over the reigns of power and this break in continuity began a chain of events leading up to where we are right now in history. More worrisome is the fact that people are now clamoring for him to come back, it sends chills down my stomach, reminiscent of the events that led up to the rise of fearful civilian dictators such as Stalin, Hitler and Mussolini who rose as a result of the peoples search for immediate change. Now ask yourselves what could have happened if he did not over throw the civil dispensation i n 1983, the only result I can think of is that democracy, rule of law and the respect for human dignity would have been further entrenched rather than it is now. Change, everlasting change is gradual process and governance especially a democratic government is not a magic where a magician can pull a rabbit out of a hat. Gen Buhari is just a dictator with a superiority complex, look at his statements, I am on a rescue mission, I am going to change Nigeria, you guys are free to mortgage your freedom of expression, as for me and my house hold we prefer a sincere imperfect person like us, because perfection is only for God. We WILL VOTE GEJ!

^^^^ I wasn't trying to convince you there. Just wondering why you would CHOOSE to focus on the insults and then WHINE that that is all being offered you. If YOU cannot of your own FIGURE OUT the best for you, and then STICK TO IT, then why EXPECT others to do it for you?

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You disappoint me. I had thought you were an intelligent fellow but maybe I am wrong. This is an election period. If you support a candidate and really believe in him, you would try to convince others and not say they should figure it out themselves. I have given you an opportunity to convince me and you have just proven you really have no strong point for supporting Buhari, else you would have gladly brought it forward. Is this how you are going to campaign for him and expect him to win? and if he looses, you will say it was rigged? be fair for once in your life. Stop being a bandwagon Nigerian. If you really want Buhari to win, then show his good qualities and stop being a typical Nairalander, who just echoes what people are saying.

Put the points on the table and discuss inteligently. e.g,

Is he a democrat?
Is he sincere?
Does he really have any record of performance? etc.

Please try to stay on point if you can.

edicolove:

You disappoint me. I had thought you were an intelligent fellow but maybe I am wrong.

Don't worry about my intelligence -- worry more about yours.

edicolove:

This is an election period. If you support a candidate and really believe in him, you would try to convince others and not say they should figure it out themselves. I have given you an opportunity to convince me and you have just proven you really have no strong point for supporting Buhari, else you would have gladly brought it forward.

Yes, it is election period but I don't OWE YOU, neither do the others who do not support the same candidate as you do. You are free to choose whom you will and it is not my place to try to CONVINCE YOU. If you are more willing to have the status quo continue, who am I to deny you that right to vote that it should?

edicolove:

Is this how you are going to campaign for him and expect him to win? and if he looses, you will say it was rigged? be fair for once in your life. Stop being a bandwagon Nigerian. If you really want Buhari to win, then show his good qualities and stop being a typical Nairalander, who just echoes what people are saying.

I didn't tell you I am campaigning for anyone. Simply wondering why you think OTHERS OWE YOU simply cause they are not for the side you may have possibly chosen in all this. You are a Nigerian yourself and it is in your interest as well that you get this right, so why have OTHERS do the work for you?

edicolove:

Put the points on the table and discuss inteligently. e.g,

Is he a democrat?
Is he sincere?
Does he really have any record of performance? etc.

Please try to stay on point if you can.

Nairaland did not start yesterday -- - - I am sorry buddy, because you are here today does not mean we should all now Pay attention to you.

Buhari is tried and tested and proven to be effective in stamping out corruption.

He reduced inflationfrom 24% to 4%

Recovered looted  money.

He paid off our debt


All this in just 1.5 years

Why not google him?
---------------------------------

Nice one. at least this is an intelligent post. but i have a few questions and observations.

I will not google him because what will turn up in google are articles written by those who support him. I am a Nigerian who was very aware during Buhari's time and I cant remember him doing any of the things you just listed. He ruled for just a short time and achieved nothing but no one really blamed him for achieving nothing because we feel his rule was very short. but to claim the above is not true at all. The ony thing he did in 2 years was war against indiscipline. WAI. He didnt recover any monies. He didnt pay off any debt. And he didnt reduce inflation. please get your facts right. Inflation has never reduced in Nigeria since Gowon's regime. I has steadily risen since then. Ironically, the only president that has ever paid off our debt is OBJ and he has never been given any credit for that. funny.

Kobojunkie

---------------

I guess your name sums it up.

you cant seem to understand even a simple statement. this is why our university certificates are not accepted overseas. I have not even supported anyone or campaigned for anyone. just asked for a simple debate and you still cant understand after 4 posts.

NNOUNCE THIS ARTICLE
TO YOUR FRIENDS
MOHAMMUDU BUHARI: THE TOWER OF TERROR AND BIGOTRY

Nigeria has always been a basket case. Things that are abnormal and aberrations takes place in Nigeria everyday; they are commonplace and they assume normality and are acceptable as part of our life. Having illiterate soldiers rail road the wholeA nation of well educated people was at one time acceptable in the mentality of Nigerians. At the sight of a demented soldier on national television Nigerians rush out to celebrate and welcome the new 'messiah' to Dodan Barrack. The people easily lap up the new soldier of fortune's promises and good intentions and will be glad that the thieves in babariga and tall caps (a la Shagari's) have been arrested and their political parties "dissolved." People will take to the streets to listen to all the new promises of what the new "fedra gonment" will do. They will lap up all the "summarily dismissed," "hearby dissolved," "summarily expelled," and nonsense like "this gonment will not tallrate any indisplin" from the very mouth of lowlifes who are the very epitome of indiscipline! Mohammudu Buhari was one of such undisciplined soldiers that forcefully terminated democratically constituted and elected governments.


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The twin towers of terror, Mohammudu Buhari and his co-traveler Tunde Idiagbon, plotted and terminated the second republic. The second republic was never a worthy venture considering the excesses and corruption of the epicureans in Alhaji Shehu Shagari and Adisa (the self-processed and heavily deluded AMA, Always Mentally Alert) Akiloye's National Party of Nigeria (NPN), but only the people have the right to terminate it through the ballot box. But Buhari has no regard for the ballot box or democratic process that engenders and enthrones democratic regimes. Like any soldier of fortune with a huge personal agenda, Buhari overthrew the government of Alhaji Shehu Shagari. He accused the civilian administration of corruption and bad governance; he called them names and came to the conclusion that they will be "summarily disciplined." On December 31, 1983, Mohammudu Buhari rolled back the hands of the nation's development and stymied the progress of Nigeria. He decided to clean up the mess left behind by the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and restore order. But rather than dealing with the crooks, philanders, epicureans, grabbers and looters in the NPN and hold them accountable, he chose to punish only a section of the political landscape; he focused on the political opposition that controlled less than 30% of the funds at the time. Buhari arrested, detained and tried all the governors of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) while the erstwhile leaders of the NPN were left untouched and a mere handful of them kept under house arrest.

[b]Buhari's was a selective approach to governance and justice. Not a single Hausa/Fulani man or woman was arrested, interrogated, detained, brought to trial or sent to jail during his dictatorship despite the legions of Southern non-Muslim 'infidels' he detained without trial, sentenced for flimsy reasons, or murdered by retroactive law. It was only Umaru Dikko he went after - for whatever personal reasons - among the dozens of NPN chieftains, but he kept the likes of Professor Ambrose Ali, Chief Olabisi Onabanjo, Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin and Chief Bola Ige in prison. He tried them and retried them until they were found guilty. His goal was to find them guilty and it was at all cost. For him it was better to find the 'infidels' guilty rather than trouble the 'elect.' Buhari incarcerated the UPN governors who brought development to their people and their states and rewarded NPN governors who could not account for the revenue allocations they got and the loans they borrowed with house arrests and freedom to move around! It was Buhari's Northern Agenda, an agenda soaked in his belief in a pious North and determination to deal ruthlessly with the 'infidels,' from the Christian South and its inferior Muslim population who were not Muslim enough, [/b]

The repeated imprisonment, trials and tribulations heaped on the UPN governors hastened the untimely demise of Chief Olabisi Onabanjo and Professor Ambrose Alli. Buhari lacked the conscience to care; he was least interested in the fairness of his action. All the ministers of the National Party of Nigeria and their party chieftains such as the former president Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Suleman Takuma, Adamu Ciroma, Yahaya Dikko and many others were left untouched; they were too pious and of a special Northern breed to be touched. Buhari settled for scapegoats and 'infidels' from the South to justify that he was cleaning the nation of corruption when in fact he wore a garment of greed and excesses. He showed very little respect for the law of the land. He even went a step further to backdate laws in order to ensure that three suspected drug pushers, Bartholomew Owoh, Bernard Ogedengbe and Lawal Ojuolape were found guilty by retroactive law, but then that was a drug trade that prominent Northern Nigerian businessmen were well noted for. In doing this, he insulted the civil society and drew the anger and criticism of the Nigerian media, labour unions, the Nigerian Bar Association, the National Association of Resident Doctors, and many other unions and organizations. Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti and his brother, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti suffered greatly from the inhuman actions and detentions of Buhari and his band of plunders. The three drug suspects were found guilty and murdered by retroactive law. Decree No. 20 of 1984 was not only inhuman and illegal in its composition, it was draconian and a law made by fools, because suddenly action that we acceptable and normal when taken were strangely turned into criminal actions. The Public Officers (Protection Against False Accusation) Decree 4 of 1984 was Buhari's gift to the Nigerian Press and its first victims were The Guardian's Tunde Thompson and Nduka Iraboh.

Buhari did not even consider the ministers of Alhaji Shehu Shagari who broke every law, plundered the nation's resources and spent money like it was going out of fashion for any punishment. He did not come to punish the 'saints,' because the saints are too pious. His war against indiscipline (WAI) was conceived in deceit. Only the unholy will be punished for acts of indiscipline. The pious have the right to 'take,' to 'use,' and to 'remove' whatever they want, and their taking, using and removing what they want is holy and righteous before Allah. As far as Buhari was concerned only the people in the South were undisciplined since the North was and still is pure and pious. Only numskulls will hold such silly and silly believes, but Buhari was far from convinced about the superiority of his Hausa/Fulani race and the purity of Islam. For Buhari, he was right and pure and we (the people in the South) are dead. He considered himself sent by Allah to either purify them or exterminate them all.

[b]The Emir of Gwandu was too pious and as such was at liberty to bring in his 53 suitcases. While the people importing contrabands were predominantly from the North, only the few from the South were arrested and prosecuted. Alhaji Jokolo, the current Emir of Gwandu and son of the then Emir recently said his father only brought back 12 suitcases and not 53. Jokolo, a former colonel in the Nigeria Army said it was General Buhari who instructed him to go to the airport to receive his father, the then Emir. Mustapha Jokolo acknowledged that several suitcases were taken straight from the aircraft to the State House. He said those were for the Chief of Protocol, Dahiru Waziri. They were all in the government of Mohammudu Buhari but Buhari did not put them on trial for bringing contraband goods into the country or for disobeying the law by not taking their luggage through the normal process of inspection. Even Buhari's brother was on that same entourage of the Emir of Gwandu, but all of them are neck and shoulder above the law, and the war against indiscipline does not affect them; they are above such petty laws that were made for commoners and Southerners.[/b]

General Buhari has very little education, like the rest of his khaki-wearing comrades who ruled Nigeria by force and by decrees. He attended primary school in Daura and later the Katsina Model School before attending military training at home and overseas. We can safely say that this is another cretin case with very little ability for creative, analytical and constructive thinking. Even his actions as military dictator were causes of concern for the academia, and they worry why any rational person will take those actions or follow the steps Buhari followed. A few months or a year in any military college or cadet program can never prepare any soldier for governance. Soldiers are trained to follow rules and to obey orders; never to run government, lead civilians or be seen in the civil society wearing uniform around. No military training prepare or pretend to prepare a soldier to run a local government or a state. Buhari was poorly educated and has a low intelligence quotient (IQ) to manage the affairs of the people of Katsina State and as such lack what it takes to manage the affairs of Nigeria. He forcefully imposed himself on the Nigerian people and made a terrible work of it; he caused confusion, did the economy no good and dehumanized the civil society. If he failed when he was a dictator, I do not see him succeeding in a democratic, give-and-take environment.

Buhari accepted the Abacha contraption and was one of the first few who embraced Abacha quite early and saw nothing wrong in the annulment of MKO Abiola's freely given mandate. Buhari was therefore rewarded with the chairmanship of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) by his friend, General Sani Abacha. The PTF had annual budgets that were far more than what most states of the federation received from the federal purse. The Fund began in 1996 with an initial capital of almost 60 billion naira. It was a duplication of social services and it became the bottomless pit that allowed the Northern Oligarchy to loot the national treasury once again. It was like the return of the Nigerian National Supply Company (NNSC) and contracts were flowing and doing so in abundance, but available only to the Oligarchy who will then turn around to sell the contract papers to a Southerner at huge profit. It all became a joke in Lagos about how some people procured the paper and made billions and some bought the paper and do all the work for little or nothing! Buhari's PTF built roads at federal, state and local government levels at a time when the Federal Ministry of Work lacked the funds to repair roads. PTF also procured drugs at a time when the Federal Ministry of Heath did not have the budget to provide drugs for federal hospitals. It was said that the PTF had 115.6 billion naira available to it as at December 31, 1997, funds that were never audited or properly accounted for. Like Abacha and the rest of his government, the PTF was set up to provide an opportunity to loot without any need for accountability; and corruption and indiscipline were never fought at that level. A wise former head of state would have seen that PTF was an alternative government and he would have rejected the offer to be part of it, but not Mr. Buhari. PTF brought untold opportunities and allowed him to practically rebuild Katsina, Kaduna and the rest of the north while a few projects were thrown at the Southern States.

More roads were built in each of Funtua, Gusau, Kaduna, and Sokoto than in Lagos or Oyo State. Over 70% of the Fund's allocation went into modernizing the roads in the North. For example, roads in Malali Government Reservation Area (GRA) in Kaduna were as good as you can wish for before PTF was set up, but these roads were dualized with PTF's money all the way to Durbar Hotel and beyond. Buhari's idea of Nigeria is one in which the north is superior and it must always take the lion share of everything. Unfortunately Muhammudu Buhari is the presidential candidate of Bola Tinubu, the self-professed leader of the Yoruba people. It is very obvious they have so much in common - brash, uncreative, unimaginative and false superior air. Contractors such as Chagori and Chagori (C&C) and Afri-Projects Consortium were some of the major beneficiaries of the PTF contracts. The PTF even carried out projects in Military barracks despite the fact that those projects have been provided for in the Ministry of Defence's budget. The Armed Forces PTF was allocated 20% of the PTF funds and with it came more funds to loot and no accountability. In the final analysis it was confirmed that Buhari wasted 135 billion naira of the PTF's 146 billion and all this financial abuse during the time Abacha was waging war against indiscipline and corruption (WAIC). The joke is on Abacha, Buhari and their ilk, and I am laughing out loud, really loud.

Human rights violations brought the civil society in confrontation with the twin towers of terror. Buhari and Idiagbon were ruthless and they disregarded every right, every dignity and ignored every court injunction as they inflicted untold pains on human rights organizations, newspapers, labour unions, and the community of editors, journalists, writers, reporters, and opinion leaders. The twin towers were right and we were all wrong and as such detained - kept away for as long as their lordships wanted. It has often been speculated that the reason why Buhari terminated a democratic government was to give him the opportunity to remove the documents relating to the missing Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) missing $2.8 billion. For reasons relating to the missing $2.8 billion, Buhari detained, intimidated, jailed and abused people at will. His detention camps were flung open by his successor and the whole world was shocked beyond believe that a human being will go to any extent to dehumanize other human beings for no reason at all. The unfortunate traveler and the other tower in the Buhari dictatorship, Tunde Idiagbon was no doubt the honest and decent of the two men. Idiagbon was a disciplined soldier who got into a ride with a crooked driver behind the wheels.

There is no doubt in my mind that General Mohammudu Buhari failed in every area of assessment. He lacks the temperament to tolerate democratic culture, he is poorly educated and lack the creative, analytical and strategic thinking required leading a nation like Nigeria. It is true Buhari had gunned his way into power in Nigeria before, essentially an accident of history that should never have happened. He may be qualified to lead the Caliphate but even then the days of the Caliphate have receded into the footnotes of history. Buhari was a soldier who disobeyed his commander in chief and forcefully removed an elected government from office. Besides lacking the moral authority and shared values required of a democratic leader, Buhari's antecedent as minister in the petroleum ministry where funds disappeared and later as chairman of the Petroleum Trust Funds where cases of widespread corruption and sectionalism were rampant necessarily made it imperative to disqualify this former tower of terror.

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[/url=http://nigeriaworld.com/feature/publication/babsajayi/121010.html]By Babs Ajayi[/url]

edicolove:

I guess your name sums it up.

you cant seem to understand even a simple statement. this is why our university certificates are not accepted overseas. [/b]I have not even supported anyone or campaigned for anyone. just asked for a simple debate and you still cant understand after 4 posts.

Kobojunkie:

I didn't tell you I am campaigning for anyone. Simply wondering why you think OTHERS OWE YOU [b]simply cause they are not for the side you may have possibly chosen in all this. You are a Nigerian yourself and it is in your interest as well that you get this right, so why have OTHERS do the work for you?  

If you had only taken time to read through the responses . . you would have noted that I did not conclude you had picked a candidate or campaigned for anyone. However, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that YOU CONCLUDED I was here to Campaign for Buhari before even asking to be sure . . .  I guess the University Certificate talk of yours was simply you revealing your own self to us all . . . .

Yes, it is election period but I don't OWE YOU, neither do the others who do not support the same candidate as you do. You are free to choose whom you will and it is not my place to try to CONVINCE YOU. If you are more willing to have the status quo continue, who am I to deny you that right to vote that it should?

-----------------------------------------

was this not your statement? or you typed it in error? did you not already conclude i was voting for the status quo?


and just to add ironically, Buhari is part of that status quo. The guy is more of the status quo than jonathan and sambo combined. when will the guy ever mentor young men to take the baton from him. i guess he wants to be the status quo for ever

^^^ Was the IF in that statement LOST ON YOU? 


Actually NO, Buhari would not be considered part of the current status quo for so many reasons. One, he is not part of the current government -- yes he served under military rule which was abolished about 12 years ago, by the way. Yes, he is from old government, but since we are in a democracy, and he is a civilian, he is allowed to run again.

Well to ignore Kobojunkie and have a wider and more intelligent debate, I would like to ask the following questions to those supporting Buhari. You do have the right to support whom you will but i just wondering,


1. Why did he truncate Nigeria's first real democracy (even if the government had issues)?
2. Why did he never have a plan back to democracy 2 years after he truncated democracy?
3. Why did he support the annulment of june 12?
4. Why has he never mentored leaders since I have known him? (he has no real political base except the almajiris) I would have had more respect for him if he put some young men whom he has mentored forward.
5. Why did be try to Islamise Nigeria when he was president?

Just a few questions to ponder, debate please

^^^ Was the IF in that statement LOST ON YOU? Shocked Shocked Shocked


Actually NO, Buhari would not be considered part of the current status quo for so many reasons. One, he is not part of the current government -- yes he served under military rule which was abolished about 12 years ago, by the way. Yes, he is from old government, but since we are in a democracy, and he is a civilian, he is allowed to run again.

-----------------------------------

Kobojunkie!!! haba my guy leave this argument alone. you are making a fool of yourself. your statement explains itself. the if does not negate the statement, it buttresses it. it ascents it. it gives it footing. please check your brighter grammer. you can actually replace the IF with AS. haba!

edicolove:


Kobojunkie!!! haba my guy leave this argument alone. you are making a fool of yourself. your statement explains itself. the if does not negate the statement, it buttresses it. it ascents it. it gives it footing. please check your brighter grammer. you can actually replace the IF with AS. haba!

See argument ooo!!! ROFLMAO!!

i would have voted for Buhari but going by the VP debate Fola Adeola impressed me more than Tunde Bakare , so am STOCKED  

^^^ Do you mind posting a good link to the debate? I missed it.

I like Bakare as a person but i dont think he is a good leader. good critics are never good leaders. they are almost opposites. he is too quick to steer controversy. you must have a big heart as a leader. there is a parable that says, a king who always tries to listen to his servants will soon hear his servants insulting him.

which link my guy? this is the debate. you already started it. fire on!

@ Agaba, i think i am filled to the brim with your write up, u actually digg out some history the new generations will leave on.
@ Kobojunkie , NN24 repeatedly show that debate yesterday and i think there is still going to be a repeat broadcast of it, but i suggest you ask JARUS our moderator the link cos am totally sure he has it.

Kobojunkie:

^^^ Do you mind posting a good link to the debate? I missed it.

Kobo,
simply search for "NN24 VP debate in Nigeria" on YouTube and you'll get the clips of the full debate.

haboosa:

@ Agaba, i think i am filled to the brim with your write up, u actually digg out some history the new generations will leave on.
@ Kobojunkie , NN24 repeatedly show that debate yesterday and i think there is still going to be a repeat broadcast of it, but i suggest you ask JARUS our moderator the link cos am totally sure he has it.

Thanks but that was written by Babs Ajayi and not me. Credit to him for good research.

I hereby pocket the 'thank you' if by digging out you were referring to unearthing Babs article

The piece below was curled from an FB forum. I feel it is important we share it and ruminate on its content.

DO YOU KNOW: That we once had (over) $33billion in our foreign reserve?

That just $3billion out of this would have built 9000 km of federal roads in Nigeria from the scratch at the cost of N50m/km?

That the longest federal road in Nigeria is Maiduguri to Lagos and it is less than 2000km.

That the total major federal roads in Nigeria is less than 10000Km and yet we cannot maintain them

That we have one big Agency and a full ministry - FERMA and federal Ministry of works and housing in charge of our roads yet they are in a terrible state.

That all the major roads awarded by the OBJ govt are still under construction 8 years after

That spending just $3billion on our roads would have massively created employment and reduced the rate of accidents on our road.

but our dear leaders sorry rulers still thinks it is a rocket science to maintain highways or to create jobs.

Muhammed Kabir
A Rejoinder to “Buhari, Atiku, Go and Rest” written by Naiwu Osahun: a response from MK Hassan

Dear Naiwu Osahun,
I read your article with the above caption and was compelled to write a rejoinder because of the inaccuracies it conveyed. The article only succeeded in exposing your ignorance of what has been happening in Nigeria, not surprising to me because you have stayed too long in the West and have no clue or is it due to some deliberate intellectual mischief? It may be better if you start writing on Memphis Tennessee, the civil right movements and how Dr. King was assassinated in Memphis since you know that place very well to have been given the city’s key before you get enlightened on local politics back home in Nigeria and start writing. I am really disappointed with that article and other ones you have previously wrote. It is obvious that your article wanted to attack the personality of Buhari but it ended up with bunch of contradictions and lack of scholarship. I cannot defend both Atiku and Jonathan because they all have case files before EFCC. While Atiku has one with respect to PTDF, Mr. Jonathan’s wife has a case file involving 12 million dollars when he was Governor of Bayelsa and she was arrested by EFCC then. Jonathan became Vice President and now Acting President and the case has since died silently. However, on Buhari I need to put the records straight point by point, I hope my rejoinder will be given the same publicity as your initial write up.

1. Mitary Training: Buhari does not fit in to the profile you wrote. In case you don't know Buhari graduated as a military officer (lieutenant) in Aldeshot UK. He went to the US National War College Carlisle in Pennsylvania from 1980 -1981. That is where the most respected officers of the US army such as Collin Powell attended to become generals. He was at the Defense College of India as well. By all military standards, his training is superb and the best any general can get in the world. Buhari was not some idle sitting General on baboon tree as you stated in your write up when he was in the army. In 1982-1983 when Chad took over our land with more than 19 villages like what the Cameroonians did with the support of France in the case of Bakassi, he then Brigadier Buhari led a successful operation as the GOC to push back Chad and reclaim our territory. If it was Buhari, there is no way as President, he will hand over Bakassi to Cameroon, that is true patriotism. I am not Buhari's relative and I have never met him in my life. But I have taken the pain to know a lot about him by reading facts because I believe among all the possible candidates vying for the Presidency now that may end up ruling Nigeria, he is the best qualified. Someone challenged me on the comments section of Sahara Reporters that I must compare General David Petreaus (The General Commanding Central Command in the Middle East of the US Forces) and Buhari; that is a tall order. They did not serve in the same army but still you have to give it to Buhari. Buhari as Lieutenant after graduating from the UK royal army fought in the Congo in 1964-65 as part of the first mission forces to stabilize the country during it first civil war and won the Congo Medal. He is comparable to Petreaus of US in terms of war command and strategy training. Petreaus Attended the US War College, Pennsylvania to become a General, Buhari went to the same college from 1980-1981 to be General even though Petreaus did, Buhari is his senior even by the US army rankings. Buhari fought a dangerous battle in Congo as a Lieutenant and won the Congo medal, Petreaus did not. Buhari fought in the Biafra civil war as a captain; Petreaus has not fought in a civil war. Buhari commanded an army division to defend his country against Chad, Petreaus commanded an army division to destroy a country Iraq. Now anyone who wants to can compare them.

2. Buhari's family background: Buhari came from a poor family in Daura. He is not the typical northern prince that you may think of. He lost his father Mallam Dauda, when he was young and his uncle took care of him and sent him to school and after secondary school, he joined the army and went to train in the UK royal army. You should have found out about all that before you write your article. It is because of his kind of background and the suffering he went through that he has no sympathy for corruption and the northern traditional ruling families fear him. Quite unlike Atiku, IBB, Yar'adua, Abdussalam etc, he has no traditional title, he refused to accept one from any emir even though they want to give him one even today. The masses in the north have decided to give him one. They call him Baba Buhari Shugaban talakawan Nigeria (Meaning our father, Buhari the leader of the masses).

3. Buhari, the so called Jihadist: Buhari was the first person to fight religious extremism in Nigeria. Anyone can go and find out about a group called Maitatsine in the north that took up arms in 1984 in the name of Jihad in States like Kano, Maiduguri, Bauchi and Adamawa and what he did to them. You also need to read about his refusal to allow every tom manliness and harry to become a pastor or imam in Nigeria like what is happening today. That is why we have so many religious crisis in the country because illiterates are parading themselves as Mallams and Pastors and fomenting trouble in the land. In respect of Nuhu Ribadu, Nasiru El Rufai, two of the most recent distinguished northerners anyone likes to mention, I would like to let you know that they have learnt a lot from Buhari as well. Nuhu got the opportunity to fight his first battle of corruption when he was doing his NYSC in 1984 when Buhari was investigating the 1984 thieves, Nuhu served in the Ministry of Trade where the import license scams took place and it is there, he told us on one occasion while delivering a lecture, that he got the inspiration to fight corruption and decided to join the police after his NYSC. In the case of El-Rufai, he also worked as consultant for PTF when Buhari was its chairman. Not surprising that they are hard working and distinguished. However, just before the 2003 elections, mischief makers like Atiku went to the south to misinformed people that he is a jihadist and support Sharia. If that is the case distinguished southerners both Christians and Muslims alike will not have supported him and I am talking of people like late Gani Fawehimi, who invited him to his house and raised Buhari’s hand before the media for all of us to see. People like Olu Falae, Tam David West and the like who still say a lot of good things about him and are supporting him. The truth must be told this time.

4. IBB's Coup against Buhari: Buhari refused to accept IMF loans and refused to devalue the naira then and I am glad you acknowledge that in your article and because of that he had to go because the west didn't like him so they used IBB to bring SAP that scuttle our econo y and put us in 18 billion dollars debt even though we sell oil. Meanwhile, he has retired General Ali Gusau in 1984 because of disagreements regarding work and defense contracts as reported along with Babangida, the duo planned the coup and when they succeeded, Babangida recalled Ali Gusau back to the army and made him his chief of Defense Intelligence. By the way, I would like you to know that Buhari sent Gusau on training to UK and US in intelligence and security while he was head of state. He made IBB his chief of army state but IBB is nothing short of a traitor to Buhari just the same way Dimka and Bisalla were traitors to Murtala in the 1976 coup.

5. Buhari planned a coup because of missing oil billions: He planned a coup against people like Umaru Dikko the then transport minister who were giving themselves import licenses for rice and skimming Nigerians and the like of Dr Tahir, the communication minister, who were importing horses and their food from Argentina. I met late Dr. Tahir who became Buhari's supporter in 2003, when I visited him in 2002 he told us that what Buhari did then was right, because they have lost their direction as a government. Dr. Tahir was a man of high intellectual capacity with a Phd in sociology from Cambridge, he spoke the truth. What Buhari did as a petroleum minister was the successful supervision and construction of three of the nation refineries, over 4000km of pipelines and 28 depots that we have failed to maintain today and so we import oil. How much has been stolen in just the turnaround maintenance of the refineries between Obasanjo and Abdussalam and still the refineries are not working? Over 4 billion dollars from 1999 to date. Infact before Obasanjo left, he auctioned one of refineries to Dangote at about 250 million dollars, something worth more than 3 billion dollars, Yar’adua reversed that sale.

6.Buhari and PTF: It is obvious you have not been home for long and so you are writing on what you don't know. On PTF, Buhari rehabilitated universities in Nigeria, provided textbooks for libraries and I am a witnessed, I used them for my final year project with PTF written on them. He supplied buses to the universities that time universities have no means of transportation. He built lecture theaters that I have studied in. We were happy to drive in the PTF buses and go for excursions to Kainji and Ajaokuta. What happened in PTF was after Obj won election even before he was sworn in and seeing the PTF records, he said he is going to ban PTF because it has no constitutional backing in a democracy. Because constitutionally all revenues must go to federation account and allocated by RMFAC. So when he was sworn in, he appointed a sole administrator, Dr. Haruna Adamu to investigate PTF hoping he will find something against Buhari. But it ended with Haruna going to jail for stealing $100 million dollars and it is in the records and newspapers in case you don’t know.

7.Missing PTF Money: . Let me tell you if that money you are talking about was missing in PTF, in both 2003 and 2007 elections, PDP and OBJ will have used that against Buhari just like he did to Atiku and PTDF and how he intimidated IBB on Glo by arresting his son, but OBJ cannot because he knows the man is so clean and that is who we need today in Nigeria. You can accuse Buhari for high handedness when he initially came in to power in 1983 by sending the politicians to Kiri Kiri with long life sentences but not corruption. Looking back to the 1980's , I can say Buhari was even compassionate. During that time, in Ghana and Congo and several African countries where they were coups, people like Rawlings in Ghana executed the government officials by firing squad or hanging but Buhari just jailed them. Some Nigerians are now even clamoring for a revolution or the Rawlings style.

8.Buhari and Democracy: Since the time he joined partisan politics, Buhari has conducted himself in the most admirable manner to anyone who knows what African politics is. Whenever, he lost, he went to court to follow due process. He has been in court for more than 20 months in one occasion making his case. He refused to mobilize his follows to rise against the Government or become unruly. If you don’t know he has such a large following but even if you think he doesn’t look at what is happening in other African countries. Raila Odinga and Kenya, they almost went to civil war because of elections. Morgan Tseveingire and Zimbwebwe, the country is now in shambles.

9. Let me be categorically clear, I am not saying Buhari is Saint Buhari and has no faults. I have my own different opinions on him as well but given our circumstances and the practical reality we are facing the main options we have in 2011 are BUHARI, ATIKU, BABANGIDA, GOODLUCK, the rest of the candidates are not yet out and I have not seen someone with their political heavy weight, we may be left with only the option of electing Buhari if we want to move this country forward. In a real political fight, Jonathan may not survive the intrigues. I don’t have anything against him but I am waiting for him to prove himself on electricity. I am even helping him because I have given his government a plan on how to fix it in the next one year, I hope he can deliver on the electricity promise to prove to us that he can lead and solve our problems.

Finally, if you think my points are not correct or I am being dishonest, I think we have no other option than I challenge you to a debate on your write up perhaps with Sahara reporters and informed journalists and historians as panelists. You are in Tennessee, I am in Pennsylvania, so we can meet in the neutral middle state of Ohio in a city like Cincinnati for the debate. I can pay for your travel fare from Memphis if you want me to. After the debate on Buhari with facts and defending the trash you wrote, then we can put it in on Youtube and Sahara reporters that way Nigerian’s will be more enlightened. I am not intimidated by the bunch of acronyms and titles after your name. It is dangerous to be writing silly stories and misleading people, it is not helping the situation in Nigeria.

MK Hassan can be reached at mk.hassan@hotmail.com

$33bn is a gross under estimation, we had close to $60bn around the first quarter of 2008
But you do not go around spending your foreign reserve because bigger foreign reserve attracts more foreign investors ho do have confidence in the stability and productivity of your economy.
It also affects the value of your currency.
BTW why is it tagged reserve if we are to keep on spending it?


So nothing wrong in not spending it but there is everything wrong on not building good roads because we can do that without touching our foreign reserve.

Wow! wow!! wow!!!

I actually read everything in this thread like a book. My brain cells are rattling now like the loose bolts and nuts on my generator. I wonder what the history and anthropology curriculum in our secondary schools and universities are. This thread can gainfully replace them.

Nigerians are in a well crafted dilemma - who to vote for massively next month.

GEJ continues to be seen as part of the status quo that has pillaged our future before it is born. On the brigter side, he runs with an air of destiny and has committed himself in his words. My power of discernment still tilts towards this commitment.

Ribadu is confused and can't seem to reconcile his earlier career goals with his reality. He now has a godfather he was so sure was 100% corrupt 4 years ago.

Buhari is now officially controversial. He truncated a democracy with the gun, despised it by not having any return plans until he was ousted and went about supporting June 12 annulment and dining with a government synonymous with corruption and human rights abuses (Abacha)
Now he seeks power to fix Nigeria and it leaves me wondering, What in the worls does CPC represent. If Buhari drops off the planet today, who will carry on whatever philosophy he represents. Does he have a school of newbreed politicians who understand his philosophies? When did he develop these philosophies.
Let's concentrate on building Institutions, not frail personalities who should give up the stage for the proteges.

BTW, Nigeria's problem is NOT corruption. The US, UK, greater Europe and China are all corrupt in their governments.

Pat Utomi & Chris Okotie have got the one thing lacking in all of our past leaders, and that is that they are ashamed enough of our situation as a country to want to do something about it. Having enough financial muscle and getting their very academic messages across to millions of uneducated Nigerians who lack the capacity of sound perspective is their collective bane.

If only we could do a brain transplant, we could actually have the best president ever.

I have heard that 12 years of PDP must come to an end. It is amusing how few people understand what that actually means.

Who are PDP?
They were once Alliance of Democracy stalwarts who converted to Action Congressmen that once flew across the street to attend a PDP dispensation but suddenly realized they left their suitcases in the ANPP flight that brought and returned to pick it up passing through Labour Party's road in an APGAmobile driven by the Supreme Court and conducted by the many Hight Court judges that they blessed with the change from their last outing.

All of these politicians who are free agenting Political Parties like professional football players are the PDP. Until we identify people by their political philosophies and see it reflected in their Institutions, we cannot make the right choice.


Goodluck Nigerians!!! (This is in no way in favor of GEJ)

IBB is a criminal for condemning Buhari! Disgusting stupid old man. He should go and rescue his friends in Egypt and Libya.

edicolove:

Buhari is tried and tested and proven to be effective in stamping out corruption.

He reduced inflationfrom 24% to 4%

Recovered looted  money.

He paid off our debt


All this in just 1.5 years

Why not google him?
---------------------------------

Nice one. at least this is an intelligent post. but i have a few questions and observations.

I will not google him because what will turn up in google are articles written by those who support him. I am a Nigerian who was very aware during Buhari's time and I cant remember him doing any of the things you just listed. He ruled for just a short time and achieved nothing but no one really blamed him for achieving nothing because we feel his rule was very short. but to claim the above is not true at all. The ony thing he did in 2 years was war against indiscipline. WAI. He didnt recover any monies. He didnt pay off any debt. And he didnt reduce inflation. please get your facts right. Inflation has never reduced in Nigeria since Gowon's regime. I has steadily risen since then. Ironically, the only president that has ever paid off our debt is OBJ and he has never been given any credit for that. funny.

@edicolove

You may want to read my submissions on the claims in the post you quoted in here- https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-620012.0.html

Interesting analysis except for the bolded

POTUT:

GEJ continues to be seen as part of the status quo that has pillaged our future before it is born. On the brigter side, he runs with an air of destiny and has committed himself in his words. My power of discernment still tilts towards this commitment.

Where and when did GEJ commit himself to his words? If anything he strikes one as a completely undecided and wavering individual.

POTUT:

Wow! wow!! wow!!!

I actually read everything in this thread like a book. My brain cells are rattling now like the loose bolts and nuts on my generator. I wonder what the history and anthropology curriculum in our secondary schools and universities are. This thread can gainfully replace them.

Nigerians are in a well crafted dilemma - who to vote for massively next month.

GEJ continues to be seen as part of the status quo that has pillaged our future before it is born. On the brigter side, he runs with an air of destiny and has committed himself in his words. My power of discernment still tilts towards this commitment.

Ribadu is confused and can't seem to reconcile his earlier career goals with his reality. He now has a godfather he was so sure was 100% corrupt 4 years ago.

Buhari is now officially controversial. He truncated a democracy with the gun, despised it by not having any return plans until he was ousted and went about supporting June 12 annulment and dining with a government synonymous with corruption and human rights abuses (Abacha)
Now he seeks power to fix Nigeria and it leaves me wondering, What in the worls does CPC represent. If Buhari drops off the planet today, who will carry on whatever philosophy he represents. Does he have a school of newbreed politicians who understand his philosophies? When did he develop these philosophies.
Let's concentrate on building Institutions, not frail personalities who should give up the stage for the proteges.

BTW, Nigeria's problem is NOT corruption. The US, UK, greater Europe and China are all corrupt in their governments.

Pat Utomi & Chris Okotie have got the one thing lacking in all of our past leaders, and that is that they are ashamed enough of our situation as a country to want to do something about it. Having enough financial muscle and getting their very academic messages across to millions of uneducated Nigerians who lack the capacity of sound perspective is their collective bane.

If only we could do a brain transplant, we could actually have the best president ever.

I have heard that 12 years of PDP must come to an end. It is amusing how few people understand what that actually means.

Who are PDP?
They were once Alliance of Democracy stalwarts who converted to Action Congressmen that once flew across the street to attend a PDP dispensation but suddenly realized they left their suitcases in the ANPP flight that brought and returned to pick it up passing through Labour Party's road in an APGAmobile driven by the Supreme Court and conducted by the many Hight Court judges that they blessed with the change from their last outing.

All of these politicians who are free agenting Political Parties like professional football players are the PDP. Until we identify people by their political philosophies and see it reflected in their Institutions, we cannot make the right choice.


Goodluck Nigerians!!! (This is in no way in favor of GEJ)

Gaskia your mama did exclusive for you walahi

I do not believe for one second that  the foriegn reserves OBJ claimed to have built up were genuine, he probably cooked the books with the central bank and may ave temporary moved money about.  I believe it  was part of his strategy for for a 3rd term.

How can you not have the basics (electricity, security, health ,water)  and yet claim to have amassed $50bn in foriegn reserves?.

How can you use foriegn reserves to attract foriegn investment, when there is no electricity or security or infrastructure necessary for such investment?

OBJ gave away Nigerian land for nothing!

OBJ is generally considered to be the most corrupt African leader that has ever lived, and probably stole over $100bn.

Buhari infinitely more than OBJ and IBB put together in just 1.5 years of power (not to mention his sucesses as head of PTF:

Buhari halted corruption!

His first action on coming into power was to arrest all politician and only releasing them when they were proven not to have looted.
Those  found guilty were given lengthy sentences which were only shortened when they coughed up their loot

He reduced inlation from 24% to 4%, this is documented if you check history of Nigerian inflation on internet.

See news video clips below from British television from 1984 that demonstrated Buhari's achievements

Swearing in of the 19 military governors (be patient  at start - takes about 45secs for video to start moving):
http://www.itnsource.com/shotlist//ITN/1984/01/05/AS050184005/?s=nigeria&st=2&pn=92


The economy report on Nigeria under Buhari:
http://www.itnsource.com/shotlist//ITN/1984/01/03/AS030184020/?s=nigeria&st=2&pn=92

http://www.itnsource.com/shotlist//ITN/1984/01/03/AS030184006/?s=nigeria&st=2&pn=92


1984 ITN news clip - Buhari attempts to recover money stolen from Shagari's transport minister Dikko
http://www.itnsource.com/shotlist//ITN/1984/07/07/AS070784004/?s=nigeria+1984&st=0&pn=1

http://www.itnsource.com/shotlist//ITN/1984/07/06/AS060784002/?s=nigeria+1984&st=0&pn=1

Happy viewing 

edicolove:


Nice one. at least this is an intelligent post. but i have a few questions and observations.

I will not google him because what will turn up in google are articles written by those who support him. I am a Nigerian who was very aware during Buhari's time and I cant remember him doing any of the things you just listed. He ruled for just a short time and achieved nothing but no one really blamed him for achieving nothing because we feel his rule was very short. but to claim the above is not true at all. The ony thing he did in 2 years was war against indiscipline. WAI. He didnt recover any monies. He didnt pay off any debt. And he didnt reduce inflation. please get your facts right. Inflation has never reduced in Nigeria since Gowon's regime. I has steadily risen since then. Ironically, the only president that has ever paid off our debt is OBJ and he has never been given any credit for that. funny.

agabaI23:

@edicolove

You may want to read my submissions on the claims in the post you quoted in here- https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-620012.0.html

The same thread where you were caught pants down for lying. The thread where you continued to try to cover your initial lie with more lies! Come of it. You were challenged several times to provide your own data besides the uncompleted data you kept referencing from CBN.

Anyone interested in the thread should endeavour to read through it all.

Posted by: Bawss1
Insert Quote
Interesting analysis except for the bolded

Quote from: POTUT on Today at 01:01:25 AM
GEJ continues to be seen as part of the status quo that has pillaged our future before it is born. On the brigter side, he runs with an air of destiny and has committed himself in his words. My power of discernment still tilts towards this commitment.

Where and when did GEJ commit himself to his words? If anything he strikes one as a completely undecided and wavering individual.

I didn't say he has met those commitments. I am only saying his words have drawn him deep into commitments he cannot afford to walk away from, unless, like you have said, he is a wavering, undecided individual.

9ijaMan that was because you have the same mind as Buhari who cannot listen to alternative opinion. I am not sure other people in the thread were of the same view as you. I had a good time with General who can understand the difference between logical argument and fanatic tenacism

Buhari I will respond to your post later. My Battery is down