TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI

Shortly before his inauguration for a second term on May 29 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari who has earned himself the popular appellation, ‘Baba Go Slow’ from Nigerians due to his lethargic leadership in an interview, said those who describe him as ‘baba go slow’ during his first administration will be in for a shock during his second term.

When asked during the course of the interview if he will be more decisive in his second term, he said, “Those who call me ‘baba go slow’ will see whether I am slow or fast.”

However, events since the President assumed office for a second term has proven that he has even become more slower than he was in his first term in taking critical decisions when it mattered most and this has in turn, worsened an already bad situation

In 2015, it took the President six months to appoint Ministers who will assist him in the day-to-day running of the government. Many Nigerians were shocked when the President finally unveiled his team, many of whom were square pegs in round holes. Many of the Ministers were men who do not know their left from their right and were also bereft of ideas of what to do in their respective ministries while others worsened the situation they met on ground. Notable amongst these ones are Abubakar Malami, the controversial Attorney-General and Minister of Justice who was retained by Buhari in his second term; Solomon Dalung, former Minister of Sports; Claudius Daramola, Minister of State, Niger Delta; Usani Uguru, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs; Mohammed Dan Ali, Minister of Defence; Abdulrahman Dambazzau, Minister of Interior amongst others.

When it was glaring that many of the Ministers were misfits and Nigerians called on the President to reshuffle his cabinet and inject fresh bloods, the President, in his usual nonchalant attitude refused and many of the incompetent ministers completed his first term with him.

At the height of Nigeria’s insecurity challenges, the president refused to listen to call by eminent Nigerians and security experts to replace the Service Chiefs he appointed in July 2015. The then service chiefs, Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt- Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas; and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar had demonstrated gross incapacity in tackling the insecurity challenges in the country. After he was sworn-in in May 2019, many had thought the first action the President will take is the rejigging of the nation’s security architecture by appointing new service chiefs, but he didn’t. After much uproar and a worsening security situation, the President finally listened to the voice of reason in January 2021 by appointing new Service chiefs.

During the #EndSARS protest in October 2020, President Buhari looked on while the nation was on tenterhooks and deep crisis. According to PremiumTimes report “ President Muhammadu Buhari has continued to stay mute amid the chaos in several parts of Nigeria and widespread criticisms as protests against police brutality turned violent after state security forces used lethal force against demonstrators and hoodlums exploited the situation”.

“Although the president’s aides have released statements on his behalf and other officials including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo have quoted him as taking positions on the protest, many Nigerians have questioned the president’s decision not to address the country at this trying time.

“It is unfortunate,” said Nnamdi Obasi, senior advisor at the International Crisis Group. “At the inception of his administration he gave the impression that he would lead from the front… but his leadership is missing at this defining moment. He should step out and address the people, especially the young people and show empathy with the people for the losses. He should give strong assurances,” said Mr Obasi.

Even in his party, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Buhari’s indifference and lackluster leadership contributed in no small measures to the confusion that reigned supreme during the last presidential primary of the party held in Abuja. Those familiar with Buhari said he never takes any action on important issues except it affects him directly. He only acts when a situation he should have nipped in the bud has seriously degenerated as witnessed during the multiple crises that rocked the party during the tenure of its former national chairman, the combative and garrulous Adams Oshiomhole, a former Labour leader who takes delight in picking fights with anyone who has dissenting views with him.

Few days before the primary exercise, President Buhari who had earlier granted an interview where he said he had a preferred aspirant, had a meeting with the APC governors where he demanded to be allowed to choose his successor as a sign of reciprocity.

According to him, while governors, who just served their first terms were given the privilege of securing second term ticket, outgoing ones, after serving out their constitutional two terms of eight years, also had the privileges to choose their successors.

While many believed that whoever the President Buhari supports will become the consensus candidate and will have an edge as the major stakeholders will readily work for the aspirant, he however failed to name anyone and this led to further confusion in the party. Many of the aspirants believed they are his favourite, saying they consulted him and he gave them blessings to go ahead to contest. When the national chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu announced Senate President, Ahmad Lawan as the consensus candidate, it caused great uproar in the party and President Buhari also distanced himself from the move.

It took the intervention of APC governors, especially from the northern parts of the country to douse the tension when they issued a communique directing northern presidential aspirants to withdraw from the race.


Now, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) started a strike action on February 14 to demand, among other things, the Federal Government release money for revitalisation, pay the earned academic allowances, and put a stop to proliferation of universities among others. Rather than show interest, President Buhari was unbothered while the two Ministers he detailed to handle the issue, Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment and Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education have both demonstrated gross incompetence and arrogance during their dealings with the lecturers.

Many Nigerians , including the Committee of Vice-chancellors of Nigerian universities have appealed to President Buhari to speed up the process of resolving the ongoing disputes but in his usual manner, he seems unconcerned.

It took the intervention of APC governors, especially from the northern parts of the country to douse the tension when they issued a communique directing northern presidential aspirants to withdraw from the race

Speaking during the launch of the intellectual property policy document for universities in Abuja, the chairman of the committee, Prof. Samuel Edoumiekumo, noted that their call was necessitated by the impact of the strike on both students and the institutions.

“We plead that drastic action is taken to stem the hemorrhage that the system is currently witnessing. For the sake of our children and our society, we need the decision.

Also, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has said it will take a legal action against President Buhari over the lingering strike embarked on by public universities’ lecturers which has lasted for almost 150 days.

In a tweet on its verified Twitter handle @SERAPNigeria, it wrote “The ASUU strike which has kept poor children at home while the children of Nigeria’s politicians attend private schools, is a CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY. We’re suing the Buhari administration over its violation of poor children’s rights to education and equal protection.”

Now, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) last week said it would embark on a one-day protest to force the Federal Government respond to ASUU’s demands. The congress noted that reports from a meeting of its Central Working Committee showed lack of progress in the negotiation with the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and National Association of Academic Technologists.

The President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba, spoke in Abuja during the opening of the National Executive Council meeting of the Congress. Wabba directed all the affiliate unions of the NLC to issue directives on the planned one-day national protest from next week.

“I think there is reluctance in addressing this issue (of strike) and therefore, CWC has decided that there will be a one-day national protest to call the attention of the government to resolve the issue immediately. After that, the next decision of the CWC will take place,” he said.

As usual, President Buhari will not act and address the concerns of the lecturers. The NLC will carry out the protest which will cripple business and economic activities and further compound the nation’s woes. This is not clearly what Nigerians expected when they voted him in 2015 and reelected in 2019. The situation in the country requires a responsive President who will ‘lead from the front’ and provide true leadership amid the myriads of problems confronting the nation, especially in the areas of insecurity and a worsening economy.
https://independent.ng/muhammadu-buhari-what-manner-of-leadership/

Buhari is a monumental and colossal failure, he's bereft of ideas, he has no clue about governance

The president Nigerians wish they never had

Awon wailers still dey wail when Buhari's government is less than a year to round up.

Shouldn't they be focusing on who to turn things around in the next year elections.

Petty gossiping all the time..Tueh

This guy up here talking about wailers and them focusing on voting who would turn things around should tell us "are the wailers right or wrong in this particular article

The fact still remains that Buhari administration is by far the worst in the history of this country, he came with the CHANGE mantra in 2014 to chase away the corrupt PDP government but right now what do we have? The people who will take over next year will find it very difficult to make any meaningful impact for the next 8years given the way he has turned this country upsidedown...

Because we are being paid 30k monthly stipend to defend this politicians shouldn't make us throw our senses in the gutter abeg!!

Foolish Nigerians like you are the reason why our leaders are behaving anyhow

helinues:
Awon wailers still dey wail when Buhari's government is less than a year to round up.

Shouldn't they be focusing on who to turn things around in the next year elections.

Petty gossiping all the time..Tueh

Buhari is a failure who pays the press to paint him good .

nairavsdollars:
Foolish Nigerians like you are the reason why our leaders are behaving anyhow

We are yet to pack the oracle from ground,it has started predicting.

Typical

Bontafa:


Hungry man. Now u want to forget your god and jump to Tinubu.

Did u feed your mother this month?

Mynd44
Lalasticlacla
Oamj4
Mukina
Seun
Dominique

Rule 2

Even a kid of 10 years will surpass this aboki in leadership and good governance. One thing I know in life is, you can’t force an aboki to go to school, they prefer the bush. Same way you can’t force good conscience on an aboki, they got bad spirits in them

TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI

It's interesting to see someone with a Yoruba name criticize Buhari. I thought the Igbos were the wailers and the maladministration was ONLY felt in the East.

Nigerians carefully impose evil on themselves, turn around and start crying as if that wasn't what they asked for. I'm sure someone voted for Buhari the second time.

The wailing will even be worse if Tinubu wins.
Stupid country with senseless citizens.

helinues:


Mynd44
Lalasticlacla
Oamj4
Mukina
Seun
Dominique

Rule 2

Truth cannot be suppressed. It is the right of the people you called wailers for speaking their minds about the misfit you people used your propaganda to package on Nigeria, to speak up.
I think everyone is bearing the brunt now including the BMOs, (arijenidimadaru).

He should just do and leave abeg the damage he's done is enough already

If i can't read that, buhari will not and Lol, obviously cannot read what you just wrote.

I really don't understand why we keep doing irrelevant things in Nigeria and this my good friend is one of them.

Just let him enjoy the remaining days.

SmartPolician:
TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI

It's interesting to see someone with a Yoruba name criticize Buhari. I thought the Igbos were the wailers and the maladministration was ONLY felt in the East.

Nigerians carefully impose evil on themselves, turn around and start crying as if that wasn't what they asked for. I'm sure someone voted for Buhari the second time.

The wailing will even be worse if Tinubu wins.
Stupid country with senseless citizens.

Forget this useless tribalism. It is not taking us anywhere.
The major critics of this government are Yorubas, from inception till date.
Do you know how many of the Eastern governors jumped ship and became asslicker and praise singers of Buhari?
It is a general issue and not peculiar to any section of the country.

VERY BAD.

Exactly what we should expect from Tinubu..

Old men tends to behave in a way that seems annoying. Tinubu is old and will never listen to the masses, except those that will be close to him....


I hate to say this .... Me and my entire house will never give Tinubu a single vote.

helinues:


We are yet to pack the oracle from ground,it has started predicting.

Typical

Hungry man did u eat yesterday?

helinues:
Awon wailers still dey wail when Buhari's government is less than a year to round up.

Shouldn't they be focusing on who to turn things around in the next year elections.

Petty gossiping all the time..Tueh

You're right but you must consider the notion that some in the Nigerian electorate are the most immature, most petty, most hateful, most tribalistic, most sentimental and most vindictive political observers in the world.

I say observers because many only know how to lash out and pen articles without the commensurate dedication to getting their PVC let alone going to vote on election day.

Those type are very slow to let go of the past in search of new ideas and new solutions. I was a staunch supporter of Buhari and even campaigned for him. Yet I started looking beyond him when I saw his actions, inactions and appointments that left me in no doubt that Buhari has a sectional agenda that meant he would fail.

A Malami as AGF instead of a Femi Falana or Olisa Agbakoba just revealed Buhari's hand. The appointment of Pantami and his blind defence by Buhari, after Pantami's extremist past was revealed, was also an eye-opener about the type of President Buhari is and came in to be.

We should not even talk too much on the Fulani herdsmen wahala, that caused a lot of ethnic strife, bad blood and hatred.

Buhari could have written his name in gold, showing visionary leadership dedicated to solutions-provision for everyone, if only he embraced the ideas of modern ranching reforms, as Tinubu suggests, that would educate many Fulanis and turn them into cattle and livestock rearing billionaires with multiplier positive effects for the North !!!

Nonetheless, and with all that in mind, an ambitious electorates that's is hungry for success must move on quickly to begin looking for alternatives instead of remaining in the mud playing blame game.

I stopped talking about Buhari's Presidency long ago to begin focusing on how to actualize a Tinubu Presidency I expect to be 'loaded' with the most meritoriously competent hands capable of delivering for Nigeria and protected by a President who will let them work.

Imagine if we had a President who deploys square pegs in square holes yet can doggedly defend them to work as Buhari defied many to keep Pantami, Malami, Buratai and many other flawed and failed appointees in their jobs?

JASONjnr:
Exactly what we should expect from Tinubu..

Old men tends to behave in a way that seems annoying. Tinubu is old and will never listen to the masses, except those that will be close to him....


I hate to say this .... Me and my entire house will never give Tinubu a single vote.

You're a clown and a bigot. Will you not get old to become "annoying" to other youngsters if they are as myopic as you are?

Show any scientific proof old age is an automatic impediment to good reasoning and the ability to provide solutions. Do that or shut up and stay in your lane discussing with toddlers.

Think deeper and you will realize your discrimination against age is exactly similar to the discrimination of white extremists who conclude all black folks are worthless and must always be denied responsible and transformational roles/positions/offices in society.

politicians is a monumental and colossal failing, he's bereft of concepts, he been no indication about stewardship

Buhari is a mistake Nigeria should not have made !

We warned people, but they refused to heed the warning, here's where we are today.

Buhari has wrecked Nigeria !!!!!

helinues:
Awon wailers still dey wail when Buhari's government is less than a year to round up.

Shouldn't they be focusing on who to turn things around in the next year elections.

Petty gossiping all the time..Tueh

Shameless, unrepentant Zombie!!!

Hope you're happy the way Nigeria is today

At least your sai baba has done a wonderful job

The Monumental disaster that befall Nigeria. Nigerians never got it wrong like this since the inception of baba Bubu.

Forget helinues..he is a too hypocritical for my liking..he uses foul language and when you do same to him, he keeps tagging mods to ban. Childish

Samunique:


Shameless, unrepentant Zombie!!!

Hope you're happy the way Nigeria is today

At least your sai baba has done a wonderful job

Is it true bandits attacked the president in Katsina yesterday?

Just advance team

bennybuhari:
Is it true bandits attacked the president in Katsina yesterday?