By Rayyanu Bala
President Muhammadu Buhari, PMB for short, is of-course, a man who
many love to hate and many love to associates with. For us in
Nasarawa state, we love and cherishes his integrity long before he
stepped his foot into Aso Villa. When in 2011, 35 states, in the
estimation of INEC, chastened him, we in Nasarawa state insisted that
we must have him. And so, against all odds, we queued behind him.
Indeed, our insistence on having him led to massive votes for Congress
for Progressive Change (CPC) a party which he (Buhari) single-handedly
formed during 2011 elections. Due to our affection for Buhari’s
integrity and political ideals, the incumbent Governor Umaru Tanko
Al-makura then CPC flag bearer in the governorship election in
Nasarawa state, became the only person INEC returned as governor-
elect in the whole states of the federation. Of –course, President
Muhammadu Buhari has a kind of esoteric followership in Nasarawa state
to a level that mere dropping of his name sent spirit of love and
admirations down the spines of all and this esoteric thing still exist
to- date.
When Governor Al-makura dropped the news of his visit to Nasarawa
state, which came to fruition on Tuesday, Febuary 6, 2018, the entire
state was literary moved to seventh heaven as people were earnestly
longing for the day to come for them to once again not only catch a
glimpse of PMB’s pungent stature which infatuates them but to also
catch a glimpse of a man who care for the common man and a man whose
integrity is unmatched not only among his contemporaries but also
among those above his age and also those below his age.
But the question to ask here is: What makes the people of Nasarawa
state love and cherishes the man Muhammadu Buhari?
Without mincing words, PMB has come to epitomize anything pure and
straight in this world. His integrity is his selling point. And one
salient thing about him which even his detractors acknowledge is that
he is not a thief. You can say anything about him but one fact which
nobody can deny is his incorruptibility. Yes, nobody is saying that
PMB is perfect; perfection belong to God. As human being, we can not
say PMB is infallible. He has his weaknesses like any other human
being. But despite his weaknesses, when you compare him with other
past leaders and those that are aspiring to lead us now, we can
convincingly conclude that PBM has no alternative yet.
PMB’s purity manifests not only in his conduct in public life but also
in private life as well. His conduct in private life can be well
attested from the freedom to hold opinion and to expresses such
opinion which he accords members of even his immediate family. No past
leader accorded his wife freedom to air her views even against him,
the way PMB accords his wife now. This is just to show you how the man
PMB is.
Without apology, PMB stands out as the only leader we have at present
that is not only corruption-free but also a leader that allows
everybody to holds and air his views and opinions without let or
hindrance in as much as such views and opinions are not detrimental to
the unity and progress of the country. When it comes to issue of
patriotism, PMB can only be equated with our post independence leaders
like, Tafawa Balewa, Sardauna of Sokoto, Nmandi Azikwe, Pa Awolowo,
etc.
PMB by every measurement is a man that has the progress and unity of
Nigeria at heart. His several attempts in, 2003, 2007 and 2011 at
getting the Presidency of this country are enough testimony of his
thirst to see that Nigeria moves to nirvana. Of-course, PMB’s distaste
for corruption is legendary. Even those who hate him can not fault his
leadership’s boldness and unwavering commitment to fighting corruption
and insecurity particularly insurgency in the North East.
Yes, corruption is our bane in this country, whether we accept it or
not. Corruption in this country is at the root of the physical and
psychological disorder we are all suffering from. Of- course, it is
corruption that breeds all the social malaise we find ourselves in
this country. From whichever dimension we look at it, corruption
serves as both the mother and the father of our social, political,
economic and even religious upheavals today in this country. As a
nation, elimination of corruption in our body polity has become
incumbent on us. It was only through this fight that we would seize
to be a mendicant and insolvent nation. It is ironic that despite our
abundant human and mineral resources, we are still being counted as a
poor and under-developed nation.
The crusade which Buhari’s administration is pursuing on corruption
and corrupt practices is not only appropriate and apt but is a war
which we must also support and key into if really we are serious about
development of our country. No nation can develop progress and survive
with this kind of horrific corruption prevalent in our polity.
Indeed, it is instructive to note that the war against corruption is
more herculean and perilous than the fight against insecurity and
insurgency; with regards to insecurity and insurgency, government is
confronting miscreants but in the case of fighting corruption,
government is confronting whole lot of well entrenched but dreadful
interests, spreading across all the sectors of the Nigerian economy. I
make bold to say and without fear of being contradicted that, it is
only few, yes very few, well to do Nigerians that are today happy with
the resolve of PMB to fight corruption. It was for no any other reason
than this that today, so much garbage is being poured on the man, just
to push him out in order to have a free and unfettered access to loot
our collective patrimony. Or else why the frenzy on his
administration, despite all his efforts in trying to turn our economy
away from oil, trying to fix our critical infrastructures, trying to
block all linkages, etc?
With the admission by many that, PMB is succeeding in his fight
against corruption and against insecurity especially the insurgency in
the North East, it behooves on us to also admit, on a good measure,
that PMB has invariably succeeded in two of the three key areas he
promised Nigerians during the 2015 electioneering campaigns. Even with
the economy, we can also say with good measure too, that our economy
is now picking up. Today due to a well laid out economic recovery
plan, we are out of recession. What about the bold attempt by PMB at
addressing, our battered critical infrastructures occasioned by years
of neglect and corruption by the previous administration and PMB’s
diversification policy? All these are geared towards not only
revamping the economy but also providing a lasting solution to the
myriad of problems confronting us as a people. One irony about critics
of PMB’s administration is that they want the man to fix in just one,
two or three years, what it took 16 or more years to destroy. Haba, we
must have to be fair and just in our criticism. Yes, we must not allow
politics becloud our sense of judgment. In a democratic setting
criticism is allowed but such criticism must be constructive. Like I
always say, the role of opposition party is to make the ruling party
sit up, not obliterate the entire system and its core values just for
cheap political gains, as is being done today.
The immediate past American President, Barrack Obama in reaction to
criticism which trailed one of his policies had said, “Hoping your
President fails is the same as hope your country fails, and it’s not
patriotism. Patriotism is supporting your Commander -in- Chief even if
you do not agree with him on everything”. Indeed, patriotism to our
motherland can only be demonstrated through supporting the president,
PMB, to succeed in this onerous task of re-building Nigeria not the
other way round and we can not re-build Nigeria without getting rid of
corruption which is our bane in this country.
As PMB commences a one-day state visit to Nasarawa state, we in the
state wish to reiterate our unalloyed support to all his policies and
programmes geared towards re-building Nigeria; and to also add our
voices to the call for him to re-contest for a second term. History
all over the world (with the exception of late Nelson Mandela) has
shown that all past presidents, Nigeria inclusive, had sought and got
their second terms in office the case of PMB can never be an
exception.
President Muhammadu Buhari, PMB for short, is of-course, a man who
many love to hate and many love to associates with. For us in
Nasarawa state, we love and cherishes his integrity long before he
stepped his foot into Aso Villa. When in 2011, 35 states, in the
estimation of INEC, chastened him, we in Nasarawa state insisted that
we must have him. And so, against all odds, we queued behind him.
Indeed, our insistence on having him led to massive votes for Congress
for Progressive Change (CPC) a party which he (Buhari) single-handedly
formed during 2011 elections. Due to our affection for Buhari’s
integrity and political ideals, the incumbent Governor Umaru Tanko
Al-makura then CPC flag bearer in the governorship election in
Nasarawa state, became the only person INEC returned as governor-
elect in the whole states of the federation. Of –course, President
Muhammadu Buhari has a kind of esoteric followership in Nasarawa state
to a level that mere dropping of his name sent spirit of love and
admirations down the spines of all and this esoteric thing still exist
to- date.
When Governor Al-makura dropped the news of his visit to Nasarawa
state, which came to fruition on Tuesday, Febuary 6, 2018, the entire
state was literary moved to seventh heaven as people were earnestly
longing for the day to come for them to once again not only catch a
glimpse of PMB’s pungent stature which infatuates them but to also
catch a glimpse of a man who care for the common man and a man whose
integrity is unmatched not only among his contemporaries but also
among those above his age and also those below his age.
But the question to ask here is: What makes the people of Nasarawa
state love and cherishes the man Muhammadu Buhari?
Without mincing words, PMB has come to epitomize anything pure and
straight in this world. His integrity is his selling point. And one
salient thing about him which even his detractors acknowledge is that
he is not a thief. You can say anything about him but one fact which
nobody can deny is his incorruptibility. Yes, nobody is saying that
PMB is perfect; perfection belong to God. As human being, we can not
say PMB is infallible. He has his weaknesses like any other human
being. But despite his weaknesses, when you compare him with other
past leaders and those that are aspiring to lead us now, we can
convincingly conclude that PBM has no alternative yet.
PMB’s purity manifests not only in his conduct in public life but also
in private life as well. His conduct in private life can be well
attested from the freedom to hold opinion and to expresses such
opinion which he accords members of even his immediate family. No past
leader accorded his wife freedom to air her views even against him,
the way PMB accords his wife now. This is just to show you how the man
PMB is.
Without apology, PMB stands out as the only leader we have at present
that is not only corruption-free but also a leader that allows
everybody to holds and air his views and opinions without let or
hindrance in as much as such views and opinions are not detrimental to
the unity and progress of the country. When it comes to issue of
patriotism, PMB can only be equated with our post independence leaders
like, Tafawa Balewa, Sardauna of Sokoto, Nmandi Azikwe, Pa Awolowo,
etc.
PMB by every measurement is a man that has the progress and unity of
Nigeria at heart. His several attempts in, 2003, 2007 and 2011 at
getting the Presidency of this country are enough testimony of his
thirst to see that Nigeria moves to nirvana. Of-course, PMB’s distaste
for corruption is legendary. Even those who hate him can not fault his
leadership’s boldness and unwavering commitment to fighting corruption
and insecurity particularly insurgency in the North East.
Yes, corruption is our bane in this country, whether we accept it or
not. Corruption in this country is at the root of the physical and
psychological disorder we are all suffering from. Of- course, it is
corruption that breeds all the social malaise we find ourselves in
this country. From whichever dimension we look at it, corruption
serves as both the mother and the father of our social, political,
economic and even religious upheavals today in this country. As a
nation, elimination of corruption in our body polity has become
incumbent on us. It was only through this fight that we would seize
to be a mendicant and insolvent nation. It is ironic that despite our
abundant human and mineral resources, we are still being counted as a
poor and under-developed nation.
The crusade which Buhari’s administration is pursuing on corruption
and corrupt practices is not only appropriate and apt but is a war
which we must also support and key into if really we are serious about
development of our country. No nation can develop progress and survive
with this kind of horrific corruption prevalent in our polity.
Indeed, it is instructive to note that the war against corruption is
more herculean and perilous than the fight against insecurity and
insurgency; with regards to insecurity and insurgency, government is
confronting miscreants but in the case of fighting corruption,
government is confronting whole lot of well entrenched but dreadful
interests, spreading across all the sectors of the Nigerian economy. I
make bold to say and without fear of being contradicted that, it is
only few, yes very few, well to do Nigerians that are today happy with
the resolve of PMB to fight corruption. It was for no any other reason
than this that today, so much garbage is being poured on the man, just
to push him out in order to have a free and unfettered access to loot
our collective patrimony. Or else why the frenzy on his
administration, despite all his efforts in trying to turn our economy
away from oil, trying to fix our critical infrastructures, trying to
block all linkages, etc?
With the admission by many that, PMB is succeeding in his fight
against corruption and against insecurity especially the insurgency in
the North East, it behooves on us to also admit, on a good measure,
that PMB has invariably succeeded in two of the three key areas he
promised Nigerians during the 2015 electioneering campaigns. Even with
the economy, we can also say with good measure too, that our economy
is now picking up. Today due to a well laid out economic recovery
plan, we are out of recession. What about the bold attempt by PMB at
addressing, our battered critical infrastructures occasioned by years
of neglect and corruption by the previous administration and PMB’s
diversification policy? All these are geared towards not only
revamping the economy but also providing a lasting solution to the
myriad of problems confronting us as a people. One irony about critics
of PMB’s administration is that they want the man to fix in just one,
two or three years, what it took 16 or more years to destroy. Haba, we
must have to be fair and just in our criticism. Yes, we must not allow
politics becloud our sense of judgment. In a democratic setting
criticism is allowed but such criticism must be constructive. Like I
always say, the role of opposition party is to make the ruling party
sit up, not obliterate the entire system and its core values just for
cheap political gains, as is being done today.
The immediate past American President, Barrack Obama in reaction to
criticism which trailed one of his policies had said, “Hoping your
President fails is the same as hope your country fails, and it’s not
patriotism. Patriotism is supporting your Commander -in- Chief even if
you do not agree with him on everything”. Indeed, patriotism to our
motherland can only be demonstrated through supporting the president,
PMB, to succeed in this onerous task of re-building Nigeria not the
other way round and we can not re-build Nigeria without getting rid of
corruption which is our bane in this country.
As PMB commences a one-day state visit to Nasarawa state, we in the
state wish to reiterate our unalloyed support to all his policies and
programmes geared towards re-building Nigeria; and to also add our
voices to the call for him to re-contest for a second term. History
all over the world (with the exception of late Nelson Mandela) has
shown that all past presidents, Nigeria inclusive, had sought and got
their second terms in office the case of PMB can never be an
exception.
nasarawaeye.com 