• Home
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Jobs
  • Food
  • Health
  • Classified
  • Faith
Monday, March 1, 2021
Everyday.NG
ADVERTISEMENT
  • Home
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Jobs
  • Food
  • Health
  • Classified
  • Faith
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Jobs
  • Food
  • Health
  • Classified
  • Faith
No Result
View All Result
Everyday.NG
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Addis Ababa: Magu as Buhari’s life-saver

Admin by Admin
1 February 2018
in News
0
Addis Ababa: Magu as Buhari’s life-saver
0
SHARES
27
VIEWS
Share on WhatsappShare on FacebookShare on Twitter

By Uche Ugboajah

The 30th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union just ended in the ancient city of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The conference could not have come at a more auspicious time for President Muhammadu Buhari and his government. The AU meeting was almost a lifesaver for President Buhari – coming at a time that a national consensus on his poor performance was building.

The former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, had released a special press statement in which he shredded the performance of President Buhari in the saddle and on that score, advised him to “dismount” and go home in dignity in 2019. Let it be said that Obasanjo was factual as much as he tried to restrain himself on most of the issues he raised. So convincing was the former president that it took a government and a political party that employ the best spinners in the land to gather themselves, to respond. And when they did, they tactically sidestepped the major issues raised by Obasanjo, especially, the accusation of nepotism leading to condonation of malfeasance by the ‘President’s People. And so jolted was the President’s party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), that it had to almost wholeheartedly accept, against the position of the President and leader of their party, the policy of restructuring. Call it political expediency, you’re not far from the truth; call it a diversionary tactic, you’re spot on!

Thus, the AU summit in Addis Ababa provided Buhari, his government and party the perfect get-away from a potentially consuming political inferno in the land. These people certainly know more about the domestic political environment the Obasanjo intervention was building up. They have seen it before. They seem to clearly recognise that ill wind. It was similar to the one that blew former president Jonathan out of government and brought President Buhari in. It was therefore not surprising how the presidency grabbed the opportunity of the Addis Abba Summit with both hands and made the best out of the platform.

At Addis Ababa, President Buhari, our President, was unanimously picked by his colleague-heads of state to lead the onslaught against corruption on the African continent. This honour given to President Buhari ought to be celebrated nationwide. It is not just an honour for the president; it is indeed an honour for every Nigerian because the recognition given to the President rubs off on, and enhances our national character. For a long time, our country has become the butt of all manner of jokes on corruption and poor leadership. Even Buhari himself not too long ago admitted in a foreign land that he was the president of “a fantastically corrupt nation”. Sadly, the country has become so divided under the presidency of Buhari that national sentiments now count for nothing. What does it matter to a grieving community in Benue State rendered desolate by gangs of murderous herdsmen roaming with impunity that their president is being decorated abroad? How does the news that their president has been given the sword and shield by other African leaders to lead the fight against Africa’s deadliest pestilence, when the same president appears unwilling to fight those killing them?

Buhari’s Addis Ababa outing was indeed huge. It comes with equally a very huge political mileage especially at a time when the public image of the President may be at its lowest. The endorsement from other African leaders of the ability of the President in leading the fight against corruption on the continent appears to be an uppercut on the opposition parties in Nigeria who have strategically placed themselves to continue to chisel out what is left of the tattered image of Buhari and his government in the run-up to 2019. It is not surprising that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had mocked Buhari’s AU honour, describing it as “laughable and Africa’s joke of the year”. While the opposition moans, there seems to be an oasis of opinion that President Buhari appears to be doing slightly better in the fight against corruption. Even the former president, Obasanjo, hinted at that in his letter-bomb. And some of us who are not known to be Buhari admirers are also saying that!

Yet there are lessons, President Buhari must take away from his outing in Addis Ababa. First, the country must return to the path of nobility that gives us positive visibility in the international system, be it at the regional or global stage. The un-curtailed Fulani Herdsmen attacks are destroying our country at home and incinerating our image as nation abroad.

Second, although the President has a big reputation for fighting corruption, it must be clear to him that the chunk of the goodwill and honour he recently harvested in Addis Ababa are down to the effectiveness of a certain Ibrahim Magu, the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Of course, the President can beat his chest that he knew what he was looking for when he appointed Magu to spearhead his war against graft. What Magu has shown is that if Buhari makes the right appointments by getting people with energy, commitment and honesty, to work with him, there wouldn’t be any opportunity for a former president to write him a long and damning letter!

I am neither a supporter of Buhari nor his party, but I give him credit for not only appointing Ibrahim Magu to head EFCC, but also for insisting that he remains at his duty post in spite of the shenanigans of the Senate and indeed some crooked members of the President’s inner circle. It was indeed disturbing to read online at the close of 2017 that President Buhari had caved in to pressures to remove Ibrahim Magu as EFCC Chairman. As the reports had it, the matter was foreclosed as the so-called cabals had finally convinced the President to replace Magu so as to get his appointments cleared and his budget passed by the National Assembly in what is clearly a barefaced blackmail.

If the President does not recognise it, Magu has put him on an international rostrum and the whole world is robing him in a garland of honour. How many of his other appointments have brought him and his government such credibility? If Magu can achieve this entire feat with all the distractions and the uncertainty of his position, who can tell what could have been possible had the Presidency pulled all the stops to ensure his confirmation in the Senate?

Going forward, President Buhari must take a second look at anybody, no matter how close, advising him to score an own goal. That is what replacing Ibrahim Magu amounts to!

●●Ugboajah, a public policy analyst, wrote from Abuja .

ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Abia Judiciary Crisis: NJC overrules Abia Governor, ask number three judge to be sworn-in

Next Post

Police Inspector-General loses bid to stop contempt charge over Peace Corps

Admin

Admin

Next Post
Police Inspector-General loses bid to stop contempt charge over Peace Corps

Police Inspector-General loses bid to stop contempt charge over Peace Corps

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
UN says US bigger killer of Afghan civilians than Taliban

(Viral video) Is this frightening message for the whole world or America?

7 July 2020

Woman raped by herdsmen In Anambra dies; as viral video, incessant rape builds tension

1 July 2020

(Interview) Gideon Para-Mallam insists Presidency got it wrong on CAN, praises Kukah

11 January 2020

Scandalous video on Success school; govt sacks head-teacher as girl gets help

20 March 2019
“Devaan says,” debuts….I was deceived, what do I do?

“Devaan says,” debuts….I was deceived, what do I do?

6
Restructuring: why it won’t work here

Restructuring: why it won’t work here

3
Diary of an angry and frustrated graduate

Diary of an angry and frustrated graduate

3
Govt, Christian bodies meet over controversial school curriculum

Govt, Christian bodies meet over controversial school curriculum

2

Okonjo-Iweala resumes as Buhari leads three Nigerians to lead in three core international agencies

1 March 2021

Gas Distribution: Zakhem commends NNPC on completion and looping of Escravos – Lagos Pipeline

1 March 2021

Video: The black man, his prostrate, its care (also for women who want to help)

1 March 2021
INEC declares Zamfara PDP candidates winners of elections

Zamfara govt, Police deny rescue of Jangebe girls, seek information

28 February 2021

Recent News

Okonjo-Iweala resumes as Buhari leads three Nigerians to lead in three core international agencies

1 March 2021

Gas Distribution: Zakhem commends NNPC on completion and looping of Escravos – Lagos Pipeline

1 March 2021

Video: The black man, his prostrate, its care (also for women who want to help)

1 March 2021
INEC declares Zamfara PDP candidates winners of elections

Zamfara govt, Police deny rescue of Jangebe girls, seek information

28 February 2021

Contact us

Everyday.NG

Do you have information, advertisement, event, report, video, or article to share? Please reach Nigeria Everyday (www.everyday.ng) through:
Tel. +234 8022198060
WhatsApp +234 8022198060
Email: info@everyday.ng; matsilas@gmail.com.

Please note that all articles tagged ‘Opinion’ do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of Nigeria Everyday (www.everyday.ng), they are the views and position of the writer

Follow Us

Browse by Category

  • Agriculture
  • Business
  • Classified
  • Culture
  • Education
  • Entertainment
  • Faith
  • Features
  • Food
  • Health
  • Jobs
  • News
  • Obituary
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Social Media
  • Sports
  • Uncategorized

Recent News

Okonjo-Iweala resumes as Buhari leads three Nigerians to lead in three core international agencies

1 March 2021

Gas Distribution: Zakhem commends NNPC on completion and looping of Escravos – Lagos Pipeline

1 March 2021
  • Privacy Policy

© 2019 Nigeria Everyday - Truth Begets Freedom

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Jobs
  • Food
  • Health
  • Classified
  • Faith

© 2019 Nigeria Everyday - Truth Begets Freedom