Buhari-Muhammadu Buhari- the present Nigerian president, has stirred the hornets’ nest when he declared that he is going to contest the 2019 presidential election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Although the possibility of denial of the declaration cannot be ruled out since the initial announcement was given, not by him, but by the Kaduna state governor, Nasir el-Rufai, after the APC stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja recently.
Already, the announcement that he has approved the release of $1 billion to fight the already defeated Boko Haram led to a loud public outcry, with critics bemoaning the fact that the appropriation was done without recourse to the National assembly. In fact, Senate President Bukola Saraki confessed that the senate was not intimated of the approval. This made that media handlers to hurriedly say the amount has not been approved.
Critics believe that the approval was to raise money for his presidential campaign through the back door. Not long after, the President declared his interest to contest the 2019 presidency.
But this declaration appears not to have gone well with the populace. critics were quick to point out that there is nothing to show for the three years of APC ruler-ship, with many pointing out that instead of showing Nigerians what they achieved within the period, they were distracting Nigeria by releasing alleged looters list, which ended up as a comprehensive list of top members of the opposition.
No sooner has he declared his intention than he jetted out to London for what his media handlers described as a deserved rest before the Commonwealth of nations meeting two weeks after.
His arrival in London, however, is far from being restful. Nigerians in London took to his Abuja House residence in protest against his declaration. The protest, which presidential handlers said are sponsored by corrupt Nigerians with slush funds stashed away, has been reported to be a serious embarrassment for the presidency, who fear the protests will be taken to the venue of the Commonwealth meeting.
The protesters were reportedly carrying placards with inscriptions such as “They can’t kill us all”, “Protect lives not cows”, “Herdsmen are Boko Haram members released by Nigerian government” and chanting Buhari must go. In recent times the president has been accused of valuing the lives of cows more that Nigerian citizens.
Accusations of lopsided fight for corruption-specifically of hounding opposition and giving corrupt associates free protection-has been trailing the APC led government.
