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Pendulum: Why President Buhari is Not Getting it Right

Published

5 years ago

June 12, 2021

Eric

By Dele Momodu

Fellow Nigerians, if I had any iota of hope or expectation left in me that our President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retired) has any chance of pulling some productive stunts in the less than two years to complete his second and final term, it evaporated and vamoosed into thin air a few days ago.

Let me start by congratulating the Thisday/Arise team that succeeded in persuading a usually taciturn and reluctant President Buhari to agree to speak to ordinary mortals at home instead of giving scoops to his favourite foreign journalists. Trust me, it was a landmark achievement for which the Group Chairman, Prince Nduka Obaigbena must be applauded. He once again demonstrated his famed daredevilry and nose for stories at the most opportune moment, at all times. The team of Segun Adeniyi, Reuben Abati, and Tundun Abiola, that he assembled also tried strenuously to ask all the right questions even if they got some wrong answers, for very obvious reasons.

I wish to disagree with those who have been disparaging the President and saying his performance was dismal and disappointing. In my view, the President performed above expectations given the seeming cold indifference with which he has come to be associated. As it is often said, water can only rise above its level. At nearer 80 than 70, the President cannot be expected to reinvent himself. He has never pretended to be a tech savvy wizard that modern leaders are expected to be. He has never shown himself to be anything more than a member of the analogue generation in imagination and innovation. He has little or nothing in common with the modern ways of life and it is clear that he is not prepared to ready to stress himself unnecessarily. He is perpetually and stoically stuck in his mindset. That is a fact. We must also consider his health challenges for which God has been extremely kind.

I know you’re likely to ask me, so why did you guys support him in 2015? I will never get tired of giving my standard answer. One. We were tired of PDP after 16 years of profligacy and all kinds of bad behaviour that seemed to make General Abacha begin to look like a Saint. Two. In the days of tribulations, you sometimes run to the elders of the family in order to tap into their uncommon experience and wisdom notwithstanding their shortcomings. We perceived Buhari to be such an elder. Three. We reasoned that whatever is lacking in the President would be covered by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo who is recognised not only as a cerebral and knowledgeable man, but also an outstanding and accomplished administrator, given his stint at the helm of affairs of the Ministry of Justice in Lagos State. Four. We expected the President to cooperate beautifully with some of the bright people in his Party, who know their onions and can guide him in the right direction. Five. We never thought in our wildest imagination that any leadership, no matter its background, would ever have the temerity and audacity to lead us back to the dark days of the military. Six. We expected the President to have accepted the reality that the world has changed so drastically since he was forced out of power in 1985 and it is virtually impossible to continue to run government in analogue fashion.

It would certainly be definitely unfair and unkind to conclude that the President was totally bad in his responses and that he could be excused by the foibles and weaknesses that we recognise have become notable chinks in his armour. I’m happy he answered all questions honestly, frankly and sincerely. He deserves to be congratulated as well for even finding the confidence and courage to sit through the obviously harrowing interview session. I will now try to dissect this much talked about scoop of the year.

Setting. I loved the relaxed setting and atmosphere. The President dressed down and the interview must have taken place in his official residence and not in the office. It was obviously organised and presented to put the President at ease in an environment that he was most familiar and comfortable with. There would be no need to be guarded because he was in his natural habitat. One could see this confidence playing out in the course of the interview. Two of the very senior reporters, Segun Adeniyi and Reuben Abati were no strangers to the presidential villa where they had both respectively served as spokespersons to two previous Presidents, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. So, they came with intimidating credentials as brilliant journalists with verve and experience. The only lady in the team, Ms Tundun Abiola, the daughter of the winner of the June 12, 1993, Presidential elections, Chief Moshood Abiola, is also a very brilliant and intelligent lady, one of the most admired presenters on television today. She combines beauty with brains. Led by the Chairman, Nduka, it could only have been a perfect team operating in an equally perfect environment.

The session. The interview started well. The questions poured in from every direction but in a decorously gracious and graceful manner, without being the pugilistic affair that it could easily have been. Though pre-recorded, I doubt if there was much editing of the content. The President oscillated from one mood to another depending how lovely or irritable he interpreted or misjudged the questions.

The President was more vocal than I expected that he would be. He seemed prepared to answer as many questions as were posed without attempting to fudge. It was like one determined to lay bare everything on his chest and exorcise the demons. Nevertheless, many people complained of not hearing him loudly and clearly enough, and sometimes, even lucidly. However, I think that had to do with his natural accent and intonation and nothing sinister or amiss. Many people are also too bitter and biased to listen properly to what he was saying and the views he was espousing, and for that reason might not really have heard him. On my part, I enjoyed the interview for the mere fact that he granted one at home. And also, of course, because it answered several questions about the President’s health and well-being as well as his level of control. It is difficult now to blame others, and not the President, for the ills and woes from this government. Several myths were busted!

The President remained true to his old self and beliefs and refused to persuade anyone that he is a born-again Democrat, which was one of the borrowed garbs we dressed him in prior to the 2015 elections. The man I watched was a proud, haughty and arrogant military officer, with no apologies for being a ruthless dictator.

The President reflected a deep disappointment, resentment and anger against the youths of Nigeria, whom he described as being overtly recalcitrant. His view was one of whatever suffering they are going through must have been self-inflicted and they deserve to suffer for it. He would not empathise with them. For me, the President probably considers the near collapse of the Nigerian economy as something which the populace and, especially the youths need to go through if they are to appreciate life. I am also sure that he sees it as a form of punishment for the pesky youths who have dogged his tenure with unacceptable and impossible demands almost as soon as he took office. Let me chip in here that he is obviously misinformed about Twitter. A country with our multitude and army of unemployed you would never ban social media, especially Twitter which has become a veritable tool of international business. The President is without any fear of contradiction or apology a Fulani irredentist. He practically revealed that the itinerant Fulani herdsmen must be granted the rights of passage through the grazing routes established since the 1960s. This is a skilful way of telling the Southern Governors and whosoever is lamenting like the Biblical Jeremiah in the North Central to shut up. The President clearly does not seem to be concerned about the mayhem and carnage that these so-called Fulani herdsmen are leaving in the wake. Every Fulani is welcome in Nigeria regardless of the fact that most of the deadlier ones migrated here uninvited from the Sahel regions and are thus not Nigerian citizens. Once again, he made no effort to hide his pathological hatred for the Igbo nation, a people he sees as wholly Biafran. He kept his threat against them but no one noticed the same degree of venom against the people causing maximum mayhem in every part of the country. He told us to ask the military who are fighting the bandits. Unfortunately, we haven’t really seen much. As a matter of fact, we have lost most of our brilliant soldiers in the North than in the South East.

The President justified spending billions of dollars on over-stretching our resources to build infrastructure to and within Niger Republic. Again, no remorse, no apologies. In a country that has not completed one of its most important motorways, the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, in the last six years, it is preposterous and unfortunate to listen to the Commander-in-Chief romanticize his first cousins in Niger Republic. He even told us the only way to defeat Boko Haram and banditry is to take good care of Cameroon, Chad and Niger. But should charity not begin from home? Or maybe it does!

The President stoutly defended his now infamous lopsided appointments by anchoring it on merit. One would have thought from this answer, that most people in the Southern States of Nigeria are certified dullards who couldn’t pass their professional or other exams and interviews. Since we know the reverse is the case, we can not only wonder how the President can sit with a straight face and make the kinds of statements that he did about his lopsidedness that is clearly hinged on unbridled nepotism. And the President kept a straight poker face while justifying the biggest mistake of this government. Nothing has contributed more to the near disintegration of Nigeria than the feeling of those treated like second- and third-class citizens in their own country. That the President could seriously take the view that he did, and feel comfortable about it, demonstrates a personage who has been cut off from the outside world and whose depressing isolation is compounded by the fact that he has lost touch with reality. It is further distressing that the aides you have, who are at least blessed with some truth and knowledge of our excruciating conditions will not properly advise their Principal and set him on the right path whenever it seems he has derailed and needs to be reined back, out of monumental fear and trepidation. However, it appears that the President’s subordinates are content with the role of lackeys and silent clowns in order to remain unseen and thus keep their jobs.

Rome is burning and the Emperor is busy fiddling away and regaling his captive audience in the villa and outside with tales of his supremacy, mastery and position of maestro in ages gone past.

On Democracy Day, it is sad and depressing, a monumental tragedy, that we do not have a democrat in office as President. May God help Nigeria survive this misfortune and its backlash!

Related Topics:#BuhariInterview ARISE President Buhari President Muhammadu Buhari

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Incumbency Factor Will Not Determine 2027 Election, Atiku, Obi, Others Talk Tough

Published

3 days ago

January 29, 2026

Eric

The 2027 general elections will not be determined by incumbency, control of State power or wave of political defections, opposition leaders have declared.

They argued that voter choice, opposition unity, and the integrity of the electoral process would ultimately decide the outcome.

The opposition leaders made the declaration at the public launch of “The Loyalist,’’ a memoir by National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, in Abuja.

The event drew a wide mix of opposition leaders, former public office holders, lawmakers, intellectuals and party stakeholders.

Speakers included former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi; former Minister of Interior and ADC National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola; former Senate President and ADC National Chairman, David Mark, and veteran columnist and public intellectual, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, who reviewed the book.

Although convened as a book presentation, the gathering quickly assumed a strong political tone, with speakers repeatedly returning to the issues of opposition unity, leadership responsibility, and the limits of incumbency power, ahead of the next general election.

Addressing what he described as a growing misconception in Nigerian politics, Aregbesola argued that governors and incumbents do not automatically determine election outcomes.

Drawing on the 2023 electoral results, he said the belief that political office guaranteed victory was not supported by evidence.

“The fact that certain governors are defecting to the APC shows that our unity is weakened, but the statistics do not support the belief that governors win elections,” Aregbesola said.

Using the South-West as an example, he said ruling party dominance at the state level had not translated into overwhelming electoral success.

“In the South-West, the APC controlled all the states except one, yet the maximum performance of the party was 55 per cent, with the other parties sharing the rest,” he said.

On his part, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, speaking as special guest of honour, linked the political moment to the theme of the book, describing loyalty as both a moral test and a personal burden in public life.

Atiku, who noted that his participation was informed by his own role in the political history examined in the memoir, said: “I am honoured to be part of this launch because I was also involved in the eventual inauguration of the Bukola Saraki administration, which this book deals with in very great detail.’’

He praised the author for taking on difficult questions about loyalty and conscience, saying “this is a work that dares to question loyalties, illuminate conscience, and broaden our public imagination.’’

Drawing a contrast between military discipline and political life, Atiku said loyalty in politics was rarely absolute and often exacted a heavy price.

“For those of us who come from the military and paramilitary professions, loyalty is non-negotiable; there is only absolute obedience. But in political life, loyalty is not as rigid, and it comes with consequences,” he said.

The former vice president also spoke candidly about his own experiences.

“Many of us have suffered because of loyalty. I have faced exile as a result of loyalty. I have survived assassination attempts as a result of loyalty,” he said.

Atiku warned that loyalty should never become blind allegiance, adding that “loyalty should strengthen the common goal, not narrow the circle of belonging.’’

Similarly, a former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, who arrived late due to flight delays from Lagos, apologised for not observing traditional protocol before addressing the audience.

Obi also signalled political solidarity and regional commitment, saying: “I have been directed to represent the South-East, and I want to assure you that you will not be disappointed.’’

In one of the most direct political moments of the event, the author, Bolaji Abdullahi, appealed to opposition leaders to rise above rivalry and present a united front, ahead of 2027, adding that Nigerians were ready for change, though political leaders were not yet matching that urgency.

“For 2027, Nigerians are ready. But I don’t think we are ready. Nigerians look at us and see different enclaves and different entities. They see competition, rather than cooperation,” Abdullahi said.

Reviewing the book, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed said it initially provoked skepticism but ultimately impressed him.

“I brought to the book some prejudice and heightened curiosity. I expected the author to fall on his face somewhere. I was wrong,” he said.

He described the memoir as revealing and historically significant.

“This book is easily one of the most readable and revealing books I have read in a long while. It captures the essence of our contemporary social and political character,” Baba-Ahmed said.

Former Senate President, David Mark, described the task of rescuing Nigeria as a shared responsibility and praised Abdullahi’s character.

“He is a straightforward person. Even when I disagreed with him, his advice was always adopted,” Mark said.

He also clarified the long-standing controversy around the Doctrine of Necessity, saying “it was the sole responsibility of the Senate and had nothing to do with Kwara State or anyone from Kwara State.’’

Headline

Coup: Investigators Widen Probe Scope to Unmask Civilian Financiers

Published

4 days ago

January 28, 2026

Eric

Fresh intelligence details have surfaced on the foiled coup attempt against President Bola Tinubu’s administration, shedding light on how a serving Army Colonel allegedly assembled a covert, cross-service network to undermine the constitutional order before security agencies moved in.

The Defence Headquarters had announced the arrest of 16 officers for acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations, following weeks of quiet tension within the Armed Forces.

In October 2025, rumours of an alleged coup plot against President Tinubu’s administration spread across social media. At the time, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) dismissed the claims as “false and misleading,” yet the sudden cancellation of the Independence Day parade fuelled speculation about deeper security concerns.

However, fresh findings from an interim investigation report, sighted by Punch Newspapers, suggest that the alleged architect of the plot was a Colonel whose repeated failures in promotion examinations reportedly bred resentment and alienation. Rather than nursing his grievances quietly, he is said to have turned them into a recruitment tool, drawing officers from the Army, Navy and Air Force into a loose but coordinated network.

According to the report, members of the group were allegedly assigned to discreetly study sensitive installations, including the Presidential Villa, the Armed Forces Complex, Niger Barracks in Abuja and international airports in Abuja and Lagos, mapping access routes, routines and vulnerabilities. What began as expressions of dissatisfaction soon graduated into early-stage operational planning.

Security sources say searches on the officer’s vehicle uncovered charms and anti-government materials, while a raid on his residence in Lokogoma, Apo, yielded sensitive documents detailing assigned roles and outlining how key national dignitaries were to be handled once the operation commenced.

The plotters are also said to have exploited insider access, infiltrating the Presidential Villa and compromising workers linked to construction firm Julius Berger to obtain security information on the premises. Encrypted communication platforms were allegedly used to coordinate movements, logistics and funding, while discreet vehicle repairs and unusual cash flows pointed to preparations for mobilisation.

Investigators traced financial inducements of between N2 million and N5 million to some principal actors, with intelligence agencies now analysing the money trail through the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit.

One of the suspects, Lt-Col S. Bappah, reportedly turned a critical witness, admitting his role and providing details on recruitment methods, funding channels and communication patterns within the network.

The danger, security officials note, lay in the cross-service reach of the conspiracy, which cut across the Army, Navy and Air Force and involved officers up to the rank of Brigadier-General.

The alleged plan, uncovered ahead of its execution date of October 25, 2025, was described as lethal in scope, with the President, Vice-President Kashim Shettima, ministers, service chiefs and other top officials marked as targets.

Beyond the military hierarchy, investigators are now widening the probe to civilian financiers and political contacts who may have interacted with the core suspects. Communication trails, financial flows and external interfaces are being reviewed as part of efforts to dismantle every layer of the network and secure strategic national assets.

With the investigation concluded and reports forwarded to superior authorities, the Defence Headquarters has confirmed that indicted personnel will face appropriate military judicial panels, as Nigeria’s security establishment moves to ensure that what officials describe as a well-funded, coordinated threat never advances beyond the planning stage.

Headline

Military Finally Confirms Coup Plot Against Tinubu’s Govt

Published

6 days ago

January 26, 2026

Eric

The Nigerian Armed Forces has said some officers will be arraigned before a military judicial panel to face trial over an alleged plot to overthrow the government.

The Director, Major General, Samaila Uba, said it is in accordance with the Armed Forces Act and other applicable service regulations.

Maj.-Gen Uba said: “It would be recalled that the Defence Headquarters issued a press statement in October 2025 regarding the arrest of sixteen officers over acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations. The Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) wishes to inform the general public that investigations into the matter have been concluded and the report forwarded to appropriate superior authority in line with extant regulations.

“The comprehensive investigation process, conducted in accordance with established military procedures, has carefully examined all circumstances surrounding the conduct of the affected personnel.

“The findings have identified a number of the officers with allegations of plotting to overthrow the government which is inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards required of members of the AFN.”

According to the statement, the measures being taken are purely disciplinary and part of ongoing institutional mechanisms to preserve order.

“Accordingly, those with cases to answer will be formally arraigned before appropriate military judicial panel to face trial in accordance with the Armed Forces Act and other applicable service regulations. This ensures accountability while upholding the principles of fairness and due process.

“The AFN reiterates that measures being taken are purely disciplinary and part of ongoing institutional mechanisms to preserve order, discipline and operational effectiveness within the ranks. The Armed Forces remain resolute in maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, loyalty and respect for constitutional authority,” it added.

The latest military action came more than three months after it announced on October 2025, that 16 officers had been arrested over alleged acts of indiscipline and violations of service regulations.

It explained that preliminary investigations revealed that the officers’ actions were tied to frustrations stemming from repeated failures in promotion examinations and concerns over stalled career progression.

In a statement issued by the Directorate of Defence Information, the conduct of the affected officers was described as falling short of the standards expected within the military.

It further noted that some of the officers were already under investigation for various offences and were either facing trial or awaiting court proceedings.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to inform the public that a routine military exercise has resulted in the arrest of sixteen officers over issues of indiscipline and breach of service regulations. Investigations have revealed that their grievances stemmed largely from perceived career stagnation caused by repeated failure in promotion examinations, among other issues.

“The Armed Forces will not tolerate behaviour that undermines the integrity of the institution or threatens its constitutional role under democratic authority. The Armed Forces of Nigeria remains fully committed to its constitutional responsibilities and will remain professional at all times,” the statement read in part.

The planned military trial also came after months of speculation over an attempt to overthrow the Federal Government, linking it with the cancellation of the 65th Independence Anniversary parade.

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) had earlier dismissed a report that claimed that 16 military officers, ranging from the rank of Captain to Brigadier General, were taken into custody by the Defence Intelligence Agency over alleged involvement in covert meetings to plan a coup against the government.

It had said that the parade was cancelled to allow President Bola Tinubu to attend a strategic bilateral meeting outside the country, and to enable members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) to sustain momentum in the ongoing fight against terrorism, insurgency, and banditry.

“The Federal Government, the legislature, and the judiciary are working closely for the safety, development, and well-being of the nation. Democracy is forever.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria remains firmly loyal to the Constitution and the Federal Government under the leadership of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR,” a statement signed by the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, in October had added.

But in the same month, soldiers from the Nigerian Army reportedly stormed the Abuja residence of former Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva, over an alleged link to a coup plot.

‎According to multiple security sources, the operation was carried out by a special military team.
‎
‎It was gathered that the raid followed intelligence reports linking the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources to a series of secret meetings allegedly held with some of the detained military officers accused of plotting to overthrow the government.

‎‎A top security source familiar with the development had disclosed that the operation also extended to Sylva’s Bayelsa home, where his brother, identified as one Paga, was arrested.
‎
‎“The Nigerian Army special team ransacked the home of Timipre Sylva, who is believed to have fled Nigeria.

“He is the South-South former governor frequently mentioned in the case. His brother, Paga, was picked up during the raid,” the source had revealed.

Consequently, the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) called on the Federal Government to immediately clarify the true nature of the alleged coup plot involving the arrested military officers.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, it voiced worry over “conflicting signals” from government sources, noting that the Defence Headquarters publicly denied ever referencing a coup plot despite widespread media reports to the contrary.

“The ADC is particularly concerned that the federal government has not deemed it fit to make a categorical statement on this very serious matter, especially after the military authorities repeatedly denied that there was such a threat to the government.

“By keeping quiet, the government has deliberately allowed the coup story to fester for whatever reason,” the ADC had said.