Buhari’s First Test of Leadership

Buhari’s First Test of Leadership

Immediately he emerged the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari was faced with his first ever leadership test. It was the selection of his own running mate and alas, he failed abysmally.

After many days of speculations, Buhari handed what was meant to be his responsibility to a former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu – a move that suggested he never was and may never be a hands-on leader. This further confirmed stories about how Buhari’s era as military leader was in the hands of the late Tunde Idiagbon. No wonder the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) called him Tinubu’s lap dog. Could they have been wrong?

Smart but mischievous, Tinubu saw this as a great opportunity and wanted it for himself and himself alone. But the groundswell of opposition to his choice resulted in many stalemates. Again, in seeking an end to the impasse, the party leadership passed the buck back to Buhari, another golden opportunity to redeem his initial disappointment.

He still could not handle it. It was too much an assignment for him even though at the level of party politics. He, however, pushed it back to Tinubu, who was compelled to draft in a complete upstart, Professor Yemi Osibajo, on the grounds of some blurred religious considerations and zero political relevance.

Now, assuming the argument for religion is plausible, are members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) more than the Catholics or the Anglicans or even the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) in the country? To unduly place the Redeemed Church above other denominations is counterproductive and will certainly take its toll. What more, Osibajo is hardly known even in the Redeemed Church.

If the incumbent president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is condemned as clueless, incompetent and lacking capacity, Buhari has proven not to be a better option. It just might be a question of the devil you know… If in a matter as simple as choosing one’s running mate, Buhari was too timid to step out and take a position for fear of some extraneous and largely indefensible political factors, he certainly would be unable to handle the scourge of corruption, the Boko Haram menace, let alone the dwindling economic fortune of the country if eventually he gets to see the facts that may have constrained a Jonathan.

No doubt, the election no longer looks good for the APC anymore. Its chances which had shot up immediately after the convention had also gone down with the same speed. Buhari has shot himself in the foot by looking in the direction of the South-west alone to the detriment of the South-south and the South-east as if they are insignificant. What about the New PDP governors? Are they really no factor to reckon with?

For sure, the election of 2015 is not going to be about some overrated academic qualifications, the ability to speak flawless English or defend the vilest of criminals; it is going to be about competence and track record, both of which the PDP candidates possess even if in the negative sense.

Importantly, this is no fault of Tinubu or any other member of the party but Buhari’s. He is the candidate; the president-to-be but has shown that he lacks the perquisite gravitas to take the nation to the next level. He cannot be the messiah and does not look it for he cannot even take the simplest of risk to enhance his own chances at the poll. Too bad, Mr. General!

Originally published by Thisday.