Aso Rock Watch
Aso Rock Watch: Buhari’s 77th birthday almost tasted sour. 2 other things
Nigeria got a bit of bashing here and there past week. Perhaps, not the sort that President Muhammadu Buhari would have loved to witness on his 77th birthday.
First, he was told that his government had damaged Nigeria’s international image. As if that was not enough, another report listed Nigeria under his watch as being among countries that tolerated “severe violations of religious freedom.”
It was John Campbell, a United States (US) former ambassador to Nigeria, who gave Buhari what may have tasted as a sour birthday gift.
In a post entitled “Buhari’s dictatorial past and the rule of law today in Nigeria” and published on the website of the Council on Foreign Relations, on December 18, a day after Buhari’s birthday, Campbell decried the court invasion by the operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) to re-arrest Omoyele Sowore.
He said, “The SSS assault on a court room and the re-arrest of Sowore has already damaged the country’s international reputation.”
While that was yet to settle, the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, announced Nigeria’s inclusion on the “Special Watch List” of nations that engaged in, or tolerated religious violations in their territory.
Pompeo said, “On December 18, 2019, the Department of State re-designated Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan as Countries of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 for having engaged in or tolerated “systematic, ongoing, [and] egregious violations of religious freedom.”
“The Department renewed the placement of Comoros, Russia, and Uzbekistan on a Special Watch List (SWL) for governments that have engaged in or tolerated “severe violations of religious freedom,” and added Cuba, Nicaragua, Nigeria, and Sudan to this list.”
More questions than answers
In its reply, the presidency claimed that no policy in Nigeria promotes one religion against another. It added that the US decision to place Nigeria on its watch list did not make Nigeria a country of concern on religious freedom.
According to Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, “The correct US government position is that the addition of Nigeria to the watch list of the IRF does not make Nigeria a country of concern on religious freedom.”
“The watch list carries no immediate implication, except for the need for both countries to discuss areas of concern over the next year. We are looking forward to such discussions with our partners, the U.S,” he added.
Shehu may be right that no religion is promoted above the other in Nigeria. However, the questions agitating the minds of many border on why, under President Buhari, the three arms of government appear clearly to be under the leadership of predominantly Muslims officials.
Another poser also queries why the composition of the National Security Council (NSC) is seemingly skewed in favour of one religion.
On “severe violations of religious freedom”, the nation’s leadership, unable to stem the many religious conflagrations, as well quell extremism, cannot indulge itself as one that has laid the foundation for peaceful coexistence among the many faiths in the country.
Also, killing of citizens , based on their beliefs, remain rife while the ruling party appears to turn the other way as some federating units play up religion as a tool for political patronage and threaten the secularity of the nation. As at yet, perpetrators of unconscionable killings in the name of religion get a slap on the wrist or continue to walk the streets as free men.
2 other things
Physician heal thyself
The judgment of the Supreme Court that affirmed the electoral victory of some APC governors last week Wednesday was very pleasing to Buhari.
Relishing that, Buhari told the governors that it was time for them to concentrate fully on fulfilling their campaign promises.
Among the governors were Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Bello Masari (Katsina), and Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa).
In a statement on Friday, Buhari told them, “I am pleased and proud that you have successfully concluded your legal battles, and now is the time to concentrate fully on fulfilling your campaign promises after the distractions caused by the litigation.”
The innocent advice Buhari gave the governors saw many Nigerians asking Mr President to set an example for the governors by fulfilling the many promises he made Nigerians, including the alleged pledge to pay N5, 000 stipends to unemployed youths.
The chorus that greeted the advice in many quarters was “physician heal thyself”.
Walk the talk, not promises
At the Presidential Villa last Tuesday, during the commemoration of his 77th birthday, Buhari said he would not tolerate election rigging in Nigeria.
He told government officials and politicians interested in taking part in the 2023 general elections that he was not going to condone malpractices or attempt to rig the vote nationwide.
The promise, ordinarily, should have excited Nigerians but that seemed not be the case. Instead, the remark left many pondering the body language of President Buhari which had often appeared withdrawn as the integrity of the country’s electoral processes come under local and international criticism.
Recent examples include the governorship elections conducted in Bayelsa and Kogi states.
For most critics, it is “today that will give birth to tomorrow.” Many have, therefore, challenged Buhari, if he was indeed serious, to walk the talk.
The President’s treatment of the electoral amendment bill ahead of 2019 election seems to have drawn the greatest criticism and forced many to take his promise on transparent election with a pinch of salt.
Thus, if Buhari desires to leave an enduring legacy devoid of killings, riggings and all manner of irregularities as witnessed in the 2023 polls, he has to walk the talk with the governorship elections billed for in Edo, Anambra, Ondo, Ekiti, Osun, all of which would precede the 2023 general elections.
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