2019: BUHARI AND THE PEOPLE

PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI

2019:  WILL THE BUHARI ADMINISTRATION FIGHT ITS WAY OR WILL THE PEOPLE TURN AGAINST HIM?

Despite the present travails being experienced by Nigerians, especially so with the visible and perceived poor economic policies of the APC led-government, the Presidency has responded to queries by the general public as it pertains to the intention of the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari to seek for re-election come 2019.

Many are compelled to ask: why would the Presidency not chose diplomacy in reacting to such a probing question considering the fact there is hunger and starvation, loss of jobs, loss of income by the FG itself, economic flight as many investors have left the shores to other nations where the policies are more favourable and beneficial?

With the obvious pains and anger amongst the people in sight, Nigerians have reacted to suggestions by the Presidency that President Muhammadu Buhari will seek a second term in office come 2019.

This follows the Presidency's stand on Monday night while refuting a statement that it would be a lonely walk for the President in the next elections, a development expected to serve as a punishment for perceived bad governance.

According to available reports, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, in reaction to a statement credited to a former member of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Alhaji Buba Galadima, (Buhari’s political party which was submerged to form the mega party that gave birth to the APC) that the people of Nigeria would abandon Buhari should he choose to seek re-election, stated that the “suggestions that the masses will desert President Buhari in 2019 was unfounded and utterly ridiculous.”

“Ordinary Nigerians are the backbone of his mandate and the only reason he ran for the office is to protect them against the rapacious merchants of corruption, who have held Nigeria back for decades. Galadima’s calculation and prediction are utterly confused and misleading,” Shehu asserted.

Accordingly, “the masses are solidly behind Buhari because he is not stealing their money and their future. Garba Shehu stated.

‘’President Buhari’s enormous goodwill remains ever strong because the people are convinced the President is acting in their best interest, despite the temporary unintended consequences of reforms.”

In a statement which suggested vendetta and strong animosity against the person and the government of Muhammadu Buhari, the Presidential Spokesman recalled that an age-long face-off between both Arewa leaders in their CPC days, revealing that it was the reason Buhari discarded the likes of Galadinma in the 2015 elections that he ran for and won.

Garba Shehu urged Galadima to retire to his constituency and stand an election if he believes that he still enjoys the goodwill of his people.

“President Muhammadu Buhari is far from isolation. He enjoys a very strategic relationship with ordinary Nigerians. This relationship is as solid as the proverbial rock.

‘’If Buba Galadima thinks that because he has no role and no job in this government and that, that means the President is isolated, he is putting himself to ridicule”.

“Galadima cannot speak for the masses as far as their steadfast loyalty to President Buhari is concerned”.

Garba Shehu, while acknowledging that Galadima was entitled to advance his own political agenda, he (Galadima) should understand that he doesn’t have the right to decide for ordinary voters.

Culled from The Sheet