by Simon Utsu

For a man who refused to show a crippled mother of two leniency for a drug peddling related offence as a military head of state, little leniency should be shown. We should let karma have her way.

It is barely a day to the Presidential election. Just yesterday, Pa Buhari once again inundated us with a sneak peek into what we should be expecting should he win. He dropped the biggest of his regular gaffe bombs when he said and I quote, “I’ll make the naira equivalent to the dollar”. Why won’t he make such a pronunciation? Aren’t his brainwashed fans responsible? What do they expect when even his most educated fans come online to say stuff such as, “even if Buhari presents his electricity bill as a certificate, we will vote for him”. You see your lives? Can you now see your candidate doesn’t have the foggiest idea of the dynamics of a progressive 21st century economy? This bizarre proclamation was made couple of months after he said he was going to stabilize global oil prices, he didn’t tell us how.

The other day, one of my friends told me my education was a waste for supporting Jonathan the way I’ve been doing. It amuses me when such people are blinded to the severe shortcomings of their Patron and candidate. Is this the kind of stuff Buhari will be saying before G-8 leaders? Don’t you think such silly talk can lead to him being barred from attending important international gatherings? Only Idi Amin of Uganda belittled an African country this much by talking so unintelligently before the world press every time he had the opportunity. The frightening thing is, Idi Amin was largely known for his comic side and sense of humor but Pa Buhari’s body language whenever he makes these gaffes tells us he’s serious about what he is saying.

Even if the GDP and the present economic structures of the UAE and Qatar were handed over to Nigeria, it will take roughly seven years of proper management for Buhari’s ‘wish’ to come to pass in the present day Nigeria.

The Democrats and Republican parties aren’t foolish when they present the best educated amongst their lot for the Presidential race every election season, Its either you are an alumnus of an ivy league school or you don’t bother declaring your interest. It’s not a coincidence that 20 percent of their Presidents are Harvard graduates. In fact, three of their last four Presidents: Obama, Bush Snr. and Bush Jnr. finished from Harvard whilst Clinton finished from Yale. Hilary Clinton who is the frontline candidate to win the Democrats nomination ticket for the 2016 elections is also a Yale alumnus; in fact she met her husband there. It’s also noteworthy that Clinton is a Rhode Oxford scholar and Obama also attended Colombia University with John Kennedy oscillating between Harvard, Princeton and the London School of Economics. My point is going to the best universities or schools of higher learning have been key prerequisites to qualify to run for the US Presidency for over half a century.

The incumbent Jonathan attended the University of Port Harcourt in River state. UniPort as it is usually called has been at the forefront of medical research for decades running. President Jonathan studied under the school of medical sciences for his first second and third degrees. Records available also tell us he was a B+ student during his school days. That’s to me is a minimum to lead a complex country like Nigeria at this point in time.

Nigeria’s is Africa’s largest economy, South Africa is the second largest and they are presently led by a man who has a poor academic background. Zuma’s choice was largely due to sentiments as South Africans felt he was a people’s man. He, like Buhari, was seen as the new Mandela due to his popularity amongst the middle and low class of ‘colored’ and blacks. So far, his leadership has failed to transcend into significant results when compared to Mbeki. The economy has stagnated under him. Unemployment figures are weaker than Mbeki’s time and foreign policy is at an all time low. It’s only the GDP that has improved.

I still don’t understand why APC couldn’t fish out a more urbane, educated and even sophisticated person to represent them this year. Rumors are gathering momentum that Buhari might be disqualified before or after the elections for perjury. The rumor if true will help Nigeria get rid of an unqualified candidate like Buhari since he has refused to provide his GCSE. We have to keep sentiments aside as no one is above the law. I am also suggesting that the Attorney General of the nation follows Buhari’s disqualification up with litigation as Buhari deserves to face the full wrath of the law. For a man who refused to show a crippled mother of two leniency for a drug peddling related offence as a military head of state, little leniency should be shown. We should let karma have her way.

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Emmanuel Chidiogo