A RISK OF NIGERIA'S INTERNATIONAL ISOLATION?
In recent weeks and, especially since the selection of the 72 years old, former Military Head of State, Pa. General Muhammadu Buhari as APC presidential candidate, I have repeatedly found myself disappointed, angry and in despair at the low caliber leadership, and the complete disregard for due diligence in the opposition APC vis-Ã -vis the ruling PDP.
Every respected country on the face of this planet vets and conducts vigorous background-checks on all their candidates for elective offices and particularly so, for their presidential candidates. This is in order, to weed out those with dubious backgrounds, making outrageous claims e.g. a candidate who lies about his education; and importantly, to assess their personalities, motivations, and the basics of their story. Were they who they said they were? Did they have access to what they claimed? These are processes every serious political party undertakes to produce the best candidates to represent their party for the good of country.
But this is not the case for APC that wants Nigerians to vote for a candidate without presenting his original certificates as required by law and whose background and history is bound to restrict Nigeria internationally. The consequences of faulty vetting can be devastating to the APC and country; in this case of the selection of the 72 years old former Military Head of State, Pa. General Muhammadu Buhari as their presidential candidate.
There must be a day of reckoning in the international community for the 72 years old, former Military Head of State, Pa. General Muhammadu Buhari, that flagrantly disregarded international laws, conventions, customs, the general principles of law recognized by civilized nations and respect for the laws of sovereign countries, namely the United Kingdom.
His notion of leadership, international laws, human rights and civic values is not only to authorized the failed kidnapping of the late Alhaji Umaru Dikko from the United Kingdom, the emasculation of a robust media, using back-dated decree to murder young men etc., but that, all public officials in Nigeria are crooks, corrupt and the public is an ignorant inmpenproletariat.
It would be astonishing if, the 72 years old APC Presidential candidate, Pa. General Muhammedu Buhari, former Military Head of State, that has been reveling in the climate of immunity, and have made impunity his modus operandi for decades; would be welcomed in London, Berlin, Washington, DC or the United Nations with a red carpet. APC should therefore, save Nigeria the bother; and honorably withdraw Pa. General Muhammedu Buhari, former Military Head of State from the February 14th 2015 presidential election.
Nigeria must not expect the international community to accept a man that master-minded the kidnapping of a resident of the United Kingdom; a serial Human Rights abuser and a man that promotes Violence and Terrorism (all major terrorist groups in Nigeria have all promptly endorsed and adopted him: the 72 years old Pa. General Muhammadu Buhari, former Military Head of State, as their presidential candidate, notably: Boko Haram).
Therefore, the day of reckoning will show the decades of Nigeria's cowardice towards someone whose nature and actions as Military Head of State were a clear disgrace and embarrassment not only to Nigeria but the whole of Africa.
Nigeria must come of age.
Nigeria and Nigerians must not be seduced and intimidated into turning Nigeria into a patriarch state in the community of respectable nations. Nigerians must vote wisely.
In these times of falling oil prices, again; Nigeria cannot expend her limited resources, international goodwill and political capital on revamping and polishing the image of a failed former military Head of State.
There are demonstrative evidence, though, that Nigerians have no wish to return to the days of patriarchic status, neither is Nigeria ready to vote for a bad-intentioned myopia on the part of the APC to eviscerate the gains of democracy and Nigeria's well earned international respect and image. Nigeria has no time for extremely radical experiments and proposals.
A vote for the 72 years old APC Presidential candidate, Pa. General Muhammadu Buhari, former Military Head of State, would not be a step forward for Nigeria; but a spite-filled step back and isolation from the civilized world.
Written by Ekiyorbomode A. Edotimi.
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