OPINION: Is President Buhari Suffering From Jonathan Derangement Syndrome?

Editor’s note: Ubaka Chukwuka Maximus, Naij.com constant guest author, suggests the Buhari vs Jonathan competition is still ongoing following the numerous claims made by the president and his confidants in terms of failure of Jonathan’s administration. Ubaka Chukwuka suggests President Buhari to stop badmouthing the former government and hurl all effort into earning a goodwill for the new one.

One may conclude that President Buhari and the APC are either not ready for governing Nigeria, or have no idea of how to salvage the country. Apart from the campaign promises and criticism of Jonathan’s government, it is very hard to point out what else President Buhari has done so far. A prophet is not needed to speculate that the president will definitely mention Jonathan and how evil the PDP was during Jonathan’s administration in his speech. The ruling party still has the opposition mindset and orientation, as it continues blaming the PDP even after having comfortably occupied the Aso Villa.

During the then senator Obama’s first electoral campaign, Senator John McCain, his opponent, devoted the majority of his campaign appearances to the condemning attacks on Obama without granting enough attention to the numerous economic issues. McCain was then diagnosed with Obama Derangement Syndrome. The republicans lost the presidential election due to the deviation from what a campaign ought to be. 

Buhari vs Jonathan struggle is in full play

The APC campaign stood on two major pillars:

– Corruption in Jonathan’s government.

– Jonathan’s clueless methods of fighting terrorism

President Buhari’s post-election speeches are still revolved around his campaign lyrics. It is even pertinent to ask if the APC is campaigning for the 2019 general elections. Buhari’s government seems to be occupied with the things he vowed not to do. Buhari is touring the African countries seeking help; he is nursing the idea of granting amnesty to the terrorists. These were Jonathan’s clueless efforts, as the party made us believe some months back.

Though such visits build the bilateral relations between two governments, they become counter-productive when President Buhari denigrates his predecessor in the faraway America or Cameroon. Nigeria gains nothing from exaggerating the stolen crude quantity from 250,000 barrels to one million barrels. Accusing of the former president Jonathan of not doing enough to battle terrorism by Paul Biya, the president of Cameroon, in the presence of President Buhari was harmful to our image. President Buhari surprisingly failed to remind Biya how the Cameroonian soldiers shielded the terrorists chased by the Nigerian troops into Cameroon. The Nigerian troops were even fired at when they tried to make further advance. Non-cooperation in the fight against terrorism was the fault of Nigeria’s neighbors. It is unfair when everyone is blaming Jonathan for their own short-sightedness.

READ ALSO: Mistrust Between Nigeria, Cameroon Stalls Fight Against Boko Haram 

The mindless antagonism of Jonathan’s role as the president even after his peaceful leaving of Aso Villa is a political disease known as Jonathan Derangement Syndrome. The first symptom was noticed when President Buhari lamented over an empty treasury, and then granted a huge bailout running into billions of naira to the states. This was followed by another Buhari’s claim that Jonathan didn’t hand over to him properly, even after it had took six weeks to the transition committee to peruse the hand-over documents. Theft of billions of naira by an unnamed minister, politicization of the military and DSS, alleged unauthorized withdrawal of funds from the crude account are remote symptoms of Jonathan Derangement Syndrome. If getting old had not been a natural process, the APC would have definitely blamed Jonathan for that.

President Buhari, please…

We have had enough of talk and accusations. It is none of our business if Americans give Buhari a list of oil thieves or names of the ministers who stole $9 billion. Nigerians know that the APC thrives on propaganda. Nigerians, especially the youths, want to see good government in reality, not on newspaper pages.

Stop scapegoating Jonathan and go for the real oil thieves, arrest the minister who stole $9 billion, equip the air force and the military, stabilise naira and cut contract costs. More importantly, decimate Boko Haram and give the South-East and the South-South regions a reason to believe in your government. Neither the lopsided appointments nor the rumble in the National Assembly is Jonathan’s fault. Goodluck Jonathan has played his part; now he is off the stage, so stop making everything he did look bad. Nigerians voted for you to correct the mess the PDP had created. We know the PDP has goofed; there is no need to keep reminding us any further.

Badmouthing Jonathan and the PDP and leaving “Baba Iyabo” unnoticed is not justice. Restricting investigation of the missing money to Jonathan’s tenure is not fairness, as the probe should include the first civilian president. The sell of NITEL, Nicon and Hilton hotels, Federal Palace Hotel, Ajaokuta Steel Complex and the funding of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library should be looked into. Above all, nothing soiled the image of Nigeria more than the Halliburton saga. Making the players of this deal untouchable will only prove how serious Buhari is about the anti-corruption war. Nigeria needs cleansing, so nothing should be left behind. Total cleansing is the only cure to Jonathan Derangement Syndrome.

Maximus Chukwuka for Naij.com

Mr Chukwuka is a graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. 

The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Naij.com. 

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