Politics over a President’s health

Army chief, General Tukur Burutai, says some politicians are approaching Army officers with a view to carrying out what we all know is now an anachronism – at least from Nigeria’s perspective – a military takeover of our nascent constitutional government. That prospect is already dead on arrival, and unless Burutai himself is one of those being approached, he should get the relevant agencies to go after those military officers and their political patrons. A coup proposition is as treasonable as the actual thing itself.

Our democracy may still be in its inchoate fledgling stage, but a military takeover? Na, we have gone beyond that for good. Which military officer would be so suicidal as to contemplate it in today’s Nigeria?  The social media pressure alone that would be unleashed would make anybody contemplating such misadventure to go mad – not to talk of the international isolation, the local coalition of opposition groups, and of course the highly armed militant and militarized groups in the creeks of the south-south who would see any coup as a continuation of the region’s marginalization by other means. Their response, predictably, would be a truncation of the subsisting fragile peace and resumption of pipeline bombing, thus shutting off much needed petro-dollar from the coupists. No, a coup is simply no longer feasible in Nigeria.

We may not be getting all we desire from democratic governance, but it is still far more preferable to a return of the jack boot. It has been demonstrated time and again that we will no longer accept military rule. It is not for nothing that a man like Ashiwaju would declare that Lagos would resist any untoward military incursion in governance. Anybody who was an adult when NADECO held sway under the most vicious military dictatorship the country ever witnessed would know that this is no empty threat. Ashiwaju himself played prominent role in that movement. After 18 years of civil rule, Nigerians have become smarter and more sophisticated while the military has become wiser but also more politicized, tribalized   and incoherent that any coup plot would amount to a plot with ignoble suicide.

Enter Aisha Yesufu. Speaking in a video currently trending on social and traditional media, the co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) says the Acting President “thing” is not working and urges President Buhari to resign to take care of his failing health, failing which the National Assembly should impeach him. What she has not told us is who, precisely, would take over from an impeached Buhari and in what capacity that person would function.

If Aisha Yesufu had limited herself to urging Buhari to resign on health ground, I would have hailed her as patriotic, but canvassing for his impeachment and at the same time lampooning the Acting President as not working betrays a motive yet unclear. Even as Buhari is temporarily out of the picture of governance for now, no one can validly claim there is a vacuum. Governance is going on as it should be. What then informs Aisha’s call for impeachment? What has turned the BBOG co-founder into a campaigner for a change of government by hook or crook? When, and where, did water enter the proverbial “ugbogulu”?

Aisha’s posturing must be deconstructed in light of the Northern Elders Forum’s (NEF) recent public statement. Speaking through its rabid fundamentalist chairman, Prof Ango Abdullahi, the group said that should President Muhammadu Buhari’s failing health prevent him from seeking re-election in 2019, the North will not back Vice/Acting President (Prof) Yemi Osinbajo to succeed him as President. The north, he said, must be allowed to complete Buhari’s eight-year rule by putting forward its own candidate through the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019 – should anything happen to Buhari. This was the kind of sentiment that played out seven years ago under the (then) ailing Umaru Musa Yar Adua. In the end, a vicious armed group emerged as a tool to negotiate power out of Goodluck Jonathan. The bowler-hat-wearing man from Otuoke himself was to aggravate matters when he reneged on his earlier agreement.

Tinubu and the South-west have so far wisely chosen not to respond to the NEF. In their wisdom, it is prudent, at this time, to heed the counsel of the great Roman general, Fabius Conctatus, that preliminary skirmishes must not be fought with major artillery. But no one should kid himself; the South-west will surely respond at some point in time. If, and when that time comes even the calamitous, verbose and verbally haemorrhaging prodigal son, FFK, would be welcome back into the fold.

Meanwhile, I hear some group of politicians have allegedly contracted spiritual merchants, marabouts and mercenary prayer warriors to pray to the Almighty that Buhari should die. Whoever told these people that God answers such prayers! Nonsense!

In the midst of all these, three wise men – the old wily general and Balogun of Owu and his two comrades-in-arms from Minna – have reportedly met, ostensibly to decide 2019 and beyond and who to pair with Osinbajo should anything happen to Buhari.

What is clear from all these scheming is that the battle for control of Nigeria post Buhari regime has commenced in earnest. The geopolitical groups are once again negotiating for political power and control. As usual, the notable spectator from the side-lines are my kit and kin from the South-east, waiting to pick the crumbs and cry marginalization after the main dish has been shared.

Even more obvious now is the fact that the elites in the political spectrum want Buhari out of the way by any means possible. But Buhari is the will of the people – and by extension, the will of God.  He is the choice of Nigerians to lead us at this critical time of our nation. Unfortunately, his health appears to be interfering in that historic mission.

Still, God is still the ultimate arbiter of affairs of men. If Buhari decides to quit the stage on account of his health, it is all well and good. If he chooses to stay put, so be it, he would have broken no law. Blackmailing him to resign will not work. Neither will using coup rumour to scare Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.

It shall be well with Buhari. Iseeee!!! Aaaamen!!! Aaaamin!!!