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Opinion: Buhari have never accepted critical voices

The Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari have never allowed or endured protests or dissidents. That’s why during the 2nd Republic during his first term in the 1980s. As the head of state, he issued Decree Number 4, which was a means to silence reports and journalists from writing articles that could embarrass any government official. Therefore, his ill will for the freedom of speech is embedded with this man.

A man who ran through the ranks of the Military. Was the leader for of the Supreme Military Council for 20 months in 1980s. Where he suspended the constitution and has later returned twice to office. For some reason people in these times of 2015 and 2019 thought this man would change.

President Buhari doesn’t value freedom of speech, liberty or anything of that sort. That is just words used as flamboyant pointers to donors and the international community. However, this man had no trouble arresting and detaining the Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti. He was arrested by the authorities for a song. His arrested happened in September 1984, but he was later released in April 1986. That meant he was also kept in prison under the regime of the Gen. Babangida from August 1985 until April 1986 before his release. Fela Kut was detained for 18 months and most of that time while Buhari was the Head of State.

Still, Buhari was willing to arrest not only activists, opposition leader, stop unions for existing and so fourth. He was also willing to arrest vocal international artists speaking up against his will in the 1980s.

We are now in 2021. He is continuing his path of teargassing and assaulting people for going to the streets and demonstrating. The state is answering the pleas of the public with violence. Just like the army killed civilians at Lekki Toll Bridge. There is still fatalities from the protests and it’s directly happening because of the way the state answers to the civil disobedience.

Burhari cannot handle that the people doesn’t accept his words. He expect people to love his words and abide by them. I am still sure he just see that as “indiscipline” which he wasn’t able to fight decades ago.

What we can see from his first stint in power. Is that he continues this brash unappologizing acts of police brutality and lack of understanding of role as the Head of State. He should guard these values and allow the sentiment of disdain run on the streets. So, that their voices are head and taken into account. Not come with force and stop them preaching. When he already ordered to silence Twitter over a deleted tweet. It says more about his Presidency, than about the people who went on the streets fighting for their rights.

President Buhari needs to get his mind right. Unless, he thinks his an overlord or an emperor of ancient times. A man who thinks he has the rights to order police brutality on civilians, which easily can turn fatal. Something it usually does and it’s tragic for every single civilian dying in the hands of the authorities and only for going onto the streets to fight for a just cause.

The Nigerian President should know better. If he doesn’t remember the outrage over the arrest and the charges put on Fela Kuti. He should remember last years #ENDSARS demonstrations last year.

I’ll end with the wise words of Ikhide R.Ikheloa who wrote this on the 1st April 2015:

No one fools me, I will continue to push the conversation about what is appropriate in terms of governance. Democracy without accountability is killing Nigeria and Nigerians. We have spent dozens of billions of Naira to race past broken schools, broken hospitals and broken roads to execute a shoddy election and install the illusion of change. We have just traded ravenous locusts for starving termites. We will be miserable for the next four years as we continue to endure an unsustainable democracy. This democracy is an unsustainable farce and we all know it. If we are not careful it will be the end of our nation as we know it. The PDP needs to go, the APC needs to go, they are collectively responsible for our mess and I am not excusing one bunch of thieves and incompetents from blame” (Pa Ikhide – ‘What I wrote: On Buhari’s election, 2015’ 01.04.2018).

People should have seen this coming, but the General fooled plenty. He has shown his colours and people shouldn’t accept it. Nobody deserves to be ruled by someone who doesn’t show them respect. His only there as a represent of the people. Buhari isn’t there because of his birthright or his entitled to be there. No, his there, because his supposed to serve the public who dissent on the streets. That’s his people and he got no right to harm them. Peace.

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Nigeria: Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Clarification of Comments by the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs at his Meeting with Envoys (07.06.2021)

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Nigeria: #StateofEmergency GBV – Violence against woman still rising, one year after the State of Emergency on GBV declared by governors (07.06.2021)

Opinion: Buhari acts more swift on Twitter than he does on internal matters ….

The Nigerian General and President Muhammadu Buhari have swiftly reacted after Twitter deleted one of his posts on its pages. As it was in breach with it’s Terms of Service (ToS). This has clearly hit a nerve and the Nigerian government have in response suspended Twitter and also it’s official accounts.

The state have gone rouge on this. The President took it personal that his account was touched and his reasoning for posting on Twitter got under question. However, this only shows his inept and lack of good governance. It is only showing his disregard for free speech and liberty for all. Just because, he couldn’t follow the standards of the social media company and their policies. As a President he should be the example of good conduct and not the other way around.

President Buhari is only looking like a sour loser. Retaliating at Twitter and banning it in the Republic. Making it a criminal act to publish or write there. That just show how easy it is to make a small case into a societal problem. The President could have taken it on the chin, but instead gone to battle. A battle he will loose and only losing support elsewhere. His looking crazy and Twitter has lost nothing. That’s the tragic thing here.

If President Buhari had worked this to reform SARS and the Police itself. The Nigerian public would maybe been giddy. If the President had worked as hard to stop insurgency and violence. Instead his thriving in it and using it for political capital. The President should have acted on this in that manner and not on a social media site. It just show his mixed priorities.

The General should have shown the will and power towards Boko Haram. When civilians are abducted and kidnapped. When massacres have happened and when police brutality have happened. He should have cried havoc and showed character then too. However, then his talking about procedures, policies and all other excuses to do something. At that point, the President is a slow-train coming.

However, when Twitter triggered him. He could just touch the button and silence it. That’s why this is a bitch move. It is not a proof of power or force. No, it is an act of an coward. Who cannot stand up to his words or his acts on social media. It is easier to suspend or block a page, than actually ask why the post was deleted in the first place.

That just shows what sort of man Buhari is. If Buhari thinks this is wise or great. It is his greatest illusion. A man with such an office can achieve so much and create a lot of things for the future. However, this is only belittling his citizens and their voices online. Instead of showing greatness and humility. The President retaliated… and acted in fury.

President Buhari haven’t proved that he has achieved anything this term. Only been an android, Jubril from Sudan and blocked twitter. He got little to nothing to show from it and his record is abysmal. This is not making things better. Peace.