Once upon a time, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) won presidential primary election a 4th time to run for Nigeria’s president against the ruling party.
Everything appeared smooth for Buhari; donations were pouring in, priests, imams and various opinion leaders were persuading their congregations to support him. The retired general was once again accumulating political momentum in the country.
Until Tuesday, the 5th of January, 2015 when the All progressives Congress (APC) flagged of its campaign in Port-Harcourt, where Buhari attempted to showcase what he has to offer Nigerians. Buhari had nothing to offer in terms of real understanding of the problems of the nation and any detailed plans about how to solve them. Buhari said he would stop insurgency, but did not say how. He told Nigerians that he would reduce corruption by demonstrating political will and jailing everyone who is found guilty of corruption. Buhari also talked about improving the quality of education and left it at that.
Because of the poor way Buhari sold himself and the APC’s plan to Nigerians in Port-Harcourt, President Goodluck Jonathan flagged off his own presidential campaign in Lagos, the supreme headquarters of the APC on the 7th of January, with clear and loud statements about his deeper understanding of our national problems. Jonathan said Buhari consistently failed to equip the armed forces and make them combat ready during his stint as Head of State between 1983 and 1985. Jonathan during the flag off of his campaign said that he will build institutions that will reduce corruption, in spite of the universal human challenge of deviating from the norm now and again. He did not say he will personally frighten people into avoiding corruption. He also told us what his Government has done in education, such as setting up 12 federal Universities in states of the federation that did not have any. He mentioned how his Government tackled enrolment and drop out issues, among so many others. He also spoke emotionally about the trains coming on tracks after more than 30. He talked about the revolution in our Sea ports that now runs 24 hour operations, instead of the nine hours he met when he came on board.
And because of the difference in the quality of the contents of the speech of the two presidential candidates, incumbent President Jonathan is now taking the lead in peoples opinion concerning who the better candidate is.
If Jonathan continues on this good note, his strengths will radiate more and more each day until he finally gets re-elected for another 4 years on the 14th of February, 2015.
Do you think Buhari still has a chance?