The comment, which was made during a Sallah homage to him by FCT residents led by the Minister, Mohammed Bello, has been interpreted by many as evidence of the President’s disinterest in the country’s current state of insecurity, economic decline, and widespread corruption.
Nigerian major cities, not even the commercial cities are linked by rail network, yet the Buhari administration borrowed $2 billion for the rail line to Maradi in Niger Republic.
Reactions to the President’s comment on relocation to the Niger Republic, if he’s disturbed in Daura, have been varied, with many prominent Nigerians weighing in on the matter. Here are some of the diverse reactions:
No hiding place for the wicked —Sowore
The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, in the 2023 general election, Omoyole Sowore, in his reaction, said there is no hiding place for Buhari.
“President Muhammadu Buhari, sorry, there will be no hiding place for the wicked. You must pay for your crimes against humanity.
“Till the end of time, your atrocities will fish you out. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, it won’t matter where you hide, you will answer for your crimes.”
Buhari’s comment quite unfortunate —Sheikh Nuru Khalid
Similarly, the former Chief Imam of National Assembly Quarters Legislative Mosque, Shiekh Nuru Khalid, said: ”The President’s comment is disappointing and disheartening. It sends the message that he deliberately did not show enough interest in addressing the problems facing the country. It is unfortunate that the President seems more concerned with his personal comfort than the welfare of the Nigerian people. He has shown Nigerians he has a ‘Plan B’ of sort. One of his media aides made attempts to defend him by saying the President was merely cracking a joke. You don’t joke with your citizens like that.
Buhari seems to live in a bubble —Adeyanju
Human rights activist and solicitor, Deji Adeyanju, also weighed in on the matter, stating that the President’s comment is a clear indication that he is disconnected from the realities of the Nigerian people.
According to him, the President had better woken up to the fact that he must take responsibility for the dire situation in the country even after he leaves office
“President Buhari seems to exude a general sense of distance from reality. He seems to be always living in a bubble. He doesn’t yet realise the extent of damage, he has done to the country.
“I can’t understand why someone with so much goodwill of the masses in the build-up to the 2015 elections will squander it in so short a time and his government now
a colossal failure.
“If Nigeria is still a sane nation, Buhari will never be celebrated after he leaves office no matter where he may run to. He destroyed the nation on many fronts except catapulting his immediate family to a state of stupendous wealth,” he told Saturday Vanguard
However, there are some who have defended the President’s remark, stating that it was taken out of context.
According to them, the President was simply expressing his desire to spend time with his family in his hometown or anywhere else he so desires.
President’s comment not a reflection of his leadership —Gimba
Idris Gimba, a public affairs analyst and columnist, joined in defending President Buhari’s comment, saying, “The President was simply expressing his desire for peace and quiet in his hometown (Daura) as well as with his kinsmen in Niger republic. It is not a reflection of his leadership.”
Buhari no longer an issue —Abdul-Azeez Suleiman
In a similar vein, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, the Spokesperson, Coalition of 52 Northern Groups (CNG), said Nigerians must resist the temptation to live in perpetual blame of leaders after they leave office.
He said, “I really don’t see any relation between his saying he would relocate to the Niger Republic after leaving office and his apparent non-performance as President.
“For all we care Buhari might even have been making a joke about it which is why we don’t give it serious consideration.
“Even if he elects to relocate to the moon, he has the right to do so assuming he can. What is clear however is that the things that men do live after them.
“And no matter how hard or how far a bad leader runs, he would be called to account in the fullness of time.
“What Nigerians should rather bother about is the future of the nation as President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu prepares for governance in the next few days.
“We should be more concerned with getting the incoming President to commit to work to solve our basic socio-cultural problems, our regressing economy and address our precarious future.
“We should demand that he shows real commitment to reducing youth unemployment, insecurity and poverty.
“Without a doubt, the outgoing administration was run by people poorly-prepared and ill-equipped to lead except for their ambitions for power and fantastic wealth.
“Consequently, Nigerians are left at the mercy of armed crime, unforgivable poverty and derision from other parts of the world which once held us in awe and marvelled at our systems and quality of leadership.
“Nigerians must at this point learn to resist the temptation to live in perpetual blame of past leaders.
“We should do better than them, and learn from their mistakes. The past cannot be entirely remedied, but a future can be built on a strong foundation that benefits from a flawed past.
“Buhari is no longer an issue, I think, and where he chooses to live after retirement is as well not of the essence as the nation is struggling past a critical turning point.”
Undoubtedly, President Muhammadu Buhari’s comment during a Sallah homage to him has sparked a wave of controversy across the country.
Regardless of one’s interpretation, it is clear that Nigeria is facing significant challenges that require urgent attention from the outgoing and incoming governments.
