Buhari: The Absentee President By Bayo Oluwasanmi

Of all Nigerian Presidents, President Muhammadu Buhari lacks relevant experience and subject expertise for the job of the president. Tragically, Buhari has failed to make up for his historical lack of qualifications. He has compounded the problem with his historical laziness.

Buhari is an absentee president who relish overseas jaunts instead of finding solutions to crippling socio-economic and political problems facing Nigeria. Nigerians don’t know exactly what Buhari is doing or would do as president. His plans, policies, and programs remain hazy and fuzzy in a country whose future is as uncertain and hopeless as its 200 million Akindanidani citizens.

In the midst of 500 billion Naira stolen by Godwin Emefiele, CBN Governor and his three top staff, and with endless killings by both Buhari's Fulani kinsmen herdsmen terrorists and Boko Haram terrorists, Buhari jets out Nigeria to attend Umar Hajj (lesser hajj) in Mecca. 

Here's a summary of the countries Buhari has visited as president from 2015 to 2018.

2015: Niger June 3 (Anti-Boko Haram Summit), Chad June 4 (State Visit), Germany 7-8 June (42nd G7 Summit), South Africa 12-13 June (25thAfrican Union Summit), US 19-23 July (State Visit), Cameroon 29-30 July (State Visit), Benin 2-3 August (Independence Celebrations), Ghana 7 September (State Visit), France 14-16 September (State Visit), US 24-29 September (70th Session of the UN General Assembly), India 26-30 October (Third India Africa Forum Summit), Sudan 30 October (State Visit), Iran 22-24 November (3rd Gas exporting Countries Forum), Malta 28-30 November (2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit), France 30 November – 1 December (Paris Conference of Parties 21), South Africa 4-5 December (China Africa Summit). 

2016: Benin 8 January (11th Summit of the Heads of State of Niger basin Authority), United Arab Emirates 17-29 January (Wold Future Energy Summit), Ethiopia 26 January (26th Summit of African Union Heads of State and Government), Kenya 27-29 January (State Visit), France 2-4 February (Official Visit). UK 5-10 February (Vacation), Egypt 18 February (Sharm el-Sheikh “Africa 2016”) Saudi Arabia 22-27 February (OPEC Meeting), Equatorial Guinea 14 March (State Visit), US 30 March – 3 April (4th Nuclear Security Summit), China 11-14 April (State Visit), UK 13 May – 15 May (Anti-Corruption Summit), UK 6-9 June (Medical Visit), Chad 8 August (Inauguration of Idris Deby), Kenya 27-28 August (Tokyo Conference on Africa), US 11-15 September (71st Session of the UN General Assembly), Germany 13-16 October (State Visit), Morocco 14-18 November (UN Climate Chabge Conference), Senegal 5-7 December (Third Dakar International on Peace and Security in Africa), Gambia 13 December (ECOWAS Summit).

2017: Ghana 7 January (Inauguration of Nana Akufo-Addo). Gambia 13 January (27th Africa France Summit). 

2018: UK 16-20 April (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting). US 30 April (Working Visit). Poland 2-3 December (Working Visit).

If presidential success is determined by winning re-election, Buhari is unsuccessful because he failed to convince Nigerians to give him another four years in office which was why the election was massively rigged in his favor. Buhari came into office promising change. He did not advocate radical change or announce sweeping domestic reforms. 

Buhari lacks vision. A bad communicator, he has never communicated his approach effectively on how he'll tackle Nigeria's problems. As the nation spirals into economic depression and anarchy, Buhari remains stoic, aloof, distant, insensitive, missing in action, and always abdicates his responsibilities by traveling abroad.

Buhari has bluntly refused to authorize large-scale relief programs that might have alleviated suffering and hunger. He's unwilling to use significant federal spending to jumpstart the economy. Buhari never grasped the grave threat the economic crisis represents to the nation. These missteps were further complicated by his inept political maneuvering and frequent overseas trips. 
His questionable political judgment and leadership are in serious doubt. He displays little political acumen on issues. What emerges then for Buhari is a damning verdict of an absentee president – physically and mentally.

bjoluwasanmi@gmail.com

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