President Muhammadu Buhari derailed from Nigerian tradition yesterday, failing to address Nigerians after he was sworn in for a second term.
He had been expected to reel off his objectives for the next four
years. Many guests at the Eagle Square venue in Abuja were apparently
not impressed upon realising they would not be hearing from the leader.
As he inspected the parade comprising officers of the Army, Navy, Air
Force and Police, Buhari pumped his fist in the air in salutation at
Nigerians who had come to watch the event. Many of the guests however
did not wave back.
Four years earlier, when he took the mantle of office from former
President Goodluck Jonathan, Buhari had given a string of promises amid a
huge fanfare.
The Federal Government had stated earlier that the inauguration would
be low-keyed, as some events have been scheduled for June 12, the new
Democracy Day. “Since the first observance of June 12 as Democracy Day
falls into an election year, and as a measure to sustain June 12 as
Democracy Day, the celebration of the inauguration and the advancement
of democracy in the country would now hold on June 12,” said Minister of
Information Lai Mohammed.
But the president’s action has been eliciting reactions with the
opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) saying it was a tacit
admission of guilt that the election was rigged.
“The failure by President Buhari and the All Progressives Congress
(APC) to make any commitment at the ceremony reinforces the truism that a
product of flawed electoral process cannot serve the people or meet
their aspirations under a constitutional democracy,” the party said in a
statement by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan.
It noted that the “poor attendance and passivity of the audience at
the ceremony at a time that Nigerians were trooping, in their millions,
to the inauguration of state governors elected on the platform of the
PDP is a further evidence that Buhari and the APC were not elected.
“It is indeed pathetic that at a ceremony such as presidential
inauguration, where truly elected leaders address their people, make
commitments and unfold their governance direction, President Buhari did
not showcase his plans or commitment to the development of critical
sectors of our polity. It also speaks volumes that President Buhari had
nothing to say to the victims of mindless killings and acts of violence
in various parts of our country.”
Chief Goddy Uwazuruike, President Emeritus of Igbo think tank Aka
Ikenga, described the development as “strange” and “shocking”. According
to him, “governors read their speeches and asked the people to look
forward to something that gave people hope and food for thought. The
only person who didn’t give us food for thought was the president. I
think something is wrong; he is the most important person here.”
Human rights activist and coordinator, Otoge Lagos, Mark Adebayo,
said it was an unprecedented indiscretion in Nigeria’s political
history. He told The Guardian: “A presidential speech at inauguration is
the norm in all civilised democracies all over the world. It’s not just
a national disgrace, but also an international embarrassment for the
country.
“The president did not say anything at a time the citizens are under
extreme economic and security pressure and in desperate need of
reassurance. He has failed us totally. It is the same insensitive
indiscretion he displayed by refusing to debate with his opponents
before the 2015 and 2019 elections despite national outcry against such a
practice.”
The truth behind the president’s failure to make a speech, according
to media expert, Alex Ogundadegbe, is because “he doesn’t know what to
tell Nigerians this time. He now understands the mood of the people
about his governance. We have more bad news than good news. Look at the
level of insecurity, unemployment, even the Central Bank of Nigeria
(CBN) governor has warned that the country might enter into recession
again.”
During a live television programme, Akin Oyebode, Professor of
International Law and Jurisprudence at the University of Lagos (UNILAG),
said the president missed an opportunity to administer a soothing balm
on the citizenry by giving them “some impression of hope.”
A chieftain of rights group National Democratic Coalition (NADECO),
Dr. Amos Akingba, argued: “I’m not even sure that there would be a
speech on June 12. June 12 is different from the time you take the oath
of office; when you should promise the people, tell the people, inform
the people what you want to do. You don’t have to wait till June 12.
June 12 is just a recent approval. Today is the day you took an oath of
office; you’re inaugurated. Let us know what your agenda would be.”
Lai Oso, a professor of Mass Communication, UNILAG, said he was
surprised, adding: “Perhaps, he feels he said enough during his
interview with NTA.”
The Director, International Press Centre, Lanre Arogundade, said it
was sad that government appeared muddled up over May 29 and June 12. “If
we are saying June 12 is Democracy Day, then why didn’t he do the
necessary amendment to the law? I think the confusion is having May 29,
and also having June 12 as Democracy Day. We should have a fixed day, so
that when a president is inaugurated, he or she makes a speech on the
inauguration day,” he said.
But NADECO’s general Secretary, Ayo Opadokun, felt there was little
to worry about. Buhari didn’t want to glamourise May 29 any longer, he
explained. According to him, “The president and his handlers
deliberately saved the speech for June 12, when the country will
actually celebrate Democracy Day. If the president had made any speech
yesterday, what else would he have said on June 12 after promising he
would celebrate May 29 low key?”
A former deputy national chairman of the PDP, Olabode George, said the
president didn’t want to “start making promises when he is still
uncertain about the outcome of the election tribunal looking into the
petition challenging his victory in the presidential election.”
Urging Nigerians not to crucify the president, he added: “It won’t be
ideal for Buhari to start making another round of promises to Nigerians
now when he still has many unfulfilled promises he made in his 2015
inaugural speech.”
Although it was tagged ‘low-key’, Buhari and his vice president, Yemi
Osinbajo, took the oath of office in a brief ceremony full of pomp.
Security at the venue and around the Federal Capital City was beefed
up. Men of the strike force unit of Nigerian Army in balaclavas took
positions atop major high-rise buildings around the venue. Police dogs
and anti-bomb trucks manned strategic locations to ensure there was no
breach.
The president arrived at the Eagle Square at exactly 10:00 a.m.
accompanied by his wife, Aisha. He went straight to the dais for the
national anthem, marking the commencement of the ceremony, before
retiring to his seat in the VIP cubicle.
The vice president alongside his wife, Dolapo, and other senior
government officials including Speaker of the House of Representatives
Yakubu Dogara, Senate President Bukola Saraki were already seated before
Buhari’s arrival.
Former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan, Olusegun Obasanjo and former
Vice President Atiku Abubakar who contested the presidential election
against Buhari were not in attendance. Peter Obi, Atiku’s running mate
was also absent.
Osinbajo, who arrived at the venue at about 9:35 a.m., also mounted
the dais for the national anthem, which was played halfway. He however
gets the full anthem whenever he represents the commander-in-chief.
