APC And President Buhari As Masters Of Lies

                                  President Muhammadu Buhari                                   

Before President Muhammadu Buhari left the country on January 20, 2017 for Britain, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina told Nigerians that Mr. Buhari was going to the United Kingdom to spend a portion of his annual vacation. As Adesina put it, Buhari would also undertake a “routine” medical check-up and was expected back at his duty post by 6th February, 2017. But immediately President Buhari departed the depart the country, the social media went viral with reports that Mr. President had gone on medical vacation but the Presidency denied such reports, claiming that Mr. Buhari only went on vacation to rest but while resting he would also carry out some medical check-ups!

But while Nigerians were awaiting the return of Mr. President to his duty post on 6th February, 2017, by Sunday, February 5th, 2017, Mr. Buhari has sent another letter informing both the Senate and the House of Representatives of the extension of his vacation! In Adesina’s statement, “The President had planned to return to Abuja this evening but was advised to complete the test cycle before returning.” He added that “The notice has since been dispatched to the Senate President and Speaker, House of Representatives. Mr. President expresses his sincere gratitude to Nigerians for their concern, prayer and kind wishes.”

When the social media went viral saying that Mr. Buhari went on medical vacation, the Presidency denied such reports vehemently but when the President Buhari extended his vacation, Mr. Adesina told Nigerians that…”Mr. President expresses his sincere gratitude to Nigerians for their concern, prayer and kind wishes.” I have some thought provoking questions to ask. Do we pray for somebody who is healthy but merely subjects himself to medical tests to ascertain his health status? Doctors advise that we should engage in regular medical tests to know our health status, does anybody pray for us whenever we do this?

Moreover, since Mr. Buhari extended his vacation indefinitely, some prominent Nigerians claimed to have called him. For instance, the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki said they have called President Buhari and that he is hale and hearty. Additionally, many dignitaries have been paying him visits too! For instance, the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris led a high powered police delegation to visit Mr. Buhari. The Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun and Senator Daisy Danjuma have also visited him. The National Leader of the APC and former governor of Lagos State, Senator Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the former interim chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande were also in Britain to visit President Buhari! And lately, Aisha Buhari has also visited her husband and thereafter left for Saudi Arabia to pray for him! Why are all these Nigerians visiting Buhari who went on vacation for the purpose to rest? Are they going there to disturb his rest? What are the aims of these visits if not to ascertain whether Buhari is in good health?

Regrettably, while Mr. Buhari is wasting our hard earned foreign currencies on his foreign vacation, painfully too, other Nigerians have joined him in further depleting our foreign earnings by their unsolicited and unneeded visits! Knowledgeably, it is exorbitant to maintain a president in another country in the absence of medication! And when the cost of medication is added to the running cost of maintaining the president in a foreign land, then the costs is better imagined than experienced! Above that, when the costs of those visiting him are added to his cost, the summation will be mind-bungling! Since his assumption in office, it is one foreign travel or the other. This is why the Nigerian economy is in recession but the media in the South-West that helped to install Mr. Buhari will never condemn his inordinate travels and their attendant wastes.

I didn’t believe in any change because those in the political parties that merged to form the APC have been in government since 1999 in various capacities as governors, ministers, commissioners, senators, members of state assemblies, members of house of representatives etc. and there are no visible developments in those states were they held sway. But I don’t think this is the change those who believe in the change voted for! And this is why those who voted for change are regretting inwardly!