HOW BUHARI STARTED LOSING 2019 ELECTION SINCE 2015

In this democratic dispensation, no President ever won with so much goodwill garnered, I am not talking about vote cast but the mobilization and the noise of the mantra; Sai Baba and FeBuhari. However, it suffice to say that no one ever squandered the good will so soon, due to careless comments, taking the people for granted and a mismanaged public relations.

1. FAILURE TO READ THE HANDOVER REPORTS: Carried away by the ovation and the applause that greeted the swearing in, this government had the effrontery to tell Nigerians that the handover report from the last administration is voluminous and gibberish. To some of us, that was intellectual laziness and lack of vision; no matter how stupid, you would have learnt at least, why the previous administration failed. No wonder this administration has surpassed the last one in failures; repeated same failures and did worse.

2. 100 DAYS PERFORMANCE RENOUNCEMENT: The expectations from this administration were high to the heavens, so high that the positive developments after his electoral victory were attributed to his body language, even though Jonathan was still the President and the swearing not yet done. As soon as the people started asking for 100 days performance check, the APC and presidency denied ever promising Nigerians any achievement within 100 days in office. That was a big error; 100 days in office is so customary with us that you don't have to make promises; people just expect something to point to that you've started work. He failed the first integrity test; that was a good time to say "we are working on the deliverables and sorry it's not coming so fast", not after the public condemnations of their denial. No wonder, 3 years after, they are still pointing accusing fingers at the last administrations.

3. NEPOTISTIC TEAM OF PERSONAL AIDES: The appointments of the personal aides raised a lot of dust but the Presidency didn't seem perturbed by the noise; more appointments kept coming from the same axis. The explanation was; these are the team that can deliver and whom Mr President trusts. However, we are yet to see the exceptional performance from this same team. Then the appointments of the security chiefs followed the same ugly pattern and the appointees remain in office till this moment. Mr President evidently lost many supporters who were insecure with a tribe dominance and tribal sensitive people. It was his responsibility to allay our fears and make us comfortable with his leadership but he doesn't care what we feel. Mr President lost the confidence of the tribal sensitive Nigerians.

4. THE ISLAMIC NATIONS MILITARY ALLIANCE: In December 2015, Mr President joined some other countries to sign the pact for military collaboration among Islamic countries; that officially claims Nigeria is an Islamic country. He did this without recourse to other opinions or organs of government, yes without any explanation why we needed it and why it doesn't make us officially Islamic Nation. That was the arrogance that made some of us leave him; he doesn't care how we feel about sensitive issues. Even if you have the best of motives, as a leader, you must explain to your followers and assuage their fears. Mr President didn't see us as worthy of any explanation. Three years after, we are yet to see how this Alliance has helped us to combat insurgency and terrorism.

5. CRUSHING OF IPOB: The way the militants in the East were crushed generated mixed feelings; while some condemned it, others hailed the alacrity. However, Mr President didn't give any room for dialogue and any audience to the agitation of these people. Crushing they must, crushed they are. The issues that led to the agitation are still there but the leaders of the movements have disappeared into thin air; a situation that further raised suspicion. After the crocodile danced, Nnamdi Kanu has not been seen or heard, whether dead or alive.

6. MR PRESIDENT'S HEALTH: There were suspicions from the beginning that Mr President is getting tired but it was well shielded from the public. The handling of this issue by the presidential aides compounded the waning trust by the public; they kept denying, claiming the President doesn't owe Nigerians explanations to why he's staying so long in UK. When they finally admitted he's sick, they kept telling Nigerians he's ok, yet Mr President never addressed the nation or reassure us that all is well. He only sent messages of condolences to one or two northerners that died during his sojourn in medical tourism. Worse still, there was this Hausa broadcast that was so annoying; for a leader that was accused of nepotism, that was way too much. Remember, we've lost a President to I'll health before and the cabal frustrated the nation before his eventual demise. We expected our current tenants of Aso Villa should have learnt from the past and manage the situation better; alas, it was same way but thank God our President is still alive.

7. THE HUMAN SIDE OF BUHARI: I picked this from the documentary made by his media Aides and that was a big disaster; how can you be taking about the human side of someone that is completely human? You should talk about the human side of animals or inanimate things, not human beings. By that production, they have inadvertently admitted that Mr President is not so human after all. Please quickly reflect and you will see that there are no compassionate gestures from Buhari, whether before or during this Presidency; no prompt visit of sympathy, no empathy and it's as if he just doesn't care at all. Even when our military bombed our internally displaced people, when mass burial became the other of the day in Benue/Taraba and the several cases of Boko Haram victims; just not in his character to show feelings?

You can add your points to the list.

Sure, Buhari Presidency can only continue beyond 2019 "if snakes have internal limbs ".

I rest my case.

Thanks.

Ojasope cares!

SEYI MAKINDE AND THE TIMELY RELIGIOUS LIBERALITY

In Nigeria, tribal and religious bigotry are common and they are the two things that put our people on the edge; resulting into violence and waton waste of lives. Leaders in Nigeria often use religious and tribal/ethnic segregation to score political points or use it to achieve sentimental quota. It has come to a time in Nigeria that leaders and upcoming leaders must do whatever it takes to make people of other religion and tribes comfortable with your leadership style.

In 2011, while I was campaigning for the House of Representatives election under CPC, I had to defend the allegation of religious bigotry levelled against our presidential candidate and I said: "it is important to note you can't condemn anyone for his or her zeal for his God or faith, as long as he doesn't infringe on other people's right to worship". I still hold such opinion and I think that's the standard for leadership; we must not be seen as unduly using offices to favour a religion or tribe at the expense of others.

Engr Oluseyi Makinde amuses me in how he has been able to do this over the years; the consistency, despite criticism and politically motivated missiles have attracted my admiration. Many people have questioned his faith, attacked his liberality and called him hypocrite but he has remained undaunted and resolute in his ways; fully persuaded.

I have had to defend his style before many councils of leaders and brethren; yes, as far as telling them we worshipped in the same Church and that was where we first met, not in politics. He's passionate about his God and he is very godfearing. I can't explain further without sounding like singing the praise of man; however, humanly speaking, I can't fault his zeal and worship of Christ his Lord.

If leaders in this dispensation can consciously take steps like Engr Seyi Makinde does, to make people of other religions comfortable and not be unnecessarily suspicious and on the edge always, we will have a more peaceful society and the elusive Nigerians Dream can be birthed. A situation where our leaders surreptitiously use their office to promote their religion, suppress other religions and encourage (indirectly or directly) killings in the name of religion is not just bad, it's barbaric.

Over the years, nothing has brought so much tension in our polity like religious agitations; the case of Osun State and the crises that resulted from the decision of the Governor to favour his religion at the expense of the other main religion can not be easily forgotten. Also, the attitude or body language of this Presidency has done more to put people of other religions on the edge than any other government I had ever known.

In the atmosphere of peace and no religious tension, there will be unprecedented and commendable development in the state and nation because the populace are not suspecting every move of the leader and they can loyally believe whatever decision taken are in the overall interest of the governorate and the nation at large.

Engr Seyi Makinde, like some other things he has displayed through the OmiTitun concept, this is worthy of commendation and emulation. We can practice our religion/faith as leaders without making others (our subjects) feel discriminated against. Religion or faith is personal between you and God; your decisions that will lead to bloodshed are definitely not godly and that religion is in futility. The expectations rise more, we look forward to a leader, not just Governor, that will set great examples that are worthy of emulation; someone that knows and shows the way to true emancipation of our people from leadership captivity.

Leadership Quote: "Liberality consists less in giving a great deal than in gifts well-timed"
By Jean de la Bruyere, French Philosopher.

Ojasope.