It is no longer news that President Buhari will contest in the 2019 general elections. What is news however, is why he will contest. Having declared his intention to contestable before departing the shores of Nigeria for London, PMB waited until he is safely in the comfort of his London abode before telling Nigerians why he has decided to recontest.
Receiving the Archbishop of Canterbury, His Grace Justin Welby in London Wednesday, President Buhari said:
“I declared before leaving home because Nigerians were talking too much about whether I would run or not. So, I felt I should break the ice. We have many things to focus on, like security, agriculture, economy, anti-corruption, and many others. We needed to concentrate on them, and politics should not be a distraction. The majority of Nigerians appreciate what we are doing, and that is why I am re-contesting.”
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| President Muhammadu Buhari in London. |
But one wonders why he did not disclose this information to his teeming supporters and country men while in Nigeria. Why does the president feel more at ease disclosing important issues with foreign press rather than the Nigerian media? And this is a trend that has happened before.
When President Muhammadu Buhari decided to send a voice message to Nigerians on the occasion of Eid-el Fitr last year, after months of silence in the UK, he chose to air it first through the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Never minding the fact we have the government controlled news outfits such as the NTA or Radio Nigeria.
In February 2015, at the climax of the age and certificate controversies surrounding his candidature and eligibility to contest the presidential elections, GMD (as he was known at the time), chose to bare his mind at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, in London, the United Kingdom. Where there no conference hall or facilities better suited for such tasks in Nigeria? Your guess is as good as mine.
When President Muhammadu Buhari decided to send a voice message to Nigerians on the occasion of Eid-el Fitr last year, after months of silence in the UK, he chose to air it first through the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Never minding the fact we have the government controlled news outfits such as the NTA or Radio Nigeria.
In February 2015, at the climax of the age and certificate controversies surrounding his candidature and eligibility to contest the presidential elections, GMD (as he was known at the time), chose to bare his mind at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, in London, the United Kingdom. Where there no conference hall or facilities better suited for such tasks in Nigeria? Your guess is as good as mine.
What is it about London that is so attractive and what is it about the Nigerian media that is so distrustful? While it is true that only PMB can explain the reasons behind his choices, it is however pertinent to remind him that he is the president of Nigeria and not the UK.
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