Clay Richie

Fellow Nigerians, it has been a very interesting week in our dear beloved country. What has been a long purportedly hidden, but open secret, which we all knew about anyway, and which we knew was going to happen finally did happen.

President Muhammadu Buhari finally declared he will be running for the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2019. In my opinion, this was already common knowledge, but the president did more damage than good to his candidacy when the circumstances of the declaration are well considered.

Lt. General Theophilus Danjuma (rtd) stirred up a hornet’s nest recently when he called on Nigerians to rise in self-defence against killer herdsmen who have displayed an unrelenting thirst for human blood. He blamed the government and the security agencies which have shown articulable suspicion of collusion in the mindless carnage being perpetuated by herdsmen. The unwillingness of the Buhari-led government to stem the killings is well known. We have even seen excuses and some justification for the unending killings by top officials of the government.

I was surprised that some people seemed surprised that Buhari decided to seek re-election. I have always maintained that it will be unthinkable for any President of the country to forgo the opportunity of seeking re-election – even if that President is in coma. Aside from the natural allure of power, in our type of society, the office of President is by definition bigger than its occupant such that the decision on whether to seek for a second term or not is bigger than the occupant of that office. Once in office, a President will realize – or it will be drummed into his ears – that he is merely the person chosen by providence to represent certain primordial groups’ turn in holding that office. Add to this, the hangers-on and system beneficiaries whose livelihoods depend on the President continuing in office! For instance, before the gravely sick Yaradua died in 2010, there were already groups campaigning for his re-election, and arguing that his health challenges would be no impedi...

To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to go there ­– Kofi A. Annan The quotation above reflects my worldview. But these are not my words. They belong to someone much older and wiser, and whose mentorship and friendship has taught me many lessons in life. I salute Kofi Annan of Ghana, the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations and my boss of many years, Nobel Laureate and renowned global elder statesman as he turns 80 on April 8.

Governor Yahaya Bello does not need to jump into the fire, yet. The Kogi State governor who had, in fact, sprained an ankle in what might have been a practice match for the big leap, was saved the trouble after President Muhammadu Buhari finally gave the hint that he would run for a second term in office.

With Chief Orji Uzor Kalu—whose corruption charges have been given one of those famous All Progressives Congress (APC) deodorant treatments—gallivanting all over the country on a presidential campaign of which he is not a candidate and the Kano State Governor, Umaru Ganduje threatening legal action should the incumbent decide not to run at about the same time that some so-called Arewa Pastors were genuflecting before President Muhammadu Buhari in Aso Rock, it was no surprise that he reportedly announced at the APC meeting on Monday that he would seek re-election next year.