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Telegraph Favours GMB to Win, Says Ex-Dictator Better than Weak President
General Mohammedu Buhari may be a ruthless and ageing former dictator but he is neck and neck in the polls leading up to Nigeria’s presidential election, according to Telegraph, UK’s newspaper.
Even by his own admission, General Mohammedu Buhari’s time in charge of Nigeria is not one to be misty-eyed about.
After seizing power in a coup in 1983, he threw critics in jail, kidnapped enemies off the streets of London, and ordered soldiers to whip Nigerians who did not queue in orderly fashion at bus stops.
According Colin Freeman, chief foreign correspondent for the Sunday Telegraph, by any normal standards, the ageing ex-dictator should now be a relic of the dark days of military rule, when the only way to stop the country falling apart seemed to be an iron fist.
In a piece “Nigerian election: ‘Better an ex-dictator than a weak president’, the Telegraph said that “Instead, he (Buhari) may be about to voted in again as president”
At an age when other politicians are considering retirement, Mr Buhari, 72, has emerged as the main challenger to President Goodluck Jonathan in Saturday’s vote for the head of Africa’s most populous state.
With Boko Haram still running rampant, 200 kidnapped schoolgirls still missing, and poverty and corruption still rampant, many Nigerians feel Mr Jonathan has not proved up to the job.
Hence the nostalgia for a dour ex-strongman like Mr Buhari, who is now running neck-and-neck with the incumbent.
“Given the option between a failed present and a former dictator with a track record, I think the choice is going to be pretty clear for most Nigerians,” Mr Buhari’s chief spokesman, Lai Mohammed, told The Sunday Telegraph.
“You have to look at the challenges Nigeria is facing in security and corruption and the economy. Frankly Mr Jonathan hasn’t proved up to them.”
The last time he was in power, having ousted a hopelessly corrupt civilian government in 1983, Mr Buhari pursued his vision of a more orderly Nigeria with single-minded ruthlessness.
In what he dubbed the “war on indiscipline”, he beefed up the country’s secret police, prosecuted hundreds of officials for corruption, and threw journalists and anyone else who dared criticise him into jail, including Fela Kuti, the legendary pioneer of Nigerian “high life” music.
Notoriously, the long arm of his law also reached out for Nigerians who fled abroad. In 1984, his government despatched agents to London to kidnap Umaru Dikko, a minister in the previous government accused of embezzlement.
The plot was only rumbled when a Customs officer at Stansted Airport became suspicious about a crate marked “diplomatic baggage” that was due to be picked up by a Nigerian airliner.
Inside, he found an unconscious Mr Dikko, as well as the professional anaesthetist who had drugged him. The incident sparked a major diplomatic fall-out with Britain and saw four men jailed for kidnapping.
At home, such outlandish gambits won Mr Buhari grudging respect. He is also seen as relatively clean of corruption and his efforts to clean up Nigeria’s civil service, an Augean stables of graft and incompetence, also won him praise. At one point he punished civil servants who turned up late for work by making them do frog jumps.
For the upcoming election, he has had to polish his democratic credentials a touch.
In a recent speech at London’s Chatham House think tank, he described himself as a “converted democrat”, who had realised the futility of one-party rule after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
“I cannot change the past, but I can change the present and the future,” he said. “So before you is a former military ruler, who is ready to operate under democratic norms.”
A remarkable photoshoot also saw him pose with his children and grandchildren in a range of costumes, from traditional tribal to a dinner jacket and bow tie.
Some are unmoved. “Buhari is instinctively not a democrat,” said Osita Chidoka, an aviation minister in Mr Jonathan’s government. “It is a sign of the desperation of the opposition that they have to fall back on someone like him.”
Born near Nigeria’s semi-desert border with Chad, Mr Buhari comes from one of Nigeria’s aristocratic northern Muslim families, who have traditionally punched well above their weight in national politics.
But while his following crosses Nigeria’s Muslim-Christian divide, his less-than-charismatic speaking style is not suited to the showmanship required in electoral battles: hence his defeats in a number of previous presidential contests.
This time around, though, he is level-pegging with Mr Jonathan on 42 per cent of the vote, profiting from his rival’s weakness over Boko Haram. On Friday, a new mass grave was discovered, the latest example of a massacre by the Islamic extremists.
He also has his wife, the formidable Mrs Aishat Buhari, at his side, who is touring the country in a bid to reassure people that her man has turned a new life. Among those who need convincing is Mr Jonathan’s wife, Patience, who claimed recently that Mr Buhari would put her husband’s entire goverment behind bars were he to gain power.
“General Buhari coming back to sanitise the system,” Mrs Buhari told a crowd last week. “Those who are saying that he is coming to jail people shouldn’t be afraid, because we are all yearning for change from the insecurity.”
The polls are now close enough to worry diplomats, who fear post-vote violence if the result is disputed by one or other side.
Both sides have pledged to settle any dispute peacefully, but one official said: “There is a concern that the loser might take their grievances on to the streets rather than into the courts”.
A defeat for Mr Jonathan would also be the first time in Nigeria’s brief democracy that an incumbent leader has not won a second term or handed power to a nominated successor.
However, a graceful exit could prove to be his most lasting act of statesmanship.
It would also set a good precedent for Mr Buhari, who may find life as a civilian government rather harder than life as a civilian opposition leader. Nigerians may be prepared to give Mr Buhari himself the benefit of the doubt, but there are fears that many of the people around him are somewhat “indisciplined” and corrupt themselves. As one diplomat put it: “People that might help him win an election are not necessarily the ones to help him govern.”
Federal Government on Thursday announced a nine-month programme beginning on October 31 that allows individuals to deposit dollar bills held outside the formal banking system without scrutiny.
Wale Edun
It said the new initiative aims to address the rising costs of commodities influenced by the foreign exchange rate, driven by demand and supply dynamics.
Wale Edun, finance minister and coordinating minister of the Economy, revealed this after the 144th meeting of the National Economic Council, the country’s highest economic advisory body, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the State House, Abuja.
“There will be no penalty; there will be no taxes, and there will be no questions,” he told journalists at a briefing after Thursday’s conclave.
Edun said that, under this programme, individuals can bring in U.S. dollars in cash without facing penalties, taxes, or scrutiny, provided that the funds are not linked to criminal or illicit activities.
Participants will only need to meet the standard Know-Your-Customer requirements set by banks to secure these funds, integrate them into the financial system, and make them accessible for legitimate economic activities.
He explained, “One element of the cost increase is the foreign exchange rate, which is demand and supply. There will be a programme starting today, October 31, and lasting nine months that will allow people to bring in cash outside the banking system.
“[Such cash] is unsafe, insecure and outside legal limits. They will be allowed forbearance to bring dollars cash. Let me emphasise once again: it is to bring dollars that they are holding outside the system to get them in and credit it to their bank accounts, as long as it is not proceeds of crime or illicit money.
“They should just meet the standard Know-Your-Customer criteria of banks and have an opportunity to bring in those funds, making them safe, secure, and available through regular economic activity.
Edun said his ministry will first issue guidelines for the programme, followed promptly by additional guidelines from the Central Bank.
According to the Minister, this measure offers law-abiding individuals a way to formalise their cash holdings. It also provides the financial system with additional dollar reserves, which may help to stabilise the exchange rate.
“This is an opportunity, not just for people who would normally like to comply, to be compliant with the laws and normal business practice, but of course, it allows us to bring those dollars from where they are doing nothing to where they are within the financial system, they add to our reserves, and of course can help with the exchange rate,” he added.
Edun equally gave an update on government economic relief measures, saying 25 million Nigerians have benefitted from federal social protection initiatives, including digital outreach, microenterprise loans, and sector-specific support for power, agriculture, manufacturing, health, and compressed natural gas initiatives.
Wema Bank has announced the launch of the Wema Export Trade Academy, a comprehensive training programme designed to equip Nigerian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with the essential skills and tools needed to succeed in the competitive landscape of global trade.
Moruf Oseni, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the bank, this initiative represents Wema Bank’s commitment to enhancing the capacity of Nigerian businesses, supporting their ambitions to thrive on an international scale.
Oseni said the Wema Export Trade Academy is designed as a solution to these challenges faced by Nigerian SMEs when entering international markets.
The Academy is specifically structured to address each critical aspect of global trade, providing SMEs with targeted guidance on compliance, documentation, financial planning, and risk management.
Through the Wema Export Trade Academy, SMEs will benefit from expert-led sessions, mentorship from industry professionals, and practical insights into international business practices, positioning them to make significant contributions within global markets.
The programme also places emphasis on building a network of Nigerian exporters, encouraging peer support and collaboration, while fostering connections between businesses and international trade facilitators.
Oseni said: “This holistic approach to export training will enhance efficiency and productivity, empowering Nigerian businesses to become competitive players in the global economy.
“The Wema Export Trade Academy reinforces Wema Bank’s dedication to building the capacity of Nigerian businesses and supporting their evolution into formidable global competitors.
“By addressing the barriers in export trade, we are enabling Nigerian SMEs to seize new opportunities in international markets, which aligns with our vision to empower lives and support sustainable business growth.
“The Wema Export Trade Academy embodies Wema Bank’s pioneering spirit and commitment to providing SMEs with practical, impactful solutions.
“With comprehensive training on export processes and access to strategic financial products, the program stands as a testament to Wema Bank’s role as an enabler of growth for Nigerian enterprises.
“Wema Bank continues to set the standard for innovation within Nigeria’s financial services industry, supporting individuals and businesses across various sectors to achieve sustainable growth.
“The Wema Export Trade Academy represents the latest stride in Wema Bank’s mission to empower Nigerian SMEs, further strengthening its reputation.”
MTN Foundation is set to celebrate a milestone—its 20th Anniversary—with a series of events designed to reflect on its contributions to communities across Nigeria.
The anniversary conference will take place on November 6, 2024, in Abuja, while the celebratory dinner is scheduled for November 14, 2024, in Lagos.
These events will bring together key stakeholders from both the public and private sectors, highlighting the Foundation’s commitment to sustainable development and community engagement.
Since its inception in 2004, the Foundation has been at the forefront of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in Nigeria. It was one of the first corporate entities in the country to establish a dedicated foundation for managing CSR activities.
The Foundation was officially commissioned in May 2005, with MTN Nigeria Communications PLC pledging to allocate up to 1% of its Profit After Tax (PAT) for funding various projects aimed at improving lives across the nation.
Over the past two decades, the Foundation has invested over NGN 24.73 billion into impactful projects that span all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). With more than 1,023 project sites across Nigeria, the Foundation has successfully executed 50 unique projects, reaching over 31 million people.
These initiatives have addressed critical areas such as education, health, youth empowerment, and arts and culture, making a significant difference in the lives of countless Nigerians.
As part of this celebration, the Foundation will unveil its new logo along with refreshed mission and vision statements.
This rebranding effort symbolizes a renewed commitment to its core values and goals as it looks toward the future.
Odunayo Sanya, Executive Director of MTN Foundation, expressed her enthusiasm for the upcoming celebrations and reflected on the journey thus far.
“This anniversary is both a celebration of our impact in Nigeria and a commitment to do more,” Sanya stated.
“We have always believed in the power of collaboration and community engagement to drive meaningful change.
“As we gather to reflect on our journey, we look forward to engaging with our partners and stakeholders to explore new avenues for sustainable development.”
The upcoming anniversary events aim to foster dialogue among leaders from various sectors, encouraging collaboration that can lead to innovative solutions for pressing societal challenges.
The conference will feature keynote speakers and panel discussions around national development and youth empowerment, as well as interactive sessions designed to inspire participants and share best practices in CSR and community development.
In addition to its focus areas, the Foundation has been instrumental in promoting digital literacy among Nigerian youth through various educational programs. By leveraging technology as a tool for empowerment, the Foundation has equipped thousands of young people with skills necessary for success in an increasingly digital world.
The anniversary conference and dinner are expected to be engaging experiences that will not only celebrate two decades of impact but also set the stage for future initiatives aimed at fostering community growth and resilience.
By bringing together diverse stakeholders, MTN Foundation hopes to ignite conversations that lead to actionable strategies for addressing Nigeria’s most pressing challenges.
The upcoming anniversary events promise to be an inspiring celebration of progress made while looking forward to new horizons in community development.
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