Buhari: Separating Governance from Politics

Despite his many foibles, President Muhammadu Buhari, has made conscious efforts to divorce critical issues of state from petty politics, especially when  they matter, writes Emmanuel  Addeh.

If there’s one positive that Nigerian leaders, past and present can learn from the current administration, it is probably how in the last seven and a half years, it has treated both its political friends and foes with some level of fairness on a number of issues.
There was a time in the not-so-distant past how Nigerian leaders did not pretend to be even-handed in the treatment of those they perceived were not in their camp, or put more succinctly, in their parties. This undue brashness ranged from harassment of opponents with anti-graft agencies to seizing federally distributed funds accruing to a Nigerian state.

But despite being blamed for taking decisions which may not appear to foster national unity, particularly in the appointment of those working with him since the commencement of his government, what Buhari has not received enough credit for , it seems, is how he’s able treat even people outside his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) unbiasedly.
To those who follow him closely, this may not have been surprising, given that the president on June 29, 2015, exactly a month after he was sworn in , declared specifically that as leader of the country, he will separate politics from governance.

Buhari, who spoke at the Council Chamber of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja while inaugurating the National Economic Council (NEC), at the time, stressed that the practice of playing politics with everything under the sun would be destructive. In fairness, he may have largely delivered on this promise.
A corollary to this, is his vow to continue to observe the principle of separation of powers as enshrined in the 1999 constitution as amended.
Aside a few incidences which received flaks from the public, like the probe of judges, which many read as a breach of their independence in his early days as Nigerian leader, not many can wholeheartedly accuse Buhari of brazenly violating the principle of separation of powers.
 “Order and discipline in society can only be established when the law applies to all, irrespective of position or status, who you are or who you like and without fear or favour.
“I try to keep my distance from you to avoid the perception of interference,” the president reaffirmed on April 15 this year, while speaking to the leadership of the judiciary at an Iftar dinner.

This was attested to by the Chief Justice of the Nigeria at the time, Tanko Mohammed. “In all your years in office, at no time, no moment did Mr. President or any other person from you attempt to talk or ask for favours from the courts. We can recall no such attempt by you or anyone to interfere with judicial decisions.
“This is a mark of your maturity and sagacity. I am convinced that as you do with the judiciary, so is the case with ministries and other agencies of government,” the then Chief Justice retorted while speaking at the event.
In not mixing politics, àlà Nigeria, with governance, Buhari has been largely able to tread the fine line in his handling of some state matters without necessarily giving preference to his party men and women.
From cash refund to states that engaged in works on federal facilities, to the bailout to states which helped them from collapsing, the handing out of national awards, and even in his disposition to states where his party has been defeated by the opposition, the story of fairness and even-handedness has resonated strongly.

The National Awards 2022

By deciding not to be petty in his award of national honours to deserving Nigerians and  looking beyond party affiliations and primordial politics, Buhari may have earned his flowers as a statesman.
Without discrimination, the president conferred the national honours across board, including among several others, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors, including Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu and his Taraba State counterpart, Darius Ishaku. Other PDP bigwigs on the list included the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu, Senate Minority Whip, Senator Chukwuka Utazi and other PDP leaders.
Weeks later, PDP leaders celebrated the conferment of the Nigeria Excellence Award in Public Service (NEAPS) by the federal government on the  Chairman of  its Governors’ Forum, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto state.
The PDP also celebrated Ugwuanyi, Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State; Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on their receiving  the awards for various achievements.

Sounding a political tone, it added it was an admission by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government of exceptional developmental strides that can only be conceptualised, driven and executed under the policy thrust and manifesto of the PDP.
In fact, a chieftain of the APC,  Chukwuemeka Eze, urged the federal government to withdraw the award from one of the honourees, Wike, lampooning it for the Infrastructure Award Investiture recognition for the governor.
Eze, a former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), in a statement in Port Harcourt, said it was unacceptable that a governor he argued has a lot of baggage will be given the recognition. The president did not heed the unsolicited advice. Many others who got the awards were some of Buhari’s biggest critics.

In fact, days after he collected the award, Wike, as expected, went to town telling whoever cared to listen that the recognition had sealed the fate of the president’s party, the APC and other opposition parties in the state.
“If the ruling party can say you have done well, who is that person, let them come and campaign here. Bring your report card, I will bring the award and the certificate,” he stated, quoting  Buhari as having said :“You (Wike) have done well.”
Indeed, in politicising the national recognition, he remarked that a resounding defeat awaited the opposition in the state as the award bestowed on him by the Buhari-led federal government had already sealed their fate.

The Federal Infrastructure Refund

About two years ago, the federal government disclosed that it was set to refund about N148 billion for roads repairs in five states, with Rivers, an ‘opposition’ led state set to get the largest chunk of the funds, followed by Bayelsa, another PDP state.
The breakdown of the funds and their beneficiaries were: Rivers (N78.953); Bayelsa (N38.040 billion); Cross River (N18.394 billion); Ondo (N7.822 billion) and Osun (N2.468 billion).

It followed the approval of a memorandum presented earlier by the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) and was sequel to a huge bill sent to the federal government by the entire 36 states of the federation in 2016.
 Buhari decided to set up a committee to visit the states and verify the claims they made and at the end of the investigation,  the committee ascertained that the roads and the bridges were not only completed, but were also in good shape, with some built about 10 years earlier.
In January 2021, Wike confirmed the refund to the Rivers State Government of the N78 billion the state spent on federal projects.

The Multi-billion Naira Bailout for Sub-nationals

Around July 2015, Buhari who had just taken over the reins of government,  approved a sum total equivalent to $2.1 billion (£1.4 billion) intervention package to help bankrupt states pay salaries. Who got what was not on the basis of politics as some leaders were wont to do.
At the time, at least 12 of Nigeria’s 36 states were said to owe their workers more than $550 million in salaries and allowances cumulatively as a result of the economic meltdown, with some workers having not been paid for upwards of seven months.
The government revenue, which depends largely on crude oil exports, had fallen sharply in recent months before the rescue package because of a fall in global oil prices.

A government statement said the money would come through soft loans from the central bank, and dividends paid by the natural gas agency, NLNG.
Thereafter, the president approved a fresh sum of N656 billion bailout to the 36 states, with each state entitled to receive N18.2 billion from the Bridge Financing Facility approved by Buhari to help states meet financial obligations.
The approved bridge facility of N656.112billion was to be disbursed in six tranches over a period of six months to the states on the basis of equality irrespective of political affiliation.

Months later the federal in explaining why it did what it did disclosed that many states were in serious financial mess by the time Buhari assumed office on May 29, 2015.
It also said several states were now afloat because of the financial reliefs the Buhari administration had provided for them.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, stated that although states governed by the opposition PDP, had in recent times claimed they were not gaining from the Buhari administration, most states were being sustained with bailouts and lifelines from the federal government.
“You will remember that by the time we came in, about 27 states of the federation were unable to pay salaries, they owed salaries and could not pay, it took this federal government to really bail many of them out so they could pay not only salaries, but also they could pay the arrears.

“When the price of crude crashed, this same government gave each state what is called a bailout and some of the states today that complain that they’ve never benefited from the federal government, especially the PDP states, are the ones that have taken the lion’s share of this reimbursement.
“It does not matter whether you are PDP or APC or you’re Labour or you’re APGA, this administration looks at you as a Nigerian and when largesse are being distributed, it does not favour you just because you are from APC state or from a friendly state,” he stated then.

Congratulating Opposition Parties after Polls

Another attitude that Buhari has taken beyond politics is to be the first to congratulate opposition parties when it’s obvious his party, the APC has lost elections, as it happened in Anambra and recently in Osun.
For instance, while felicitating the PDP and its candidate, Ademola Adeleke, in Osun recently,  Buhari said the outcome of the the governorship election showed respect for the will of the electorate.

He added that the success of the election was an exhibition of stakeholders’ commitment towards reinforcing the country’s democratic processes.
“I congratulate senator Ademola Adeleke, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on his victory in the Osun gubernatorial election. The people of Osun have expressed their will through the ballot.

“This is what democracy is all about: respect for the will of the people. The successful conduct of the poll is a demonstration of the maturity and the commitment of all stakeholders, towards strengthening the integrity of the electoral process in Nigeria.
“I remain fully committed to leaving behind a legacy of credible elections in Nigeria,” he stated.
Although, the APC candidate continues to contest the result of the poll in the courts, Buhari by the statement literally washed his hands off the matter, even though his party is involved.

With his recurrent vow to ensure free and fair polls in 2023, despite the many failings of his government, these may just stand him out in coming years, as a leader who did not use his exalted position to oppress his political ‘enemies’.