More than 30
years after he ruled with an iron fist, jailing the corrupt and
championing the virtues of military discipline in all things, Muhammadu
Buhari is now being billed as Nigeria’s saviour.
The 71-year-old
retired army general on Thursday won a landslide victory for the main
opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) ticket to challenge Goodluck
Jonathan for the presidency next year.
A win would be
fourth time lucky for Buhari after a previous failed attempt against
Jonathan in 2011 and unsuccessful bids in 2007 and 2003.
“Buhari will
defeat Jonathan this time because we’re tired of this government. Buhari
is an honest man. He’ll fight corruption and all those who have stolen
Nigeria’s money will be dealt with."
His latest
candidacy was met with scorn by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, who
said the moustachioed former military ruler has nothing new to offer.
Jonathan, in
power since 2010, said the February 14 vote was “a choice between going
forward or going backwards, between the new ways and the old ways,
between freedom and repression”.
PDP spokesman
Olisa Metuh added: “Apart from changing to a dinner suit, General Buhari
has not changed the tired ideas and provocative utterances that
Nigerians rejected in previous elections.”
Yet far from
being dismissed as one of the old guard, Buhari’s methods are seen by
some as the only way to help Africa’s troubled giant change course.
The APC points
to his record tackling corruption, while even the PDP founder, former
president Olusegun Obasanjo, has said that Buhari would be better placed
to end the Boko Haram insurgency.
– ‘War against indiscipline’ –
Nigerians who
were around when Buhari overthrew civilian president Shehu Shagari on
December 31, 1983 recalled the changes he brought about in a country
blighted by years of graft and inefficiency.
“Buhari’s
government introduced ‘War Against Indiscipline’ and everybody
inculcated the culture of orderliness in doing things, without cutting
corners,” said 60-year-old Samuel Adebowale.
“Under him,
corruption and impunity were prohibited and anyone found wanting would
be sent to prison,” the businessman told AFP in Lagos.
Water vendor
Musa Wushishi, 42, said he expected Buhari to reintroduce such methods
if elected — and believed he would have widespread support.
“Buhari will
defeat Jonathan this time because we’re tired of this government. Buhari
is an honest man. He’ll fight corruption and all those who have stolen
Nigeria’s money will be dealt with.
“He did it
before… Nigeria will be great again under Buhari. He will crush Boko
Haram and there will be peace everywhere,” he said.
In the APC
stronghold of Lagos at least, those either too young or not even born
when Buhari headed Nigeria’s Supreme Military Council from 1983 to 1985
expressed similar views.
“I was told
Buhari was very tough as a military head of state, that he killed drug
pushers and jailed pressmen and all that,” said university student
Demola Akinlabi, 17.
“We need
somebody with an iron hand to govern Nigeria. Look at Jonathan and his
government. Nothing seems to be working anymore. No jobs, no light, the
roads are bad.
“Look at the killings in the north. He cannot do anything about it.”
– Dictator to democrat –
For analysts
decrypting Nigeria’s election campaign, Buhari is seen as strong on
anti-corruption and military nous but weak on policy and the day-to-day
of political life.
Chris Ngwodo, a
political commentator, said Buhari may be helped by the “demographic
dividend” of young voters that has transformed his image from dictator
to democrat.
“The passage of time has polished his record and created a myth,” he told AFP in a recent interview.
Certainly, the
softly spoken Buhari’s strong-arm tactics were not applauded by human
rights groups at the time, with critics of the regime, including the
Afro-beat legend Fela Kuti, thrown in jail.
Drug traffickers were executed and limits imposed on the media.
Buhari himself has promised a more conciliatory approach.
“I do not intend to rule Nigeria. I want to democratically govern it with your help,” he told APC delegates on Thursday.
But for Dapo
Thomas, a political scientist at Lagos state university, the fact that
voters may be willing to overlook Buhari’s past record of draconian rule
is telling.
Unemployment is
rising, security worsening, infrastructure crumbling and the country’s
oil-dependent economy is tanking due to a fall in the global price of
crude, he said.
“The emergence of General Buhari is an answer to the yearnings of the people for change,” he said.
“For a long time, Nigeria has suffered from bad leadership. All the indices of development and positive governance are lacking…
“The Jonathan administration is clueless and does not seem to have the capacity to arrest the drift.”
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