By Emeka Alex Duru
Not even the ardent admirers of President Muhammadu Buhari, had associated him with liberal dispositions. Rather, he comes across as a core conservative and acute stickler to conventions. Perhaps, his person and military background may account for this culture of inflexibility. He is thus, not given to innovations.
When therefore, he commenced his second term on May 29, 2019, without an inaugural address, many have wondered on the reason for the unusual departure from the convention among Presidents and governors, in many countries. He had been expected to talk briefly on the achievements of his administration in the last four years as well as throw some lights on his objectives for the next four years.
Buhari breaks convention
On the contrary, Buhari merely inspected the parade comprising officers of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Police, Buhari pumped his fist in the air in salutation at Nigerians who had come to watch the event. That was a sharp contrast to the situation in 2015. Then, when he took over from former President Goodluck Jonathan, Buhari had given a string of promises amid a huge fanfare.
Analysts sympathetic to the government, situate the break in tradition on an earlier explanation by the presidency that the inauguration would be low-keyed, and some events scheduled for June 12, the new Democracy Day. “Since the first observance of June 12 as Democracy Day falls into an election year, and as a measure to sustain June 12 as Democracy Day, the celebration of the inauguration and the advancement of democracy in the country would now hold on June 12,” said the erstwhile Minister of Information Lai Mohammed.
Not many are sold to the explanation. Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for instance, saw it as a tacit admission of guilt that the election was rigged. “The failure by President Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to make any commitment at the ceremony reinforces the truism that a product of flawed electoral process cannot serve the people or meet their aspirations under a constitutional democracy,” the party said in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan.
Professor of International Law and Jurisprudence at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akin Oyebode, also faulted the move in a live television programme, adding that the president missed an opportunity to administer a soothing balm on the citizenry by giving them “some impression of hope.”
In apparent reaction, Buhari’s political platform, the All Progressives Congress (APC), rushed out a release, indicating that he would be delivering his speech on June 12, Nigeria’s new democracy day. “PMB will deliver a speech on June 12, which is now the new democracy day / inauguration day”.
This is hardly convincing to analysts. Dr. Ijeoma Ogwanwa, Executive Director of Gender Care Initiatives (GCI), a Lagos-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), argues that the two dates are not the same. Each, she says, has its meaning and serves its purpose to Nigerians. “May 29 is the inaugural or exit date for elected Nigerians in the executive arm of government. It marks four years of every administration at the state or national level, except where there is a judicial interpretation, altering an earlier election or inauguration. June 12, on the other hand, is essentially symbolical – a reminder to Nigerians of June 12, 1993 Presidential election when Nigerians of various religious and ethnic divides closed ranks to elect late MKO Abiola as president. The two dates, though serving the purpose of democracy, are however not exactly the same”, she argued.
Essence of Inaugural Speech
Delivery of inaugural address, is not a constitutional issue in Nigeria and other parts of the world, where it is observed. It is more of a convention – a routine of sort. It however offers leaders opportunity to inform the people of their intentions while in office. The manner of the delivery, also goes a long way in mobilising the people to key into the agenda of the leader. Prominent Presidents of the United States of America (USA), are known to have used their inaugural addresses to inspire their people and stir in them, the fire of nationalism.
Kennedy sets the pace
In his January 20, 1961, President John F. Kennedy delivered his inaugural address in which he announced that his administration would pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty in America. The climax of the speech and its most memorable phrase, “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country”, has remained a defining statement in evoking the spirit of nationalism among succeeding Americans.
Obama offers hope
On his inauguration in 2009, Barrack Obama, acknowledged that the America economy had been badly weakened, on account of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, as well as the collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. He added that homes had been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Health care, he further noted, had become too costly; failure in school system, enormous, with each day bringing further evidence of threat to the planet, on account of unrestrained energy use.
He then gave them hope. “Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord”, he stated.
Obasanjo assures of better Nigeria
Back home, Olusegun Obasanjo, in his inauguration on May 29, 1999, assured Nigerians that the country could still be recovered despite the assault on its corporate existence by years of bad governance. “On my part, I will give the forthright, purposeful, committed, honest, and transparent leadership that the situation demands. I am determined, with your full cooperation to make significant changes within a year of my administration. Together we shall take steps to halt the decline in the human development indices as they apply to Nigeria. All the impacts of bad governance on our people that are immediately removable will be removed while working for medium and long-term solutions. Corruption, the greatest single bane of our society today, will be tackled head-on at all levels”, he said. The speech went a long way in restoring the morale of Nigerians that had obviously sagged due to years of uncertain leadership by the military. No matter what the administration later turned out in vindictiveness and highhandedness, the address was a clarion call of sort to take their destinies in their hands. And they did.
Jonathan pledges equity
On May 29, 2011, Jonathan in his inaugural speech, had assured evenness to Nigerians in running the affairs of the nation. He said, “Together, we will unite our nation and improve the living standards of all our peoples whether in the North or in the South; in the East or in the West”. Not even his critics faulted him enough in striving to attain the goals. Coming from a minority background, the speech offered hope to other Nigerians outside the three dominant ethnic groups – Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba.
Whither Buhari?
Curiously, Buhari, had on coming to office in 2015, amplified the expression by Jonathan, pledging fairness and that he would belong to all and to none in particular. In his words, “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody. A few people have privately voiced fears that on coming back to office I shall go after them. These fears are groundless. There will be no paying off old scores. The past is prologue”. Though the President’s actions and policies, especially in appointments, raised doubts on the sincerity of the pledge, it portrayed him as one to be trusted in all circumstances.
His decision to abandon this time-tested tradition, is thus seen as needless. This is especially as the nation has in the last four years of his leadership, gone through unprecedented decline in major indices of socio-economic wellbeing. With 93 million Nigerians currently reported to be living below poverty line, the country derogatorily ranked the poverty capital of the World, insecurity at frightening height and job losses at alarming rate, Buhari needed to have offered the citizens hope of a better tomorrow. His failure to have done so in his inauguration for second term, it therefore counted as a lost opportunity by his administration, many insist.
