A former Chief of Staff to the first and only second republic president, Shehu Shagari, General Alani Akinrinade, has noted that President Muhammadu Buhari has become weak in piloting affairs of Nigeria.
General Akinrinade noted that even though Nigeria is running a democratic system, he expects the President Buhari to show more control.
He lamented that Buhari is no longer in total control of his government, adding that it seems the President now wants to please everybody.
“I have not seen the indications of the Buhari that I thought I know”, he told Vanguard.
“Even though it is a democratic system and there are systems of law and democratic behavior, there are certain basic things you expect to see.
“The imprimatur of any leader, no matter the constraints, is to check people from going overboard and there are signs you want to see that there is an imprint of whoever is leading. I haven’t seen that.
“Even matters that are straight forward, there had been dilly-dallying. Very simple and straight forward things.
“I thought he would simplify matters by sitting down and looking at matters straight, eyeball to eyeball, and not a question of small politics here and there.
“I do not see him wanting to perpetuate himself in power – because that is what usually brings about problems as people do not always want to leave.
“But if you went there just to do a job, then, certainly, your constraints are fewer and limited.
“If you make it clear that you did not come to the presidency to sell ice cream, because selling ice cream means you want to be friends with everybody and wanting to please everybody, then don’t come near governance.
“I thought I would see something that is typical Buhari. Not high-handed but about people bringing laws that would be debated and that would be clear in the objective it is meant to achieve in the pursuit of good governance and the necessity for it.”
