During the presidential campaign of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, he won the heart of many Nigerians even after winning the election, with his change mantra.
Shortly after winning the election, many Nigerians were still made to believe that positive change often comes with pain and deprivation. But in Buhari’s case, it can be said to be a different thing entirely.
The President Buhari-led administration has in its first tenure disappointed most people who vowed for his effectiveness as a nation’s leader. Among the many Nigerians who campaigned heavily for the president are some prominent persons, who also followed the change mantra established by the presidency. These prominent persons surprised many Nigerians, as the president’s administration forced them to turn their backs.
1. Dele Momodu
Having campaigned actively for Buhari during the 2015 presidential race, publisher of Ovation Magazine and former presidential candidate, to the surprise of many turned his back against the president.
On what prompted him to turn against the Buhari-led administration, Momodu said “the then President, Goodluck Jonathan and his party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, did not leave Nigerians many options and it seemed there was only one logical and rational way to go, no matter how unpalatable, and that was Buhari and his APC.”
2. Tunde Bakare
The renowned Nigerian pastor in 2011 was Buhari’s presidential running mate. The general overseer of the Latter Rain Assembly, however, shocked Nigerians with his presidential ambition declaration.
On why he accepted the proposal to file out as a running mate, Bakare said he accepted the plan to run with Buhari on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change because of his views on restructuring. The preacher added that the president’s view then was “positive”.
3. Wole Soyinka
In 2015, during Buhari’s election campaign, the Nigerian playwright and novelist, endorsed the presidential ambition of the All Progressives Congress, candidate.
Professor Soyinka, in an article titled “The Challenge of Change – A Burden of Choice”, stated that the “the clock of Change cannot tick sufficiently fast.” The noble laureate also joins the league of those denouncing Buhari’s second term ambition. He said Nigeria is long overdue for reconfiguration saying it is sickening for some people to be agitating against it.
4. Atiku Abubakar
The former Vice President, who used to be a member of the same political party Buhari belongs to, accused the president and the ruling All Progressives Congress of abandoning him. Atiku has over time expressed how he helped the party won the 2015 general elections.
Atiku made known that he had been abandoned in spite of his efforts in making sure that the APC defeated the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Atiku subsequently announced his formal return to PDP.
5. Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka
The Spiritual Director, Adoration Ministry, Enugu Nigeria, declared his support for Buhari, at a time when many Nigerians were skeptical if Buhari was the chosen one to take the nation to her ‘promise land’.
After making known publicly that Buhari is God’s sent, in his new year message, he warned the president against his second term ambition. Mbaka maintained that the president will be shamed should he contest in the 2019 general elections.
Via NewsroomNG
