by ALLWELL OKPI
Former Head of State, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd),
Some
political analysts have described Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s rejection of
the mediatory role offered him in a proposed peace talk between the
Federal Government and the Boko Haram as a right political decision.
The analysts, who spoke with SUNDAY PUNCH,
said the offer had put Buhari in a political dilemma but that the
former presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change
took the better of the two options he had.
A senior political science lecturer at
the University of Abuja, Prof. Dauda Saleh, said Buhari’s rejection of
the offer to serve as mediator was the right thing to do, but noted that
it was a tough political choice he made.
“It was really a dilemma. On one hand,
if he had accepted the offer, there was the possibility that he would
have been linked to the group and that would have been a serious
liability and could have ended his political career. This is more so
because some people seem to have the impression that he is an Islamic
fundamentalist, who had a religious agenda.
“But on the other hand, rejecting the
offer, some people would say he turned down an opportunity to help solve
a major national problem. So, both options had the potential of hurting
his political career one way or another. But, I think he made the right
choice.”
Similarly, the Head of the Department of
Political Science and International Relations, University of Lagos,
Prof. Solomon Akinboye, said Buhari’s decision could have been
acceptance or rejection, with uncertain political implications.
He said, “The man (Buhari) said he does
not know them (Boko Haram), so, he cannot mediate for them. It was his
decision to make and I think he was right in taking that decision.
Whether his decision would affect his political career is another issue.
“However, if he had accepted and was
able to help curb the insecurity in the country, it would have been a
plus for him. It was really a political dilemma. Now, some people might
see him as running away from an important national service.”
In the same vein, the National President
of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Yerima Shettima, said Buhari’s
rejection of the offer was a welcome development.
Shettima said the proposed peace talk was likely to fail, adding that the nomination of Buhari might be a trap to discredit him.
He said, “Buhari’s rejection of the
offer of the mediatory role is a welcome development and that is because
I don’t see anything coming out of the so-called dialogue.
“I believe there are still sign that the
whole negotiation will not hold water and it is not proper for Buhari,
with the reputation he has built over the years, to get involved in such
activity.
“Buhari said he did not know these
people called Boko Haram and you cannot expect him to stand for people
he has not met. They should have chosen clerics or some other prominent
people in the North, not Buhari who is leading an opposition party.
Whether you like it or not, this move has a political undertone. It is
either a booby trap set by the government of the day to mess Buhari up,
or those people behind Boko Haram want to mess him up.”
Shettima added that Buhari’s rejection
of the offer had also shown that the insurgency had nothing to do with
Buhari’s loss at the 2011 presidential election or the North’s ambition
to regain power at the centre.
“No real northerner is happy with what is happening, because we are losing more,” he said.
Punch
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