I Earned The Right To Speak Truth To Power

SEGUN OSHINAGA

I worked my heart out for the re-election of President Buhari. Nobody, I repeat, nobody gave me one red cent. I served in 4 committes of the Buhari Campaign Council and appeared on many tv interviews as a spokesman ALL AT MY EXPENSE and the goodwill of AIT, Channels and Arise TV and other Zoom and internet interviews.

Of course, many said I was handsomely paid. The insult and abuses were too many. A man nearly slapped me at the Nnamdi Azikiwe on my way to Warri for my son’s wedding in November 2018. What was my offense? Promoting and defending President Buhari. (He said he promised his wife to slap me anywhere he meets me after a broadcast that where I praised President Buhari to high heavens). 

I was virtually ostracized by my Church people for the same offense. Let me recall one particular instance. My phone rang on one fine morning. It was a very senior clergy who I hold in very high regard and have had the honour to know him for almost 40 years. ‘I am very disappointed in you, Segun’, he began. ‘I am here with several G.Os and everybody is complaining about your rabid support for President Buhari’, he said angrily. What he said next surprised me. ‘We are all disappointed at your conduct. I am particularly disappointed and ashamed of what you are doing.’ He dropped the phone on me. 

It was my conviction that President Buhari will lay the foundation to put Nigeria on the path to unity, national cohesion and economic stability.

Unfortunately, the Government has mismanaged diversity, that should ordinarily be an asset, is now a liability. Different arms of government are working at cross purposes; banditry, kidnappings and the emergence of non-state actors have become huge threats to the nation. It is like there is no King in the land.

Corruption is now walking on two legs. Injustice and impunity are now reigning in the land. We have seen many scandals and the President doesn’t say a word. The MTN scandal, NDDC disgraceful saga plus many more. Nobody is held accountable. Nobody is punished. What moral right do we have to call the Jonathan government corrupt?

President Buhari has a chance to redeem his name and place in history by making sweeping changes by May 29th so that his last two years can make up for the last 6 years. He needs to do away with many people whose only credential is that they come from a particular part of the country. He has the final opportunity to bring in the best and the brightest from across the length and breadth of Nigeria and put them to work.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria! 

God bless President Muhammadu Buhari!