Osuntokun: Buhari Is Not Intellectually And Temperamentally Prepared For Any Debate

Akin Osuntokun is a member of the Southwest Campaign Organisation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He told The Guardian that Buhari was never prepared for a debate.

Some people feel the decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to boycott the presidential debates shows lack of respect for the people; do you agree?

I agree one hundred per cent, but before I specifically comment on the point of disrespect and impunity, let me tell you that dodging the debate is in character and it is meant to shield the intellectual insecurity of their presidential candidate. The truth is that Buhari has intellectual limitations and I say that without intending any disrespect, he is not articulate and hence doesn’t like debate. And that is the reason why dictatorship sits well on him like a saville row-tailored double-breasted tuxedo complete with a bow tie and a charming gap toothed smile. 

  The combination of disdain for debate and penchant for impunity is a consistent thread that runs through his entire public life. Buhari was the army commander in Maiduguri who shunned the directive of his commander-in-chief, President Shehu not to pursue Chadian army trespassers beyond the border of Nigeria. He was the dictator who warned the media with disdain and contempt that he was going to tamper with press freedom; who jailed Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor for reporting the truth he considered embarrassing to his government. 

    He was the one who had lawal ojuolape executed for a crime that did not carry the death penalty at the time the crime was committed; remember the humiliation he meted to the late chief Obafemi Awolowo; remember his conduct as executive chairman of PTF, where, against the norm of public service, he outsourced the management of the agency to a private consultant; need I remind you how 

  Buhari considered it infra dig to do what is expected of you and I with regards to tendering his educational certificates. Rather than obey the law, Buhari opted for the evasive and disdainful decoy of referring the Nigeria public to the military – thus compelling the military to openly refute his claims-which in effect meant he is liable to perjury because he swore an affidavit to support this claim. And what do you call staging a coup to overthrow a democratically elected government if not lack of respect for Nigeria?

It seems you people are not taking this affront and escape lightly. It is as if you missed a good opportunity to put Buhari on the spot and attack his vulnerabilities. In other words, you do not trust that he could pull through some two hours of hot debate? 

  I think I pre-empted that question in my earlier response. Let me however caution the Nigeria public that this is a dangerous trend and a warning that the electorate must not take lightly. It is a dreadful morning that is presaging a more dreadful afternoon and evening should Nigeria make the mistake of electing him as president. Buhari is a remorseless snub who somehow believes the Nigeria public owe him the presidency as of right. I have made the reference elsewhere of two indications to this effect. It was under his military dictatorship that Awolowo suffered the indignities of having his international travelling passport impounded, his house ransacked and barricaded indefinitely. Life gives us opportunities to make amends as regards the error of omission and commission anybody might have committed. In the course of his presidential campaign tours he visited the Awolowo matriarch at Ikenne in company of his running mate, yemi osinbajo, who happens to be married to the granddaughter of the late chief Awolowo. We did not hear any remorse from him.

President Jonathan himself shunned a similar debate in 2011, electing for a solo appearance; does that look like a precedent?

  Well I cannot recall the conditions under which the president elected not to participate in the 2011 presidential debate but bear in mind that you said he opted for a modified version. I think the common consensus on this occasion is that this year’s presidential election is of far higher consequence than that of 2011. 

  I am aware that the APC rested their objection on the alleged partisanship of the debate organisers. This objection has been adequately addressed by the express offer by the PDP to concede the organisation of the debate entirely to the APC-thereby giving no room for the APC to dodge the debate. As we speak the APC has not accepted this over generous concession and that tells you that their candidate is not intellectually and temperamentally prepared for the debate.

Can you really defend the neutrality of an NEDG organised debate anchored on an infrastructure that government controlled?

 Look the APC is just looking for excuses no matter how tenuous to dodge the debate and that is the honest truth.