Director of Media and Strategy of Great Nigeria
Movement (GNM), Edozie Okeiyi, publicly addressed
General Muhammadu Buhari regarding the official’s
intention to seek presidency in the next year’s
elections.
It is not the first time Mr Okeiyi has shared his opinion
on the political issues of the country. In June we
published his piece titled “10 Reasons Nigerians
Should Re-elect Jonathan In 2015″ .
Today, October 10, 2014 the GNM representative sent
an open letter to Buhari saying he had no other
possibility to contact the politician.
It would be recalled that the former military Head of
State vowed to declare his presidential ambition on
the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on
October 8 . It was made known this week however that
the official announcement had been shifted for
October 15. Buhari’s decision was highly
criticized by some of his party members who
insisted he should have anointed a younger
candidate for 2015 elections.

Okeiyi’s opinion on the current situation with Buhari’s
bid was published by Leadership. See it in full below:
“Dear Sir,
OPEN LETTER TO GENERAL BUHARI
I have been constrained to write you through the
media because I do not have an alternative way of
reaching you. Permit me to share my opinion on your
presidential ambition, which I think is equally shared
by many Nigerians of my generation irrespective of
ethnic or religious differences.
Sir, I heard about you first on the 31st of December
1983. Then I was a ten year old boy in primary six,
celebrating with the whole nation on the arrival of our
military Heroes. At least so we thought! The
jubilations were spontaneous. The nationwide
celebrations signalled the demise of the second
republic and ushered in the military dispensation
commonly referred to as the Buhari/Idiagbon regime.
Immediately you launched the War Against
Indiscipline and introduced the Nationwide Monthly
Sanitation Exercise. The WAI crusade stuck in my
brain and still reverberates up till now. To simplify the
message my Teacher introduced an Igbo acronym for
WAI: Wepu Ajo Ihe; which literally translates: Remove
Bad Thing.

Sir, I must confess that the image that stuck in me
about Buhari/Idiagbon was that of two no-nonsense
characters, straight talkers, people who meant yes
when they said yes and vice versa. This impression I
believe was equally shared by many others in my
generation.
Today, I am a 41 year old Nigerian. A lot has
changed. I see things differently now. I am now a fully
grown man who can analyse issues critically. One
thing I believe passionately is that it is very important
for one to set a standard for oneself, but equally more
important to sustain the standard.
On the final lap of your presidential campaign for
2011, you made an open declaration in front of the
media and your supporters, without mincing words
you stated emphatically that 2011 would be your last
attempt to contest the Presidency. Going by your
legacy and standard, many People including I took
you by your words. After all Buhari means yes when
he says yes. However that promise was short lived.
Before one can say Jack Robinson you have joined the
race again for the fourth consecutive time, contrary to
your open declaration.
Of course I concede you have every right to change
your mind and contest every election as long as you
live. It is however very remarkable to observe that you
shot yourself in the foot when you reneged on your
promise to Nigerians not to contest the Presidency
again. So judging you by your own standard, you have
fallen below expectations. The pertinent question
people are asking now is ” HOW CAN WE EVER TRUST
YOU AGAIN”? Another important questing worth
asking you is ” WHAT IS NOW THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN BUHARI AND OTHER POLITICIANS”? I
would say none! Oh yes you have got the
constitutional right to contest, but eating your words
has done your reputation more harm than good.
People now see you, and quite justifiably, just like a
typical politician who is unstable and unreliable.

Some of your supporters continue to amuse me by
claiming that President Jonathan allegedly signed a
one term pact with them. Unlike you Jonathan never
made any open declaration to serve only for one term.
Those of them who continue to make this ridiculous
allegation have refused to produce the transcript of
the said agreement or tender any proof to
substantiate this. So as far as Nigerians are
concerned Jonathan never struck any one term deal
with us. But you did promise openly and suddenly
reneged. In fact you actually sealed the promise with
your tears. An elder Statesman of your calibre and
pedigree made a promise and shed tears to seal it,
that should have been final. It is very symbolic when
an Elder sheds tears in the continent of Africa. It was
a covenant with Nigerians not to contest again. A
promise abruptly broken. But this is politics.
Everything is possible in this game.
Sir, I know you have many reasons for reneging on
your promise but most of these reasons are
laughable. Some claim your supporters put pressure
on you to change your mind, but this is an old excuse
which is as old as Nigeria. Even late General Abacha
had people begging him to contest. A principled and
disciplined officer like you should have remained
steadfast to your open declaration. Others claim you
are still young, after all you would be only 72 by the
next Presidential election. At 72 you would still be
much younger than Mugabe. So they claim!
But they conveniently refused to check Mugabe’s next
door neighbour Madiba. Suffice it to say that Mandela
is the very opposite of Mugabe and the ideal role
model for all African leaders. Mandela declined to go
for a second term because according to him , age was
not on his side. He could have won a second term
and transformed to a life President if he wished. But
he never did. He voluntarily made way for the younger
generation to continue from where he stopped. This is
what is expected of you now to retire voluntarily and
join the respected league of Elders where you truly
belong.
Another reason which some of your supporters have
tendered is that you are genuinely motivated by
service and patriotism. I gladly take this on board. I
can give you the benefit of the doubt that you are
driven by the urge to serve your fatherland. This is a
very valid reason. But Sir, I have an important
question here for you. The question is simple, MUST
YOU SERVE NIGERIA AS A PRESIDENT ONLY? IS
THERE NO OTHER CAPACITY YOU CAN SERVE US
EXCEPT THE PRESIDENCY?

It is very erroneous to imagine that you can only serve
Nigeria only in one capacity. During the regime of late
General Sani Abacha, you accepted the appointment
to serve as the Chairman of the then Petroleum Trust
Fund PTF. The general opinion was that you served
faithfully in this capacity. Well done Sir! But you never
asked Abacha to vacate office for you as your former
subordinate in the army. Never! In fact that would
have been a dangerous move, if not suicidal. Rather
you served faithfully under your former junior in the
army. Sir, imagine if you take on another job like the
Chairman of EFCC or ICPC or NDLEA. Nigerians
actually need you to serve in one of these capacities
much more than they need you in the Presidency.
Mere mentioning your name as Chairman of EFCC
would drive many corrupt men underground. But you
wouldn’t . Either the Presidency or nothing. So it
seems!
Sir, let us examine your service records. I consider
your generation a very privileged one, indeed. In 1975
at the age of 33, you were appointed the Military
Governor of the North-Eastern State, present day
Borno & Yobe states. In 1976 at the age of 34 you
became the Minister for Petroleum and Natural
Resources. In 1978 at the age of 36 you became the
Chairman of the Nigeria National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC).
Today the reverse is the case. Most Nigerians at age
of 35 are still unemployed and still living with
parents. Many are still not married. During your time
you were already Governor at this age. One major
reason for this unfortunate turn of events is that many
elders like you have refused to voluntarily handover
the baton to the next generation. Life should be a
relay race where one runs his race and hands over to
the next. In Nigeria many elders like you have run
their races and are still holding on tenaciously to the
baton. When are you going to handover to the next
person? It is either you do it voluntarily or risk
disgrace at the polls. In 1983 at the age of 41, exactly
the same age as my humble self now, you became the
Head of State.
Most Nigerians in my age have not had the
opportunity to serve, but we still remain committed to
the Nigerian project. You should rather be graceful to
God and to Nigerians for the numerous opportunities
that have come your way to serve Nigerians. Others
are begging for just one opportunity to serve.
Sir, you have to accept the stark reality on ground that
you have served your time already. That is life for you.
You run the race, you handover the baton for others to
run, you cannot hold on to the baton more than is
necessary. As a former head of State you are already
a member of the Council of State Meeting. You have
every avenue to channel your views across. You don’t
necessarily have to be in a frontline role, you can
serve in an advisory capacity. That is still service.
In conclusion, let me state that the greatest
beneficiary should you emerge candidate of the APC
would be President Jonathan. It is crystal clear that
you cannot defeat President Jonathan in a free, fair
and credible election, even in Katsina State.
Sentiments aside, Jonathan would cruise to a
landslide victory should you emerge candidate of the
APC.
In fact many political analysts believe that President
Jonathan wants you to emerge as the APC flag bearer
in order to secure a cheap victory. In fairness to you,
any of your Children would pose a serious challenge
to Jonathan more than yourself. I do not see
Nigerians electing a 72 year old former Head of state
to lead us in this Digital era.
With due respect to you Sir, you belong to the
Analogue age and therefore, will not fit in as president
in this digital era. This is the blunt truth. Please do
not enter the Guinness book of world records on a
negative note. Losing four consecutive Presidential
election would not augur well for your reputation. It is
in your best interest to assume your position as an
elder statesman and allow others to serve. Nigeria
does not belong to you alone. It belongs to us all.”





www.naij.com/303544-2015-open-letter-to-muhammadu-buhari.html

Well said! The PDP is trying it's best to woo the innocent public. To fill it with the most poisonous venom against the interests of the APC. They can't stain the party,they're staining the candidate. Every reason Buhari shouldn't go have mentioned. Haven't it? Let's count GEJ's! We'll sleep on Nairaland

useless write up. nonsense talk. you are not God to conclude who looses or become victorious in an election

Bull crap. sai Buhari. The nigeria system needs to be cleansed and the only person who has the guts at the moment is the people's general. GMB. it after then that young people like myself and the OP can come into the scene otherwise, it is padi padi government.