Niccolo Machiavelli was so practical in his understanding of power in his time that centuries after, his writings still make a lot of sense even in the 21st Century, and would most likely remain so in centuries to come.
In his treatise,The Prince, Machiavelli correctly captures the Nigerian situation when he posits that “men change their rulers willingly, hoping to better themselves, and this hope induces them to take up arms against him who rules: wherein they are deceived, because they afterwards find by experience that they have gone from bad to worse”.
Make no mistake about it, much of the 16 years of democracy before the coming of the Muhammadu Buhari administration did not live up to expectation. Like Nelson Mandela, Olusegun Obasanjo, as the first civilian president in the current democratic dispensation, had the opportunity to end the dark decades of military dictatorship and the corruption and impunity that accompanied them. But it was an opportunity betrayed.
That regime killed internal democracy in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as party leadership was enthroned and dethroned at one man’s pleasure, with some, such as Chief Audu Ogbe, allegedly surrendering at gunpoint. High profile political killings were rife in that era, the electoral process was practically hijacked, and impunity and corruption regained momentum. It is a familiar narrative.
Although many things went wrong under former President Goodluck Jonathan, we have to give it to him that Nigeria witnessed monumental electoral reforms that cleaned the process and empowered the election management body to the extent that the PDP became the weeping child in the last general elections, which it eventually lost. He was the first to congratulate the opposition each time they won elections, even in PDP strongholds.
Opposition was highly tolerated, while mass massacre and extrajudicial/political detentions were strange. In fact, democratic rights and freedoms flourished so much so that abusing the President became a past time for the opposition and their propagandists.
These rights and freedoms, not roads and infrastructure, are the real gains of democracy. Dictatorships such as in Libya under Gadaffi had done better infrastructure than most democratic states in Africa.
However, not satisfied, the All Progressives Congress, APC, invaded the political landscape with its ‘Change’ mantra. Sadly, the nation was so hypnotized that very few cared to ask what manner of change was in the offing. Even the incumbent President, Muhammadu Buhari who did not speak for more than two minutes at any of the campaign grounds, shunned the Presidential Debate where he could have been questioned on how he intended to deliver on APC’s litany of campaign promises.
APC’s propaganda machines mobbed a few who asked questions. Finally, they took over power in May 2015. The worry now is that the change being delivered was never what Nigerians bargained for: fisticuffs in House of Reps chambers by APC pugilists, bloated budget for Presidential upkeep (from N6.6 billion under Jonathan to N18 billion), fuel scarcity, chickenfeed reduction in fuel pump price, N280 exchange rate for one US Dollar, clearly lopsided appointments, appointment of kinsman as INEC Chairman, selective anti-corruption war, brazen diregard for court orders, and general contempt for the rule of law, etc.
Worst of all, unlike Machiavelli who believes that “There is no way to guard yourself against flattery than by making men understand that telling you the truth will not offend you”, President Buhari and his APC keep warning Nigerians by their words and actions that the shortest route to the Directorate of State Security (DSS) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) dungeons is to tell them truth or oppose even the craziest and most tyrannical, and unconstitutional policies, actions and pronouncements of the government.
For instance, the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, pressed home this zero-tolerance for opposition and criticism, while reacting to PDP’s description as tyrannical the declaration by Buhari that Nnamdi Kanu must remain in detention despite contrary position by the courts on that. Odigie warned that the APC would no longer condone a situation where the PDP or anybody would be hurling insults at the President.
But, if disobedience to court orders is not tyranny, what else is? Yet, while in opposition, the APC made calling ex-President Jonathan unprintable names a past time.
As the Interim National Scribe of the APC, the current Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam El Rufai called Jonathan a “lazy, docile, incompetent, clueless, hopeless, and useless leader”.
To make good their threat to trample on the opposition and punish PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, for criticizing APC and its government, the EFCC clamped down on the spokesman three days later. Only a tyrant would take people to court and pronounce them guilty instead of waiting for judicial due process; and when the court says otherwise, he rearrests them and throws them back into the dungeon.
Buhari said the Director of Biafra Radio, whom he disdainfully referred to, as “the one they call Nnamdi Kanu”, was not qualified to enjoy freedom granted by the courts because he allegedly imported broadcast equipment into the country. Buhari has suddenly forgotten about the guerrilla broadcast outfit- “Radio Chanji”- which promoted APC and its Presidential candidate. Broadcasting from an unknown destination, the station was busy inciting the masses of the North in the build up to the 2015 general election.
It was positioned to incite the mob to violence in the event that the opposition lost the election. The radio is to be largely blamed for the various incidents of the stoning of ex-President Jonathan in parts of the North during the campaigns. Today, the man then suspected to be the proprietor of the illegal radio has been honoured with an appointment, while Nnamdi Kanu is under lock and key.


Lawal Abdulkarim is a public affairs commentator. He lives and works in Lokoja in Kogi State.

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.

http://www.thetrentonline.com/buhari-tyrant/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

Tyrannical govt's have one thing in common at the end of the day

Aptly captured for posterity sake. This is why i support the Avengers, the resources from the SE and SS will not be used fund any tyranny government that they rejected at the polls.

Super story

what more can I say, thank God this is coming from a northerner and a nothern medium. Buhari and APC thinks that they have succeeded in capturing and holding Nigerians at ransom, no, not at all, they have successfully dented their image and reputation, that's if they have any. Nigerians have been emancipated from their spell and hypnosis. If they continue like this one day the masses may take up arms against them

babyfaceafrica:
Super story

go and play with the children

RZArecta:
go and play with the children

go and sell gala,or if you get mind push coco..yeye ugandan!!!

DaniDani:
what more can I say, thank God this is coming from a northerner and a nothern medium. Buhari and APC thinks that they have succeeded in capturing and holding Nigerians at ransom, no, not at all, they have successfully dented their image and reputation, that's if they have any. Nigerians have been emancipated from their spell and hypnosis. If they continue like this one day the masses may take up arms against them

social media and propaganda aside, Nigerians are tired of this govt even in core APC states what you hear is lamentations about the ' change" government. One day the paid hirelings even here on nairaland will shut down their accounts out of shame

babyfaceafrica:
[s]go and sell gala,or if you get mind push coco..yeye ugandan[/s]!!!

agbero tout e pain you well well

dis article deserve 100 gbosas. front page material.

RZArecta:
agbero tout e pain you well well

cry me a river

RZArecta:
Tyrannical govt's have one thing in common at the end of the day

a leopard never change his spots. buari dullard's disdain for democracy n rule of law is as fresh as 1983.
future generations will judge cassandra's govt as d most tyrannical eva in d history of nigeria.

A banana republic where anything goes is a democracy, but a country where there's rule of law is tyranny?

Nigerians love chaos.

babyfaceafrica:
Super story

So this is all u have to say?

In fact, whoever nicknamed APC supporters as Zombies deserves international awards, his name ought to be in the Guinness book of records for a job well done, bcs he must be a good researcher.

APC supporters are the most thoughtless and irredeemable hypocrites I've ever seen.

Honestly zombie na Zombie .

Samunique:
So this is all u have to say?

In fact, whoever nicknamed APC supporters as Zombies deserves international awards, his name ought to be in the Guinness book of records for a job well done, bcs he must be a good researcher.

APC supporters are the most thoughtless and irredeemable hypocrites I've ever seen.

Honestly zombie na Zombie .

k

Nigerians who craved for socio-economic positive change are the ones disappointed but, the ethno-religious proponents are ok with the change.

When I voted for Buhari I sincerely thought I knew what I was doing ..I am happy I did sha if not I would still be thinking Buhari was the messiah if he didn't win ..it's a lesson for all of us next time we will look well before voting

drss2:
a leopard never change his spots. buari dullard's disdain for democracy n rule of law is as fresh as 1983.
future generations will judge cassandra's govt as d most tyrannical eva in d history of nigeria.

lets just hope the vindictive and divisive Cassandra knows what "future generations" means and keeps our country intact for them to meet

RZArecta:
lets just hope the vindictive and divisive Cassandra knows what "future generations" means and keeps our country intact for them to meet

true talk.

M

PaulIdu:
When I voted for Buhari I sincerely thought I knew what I was doing ..I am happy I did sha if not I would still be thinking Buhari was the messiah if he didn't win ..it's a lesson for all of us next time we will look well before voting

you played a dangerous gamble, even in everyday life you won't allow someone with a reputation of stealing peoples things visit your house even if he/she has "repented". Buhari's past antecedents were laid bare for all to see and we have been warned from childhood that a leopard does not change its spots. No need crying over spilt milk sha, it's how to endure till 2019 and make sure this country is still intact peacefully that's the major thing

I love this govt of tyrant...

I hope the tyrant can continue for the next 10 yrs...

because ur godfathers' hands, which have been deeply burn, are unable to be dunked into the Treasury and eat the cakes as usual, while leaving u with the crumbs, are now shaking and unable to do so, you are waling...

The massive corrupt minds thaybare working against this govt has made me understand that we can never move forward....

Everyone cries abt the abacha hard times, forgetting the stupidity of IBB when in power.... The SAP, the IMF loans, the debts, the subsidies and so on, made money available to the public, bred massive corruption and silently killed the Nation. Abacha, unwilling to continue with the trend, though, also greedy, was tagged the culprit for the economical woes, nobody remembers the one who laid the foundation. Dnt get me wrong, Abacha was never my friend!


16yrs of corruption, loans, subsidies and so on is now expected to be wiped off in a single term...

Yes, we want it good, but we are unable to support the good intentions of the govt
.. We prefer the old way...forgetting that most hardship comes from sabotages.

Rice is sold for 9,500 from the boarder (idi iroko) and sold at ridiculous prices.
Ystdy at ijebu ode, there was a drama... A compnay has its depot at ijebu ode and the manager there was selling rice at 17k per bag until the company's management stormed the place with the police to get him arrested and told the public that he was supposed to be selling at 13k!

This is what we go thru...
Tomato virus came, we blame buhari and wen the glut returned, nobody praises him. He was not even the cause in the first place...

I dnt care anyway...

Even if he will lose, I will cast my vote again, for the tyrant!

Nigeria does not worth to be a country. Everything I was thought in Government,Civil study and Law are trash compared to what is happening in present reality.
Nigeria does not have a stable constitution and the implementers can twist it the way they like and we masses will support them blindly.

Imagine Radio chanji and Buhari utterance before election and Nnamdikanu stance.

Manifesto is now propaganda

Rule of law is for those that don't have money to hire a SAN.

Political party are now tribal party and critics are now opposition.


Masses are now wailers and complainers.

Democracy is now goverment of the rich for the rich and by the rich.

Protesters are now puppet for politicians to exude their anger

The only thing that makes us part of this government are the media. They go in there package the news anyhow, when we see it, We argue,quarrel, fight and later go home angry and hungry and status quo remains thesame.


The kind of life I want to live can't be found in all this setting. Its so absurd I was not born in Europe or American.

SLIDEwaxie:
[s]I love this govt of tyrant...

I hope the tyrant can continue for the next 10 yrs...

because ur godfathers' hands, which have been deeply burn, are unable to be dunked into the Treasury and eat the cakes as usual, while leaving u with the crumbs, are now shaking and unable to do so, you are waling...

The massive corrupt minds thaybare working against this govt has made me understand that we can never move forward....

Everyone cries abt the abacha hard times, forgetting the stupidity of IBB when in power.... The SAP, the IMF loans, the debts, the subsidies and so on, made money available to the public, bred massive corruption and silently killed the Nation. Abacha, unwilling to continue with the trend, though, also greedy, was tagged the culprit for the economical woes, nobody remembers the one who laid the foundation. Dnt get me wrong, Abacha was never my friend!


16yrs of corruption, loans, subsidies and so on is now expected to be wiped off in a single term...

Yes, we want it good, but we are unable to support the good intentions of the govt
.. We prefer the old way...forgetting that most hardship comes from sabotages.

Rice is sold for 9,500 from the boarder (idi iroko) and sold at ridiculous prices.
Ystdy at ijebu ode, there was a drama... A compnay has its depot at ijebu ode and the manager there was selling rice at 17k per bag until the company's management stormed the place with the police to get him arrested and told the public that he was supposed to be selling at 13k!

This is what we go thru...
Tomato virus came, we blame buhari and wen the glut returned, nobody praises him. He was not even the cause in the first place...

I dnt care anyway...

Even if he will lose, I will cast my vote again, for the tyrant[/s]!

for someone obviously very intelligent, it's a shame what bigotry has reduced you to. Fortunately or not, your vituperation does not invalidate the facts on ground about this government being a tyrannical dictatorship and grossly incompetent on all fronts

anungangampu:
Nigeria does not worth to be a country. Everything I was thought in Government,Civil study and Law are trash compared to what am is happening in present reality.
Nigeria does not have a stable constitution and the implementers can twist it the way they like and we masses will support them blindly.

Imagine Radio chanji and Buhari utterance before election and Nnamdikanu stance.

Manifesto is now propaganda

Rule of law is for those that don't have money to hire SAN.

Political part are now tribal party and critics are now opposition.


Masses are now wailers and complainers.

Democracy is now goverment of the rich for the rich and by the rich.

Protesters are now puppet for politicians to exudes their anger







The kind of life I want to live can't be found in all this setting. Its so Absurb I was not burn in Europe or American.

if you have a chance to get out of this mess even if it's Ghana, pls grab it with both hands

.

RZArecta:
for someone obviously very intelligent, it's a shame what bigotry has reduced you to. Fortunately or not, your vituperation does not invalidate the facts on ground about this government being a tyrannical dictatorship and grossly incompetent on all fronts

why will u term me a bigot? What if I had the same view as urs, wld I have passed as a non-bigot?

Where is the dictatorship in this govt? I dnt get it...

Did u think if OBJ was the president, saraki will still be there?

Did you think reps will still be talking abt dogara?

Where is the anti corruption bill?
Where is the bill to pass special court on corruption charges?

Where is the bill that supports total I dependence for EFCC?

Where is the one to remove immunity from public officials?

I pity us...

Was it because I joke a lot abt this tribalism issue? You guys really thinks I give a fucck abt who is in power? I am more worried abt good governance and transparency... So far... PDP cannot give that anymore... And if APC failed...I will always jump ship..

But for now, I knw, like u will live in self denial, that this govt is so grossly sabotaged!