BUHARI'S AGE IS AN ASSET NOT LIABILITY 

While addressing Nigerians in Johannesburg South Africa, President Muhammadu Buhari made a statement that has become subject of political controversies. The opposition party has returned to primordial trenches calling for the resignation of the President. Well, this is not strange of their conduct, if they can prophesied his death before elections then it means there is nothing they cannot do. It's unfortunate that instead of repositioning itself for constitutional role, the PDP is preoccupied with mudslinging.

There is no doubt that constructive opposition promotes credible leadership but certainly not vicious opposition with venom. In their zeal to muzzle the new administration into failure, the opposition manipulated divisions within the ranks of APC legislators by nominating and electing a Deputy in the Senate. It may look sagacious but I seek to differ. When the ACN opposition nominated Tambuwal it also supported a PDP Deputy but did not blackmailed the PDP with an opposition Deputy.  Why did they opted for a PDP Deputy in an APC majority Senate? To me it speak volumes of their desperado for confusion in-place of alternative ideas,

In any case, PDP capitalized on weak cohesion amongst the APC legislators propelled by self interest. Also, the the party leadership acted out of rule of politics because they should have contemplated this out come. It will be naive to speculate that they were taken by surprise. If they can plan strategies to defeat a sitting government so they lacked acceptable explanation for what happened except, maybe for  internal treachery. The marriage of convenience between strange bed fellows in the Senate is bound to collapse because it is foundation on personal considerations.

I agreed with Mr President that he is limited by age. Indeed this accounts for why looters are moving freely today. If not for maturity how could qualified prisoners be harassing the people with ill gotten wealth all over the place?

It took Mwanasa, the former President of Zambia less than a week to take his predecessor, Chuluba to jail for stealing over $30 million. Even mediation efforts of African leaders including former President Obasanjo was fertile. 

Actually the age factor limit explains Mr President current leadership disposition. Of course its contrary to when he would have been either 25 or 33years. Imagine the degree of tolerance exhibited during campaigns despite insults hauled on him and his family yet he uttered no reply. Instead Mr president concentrated on issues based politics. What could have been the magic, if not maturity in age?

I had course to take him up during campaigns when I sort to discover the secret of this exceptional tolerance but Mr President's reply was "are these the problem of Nigeria?  Look at insecurity, corruption, unemployment and the economy etc, don't mind them Chèvre Guvera". His calm disposition indeed left me with a great lesson. 

Who would have thought the President will work with the Service Chiefs beyond their last salute on the inaugural day. But maturity has atoned for everything including hiding his secondary school certificate to disqualify him from contesting election. Age is a golden attribute of leadership otherwise how can the former Director General of Department of State Security still be in office after making the service mad dog of President Jonathan and PDP.  

Therefore Iam not surprised if his critics are asking for his resignation because of age. I believed they are testing this patience brought about by age. How can people whose natural abode should have been detention camps be insulting the psychology of Nigerians with bunkum. Instead of criticism I think it should be applauded. 

I understood the President as lamenting the constraints age has brought to bear on issues which ordinary required some hard decisions. There are Nigerians that expect certain tough decisions from him while he is saying as a father I must be more rational in handling issues than before. This is the limitations age place on every mortal.

The best that happened to Nigeria is having President Muhammadu Buhari as leader at this matured age. The benefits are monumental because the Nation shall gain from it. However it should not be mistaken as weakness because all actions that deserves scrutiny by law shall definitely be made accountable. The only limitation of age here will be the due process and maturity but certainly not impunity for looters of national treasury. He might look slow but strategic so that unnecessary mistakes are avoided. One thing is certain age will not insulate criminality. 

I am in competent to discuss Mr President's health status but I can attest that the President displayed strength and physical capacity during the campaigns as we traversed the political landscape. In fact, he was stronger compared to younger people. So, his age, physical and mental capacity is beyond cheap political gimmick of the opposition. Though advance in age he is not comparable to the option PDP offered. 

We must realize that this new administration is not an extension of the PDP regime. It has to be foundation properly for take off which demands a lot of wisdom in decision making. To hit the ground, it requires sound administrative pillars to survive this antagonist environment of conception. It is better to be slow and strategic than fast with unsustainable results. Mr President, you are on course and may God continue to guide you.

Solomon Dalung, LLB, BL, LLM