Anyaoku: Why Nigerians Have High Expectations of Buhari
Recommends dialogue with SA over xenophobic attacks
The former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, has said the huge expectations Nigerians have on the incoming administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is not just based on his campaign promises but more importantly on the personality of the president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari.
Anyaoku, who spoke to journalists shortly after he paid a congratulatory visit to Buhari at the Defence House in Abuja, bared his mind on recent incidents that almost caused a diplomatic row between Nigeria and two other countries, South Africa and Indonesia, saying federal government acted well within the dictates of best foreign policy practices.
Speaking on his discussions with Buhari, the former Secretary General said he had urged him to stick to those qualities that endeared him to Nigerians, and try to meet their expectations.
“We had useful discussions with president-elect, congratulated him on his victory and told him he’s coming in as president on a very high wave of expectations throughout the country. I also told him that the high expectation are based on the promises he made during his campaign to the people but more importantly on the general perception of his character,” he said.
According to Anyaoku, the president- elect is perceived as a man with very strong sense of discipline and a man who is truly averse to corruption.
He also described Buhari “as a man whose lifestyle has been frugal not ostentatious or opulence and above all, a man who is very committed to the welfare of the masses.
“I believe that if his administration reflects these qualities that the country’s challenges and problems would be effectively tackled.”
On the near diplomatic spat between Nigeria and South Africa over xenophobiapropelled attacks on Nigerians living in that country, Anyaoku advised the federal government to follow up on the matter by initiating more dialogue to put an end to future occurrence of such attacks.
He also spoke about the executions of Nigerians in Indonesia over drug- related offences, describing federal government’s handling of the matter as faultless.
Anyaoku attributed the reoccurring debacle between our country and Indonesia on the issue of those of death rows to the bad behaviour of young people who would heed the advise against trafficking on drugs.
“I think that Nigeria’s relations with the world at the moment is quite good, we’ve had a tiff with the South African situation but not with the South African government. I think the xenophobic attacks on foreigners in South Africa has been condemned by the South African government and I believe that the way President Jonathan has handled the issue has been very good.
“So I would suggest that the incoming president will continue the personal relationship with the president of South Africa so that when incidents like that occur, the two governments will have a dialogue and the government of South Africa will be sensitised even more to the need to tackle the situation.
“It is fair to say that Nigeria’s foreign policy (the basis of it) has remained generally the same over the last administrations. I’m saying it having been involved in the Presidential Advisory Council that has advised administrations of President Olusegun Obasanjo, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and President Jonathan. Our foreign policy has been soundly based on the promotion of our national interests abroad.
“The debacle in Indonesia is not a foreign policy issue but an issue of the behavior of Nigerians. Nigerians will go to Indonesia and other countries like Malaysia, Thailand, with a law that if you get involved in drug the penalty is capital punishment.
“The president of Indonesia will tell you that every drug pusher is responsible for the ruination of 200 families and that’s why his country has taken that position. So it’s a matter of the behaviour of Nigerian citizens abroad rather than foreign policy,” he said.