(2017 can arguably be dubbed President Muhammadu Buhari’s year with destiny. On two occasions, he left his job and his country really sick. He forgot about everything else but his health. And God spared his life. It is for this reason that News in Africa Online has chosen to publish a tiny aspect of his profile in our First Personality Profile for 2018).
President Muhammadu Buhari, Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, GCFR, was born on 17 December, 1942. He assumed office as the elected President of Nigeria, in May 2015. He had earlier retired as a Major-General in the Nigerian Army and previously served as the nation’s Head of State from 31 December 1983 to 27 August 1985, after taking power in a military coup d’état.
He ran for the office of president in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 general elections and failed in all three attempts. In December 2014, he emerged as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the March 2015 general elections. Buhari won the election, defeating the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan. This marked the first time in the history of Nigeria that an incumbent president lost to an opposition candidate in a general election. He was sworn in on 29 May 2015.
In Buhari’s first year in office, Nigeria suffered a decline in commodity prices which triggered an economic recession. To source funds to close the shortfall in revenue and fund an expansionary capital budget, Buhari travelled to 20 countries seeking loans. Thereby, expansionary budget allocation to finance infrastructure is pushed back to 2017.
In the first year of the administration, Naira, the currency of Nigeria depreciated in the black market leading to a gulf between the official exchange rate and the black-market rate. A resulting shortage in foreign exchange hit various businesses including petroleum marketers. In May, 2016, the government announced a rise in the official pump price of petroleum to curtail shortfall in the commodity as a result of foreign exchange shortages.
On 21 December 2016, the Federal Ministry of Finance announced a whistle-blowing policy with a 2.5%-5% reward. The aim is to obtain relevant data or information regarding: the violation of financial regulations; the mismanagement of public funds and assets; financial malpractice, fraud; and theft.
Health challenges
In February 2017, President Buhari asked the National Assembly to extend his medical leave in the UK to enable him collect his test results. He personally signed a letter to the Senate alerting it that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo would be in charge. Following an absence of 51 days from office, President Buhari returned to Nigeria. He arrived at Kaduna Airport in the morning of March 10. Vice President Yemi Osibanjo remained in charge as acting President, while the President continued to recover in Abuja. Rumours were rife that the Nigerian leader had died. Some prominent Nigerians urged the President to take a long-term medical leave, citing his failure to make any public appearances over a two-week period.
President Buhari again left the country for continued treatment in London on 7 May 2017, and returned to Nigeria after 104 days on August 19, 2017. Allah certainly stood by him as he clearly proved the lie to all those who believed he had died.
Awards
Major-General Buhari (Rtd.) has received several awards and medals. These include: Congo Medal (CM); Defence Service Medal (DSM); General Service Medal; Global Seal of Integrity (GSOI); Gran Collar De La Orden De La Independencia, conferred on Buhari by President Teodoro Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea; Loyal Service and Good Conduct Medal (LSGCM).
