By Lillian Okenwa
Not too long ago, popular columnist and university teacher, Farooq Kperogi wrote that: “Even Senate President Ahmed Lawan whose notoriety for pliancy to the presidency is unmatched in Nigeria’s democratic history couldn’t suppress a hearty burst of laughter when he read Buhari’s request in the Senate… It’s truly befuddling why Buhari is engaging in this sort of shameless last-minute looting spree…”
Days to the end of his eight-year tenure, President Muhammadu Buhari requested the National Assembly, to approve an $800 million loan which according to him will be disbursed at the rate of “N5,000 per month to 10.2 million, to poor and low-income households” in Nigeria. Similar distributions in the past to the ‘poor’ has been mired in controversy.
Then Kperogi added: “For another, Buhari appears gripped by a paralysing fear of being investigated for the unprecedentedly stratospheric corruption his regime has perpetrated and is perpetuating. He obliquely betrayed this fear during his last interview with Channels TV—as he has done many times before and after the interview. ‘Nobody should ask me to come and give any evidence in any court,’ he said. ‘Otherwise, whoever it is, he will be in trouble because all important things are on record.’ Buhari obviously fears being asked to come back to defend the corruption he is supervising.”
And that brings us to the rather curious statements the President has been making lately. On Tuesday 23 May, the media was awash with reports about the President again boasting about his familial relationship with his kindred in the Republic of Niger adding that should Nigerians make any attempt to trouble or bother him after the handover, “Niger Republic will defend me.”
Buhari said he would relocate to his country home in Daura, which is far away from Abuja and closer to the Niger Republic, where he has continually announced that he has cousins. Speaking at the official opening of Nigeria Customs Service Corporate Headquarters in Abuja, he remarked: “I said these few things about my personal belief because I have only six more days to go. And I try to plan to be as far away from Abuja as possible. I came from an area that is far away from Abuja. I said if anybody with force moves, I have good relationship with my neighbours. Niger people will defend me.”
Noting that one would be in trouble if he does not secure the confidence of his neighbours, he added that in the bid to earn the goodwill of Niger Republic, Cameroon, and Chad, they were the countries he first visited on assumption of office.
But Buhari’s relationship as suggested by Farooq Kperogi in his earlier mentioned statement and Djamila Amer in —It’s all in the Republic of Niger; even Nigerian President Buhari agrees seems to be beyond securing the confidence of his neighbours.
Djamila Amer in the article wrote: “More than any other administration in the government of Nigeria, the presidency of Muhammadu Buhari, has brought enormous economic and infrastructural development to the Republic of Niger, with the vision of promoting the policy of ‘Africa as the centrepiece of Nigeria’s foreign policy.’ Nigeria is committed to at least $4bn of projects in Niger and this has brought growing dissent from many Nigerians.
Some say President Muhammadu Buhari’s investments in Niger are that of an astute leader keen on investment opportunities; others criticise him for elevating family and ethnic ties. Buhari had said in an interview that the expansion of infrastructure to the neighbouring Republic of Niger was to ensure good neighbourliness that would halt the spread of Boko Haram insurgents in the country. He, however, admitted that he had first cousins from Niger Republic.
“In March 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari was honoured in Abuja, Nigeria with Republic of Niger’s highest national award, Grand Croix Des Ordre National Du Niger, presented by former Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou. Speaking at the occasion, President Buhari said, ‘Nigeria-Niger relations are based on a long common border and shared cultural and historical roots. Relations between the two countries have, over the years, been very cordial. There is a spirit of good neighbourliness between us.’
“In July 2018, Nigeria and Republic of Niger signed a $2bn deal to build an oil refinery in Niger, with connecting pipeline to bring crude oil from Niger’s oilfields in the Ténéré desert, carrying heavy crude, laden with high sulfur content. Many Nigerians who had supported Buhari’s plan to overhaul Nigeria’s poor oil refineries, wondered at this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Nigeria and the Niger Republic on the purchase, transportation, and storage of petroleum products. Niger Republic’s Soraz Refinery in Zinder has an installed refining capacity of 20,000 barrels per day.
“In February 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari announced that Nigeria was embarking on a $1.9bn Nigeria-Niger Republic construction of 284 kilometres standard gauge railway project with 12 stations running from Kano in northwest Nigeria to Maradi in south-central Niger.
“The Federal Executive Council of Nigeria had in February 2021 also approved contracts for the construction of two roads from Sokoto and Jigawa States, Nigeria, up to its borders with the Republic of Niger at a total cost of about N29.2 billion. In June 2021 during an interview on Nigeria’s Arise Television, President Buhari defended his decision to construct railways and roads extending into Niger Republic. “Niger has discovered oil, as you know. We hope they will be fine when we take the rail to Maradi and take all their exports through Maradi rather than through the Benin Republic,” he said in response to why he was investing so heavily in ties with Niger.
“President Buhari in August 2022 was also reported to have directed Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed to release the sum of N1.14billion for the purchase of 10 Land Cruiser Jeeps, to the government of Republic of Niger, as operational vehicles. This was based on the requests for support by the government of Niger.
“Industry experts raised concern over what they described as strategic interest between the president and Niger, going by these key infrastructure projects. Many Nigerians feel deprived of their resources and wealth as President Buhari develops Republic of Niger, perhaps because a part of his ancestry is traceable to that country.
“Nigerians took their outrage to social media asking why President Buhari’s government didn’t care to connect major industrial cities and regions in Nigeria with good road networks and a thriving rail system but keeps playing Father Christmas or Big Brother Africa to Republic of Niger while the country faces dire socio-economic challenges. ‘Charity begins at home; fix Nigeria’s declining educational system first,’ one youth wrote on Twitter. Others called for diversification of the private sector through expanding the road network, overhauling the power sector, and better security of lives and property.
“Barely 38 days to the end of his eight-year tenure, President Muhammadu Buhari, in April 2023 declared that he will relocate to Niger Republic if he is bothered after leaving office. Speaking to a gathering at the presidential villa, Buhari said he ‘can’t wait to go home to Daura’ and ‘if they make any noise to disturb me in Daura, I will leave for the Niger Republic.’ Many Nigerians took his statement as a lack of commitment to Nigeria and the reason for Buhari’s excessive investments in Republic of Niger. Some Nigerians recalled his statements in the 2021 interview he gave to local broadcaster Arise Television, ‘I spoke to one Frenchman and I said to him, —You people in 1885 sat down with a ruler and pencil, and drew the line (in reference to the Nigeria-Niger border). I have first cousins in Niger. There are Kanuris, Hausas, Fulanis in Niger Republic, the same way there are Yorubas in Benin,’ said Buhari.
“Beyond the ancestral ties, Nigeria remains a key trade partner for Republic of Niger. The cities in southern Niger and northern Nigeria have been linked to the Trans-Saharan trade dating back to medieval times. Nigerian cities like Kano and Katsina have long been the southern terminus of trade networks that support much of the Nigerien economy. Nigeria benefits from agricultural trade and sales, especially Nigerien cattle routed to Nigerian markets, while the most direct routes from Niger to foreign trade are through Nigeria.
“Indeed, it’s all in the Republic of Niger; rich culture, ongoing infrastructural development, progress in the area of peace and security. Niger has numerous opportunities that, when fully utilised, would eradicate its remaining political, social, and economic difficulties.
“It is no wonder Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari considers Niger a splendid retirement getaway. The sixth president of the United States, John Quincy Adams once said, ‘There is nothing more pathetic in life than a former president,’ This may be true, but President Buhari is surely making plans on living a peaceful and contented life after his presidency. When the national and global spotlight dims on Buhari, he may be found in Daura or Republic of Niger, taking rejuvenating walks, eating delicious local foods and abundant fruits, being a doting grandfather and enjoying close proximity to his extended family.
“President Buhari like his predecessors, might also take up the role of adviser and elder statesman to the region and beyond. Needless to say, the Republic of Niger will always remember his presidency with gratitude.”
