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NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s leading online newspaper. Published by Africa’s international award-winning journalist, Mr. Isaac Umunna, NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s first truly professional online daily newspaper. It is published from Lagos, Nigeria’s economic and media hub, and has a provision for occasional special print editions. Thanks to our vast network of sources and dedicated team of professional journalists and contributors spread across Nigeria and overseas, NEWS EXPRESS has become synonymous with newsbreaks and exclusive stories from around the world.

SKC Ogbonnia
Donald J. Trump last
week became just the third president to be impeached in the history of United
States of America.
But every nation has
its own Trump. That is, someone who found himself in position of power, not
because of pristine background, experience, leadership effectiveness, moral
purity, political correctness or someone who might have indulged in gross abuse
of office.
Of course, Nigeria
harbors a good number of its own shameless characters, some of whom are
identified below.
Yet, the mere mention
of such names in the same breath with Donald Trump, however ignoble, is
ostensibly an elevation, but the glow of a vulture never lasts beyond the dry
season.
Abdullahi Umar
Ganduje, Governor of Kano State:Like Trump, Ganduje is virally corrupt, morally bankrupt,
maleficent, vengeful, baleful, and ruthless.
Kano has not known
peace, since the governor was seen in a trove of video clips receiving bribes
from a contractor and stuffing the proceeds in wads of dollars into his pocket.
In short, only in Nigeria can such a highbinder remain a governor of a state.
Yet, similar to the
situation in America with Donald Trump, instead of punitive action, Ganduje’s
political party has turned blind eye while the ancient city of Kano is on
assault. Nevertheless, lack of stature, as well as charisma, is the only reason
Ganduje would not readily qualify as the Trump Nigerian double.
Adams Oshiomhole,
National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC):Oshiomhole has remained in power through
a combination of dubious charisma and the ability to deceive a gullible society
for selfish interest. He is also combative, full of bluster, and sees quid pro
quo, as a way of life, however warped.
Moreover, the APC
Chairman is madly attention-seeking and craves exotic lifestyles. These
descriptions fit perfectly well with Trump. But it won’t still suffice here.
Oshiomhole’s physical attribute is the human equate of the aye-aye, and the
American president is conscious of his look and will rather resign from office
than be compared with the former Edo governor.
Dino Maleye, ex-Kogi
Senator:The history will
remain in wonderstruck of how this nothingburger found himself in the
legislature, let his dream to become president. In short, the sole reason Dino
is on this list is the mere fact that he is the quintessential bozo.
A bozo means wazzock –
a stupid person, a clown, buffoon, and nincompoop – the type of nouns commonly
associated to Donald Trump.
Moreover, Maleye also
gloats on his physical attributes, as well as fortune, no matter how crooked,
and the media are fascinated with him for entertainment value.
Ayodele Fayose, Former
Ekiti Governor:Fayose is
another rabble-rouser that exhibits the typical Trump characteristics. He is
street-talking, cavalier, incoherent, unapologetic but a goon of charismatic
celebrity, who draws followers by parading fantasy as fact. The former Ekiti
governor too wants to be president, but that is where the comparison ends.
Orji Kanu, Senate
Chief Whip:Kalu is the
garrulous former Abia State governor whose background not only evinces
everything wrong with politics but also echoes that of the American president.
Kalu is bold and charismatic
and, of course, owes his climb to power to make-believe wealth base. Though he
has long aspired to be president, the Senate Chief Whip is a tub-thumper with
no known political or religious beliefs who was merely wagering at the ruling
APC before he was convicted for corruption.
Kalu would have
emerged as a near perfect Nigerian Trump, but the former Abia governor
mis-gambled big time with his current party.
Muhammadu Buhari,
Nigeria’s President:For sure, Buhari
is a slowpoke, as well as a goldbrick. He is neither charismatic nor
loquacious. More essentially, he cannot claim to know what it takes to create
jobs or wealth.
Thus, he may appear to
pale in comparison to Donald Trump, but the truth is that the Nigerian leader
actually has more in common with the American president. To begin with, Buhari
is a stone-cold bigot who has sustained power through demagoguery. In addition,
he is by far the most vengeful, divisive, tribalistic, sectionalistic, nepotic,
and toxic leader Nigeria has ever seen.
The similarity grows
closer when considered that both Trump and Buhari thrive in hypocrisy. For
instance, they assumed power in their respective countries preaching integrity,
virtue, and righteousness only to gain the power to embrace corruption, utter
disregard for rule of law, and abuse of office as way of governance.
Not to be forgotten,
the Buhari apologists never fail to brandish the bad examples of President
Trump as excuse for the unending moral deficiencies of the Nigerian leader.
Very significantly, despite their moral failings, their respective political
parties never hesitated to coalesce behind the unrepentant leaders.
That explains why
Trump may never be removed from office by the American Senate dominated by his
party. Such blind following is also the major reason the Nigerian Senate has
not attempted to impeach Buhari, let alone removing the failing leader from
office. The posterity beckons. The masses grapple.
•SKC Ogbonnia,
Convener of Power To The Masses, writes from Ugbo, Enugu State, Nigeria.