Buhari, Stolen Speech

He wasn't even elected for his communication skills, let's be honest.

The world has focused on the President's plagiarism slip in the last couple of days, but there's been a few more gaffes from the Buhari-stable that left us scratching our heads.

Here goes...

1. Buhari gets the name of his running mate wrong

"The chairman of our great party, Chief Oyegun. My Excellency, my Vice Presidential candidate...Yemi Osinbade...."

It was January, 2015 and candidate Muhammadu Buhari (APC) was on the stump in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

Making an appearance alongside the standard bearer of the opposition party, was Vice Presidential candidate Yemi Osinbajo...and not Osinbade (whoever that was)!!!

2. President Buhari's 97% address was cringe-worthy

 “I hope you have a copy of the election results. The constituents, for example, that gave me 97% [of the vote] cannot in all honesty be treated on some issues with constituencies that gave me 5%. I think these are political realities".

Newly elected President Muhammadu Buhari graces an interactive session at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), Washington DC, on July 22, 2015.

Undersecretary of State for African Affairs, Johnnie Carson, was moderating the Q&A session.

"My question relates to another area of Nigeria that hasn't gotten a lot of attention during this trip and that is the Niger Delta. It's a challenge that you are going to face. I wonder if you would tell us how you intend to approach it with particular reference to the amnesty, bunkering, and inclusive development?", posed Dr. Pauline Baker, the President Emeritus of The Fund for Peace.

Buhari who had promised to unite a divided electorate after his victory at the ballot, left everyone, including his die-hard supporters, confused and disappointed with his response above.

The Niger Delta militants who had gone quiet on account of an amnesty deal, still reference the President's response on the day as one reason why they resumed blowing up gas installations in the creeks.

Their sabotage operations have since crippled the nation's economy.

And then, the Biafra agitators received a shot in the arm to commence a fresh struggle.

3. Buhari doesn't realise that West Germany is no longer on the map

"I was personally invited by G7. And I was asked to brief the G7. I was impressed with the tremendous sympathy they have for this sub-region--Lake Chad Basin sub-region. Their humanitarian approach to the issue, to say the least is very, very impressive. And all of them...from President Obama, to the Chairman of G7 President Merchel of West Germany..."

First off, Angela Merkel (and not President Merchel) is Chancellor of Germany (and not West Germany).

But you wouldn't have guessed that from watching Buhari speak.

4. Buhari doesn't trust his own memory

“I am not too confident about my memory. Let me answer one question at a time.”

While everyone suffers an occasional memory loss, this was akin to arming critics of the President who kept harping that he's a senile so and so during the electioneering campaigns.
 

5. Buhari reads Obama's speech as his

And as straight-faced as you'd like. It took an eagle-eyed journalist to uncover it all.

A nameless and faceless Deputy Director has since been hung to dry for the embarrassment.

And we are still just halfway through the Buhari presidency.