How would one assess President Goodluck Jonathan's performance as commander in chief of the armed forces? Under his leadership the army appears to lack both leadership and strategic direction. There have been numerous misadventures by Nigerian troops on peacekeeping missions. Engagements with Boko haram have been spectacularly unsuccessful. There was a calamitous failure to take advantage of the resources and goodwill readily available following the kidnapping of the girls of Chibok. It wasn't until a week before the elections were due to go ahead that the heads of national security and the armed forces realised they had a responsibility to secure key locations where voting was expected to take place. Cameroun and Chad have made more progress against Boko Haram in two months than Nigeria has made in ten years. Instead the armed forces are populated with pot bellied pigs masquerading as officers.
That is not to say that Muhammad Buhari has that much more to offer despite his having been a general in the army. When he was head of state he showed himself to be lacking in ideas and leadership skills. It's hard to know if he is more capable now but his performance as a presidential candidate has not given much cause for enthusiasm. He has been embroiled in a crisis over a secondary school certificate, and refused to take part in an election debate but ends up in London campaigning for votes amongst the ineligible.
Things are really looking up for national security in Nigeria.
