10 similarities between Buhari and Trump

Trump

Buhari       Pictures: Wikipedia

When Donald Trump was announced as winner of the U.S. presidential elections, Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari likened himself to the American because, according to him, both of them suffered media harassment prior to the elections.

“I was attacked. Trump was attacked. I was hated. Trump was hated. We’re kind of like brothers,” President Buhari said.
And both somehow managed to overcome the media hostility to win.

However, as unlikely as this sounds, there are lots of other similarities between the former army General and the billionaire businessman. Although both men are as different as night and day, I still managed to dig out some glaring similarities.

Here are 10 of them:
1

Buhari and Trump are the oldest to assume the Presidency in their respective countries. Buhari was 72 years old when he took over in May 29, 2015. Trump, who will assume office on January 20, 2017, turned 70 in June.
2

 The wives of both men are in their 40s. Aisha Buhari is 45 (born on February 17, 1971) while Melania is 46 (born on April 26, 1970).

3

Their wives are icons in the beauty industry. Mrs. Buhari is a cosmetologist and beauty therapist. She holds a post-graduate diploma in cosmetology and beauty from Academy Esthetique Beauty Institute of France and recently published a book “Essentials of Beauty Therapy: A Complete Guide for Beauty Specialists.”

On the other hand, Melania Trump is a former model and has graced the pages of numerous fashion magazines. She has also appeared in adverts.
4

Both men have been divorced. Buhari divorced his first wife Safinatu in 1988 and married Aisha the next year. Trump divorced Ivana in 1991 and married Marla Maples then got divorced again in 1999. He married Melania in 2005.

5

The two men have many children. Buhari has 10 children from his two marriages while Trump has five, the highest since President Ronald Reagan (1981-1989). In contrast, America’s most recent presidents have very small families. Bill Clinton has one child, George W. Bush has two children, and Barak Obama also has two.
6

Buhari and Trump were voted on the promise of change and making their country great again. While Nigerians brought in Buhari to rid the country of corruption and boost the economy, Trump won because of his promise to reform sectors like healthcare and education as well as the renegotiation of trade deals with other countries.
7

Both have grossly divided their people. After elections those who supported President Goodluck Jonathan still find it hard to accept President Buhari. Former President Obasanjo said a few months ago that Nigeria is “more fractured” now than any time since the Civil War.

After Trump was declared winner, thousands of Americans have been protesting his victory in major cities across the country – the first in recent history.
8

Both chose lawyers and committed Christians as vice presidents. Buhari picked Osinbajo, a pastor and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Trump chose Mike Pence, a born again Christian, who once owned a law firm before joining politics.
9

The two men pooh-poohed the power of incumbency. Buhari defeated President Jonathan while Trump overcame Hillary Clinton who was heavily supported by President Obama.
10

Both men have run for the highest office before. Buhari contested for the presidency under the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in 2003 and 2007 then Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in 2011.
Trump, who has at various times been a member of the Democratic, Republican and Reform parties, flirted with the idea of running for president in 1988, 2004, and 2012. He ended up not entering those races. In 1999, he filed an exploratory committee to seek the presidential nomination of the Reform Party but dropped out of the race due to party infighting. However, he still won the party’s primaries in Michigan and California after dropping out.

If at first you don’t succeed…