Setting out to address a subject of this nature
appears a huge task for me with reasons. I am neither in government nor any party’s
card carrying member. But as one of those who campaigned seriously for the
current president just before March 28th, 2015 elections, the onus
lies on me to access its successes, criticized its failures while setting
clearer agenda for its progress. Needleless to mention that inability of
sycophants of disposed GEJ administration to throng this path of honour was his
undoing. Some of them are lamenting
today for not having enough courage to cane the government they served when it
missed the road. Posterity judges those who embrace silence in the face of
absurdity.
Almost four decades
as a Nigerian, I am a concerned citizen about governance in Africa and
policies. In Nigeria particularly, when such policies have direct or indirect
impacts on living. Right from when I
knew A from B, power supply in Nigeria has always been in comatose. It is so up
till today. However, the focus of this
opinion today is neither lamenting the failures of the past nor predicting
blink future but objective assessment of president Buhari’s one year presidency
and wailing wailers (Opposition party members & pessimistic Nigerians)
achievements.
To the wailing wailers, there is no perfection in
humanity. Human imperfections should not
be excuses for failures. To Buhari and his team, you should always take cue
from the wailers wail and not throw the baby away with the bath water. Some
questions for the wailers. Should you
just wail because you need to? Shouldn’t your wailing have foundation and
genuine reasons? Should criticism just
become a job while throwing away common sense? Can a house destroyed for 16
years suddenly be fixed in one year? Shouldn’t a proper foundation be laid to
avoid sudden collapse? Truly, opposition
is a core bone of vibrant democracy. But when criticisms become tools for
feeding, as the case with some of you, then there is an urgent need to retool
and rethink. Clearly, the only feat your wailing has achieved in the last one
year is NOTHING. It has revealed the
emptiness of your brain and its valueless.
Buhari’s
Stand Against Corruption.
As we mark democracy day today as well as one year
administration of Buhari’s presidency, one cannot but remind Nigerians that what
President Buhari and his team promised us before last elections is CHANGE! Change means clear departure from the normal.
It is a definite step from away from the usual. The usual before March 28th, 2015 election
was impunity, poor leadership and directionless nation.
Change is an act or process through which something becomes different. We all
agreed our nation has been on a wrong direction for long. From military era to
the immediate past government, Nigeria was enmeshed in corruption. Everyone,
including the deaf, heard clearly Buhari’s promise of change. In my view,
president Buhari has kept faith with this promise in the last one year. Pains
and some hardship tag along this change, but we as a people must learn to defer
pleasure with little pains today.
His stands on
corruption fight, which we all taunt as our major enemy leaves no one in doubt.
What I feel the concerns of Nigeria enemies are the tenacity and brutality on
how the corruption war is being fought. Before you conclude Buhari is fighting
opposition party members alone, please take an objective question on who were
those in the helms of Nigeria affairs in the last 16 years of retrogression?
The revelations on how money meant to fight Boko Haram war was shared among
heartless people in power should be a thing of concern to you. The callousness,
unpatriotic and perfidy of minds these people have are beyond imaginations.
President Buhari’s
corruption fight in the last one year has been steadily focus with results. Just few weeks ago, we had the first
corruption victim, Ex – NIMASA boss, Raymond Omatseye jailed for 5 years over
1.5bn contract scam. National Publicity Secretary, PDP, Olisha Metuh is having
his days in court over corruption as well as Senate President, Bukola Saraki,
who incidentally is a top member of APC.
We have never heard such heart leaping news in the last 7 years,
particularly under our immediate past president, Goodluck Jonathan. It never
happened. Such is one change Nigerians
voted for last elections.
Buhari
2016 Budget Issues & Subsidy Removal.
In the history of
Nigeria, its citizens had never been aware of budget process like it is this
year. Citizens’ consciousness was geared up to the process of budget passage
because of the openness of Buhari’s administration and his determination for
change. Though some deadly politicians
tried to scuttle the process through national assembly, but thank goodness the
president has since signed the budget and citizens would begin to reap the
fruits.
Petroleum subsidy in
itself is not bad, but the Nigeria case leaves the subsidized citizens at the
mercy of the powerful and rich. Just last week, an international blogger, JJ
Omojuwa outlined clearly the difference between the 2012 and 2016 fuel hikes.
What made Nigerians refuted it 2012 was corruption. Today, Nigerians are not on
the street because the global oil realities do not exempt us. Also with the
current disposition of Buhari’s administration, Nigerians, though painful,
accepted the increase knowing fully well integrity is the hallmark of the government
being led by Buhari. Integrity, focus
and transparency were not found in the dictionary of Goodluck Jonathan’s team.
APC DEVELOPMENTAL AGENDA
If All Progressive
Congress (APC) has any agenda for overall development of Nigeria and Nigerians,
there is no best time to roll out than now.
We have tolerated the excuses enough and our patience for blaming the immediate
past government has dropped to zero level. Now there is a budget to run with,
take the fast lane and deliver.
APC led federal
government must get to work immediately as its time enters the second year today.
It does not appear to all that APC has proper coordination of its information machinery. A situation where the presidency issues a
statement contradicting ministry of Information on same issue lacks tact. Mr
President, you cannot move into second year of your administration with this
incoherent approach. It takes so much
away from you.
Recently, the opinion
of Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities at the Obafemi
Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Dr. Caleb Aborisade captures the views of those in
the education sector. “I have not seen any meaningful thing done by this
administration in the education sector. The only thing I know Buhari government
is doing is fighting corruption and he is doing that well.” As much as it good
to fight corruption, leaving education out of a national development is the
worst type of corruption ever exists.
Buhari needs to, at this
point, take an objective assessment of his ministers with a view of changing
the change agents where necessary.
Nigerians and international community expectations are high. He cannot
continue test run of ministers going forward. While commending performing ones,
he should press reset button on less performing ministers.
Happy Democracy Day,
Nigerians!
Sunday
Osanyintuyi, media consultant & PR strategist writes from Lagos.
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