By Comrade A. M. Nasiru
Going by the events and state of things at the build up to and even during the 2015 general election, anyone in his right senses will not only be against former President Goodluck Jonathan’s government but go the extramile of drumming for a change in the central government of the country. It is perhaps, for this reason, that most Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora, particularly those who had no friend or relative in government rallied round the APC, via the current President Muhammadu Buhari’s candidature which was the bride of almost all Nigerians at that time.
What was even more interesting to remember is the citizens mass revolt which was so strong that many of us had to, from our very little resources support the presumed “messiah” with monetary support as extorted by a unique BSO card that ranged from as low as one hundred to one thousand Naira.
Fast forward to year 2020, almost five years later, you will not deny the fact that it isn’t that Jonathan was doing nothing, the people of Nigeria only wanted a better and more prosperous nation which with all sincerity, the Buhari led Federal Government has so far, failed to give. Among many things for whoever wants to differ on this to ponder is why the President’s most objective criticisms has always come from within.
Unlike many blind Buharists who are too unapologetic to see anything wrong with the Buhari led Federal Government, the Buhari’s supposed closest friend and mother of his youngest children who is also the mother of the Nation, has in the spirit of true patriotism and total allegiance to the nation against the avarice of her wishes, severally decried some of the failed expectations of Nigerians and history will surely be kind to her someday.
Apart from an assumed failure to fight institutional corruption well enough amidst what was termed as a too much weakness in tackling insecurity, the former President Jonathan did reasonably well in other areas of assessment which includes economy, health, education and infrastructural development. Alas, he suffered Brandon Sanderson’s theory of leadership which says “A man can only lead when others accept him as their leader, and he has only as much authority as his subjects give to him. All of the brilliant ideas in the world cannot save your kingdom if no one will listen to them.”
True to the foregoing words, all of Jonathan’s ideas and sincere intentions were neither listened to or given a second thought. Instead, the last drop of people that stayed with him were only around for his colored notes and so, their presence could only be likened to the morning dew which only waits for the rising sun to evaporate. That is however not the problem, the problem is how long would we continue to mortgage the future while other third world countries are on the fastest technology and economic growth?
The reality of our pain is about we who hopes to lead this nation tomorrow. Irrespective of what we do, where we are and what we think of the present administration; whatever is bequeathed to us at its end is the foundation we shall be laying upon. The question therefore is this – are we happy with the aggregate ‘concrete and mixture’ that is been used for the foundation of the house we intend to live in tomorrow? Will the current ‘mixture’ be strong enough to serve our purpose and have we really made efforts for a better foundation? I leave the answer with you and your conscience to answer.
Insecurity has today become a serious national concern that both chambers of the National Assembly has called for the removal of the service Chiefs, the National Security Adviser has accused the Chief of Staff to the President of Meddlesomeness, North Eastern Governors has underscored the military, public opinion moulders has berated security apparatus, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps has lost the minimal ability to defend even her own Personnel while kidnapping, highway robbery, banditory attacks and cyber crime have all been taken to their highest toll. Let’s not talk about road networks as the quest for safety on highways has overridden the consciousness of many Nigerians on how bad most “trunk A” roads are.
Yet, everyone seem to be comfortable until they are directly affected. Not for any reason, simply because it is Buhari. But in reality, Buhari is like every other human being – very fallible.
Avoiding blind loyalty for a moment, we all can’t imagine how corrupt and deceitful security issues have been turned into a conduit pipe for embezzlement of public funds under this Buhari’s government until He is out of office. Despite the increasing operations of Boko Haram on daily basis, the Nigerian Pension Commission made a shocking revelation recently. According to a statement credited to the Pension Commission, “72.5% totalling 6.16Trillion Naira of the Pension funds had been borrowed to the Federal Government and invested on securities”.
Just before you sigh, Coln. Sambo Dasuki’s crime that led to his ongoing trial and four years incarceration was acting on Presidential orders to allegedly squander a $2.1bln totalling about 360Billion Naira loan supposedly borrowed for the nation’s security challenges and that money is less than one tenth(¹/10) of what PENCOM has allegedly borrowed Federal Government in this dispensation. So, if the “technically defeated” claims against Boko Haram is true, only God knows what these monies were used for.
Away from security matters which are unambiguously worse than ever; health they say is wealth and that can be said to only be a phenomenon of previous government for arguably, the present government does more of talking than walking the talk. For instance, Ebola outbreak killed less than five (5) Nigerians during President Jonathan and a national emergency was declared against the killer virus which was contained. Today, after a first occurrence of Lassa fever, it resurfaced this year killing forty one (41) people and affected about three hundred (300) people nationwide but all attention seem to be more on the Coronavirus which no case has been recorded in Africa, let alone Nigeria and the reason is not farfetched, the current heads of our health institutions prefers talking than working.
By and large, just like Jonathan in 2011, President Muhammadu Buhari enjoyed overwhelming, humbling and resolute support of Nigerians into the run for the presidency in 2015. The election was squarely won even before the day set for the poll because of some major factors which Jonathan couldn’t have done anything about. These factors are but not limited to his “unquestionable” integrity as at that time, National security, anti corruption credentials as well as a massive northern support.
Alas, it wasn’t so for the Daura born Major General(Rtd) in 2019. Strong opposition arose from a suddenly questionable integrity, the unjustifiable end to insurgency, alleged selective fight against corruption and a divided north as not only was He contesting against a Northernmost figure in person of a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, but lost trust of some core northern figures who were at the front burner of his campaign in 2015. To mention but a few were the opposing candidate himself, Atiku Abubakar, Former Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Sen Bukola Sarki and Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara respectively, former presidential aspirant, Sen Rabiu Kwankwaso, an erstwhile ally, Alh Buba Galadima, Governors of Benue, Kwara, and Sokoto etc.
Whether politically or otherwise motivated, these oppositions had a significant impact on the election as the APC lost a handful of States in 2019 owing to the fact that many Nigerians now see the Buhari led APC as a renaissance of the previous norme of a selective few enriching only themselves while humiliating the hopes and expectations of the people who once thought the emergence of Buhari will be the beginning of a new era. Like Nelson Mandela always said during his lifetime, the time is never late to do the right thing.
Jonathan once complained of “cabals” and the nation accused him of incompetence. Today, the nation believes Buhari but blames his weaknesses on “cabals” hijacking the presidency. If it is the sincere wish of Buhari to make things better, may God support him and if all he desires is the satisfaction of a selected few, may they all end like their predecessors.
I’ll end by leaving you with this to ponder upon. Nigeria’s total public debt stock as at September 2015 was 12.3trln Naira and as at September 2019, the total public debt stock rose to 26.2trln Naira. What it means is that – a 13.9 trln Naira increment occurred in four years.
Are we moving forward or backward?
Comr Nasiru is a public policy analyst and can be reached on naadejohs@gmail.com or his Twitter handle – @amnasiru
