THE ARROGANCE OF FAILURE .
1.0. It is no longer a fairly tale that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has failed us. What baffles me most is the arrogance and the pride exhibited by the President and his lieutenants in the face of this holistic failure. Mr. President, it is shameful that you take pride in the fact that you failed woefully in fulfilling your campaign promises made to millions of Nigerians. You cannot come on national television and tell Nigerians your administration has done well. The world knows that this is the worst administration in the history of Nigeria. That you are insensitive and thoughtless to the plight of Nigerians does not mean you should also call Nigerians fools. That you do not care about the survival of the poor masses and do not value the lives of Nigerians should not give you the impetus to lie to us.
2.0. Mr. President, I will painstakingly enumerate the promises you and your administration made to millions of Nigerians riding the crest of the ‘change’ and ‘next level’ mantras into your first and second administrations, by presenting the dividends the country stands to gain through your leadership and please enlighten us on those areas you think you did well. Below are the promises you made to Nigerians:
a. Ban on government officials from going abroad for medical treatment and improve the quality of our healthcare delivery. Well, I do not think that Mr. President remembers making this promise because Mr. President had gone to the United Kingdom more than I could count for treatment of an undisclosed ailment and medical check-up. You epitomize a leader who cannot even keep to his promise. You are a leader who cannot even lead by example. What a shame!
b. Mr. President, you and you administration also promised creation of three million jobs per year, however, instead of creating three million jobs per year which could have culminated in a total of (21) twenty-one million jobs in seven years, however, the unemployment rate under your administration has risen to 45%, the highest in at least 13 years and the second highest rate in the world. Interestingly, a key element of your campaign mantra in 2015 and 2019 was job creation, but this is where we are.
Report has it that between May 2015 and September 2021, Nigeria’s unemployment rate has more than tripled. World Bank estimates that additional 7 million Nigerians have been pushed into poverty in 2020 due to falling purchasing power. This makes the total number of poor people to be 90 million from 82.9 million in 2019. “You are doing well” Mr. President.
c. Buhari’s administration also promised to build one of the fastest-growing emerging economies in the world with a real GDP growth averaging 10 per cent annually. However, instead of building one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, the Nigerian economy slipped into recession and has since been struggling amidst high inflation, high-interest rate and depleting foreign reserves.
It is regrettable, to say the least, that President Buhari has only succeeded in ruining the once robust economy handed over to him by the last administration in 2015 and has turned Nigeria into an unenviable poverty capital of the world, where over 82.9 million once-thriving Nigerians can no longer afford their daily meals and other necessities of life. A new World Bank report says that Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari will lose the economic gains it made in the last decade at the end of 2021. “By the end of 2021, Nigeria’s GDP is likely to approach its 2010 level, thus reversing a full decade of economic growth”.
The exchange rate depreciation continues despite increasing CBN’s FX interventions. The foreign exchange market continues to witness supply shortage to meet its demand. As of today, the exchange rate is N565 per US$1 dollar and the devastating effect of same on economy of our nation cannot even be fathom, yet Mr. President and his administration believe they have done well.
d. Also the generation, transmission and distribution of at least 20,000 MW of electricity within four years and increasing to 50,000 MW with a view to achieving 24/7 uninterrupted power supply within 10 years was the promise Mr. President made to us, however, we have situation that shows no improvement and far off the megawatts promised to be delivered yearly by the administration.
e. Is it Infrastructure? Unveiling his second term plans to improve the country’s infrastructure desperately, Mr Buhari promised to complete the Lagos- Ibadan-Kano Rail, Eastern Rail (Port-Harcourt-Maiduguri) taking the network through Aba, all South-east state capitals, Makurdi, Jos, Bauchi and Gombe, and the Coastal Rail (Lagos-Calabar). He promisesd to move broadband coverage to 120,000km of fibre network across Nigeria. However, none has been achieved till date. Several roads in Nigeria are in a bad state and works on them have been ongoing for several years, gulping billions of taxpayers’ money with dismal results.
f. Human Capital Enhancement Services – Healthcare, Education: Buhari’s administration vowed 10,000 schools per year will be remodeled and equipped. For the healthcare, he promises insurance for all using co-payments to share the cost between individuals, the private sector and government while the poorest 40 per cent will be exempted from such co-payments, yet none has been fulfilled.
g. Mr. President, you also promised to fight corruption and insecurity in the country. Today, Nigeria is the hub of corrupt practices. There is no accountability and transparency in the handling of recovered loots and property. Massive and pervasive corruption is still going on almost unabated, and some of those allegedly involved include persons very close to you and top government officials.
h. In the area of insecurity, Mr. President, you can agree with me that Nigeria is far less secure than in 2015. The armed bandits, kidnappers, unknown gunmen and boko haram are having a field day killing, maiming, destroying private and public property and dispossessing people. It is truly frightening, appalling and unbelievable that this could happen under your administration, yet you claim you have done well.
3.0. This year 2022, marked seven years since Mr Buhari took power as Nigeria’s president, after defeating former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 and winning re-election in 2019. He has just less than one year left to complete two maximum four-year terms. His seven-year reign as president has seen the nation wriggle through numerous economic challenges, with inflation and unemployment at worse levels than he met them. And it is disheartening to see that the President has reneged on his promises on security, the economy and improving the overall quality of citizens’ lives by lifting millions out of poverty.
4.0. I have painstakingly listed the President’s electoral promises, which is by no means exhaustive, just to serve as a major instrument to proactively engage the Buhari administration on its performance over these years and provide bench marks in seeking democratic accountability, service delivery and also remind them they have failed us on the promises they made.
5.0. Mr. President, if you cannot keep your promises, please don’t take pride in it by saying you have done well. But know that history will remember you as the worst President Nigeria has ever produced, a President who could not keep his word and promises made to his citizens. We are just left with hope that Nigerians will still have a nation we can call our own after your administration which is just less than one year. We are also left with hope that your administration in this “injury time” listens to the yearning of the masses and fulfill its promises. IN AN UNJUST SOCIETY, SILENCE IS A CRIME.
God bless theFederal Republic of Nigeria.
Signed .
Sen. Dino Melaye .
31/01/2022.
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