Where Is The “Change” APC and Buhari Promised?
By Umar Farouk
I remembered with nostalgia how a friend amidst euphoria triggered by the declaration of the 2015 presidential election result cautioned with these few words; “men will change their ruler expecting to fare better; this expectation induces them to take up arm against him, but they only deceive themselves, and they learn from experience that they have made matters worse’.
Still, in that milieu, I had reminded my friend that the result ushered in a season of integrity in the country, he again replied thus; no single attribute could be identified as a ‘virtue’. Remember! He added, ‘Politics has its own rules’.
Three years after that conversation, (2015 to 2018), I cannot categorically say that my friend was right or wrong in his prediction. But the present mode in the country explains two things; first, apart from the fact that the shout of integrity which hitherto rents the nation’s political space has faded like a lightout, jeer has since overtaken the cheers of political performance while fears has displaced reason resulting in an entirely separate set of consequences, irrational hatred and division.
Today, if objective analysis can replace emotional discussion regarding the present state of Nigeria, it is obvious that if what prompted the November 2018 piece was a challenge, it will not be characterized as an overstatement to assert that the propeller of today’s intervention is a crisis. As many that bought into the ‘change’ and ‘Next Level’ mantras sold to them by current administration in 2015 and 2019 respectively are presently at a crossroad.
Today has been five years amd counting since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office as Commander in chief of the federal republic of Nigeria, with APC as a ruling party. But, before their emergence into power, they had carried out several political campaigns where they made numerous sweet promises to Nigerians, the people they had wanted to serve. Recall that Buhari had been in the Presidential race since 2003, but never succeeded until 2015, when he was finally given the opportunity to helm the affairs of Nigeria as a democratically elected president.
President Buhari and APC who had promised “change” also rolled out three major points of agenda which their administration will focus on. These were to be in the areas of Security, Economy, Unemployment and Corruption. They had promised to tighten security in the country, grow the economy of Nigeria and clean corruption off the system. All these they promised before assuming power.
Buhari and APC during their campaigns in 2015, sweet tongued innocent Nigerians to believe that they had the ultimate solution to the challenges that rocked the country, this made many Nigerians believe that Buhari was the “messiah” who will turn things around for good and bring Nigeria out of shackles. One can also say we fell for them at that time considering the challenges the country faced which the past administration was finding very difficult to handle. As a retired General and former head of state, they felt his coming will put a stop to all these.
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On 29 May 2015, the awaited time came and President Buhari was sworn-in. Since then, Nigerians have been quite optimistic about his leadership. We waited on the President who had promised to equal the Naira to dollar, we expected to buy a litre of fuel for N45, we awaited the economy which they also felt was in a bad state to do better. We believed it was a time when we will never hear of the Boko Haram insurgents anymore, we felt the security of the country would be better managed under Buhari. Among other things, we expected zero tolerance for corruption.
However, months have passed, years have passed, but things have worsened instead of getting better as expected. We are worried as this is not what the man we even referred to as “Mr Integrity” promised. However, To ease the pressure put upon them by the people, instead of the President and the ruling party “APC” to look for solutions to the challenges confronting the government, they have rather ventured into the business of blame. They found it better to blame their predecessors for the failure of their administration, according to them, the country had been damaged for 16years before they took over and so, they could not fix it within the twinkle of an eye. But they did not tell Nigerians that they could not fix what has been damaged for sixteen years within four years when they needed our votes. Instead, so why the excuses?
The economy of Nigeria weakened by the day, the naira which they promised would be equal to dollar, became weaker as days pass. Price of essential commodities where on the rise, as if that is not enough, the situation of insecurity worsened as corruption still remains a norm in the system.
I thought Baba and APC promised “change”, is this the change? the people are asking. During the past administration which Buhari and his political associates criticized, the economy of the country was doing far better than it is today. As at today, Price of essential commodities have doubled, the people are complaining, yet, they have not found any solution to these problems. The country under them has become the opposite of the promises they made to Nigerians, But they are still blaming others.
The security challenges in Nigeria has entered into a new gear, from Boko Haram which is still a concern came Fulani Herdsmen who have been killing innocent Nigerians while grazing on their farmlands.
Bandits have taken over the northern part of Nigeria, the people are been killed daily, but Buhari is not bothered. In fact, his administration has become more compassionate for cows than humans.
The corruption they promised to fight if they cone into power is still thriving under their nose, while they watch. Even when they appear to be fighting corruption, it is selective. They protect their party memebers in while they drag others for public prosecution. Is that how to fight corruption?
I was one of Nigerians who voted Buhari and APC in 2015, and we voted them because we believed they will bring solution to the problem and not to blame others for the problem.
They successfully completed a first tenure without fulfilling the major promises they made to Nigerians and they was still re-elected for another four years. This is the first year of their second tenure and nothing has changed for the better, instead things are becoming worse.
APC should not forget that they promised to bring “change” and not to blame. Well, the continuous blame game being played by the them will leave one with no option but to conclude that they certainly have no idea of growing the economy, neither do they have an idea of fighting corruption or curbing insecurity.
Nigerians are fast becoming tired of this administration and the only way for APC and Buhari to please Nigerians is to bring the change they promised or take the country back to the manageable state it used to be.
They still hace three more years to do this or else, this administration may be recorded as the worst in the history of democracy in Nigeria.
Umar writes from Jigawa, via 07032843368, [email protected]
Arewa Agenda is a Publication of young writers from Northern Nigeria towards Peaceful Coexistence and National Development through positive narratives.
