It is two years since the government of Muhammadu Buhari was
inaugurated on May 29, 2015. Governments all over the world are put in place to
make life better for citizens. In our case, the Constitution is very clear on
why we have governments. In Chapter Two, the Constitutions under the heading –
Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy, clearly
outlines the goodies citizens are to enjoy from government, especially after
citizens have performed their own civic duties. Therefore, from the point of
the Constitution, citizens have a legitimate responsibility to expect from
government. And when their expectations are not met, they also have a duty to
ask why, after two budget years.
In addition to the generous provisions in the Constitution,
political parties also add their promises via manifestos and campaign
programmes. That was exactly what the All Progressives Congress (APC) did when
they asked for votes in 2014. They promised heaven on earth and whetted
citizens’ appetite. The manifesto of the APC is a good one, well articulated
and perhaps, with good intentions. They promised to bring down the price of
petrol per litre to less than N50 at a time it sold for N87 or thereabout. They
promised good roads, railways and good housing. They promised to narrow the gap
between the Naira and Dollar, as a matter of fact, it was parity that was
promised by our now president, to make it one to one. What about electricity,
oh, that was the easiest of all. There will be thousands of megawatts in six
months. So, in addition to what the Constitution already provided, the APC
added jara and people were a falling on one another to pick their voter cards,
in order to install a progressive government. What about the promise to feed
all primary school children one meal per day? Didn’t the APC take inventory of
what it would cost and the numbers involved? If after two years, only seven
states out of 36 are struggling to implement the programme, shouldn’t we ask
questions?
If after two years people are now taking stock and reminding
government of promises made voluntarily and not under any form of duress,
should that be recorded as sin on their part, or that they are no longer
patriotic? If we do not ask now and demand accountability, is it when campaigns
for 2019 are in top gear by May 2018 that will be deemed appropriate to ask for
dividends of democracy? People in government should deal fairly with we masses.
This is the only thing we can do, to ask politely why things are tough. And it
is the duty of government to politely explain that they were either not too
prepared or that they thought governance was going to be easy. Nigerians are
fair people and I’m sure they will understand. But don’t dare rob lack of
capacity on their faces.
It seems to me that this government wants to be clever by
half. And it is difficult to help persons and governments that are puffed with
conceit. If you are having challenges, level with the people and ask for
understanding. Don’t attempt to browbeat!
On the occasion of its first 100 days in office, Nigerians
were told to award government that period as honeymoon. Lagos politician and
frontline APC leader, Bola Tinubu said so. He said so because there was nothing
on ground to suggest some motion. Instead of hitting the ground running with a
list of ministers, the President said he was keeping the list to his chest. He
didn’t want influential politicians to nominate ministers so that they will not
corrupt his cabinet.
From 100 days to six months, there were no minsters. When
the list finally came, it was not inspiring, but since that was the best Buhari
could find from more than 160million Nigerians, the people had to accept and
continue to expect. While the cabinet waited for budget 2016 to empower them,
they entertained us with tales of how the previous government plundered the
treasury, leaving nothing to be scavenged. Well, Budget 2016 expired two weeks
ago and this is the time for each ministry to list what they have achieved in
two years.
The one in charge of works, for instance should list the
kilometer of roads his ministry has constructed or reconstructed, with graphic
details and how much was spent, including the names and addresses of the
contractors. He should explain why many lives have been dispatched to untimely
grave in the last one year on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, where work has been
ongoing forever.
Since he also manages power, he should explain why we are
stagnant and cannot move beyond 3,000 megawatts of electricity in two years. If
problems were inherited, can’t solution be found and is that not why there is
government? Can’t there be will power to review power reforms carried out by
the last administration? Nigerians know that Babatunde Fashola is an achiever,
but he is bogged down by federal bureaucracy, the same monster that has not
allowed Nigeria to move an inch forward since 1960. Fashola cannot do much if
the power architecture is not restructured to decentralize power production and
distribution beyond what the Jonathan government did. Let regions and states
operate at all levels in the power chain and free it from the strangle hold of
the Federal Government. Let states with dams generate and distribute within
their catchment zones; let those that have gas generate, sell and pay taxes to
the Federal Government. But to continue to see power as a federal character
instrument is a fraudulent endeavor that won’t take this country far.
It is the same fraud that has been peddled since 1966, when
the military took advantage of politicians’ indiscretion to perpetuate
laziness, theft and injustice. Sincere persons in this government and in APC
know that Nigeria is not working because of the fraudulent federal system that
was foisted by the military. They have realised early enough that even the best
of political parties and governments with best of intentions cannot achieve
much with the present system. They are the ones now calling for restructuring,
including former vice president, Abubakar Atiku, and of recent, Tinubu, Rauf
Aregbesola, Tony Momoh. But they are not helped by an APC that is now
rudderless and adrift. This party has not met for once at its most critical
stages since it formed government, to critically appraise the task it willingly
took upon itself. There is a president who is not interested in politics, apart
from the raw power it bestows.
When the APC coalition was berthed, Nigerians didn’t need
miracle workers. Nigeria needed sincere leaders who would put her on the slab
and frankly dissect and rework her. When the APC came on board, the country had
already been wheeled into intensive care as a result of severe structural
ailments that overpowered its systems. What Nigeria needed was a leader who
would behave like Mandela, take no hostages, but ask genuine stakeholders how
to transform a potentially great country that has been frustrated by regional
politics, religion and indolence. They thought a returnee Buhari would be that
leader, and they sincerely handed him the awesome powers of president. Alas,
Buhari had not changed one bit from his old self, vengeful and fossilized in
old habits.
In one year, we have seen many deaths of Shiite members in
Kaduna, many from wanton killer herdsmen in Agatu and all over, in addition to
economic militias roaming freely as if egged on by acquiescing anti crime
agencies. We have heard more frantic calls for restructuring and threats from
some persons to annihilate others if they dare ask for dissolution of the
present system. Never before have regional cleavages been this acrimonious, as
Ango Abdulahi of the ACF and Junaid Mohammed of no fixed political address, are
sparring with Afenifere of the Southwest and Ohanaeze of the Southeast. The
South-south is on holiday, waiting for vice, sorry Acting President Osinbajo to
deliver as he promised.
For me, it is not just the economy, bad roads and no
electricity. These are symptoms. It is poor leadership. We need a leader!
By Alabi Williams
