President Buhari
A
Nigerian columnist and writer has penned an interesting piece on his
perception on the reason President Muhammadu Buhari is seeking for a
second term.
My Fellow Nigerians!
I'm here today to tell you that I have decided to run for
re-election. This ends months of speculation about whether I'll seek a
second term. I'm sure my decision to run at 75, growing criticism of my
performance, my five months stay in the UK to treat undisclosed ailment,
the uncertainty, and fear in the nation, you'll expect me to retire to
Daura. The opposite is true: I'm responding to the clamor by Nigerians
to seek a second term.
First and foremost, let me express my profound gratitude for your
unprecedented level of patience shown me in the past three years.
Nigerians have never been so generous to show such level of patience and
tolerance for any of our past leaders known for their incompetence.
Let my record speak for me. Cast your votes for me based on my
record. For the past three years, my administration has been plagued
with failures, crises, and chaos across every socioeconomic and
political sectors. I must humbly admit that the likes have never been
seen before. Within a year that I took office, the economy which had
till then grown at an average of 7% in previous years (2011-2014)
nosedived into recession. Naira, our currency, has lost 70% of its
value. Food prices tripled across the nation. Unemployment rose from 6.5
to 26%. Petroleum prices at the pump jumped to 67%. President Muhammadu
Buhari
I have not kept my campaign promises. The two million jobs every
year is a flat out lie. The two million housing units every year is a
ruse. Restructure is a ploy. Infrastructure is a mirage. Electricity
supply is erratic, unavailable and worse than before. In fact, Nigerians
now pay more for darkness than for light. On health, nothing new is
happening. Indeed, our hospitals have been certified and approved for
non-humans. Safety and security in the land is zero. Boko Haram remains
stronger, more dangerous, more unpredictable, and unconquerable. The war
against Boko Haram is unwinnable. I have since given up. I'm afraid,
the Chibok girls are lost for ever.
A year ago, I declared victory on war against corruption. Apart
from the occasional harassment and media trial on front pages of
newspapers, none of the sharks and whales of corruption has been jailed.
Under my watch, government waste is on the rise. Members of my kitchen
cabinet particularly the ones close to me at Aso Rock who were caught in
the twin cobweb of greed and graft were swiftly excused by me. It's on
record that the 2016 Budget year was passed without implementation. You
may not know this: The Central Bank foreign reserves are being shared
among some highly connected and favored Bureau De Change operators.
I realize that I'm very unpopular for my history of bigotry,
nepotism, dictatorial tendencies, scary and strange policies. In this
regard, I'm sincerely grateful for the support given me by my ardent
supporters and loyalists – the Buharists – who eagerly and always shield
me from personal attacks by raking up all sorts of excuses at all times
by blaming the Jonathan administration, political opponents, political
appointees, and the late Libyan President Qaddafi, anything and anybody
except me.
My fellow Nigerians, remember it took me three months to appoint my
Chief of Staff, six months to form a cabinet, and more than 23 months
to appoint heads of agencies and board members. I promise I will do it
all over again in my second term. This is why I'm running. This is why
you must re-elect me. This is how I'll take you to the next level. May
Nigeria succeed.
And God bless Nigeria!
************
By: Bayo Oluwasanmi (bjoluwasanmi@gmail.com) for SaharaReporters.
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