The month of May has become symbolic with democracy in Nigeria. As
democracy day draws near Nigerians are slowly taking stock as they rate the
second coming of Buhari an abysmal low as his second year in office has bred
more pains than gains. Buhari
presidency: what a ride it has been?
Buhari regime has put out more than ten plans since they got
there. Which one has been implemented successfully? But I am thankful.
I am thankful because had Buhari not won, we would have been hearing the
balderdash of how this impeccable disciplinarian and man of integrity could
have made Nigeria great again
The statistics of migration released by Lagos State Government
cements the failure of a regime that promised much but offers little.
More children have been left abandoned and forgotten by their
parents on the streets of Lagos as the number trebled to a record high. This is
not unconnected with the deep poverty and recession Buhari has inflicted on
Nigerians. Many families cannot feed their children hence in desperation
abandon their children en masse on the streets of major cities. In the North
the record numbers of destitute street children left without an education or a
future is a testimony of how well Buhari has ruled without a plan or direction.
And Lagos State Government is perplexed. Record number of beggars
from Northern Nigeria have flooded Lagos in a mass exodus from the North.
Despite all the rosy tales of defeating Boko Haram in official circles, the
truth is hard to endure. Boko Haram is still devastating the North with suicide
bombers. 24 Million Northerners are faced with starvation having been displaced
from their homes and left to pestilence and strife in decrepit IDP camps.
Fleeing certain death, they troop to the only oasis in the desert, Lagos State.
Meanwhile across Nigeria the suicide rate has increased astronomically as
Nigeria's chose death over the continued sufferings inflicted by the regime.
Buhari came to pòwer promising enhanced security of lives and
property however, his score card is very poor. His vision to crush Boko Haram
in record time is left largely unfulfilled. Even the ever present Abubakar
Shekau who like as a cat with 9 lives remains alive and well by the regime's
admission despite many tales of death ascribed to him by the military high
command.
Fulani herdsmen and cattle rustlers have made the North one of the
most dangerous regions of the world. Kidnapping became the only source of
empowerment for the youths. This has driven many into fortified embattlements
to escape this scourge. Even the threat of a death sentence has not deterred
these criminals from their diabolical enterprise.
His policy of croonyism and nepotism has made life unbearable for
Nigerians who have seen their income dwindle to the barest minimum. Contrary to
what the regime wants Nigerians to believe, it was not Jonathan that devaluated
our Naira to near toilet paper status nor increased the price of fuel to record
levels. Only Buhari can hoodwink Nigerians into accepting more horsewhips with
a smile on their face. Instead of investing in modular refineries or legalising
and regulating local refining technology he has thrown his lot with Dangote and
his albatross of a refinery whose date for launch still remains unknown.
Creating another monopoly for his kinsman is the best he has to offer.
The down side of all this is a nation battling with a rising cost
of living and a deep suffocating recession.
Even his greatest achievement, the socalled anticorruption war
remains a charade to deceive the unwise. From wielding the big stick against
perceived political enemies to the show panel to exonerate loyalists the
substance of the anti-corruption war remains unclear. Less than a handful of
persons have been convicted for corruption as a whistleblower policy only
encourages media sensationalism while reducing the intellect of the apparachik
towards diligent investigation. And this belies why most cases fall flat once
subjected to the heat of a trial judge. Until the punishment is commiserate
with the crime the anti-corruption war is D.O.A: Dead On arrival. Showing
Nigerians piles of money only adds to the media frenzy but without a well spelt
out account on how this money is spent, the prospect of re-looting is quite
high. Hence to score the anti-corruption war 40% is a very high appropriate
score for a regime built on tokenism.
For the health sector Buhari scores 0%. He has embarked on
multiple medical vacations and has taken medical tourism to new heights renegading
on his campaign promise to end this unwholesome practice. He has failed to
implement the National health act designed to bring improved healthcare to all
Nigerians. The Nigerian Medical association have sued him in a
court of competent jurisdiction for this faux pas. Two years into his rule and
the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria remains rudderless without a
constituted board. This explains the high level of quackery in Nigeria and
the dwindling health indices of the nation. Under buhari the Pandora box
was opened and the pestilence is unprecedented. Polio that was eradicated under
Jonathan has made a healthy unexpected return. Lassa has killed record numbers.
Now cerebrospinal meningitis is killing the masses enmasse in his backyard.
This is totally unacceptable in sane climes. Heads ought to have rolled at this
height of decadence but to the army of sycophants this is the best thing
to have happened to Nigeria since sliced bread. The sick and dying in the
nation's hospitals might dare to have a different opinion.
Education is another utter failure with a healthy 0% as his
unenviable score. Never in the history of Nigeria have there been more children
out of school than presently. Girl child education has even plummeted further
especially with the protracted closure of Queens College Lagos, the nation's
number one girl child educational facility. Not even a whimper of concern has
been voiced by a moribund presidency at the tragedy in Queens College. But what
can one expect from someone whose warped sense of humour sees women's duties
relegated to the kitchen, living room and the other room.
It is with heavy hearts one watches the perpetual tinkering going
on in JAMB. From candidates fainting on long queues to criminal agencies
setting up phantom JAMB registration platforms designed to dupe
unsuspecting candidates, the whole landscape appears confused and disjointed.
The question remains why the constant experimentation with the minds of
our children. This does not make any sense at all.
Not a single new federal educational facility has been built or
refurbished under Buhari. This pales in comparison with his predecessors
drive to further tertiary education with 12 new Universities across the nation.
The nation appears to be floating without a plan to reverse the colossal brain drain
as professionals leave en-masse in disgust, perplexed at the falling standard
of education offered their children.
The power sector also enjoys a healthy 0% as his score card. The
nation has an installed capacity of 12,000 Meg watts yet the Federal Government
owned Transmission company of Nigeria can only evacuate an unhealthy 4000
megawatts from the Gencos to the Discos. Thus, the common lie told Nigerians
that the reason they remain in darkness is because Jonathan sold power
companies to his cronies holds no water. Truth be told there has only been lip service
offered the vital problem of expanding the national grid since Buhari came on
board. The billions promised only exists in the minds of the regime as the
transmission network of the nation built 20 years ago buckles under the strain
of years of wear and tear. Power sector reforms are stagnated as Nigerians wonder
where is the famous body language that was once described as the panacea to all
ills.
For his Treasury Single Account and its knock on effect on the
economy another healthy 0% is allocated. Raising 7 Trillion Naira in the vaults
of the Government as internally generated revenue might seem hair raising but
when juxtaposed with accountability and putting this money to genuine use
the tale changes. When asked how this money is utilized there is a muted
silence. This is the economic folly of a regime that lacks direction and
strategic planning.
For religion and spirituality Buhari gets a healthy 100% or more.
The sufferings his regime has inflicted on Nigerians is a blessing in disguise
for the pestilence at hand has made many draw closer to God in these days of
famine. Churches and mosques have seen attendances swell like never before as
Nigerians flock to the throne of grace for deliverance. The genuflection in
supplication to the Most High is the only solace for many who see God 's hand
as the only route to redemption. Hence if one's spiritual life has not received
a boost in these trying times then one must be either a politician with hidden
loot at hand or a regime faithful.
The truth is Buhari has lost his mystic and mojo. The endless
cover up surrounding his ill health has robbed Nigeria of genuine
progress. And in truth how does one issue a score card of failure to a student
who sat for the exam in ill health? This can never be a true picture of his
abilities. Hence in truth Buhari has no score card after 2years of
stumbling in the dark. Thus, his record is blighted by ill health. But his own
words shall judge him for he said that Yar Adua should resign than continue in
power with his health challenges. Karma has come back to haunt him as it
laughs at the propensity of man to dish out sound advice which one won't heed
when the tables are turned. This is the bane of Buhari's second coming
laced in failure and sickness.
The lesson is clear for all to see as we muse over a scorecard
that reads like a litany of failure.
No man is greater than God.
Extrapolated from
Emmanuel Nicholas
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