Buhari’s Fantastically Charming Bromide of a Score Card Writes Thomas Peretu

Buhari's Fantastically Charming Bromide of a Score Card Writes Thomas Peretu

Buhari’s Fantastically Charming Bromide of a Score Card Writes Thomas Peretu

It’s incredible how time flies!

That we have unseemingly, endured seven odd years of unbridled pain and sadness is unimaginable. For the avoidance of doubt, it’s been seven years plus four months of what Lewis Caroll calls jabbbberwocky, of democratic catastrophe, and of rudderless compass in government.

More to the point, it’s been a flight of unmitigated plunder of our commonwealth, championed as it were, by the apostles of progressive, a jaundiced syndicate of political jobbers. This retrogressive malady is unknown to the political history of the land. This is a strange phenomenon. And, I am not shy to aver with clear conscience that we live with conflict, poverty, violence and abuse of power as marks of the existential paradigm. This bromide of a score card leaves much to be desired.

You’d recall that the All Progressives Congress APC invented— the change mantra as a campaign strategy in 2014. Indeed, it was a melodious refrain at the time That catch phrase was woven by the skillful brains of spin doctors and their youthful polically savvy alchemists, the so-called denizens of the social media. With that sing-song they swept us off our feet. The party inadvertently led us into a wind castle, hopefully for a tenured season.

It is true that no fewer compatriots invested their time and limited resources to midwife the incestuous movement. In the same breadth, not too many analysts doubted the sincerity of the new political baby of circumstance. But, we have since discovered that the party and its arrow head, were taking the nation on an empty roller coaster ride, a tinsel of the most absord, if you will.

Even though, the APC made copious promises on how they intend to provide superior management of the country’s resources, we have good reason to debunk their claims. We can assert without fear of contradiction that Nigerians have been hoodwinked and fettered by the actions of the party. Nigerians are made to leap frog through this season of anomie. All we hear and experience is nothing but rhetoric hyperboles.

It is obvious the association lack the kinetic knowledge of governance, having being in the opposition for too long. It is either the congregation is comprised of incompetent, indolent fiddlers and neophytes or they’re on a mission to fracture the bounds of brotherhood that held us together as the a nation.

Indeed, the party promised several mouth watering benefits, during the 2014 campaigns which includes: fighting corruption to a standstill, regular power supply, a robust economy, a stable exchange rate, restructuring of the nation, removal of subsidy and regular supply of pms, anihilation of terrorists, brigands and and kidnappers, and to deal decisively with oil thieve. Others are, to give the health sector the needed attention, paying attention to the educational sector especially adequate funding of tertiary institutions, e-engineering of the agricultural sector in order to boost agricultural yields.

These and many more were on the menu the party brought to the dining table. However, none of these promises were kept. They virtually reneged of every word to uttered, underscoring the party’s infidelity to the social contract they entered with the people.

They have herded the nation to the brink of collapse. With no clear solution in sight on how to cure this monumental adversity thrust upon the country by a group of ill-equipped leaders.

Today, corruption has become a pandemic while terrorism and banditry is escalating. The men of the underworld are left to run riot everywhere. They’re building new cells across the nation. The spectre of violence enunciated by none state actors is alarming. Nigeria is now a now a cauldron of massacre. And the president is taciturn, at a loss of what auctions to take in stem the tide of attacks by these brigands, some of whom are from outside the country. A vast majority of these terrorists are said to be imported to the country for electoral purposes.

Or how do you situate the brazen audacity of the terrorists in the last few months. Not only did the terrorists break into the Kuje correctional centre, a supposed fortified arena, they went on to set free some high profile terrorists and other inmates.

A few months ago they were in the south West, Owo to be presicise where they slaughtered over 40 worshippers on a Sunday morning. They have over time violated the Nigerian Army barracks in Kaduna and elsewhere. At the last count no less than 7000 persons have been killed by these cold blooded assassins in the first half of this year.

Our roads are no longer safe for commuters. Just a few days ago, Senator Andy Uba was almost killed when his convoy was ambushed in the east. Ask the Methodists prelate and several other victims who had to pay through their noses to regain their freedoms. Research have shown that Nigeria is the third most terrorised countries in the world.

Despite the promise by APC to give us a robust and healthy economy, the world economic watchers say, Nigeria is the poverty capital of the world. Today, the rate of Inflation and unemployment is way above the height of Zuma rock. The Americans have a name for our present ecomic predicament. They call it, Stagflation. That is the tipping point you arrive at when the economy is said to be at a stand still while other ecomic indeces are on a roller coaster.

How, for instance do you explain, the multiple exchange regime threatening to kill our productive sector. Nigeria’s exchange rate is beyond reach of the average citizen. To add insult to injury, the country, we are told can not meet its oil production quota as prescribed OPEC due in part to monumental oil theft in the Niger Delta region. And of course, due largely to corruption, conspiracy and the opaque dealings in the oil sector. Just to mention a few of the nexus of ills drafting, the nation to the edge of precipice.

But are we doomed? May be not depending on who inherits the mantle of leadership of the country next year. We are at the threshold of another leadership recruitment process, I guess it is time, we make the most of this opportunity. Let’s avoid another one chance gambit. After all, no one tests the depth of a river with both legs.

Lest i forget, the nation is neck deep in foreign and domestic debts. In fact our leaders have mortgaged the lives of our future generations, for immediate gratification or for bread and butter. One day, we may wake up to find that we have been annexed by our creditors, most likely by mainland China.

Sadly, our political elites exemplified by this administration is fixated on collecting more and more loans. Perhaps, again to better the lots of our poor neighbours in the guise of fighting terrorists and bandits. I am at a fix to understand the rational for this father Christmas bazaar in May as we continually sail across formidable headwinds.

As at the time of writing this piece, this sunday morning, the nation’s universities have been on strike for upwards of 7 months. The angst of the univerty dons cannot be assuaged by mere platitudes and pantomime. They are desirous to see positive action, not double talk, as government is wont to do. Bear in mind, most of these political leaders are simpletons, intellectual dwarfs masquerading as political leaders and legislators. Certainly, with a handful of exceptions, though.

The government seems to be at its wits end, while the lecturers are holding out with their demands for better working conditions including adequate perks for their sweat. Who would begrudge them the chance to be at parity with our national law makers? Unfortunately, it is said that when two elephants square up it the, the grass that bears the brunt. Our children are at the receiving end of this hoopla. If only someone will be are live to his responsibility.

The health sector, you will agree is equally comatose, at best gasping for breath. The sector is no more than what former Miliartary President Ibrahim Babangida calls consulting clinics, despite the whopping billions of tax payers money sunk into revamping the system. The health sector is the greatest casualty of government’s inarticulate and nebulous policy framewprk. My apologies to JP Clark for this copyright. The casualties, if you care to know.

Little wonder why, our well trained young doctors and health personnel are migrating in droves to the middle east and western Europe. Why? To scout for greener pastures. Since the health system at home has collapsed beyond redemption. And, the resultant effect is the blossoming medical tourism embarked upon by bourgeoisie while the proletariat are literally left to face the music back home.

Do you still need any financial expert to tell you the negative consequences of that adventure? Suffice it to state medical tourism is one major outlet that depletes our hard earned foreign exchange. Do i need to tell you that the President is the chief culprit, Let’s be frank and factual, if the truth must be told. If only, the government had upgraded our medical system. We would have attracted our neighbouring countries to patronise our medical facilities.

Be that as it may, it is necessary to properly situate the Buhari trajectory within the prevailing political context. Especially, with regards to the moment he annexed the floodlights of media attention in 2015. It is important to state that the nation was no less hemorrhagic at the time, he offered to assist the nation rebuilding its broken walls.

I daresay, the nation was in acute need of fresh breath, and he was supposed to know before hand. Why, does the party indulge in blame game? The fact that they met so much rot in the system is not tenable. It was their place to attenuate the rot, or eliminate it completely. At least, that was the major reason why the party was elected to right the wrongs of the past.

Of course, given Buhari’s military background, Nigerians readily, trusted him to effectively manage our commonwealth. And above all, our diversity, as a a composite nation of diverse nationalities. There is no gainsaying, that, he has performed woefully, especially in managing our diversity. Instead, he has further, enlarged our fault lines along the rubrics of tribal and religious parametres.

Buhari, without mincing words practically introduced hegemonic tendencies as a leadership imperative. He has inflicted so much injury on governance process, to the extent that it will take the grace of to God realign, re-engineer and effectuate a new paradigm at the centre. Don’t forget, he bluntly refused to restructure the country even though it promised to do for the sake of justice, equity and fairness. It is wrong, and wicked to abide in a country skewed in favour of one part of the nation. After a sell, we supposed to be a nation of equal stakeholders.

Over the years, the President made nonsense of the rule of law. The president selects and shops for which court verdicts to obey. This is wrong. He was less enthusiastic about inclusiveness in governance.

Isn’t ridiculous to note that all the nuances of democracy are often disregarded or abused or exchanged for primordial exigencies. Such words as equity, fairness and justice to amount to any gem of importance in this dispensation. Bigotry and religious superiority and other vices are allowed to fester and bloom without scruples. Well, it is difficult to assign a better and pleasant words to the Buhari phenomenon than what has been submitted here and elsewhere by other analysts.

You don’t need a soothsayer to paint an enchanting graffitti of the government’s score card. . The president and his maliki feudal lords have done very poorly. They obviously, mismanaged the wealth of the country at a time we should be saving enough foreign exchange, on account of the Ukraine windfall.

More devastating, is the fact the President is living in a virtual bubble, unaware of the state of affairs in the country. How do you explain the fact that the gentle man is unaware of being on the wanted list of terrorists.

The infractions of the government got to a head, two months ago, when some minority members of the national assembly threatened to impeach President Buhari. Let’s not concern ourselves with the propriety of the knotty issue. Moreso, with the legal landmines laid by the constitution of the country.

It is however, gratifying to know that the security situation has since improved in some parts of the country. Kudos to the military, for the renewed onslaught against the terrorists. But why wait, till an impeachment flag was dangled before the Commander-in-Chief. No doubt, the apparent vices of the Buhari administration has put the party on razor edge. Would Nigerians trust this contraption of strange bedfellows in 2023? Devoid of any accident of history, I do not think Nigerians would want to endure another round of hopelessness and ineffectual leadership. Enough of living in the limbo.

Apparently, there is a little difference, if any between the bombastic Donald Trump and our dear president. Except that he is not as impulsive as Trump. But no less ignorant. In the last seven years, he has displayed crass ignorance on matters of policy formulation and implementation.

As we hurtle towards 2023, it is my stand that Nigerians should watch out for the booby tramps of 2015. After all, once beaten twice shy. Let’s make Nigeria work again. hope this is not any party’s slogan. Enough, of this fly-by- night political communication gimmicks. Therefore, look before you leap. The power to effect a change is in your hands. It’s time to use your pvcs to dislodge political charlatans and simpletons and install new and purposeful leadership. Shine your eyes, apologies to daddy sokey.

This my stand is the contribution of Thomas Peretu, a public affairs analyst and commentator titled Buhari’s Fantastically Charming Bromide of a Score Card.