NEXT FOUR YEARS

On March 28th Nigeria will have a question to answer; who will we trust with the stewardship of our Nation for the next four years? While the contest is between 14 candidates, the race to the villa is actually between two men. I will highlight the records of GEJ in office, examine GMB's past record and question if APC can bring the needed change to Nigeria.

After 5 years of the GEJ presidency we can all attest to these facts:

The establishment of 12 New Federal Universities in the country, 150 new Almajiri Schools to cater and educate thousands of neglected children in the Northern part of the country, also the rehabilitation of Nigeria’s railway transportation which was, until now, regarded as the non-existent link in the nation’s development chain: People and goods can now move from Makurdi - PH, Lagos - Kano, PH - Enugu. In the next few months, the new railway service from Kaduna to Abuja will become operational, allowing civil servants to live in Kaduna and work in Abuja.

The import bill of the nation is down from 1.1 trillion Naira to 650 billion Naira. For the first time since inception, major new capacity is being added to the Abuja airport plus new international terminals being built in Kano, Enugu, Lagos and Port Harcourt.

All airports have been remodeled for greater efficiency with complete radar coverage system fully installed. The ports are operating 24 hours a day. 

The second Niger Bridge has been concessioned to Nigeria’s most serious construction company, Julius Berger. Completion is set in four years with all the milestones for the first year completed.

The Lagos-Ibadan expressway is finally receiving the needed attention through concession to Jilius Beger and work is moving at a sustainable pace. About a Month ago a $60 million Steel Mill was commissioned in Sagamu, Ogun State. Each year the economy continues to grow with CNN Money projecting a growth of 7.1% this year. There are some people who in the face of clear evidence will deny these achievements.

Let us now look at the private sector and the effects of the enabling environment that has been created for them by this administration.

Dangote is building a 650,000 barrels per day refinery, thus by 2017 Nigeria will become a net exporter of petroleum products. By 2017 Nigeria will no longer import Sugar again.

PAN is now assembling Cars in Nigeria and for the first time is our history cars are now being designed and produced in Nigeria. KIA, Hyundai and Nissan are all working towards establishing car assembling plants in Nigeria.

Tony Elumelu is investing one billion dollars into the power sector; Abdulsamad Rabiu is expanding his cement and real estate investments. 

VLISCO (Makers of the high end Super Wrapper) have signed an MOU to build a textile plant in Nigeria. Churchgate group is building a 2,000 Mega watts electricity generation plant Kogi.

Everywhere you turn and almost on a daily basis investor lay ambitious plans to invest in Nigeria; these are some of Nigeria’s most successful business men; PAN, Hyundai, Nissan and Kia global brands, are we now saying that this men and companies will risk their hard earned resources and invest in a country whose economy is in decline? 

Now some might still doubt and reject clear evidence of this administrations contribution to the growth and development of our country; so let me present one more evidence of achievement, we can all agree that since the coming of Jonathan the very important pillars of democracy, Free speech, freedom of association and freedom of assembly has been accessible to all Nigerians. Dissent is no longer punished with the iron fist of government; no Nigerian politician is on self or imposed exile. 

Now let us go back to this corruption and Insecurity issue. The fair members of opposition will accept achievements of GEJ and say he has failed in those two areas and doesn’t deserve re-election because of this. This is a valid claim.

My first question is simple, what clear and detailed policy has the opposition presented to Nigerians about the cardinal points of their campaign. Their answer will be to claim that GMB fought corruption; if he fought corruption successfully, then why are we still battling with it today? 

First I will present GEJ’s record against corruption and then the opposition’s. He has made the EFCC truly independent by giving them the power to prosecute without recourse to the Minister of Justice.

From March 1st, all revenue accounts in Deposit money banks will be closed and a single account domiciled in the CBN; what does this mean? Historically over 50% of government corruption takes place when revenue generating agencies of the government under report the revenue they send to government coffers, from March 1st this will no longer be possible as government will have the revenues generated directly and first; this is the way to set up institutions to fight corruption. 

My question is simple, what steps did GMB take as Head of State to ensure Nigerians never have to worry about corruption again. Which institutions did he step up and strengthen, which reforms did he carry out, which policies did he implement.

They say GEJ is not equipping the military or training them. Where in the world has military readiness been established during war time? Instead of blaming GEJ we should ask the people who were in-charge during peace time what they did to prepare the Nigerian Military against future threats. 

After all, Boko haram gave us a clear warning about the dangers we face in the north with regards to violent extremism. They share the same ideologue with Maitatsine, so my question for the General is: after crushing Maitatsine with military force, what national policy did he implement to educate Northerners and ensure the youths in the region never again are susceptible to people preaching messages of hatred and violence. Which policy did you implement in Agriculture, railway and Automobile industrialization to ensure that Nigerian youths are employed and never fall to the adage “An idle mind is a devils workshop”.

The General should answer if he came up or at least try to come up with a National Intelligence  strategy to monitor preachers of religious extremism and curtail them before they become a national problem. Instead the General used force to handle the problem and left the underling issues that caused the problems to future generations. Is this how responsible leadership should be?

Oh and I still have one more thing; since the General has said he will surround himself with brilliant minds  that mean well for Nigeria, let us look into some of these people.

Let us start with a Governor who was a former Minister of Defence; Mr. Governor, the present Boko Haram was formed in 2002, you became Minister of Defence in 2003. What did you do as Minister to prepare the Nigerian army and intelligence unit against future and present threats?

What review did you carry out about the Army’s readiness in terms of training or arms stockpile to ensure that when a threat comes up against the nation, the Army is ready to defend and protect Nigeria? Mr. Governor did neither of those things, if now he will claim he was not funded adequately, did he get up to protest or resign his sit in the cabinet?

Let us go to the Sitting Senator and former Governor, he has all of a sudden become a change figure but the political dynasty he inherited has been in control of the politics of the state since our return to democracy, eight of those years he served as governor. The sitting Governor, today was imposed by him on his people, so what exactly is he changing? For the acclaimed National Leader of the party I here this story about the massive looting he supervised to speak for it self. click here

After 16 years of PDP rule perhaps the argument can be made for change, but the only party that has a chance of bringing that change instead of electing as her Presidential candidate a new voice and a transformative figure, they elect one of the most divisive figures in Nigerian political history. They elect a man whom in his 20 months as Head of state left no tangible legacy or presented a clear vision towards his planned legacy. They elected a man who since leaving office has done nothing to further improve Nigeria and himself.

And this is the party of intellectuals like Nasir El-Rufai. Babatunde Fashola, Kayode Fayemi; instead of nominating one of these people all with proven legacies, they nominate a man with none. I was surprised to find out that APC has Prof Osinbajo as a member and they nominate Buhari.

And they come to tell us they are changing Nigerian. You nominate a candidate that you all have admitted 4-8 years ago is too old for the Presidency, you nominate a candidate not based on his track record, his clear vision but based on zoning and the hope that the sentiments he always drives among the masses will deliver the presidency to you. I’m seriously confused, 4 years ago he was too old, 8 years ago he was too old; has he suddenly become young.

You say you want to bring change; I accept this, but can we please know what exactly you’re changing? Or, have you not heard the saying that when purpose is not defined, abuse is inevitable?

Now least we forget, all Nigerians accept that the root of the Boko Haram insurgency is the abject poverty and lack of education youths of the North east were allowed to grow up in; now let us ask the distinguished Retired General, as a former Governor of the North East Zone, what was the economic and educational strategy he implemented in the North East to place it on a part of sustainable development.

We need to ask ourselves honest questions, is not about changing Nigeria but the people that are talking about this change what did they do when they had the chance to reform our country, if the corruption in the system was fighting them back did they sound alarm bells alerting  Nigerians to the worrying state of affairs? 

I never thought as a people we can be this gullible; all these former Governors and Senators that are shouting change! What did they do with their positions to advance the cause of development in Nigeria? The way the political discourse is going you will think only the President constitutes the three arms and tires of government.

May God Almighty never allow anyone who failed to contribute to Nigerian’s progress to sit on any sit of leadership again!

May God Almighty grant Nigerians good leaders, whoever they are; God grant us these good leaders either we like them today or not.

I rest my case. 

Comments are welcomed through Haleemmahmood@yahoo.com or below in the comment section. 

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