Buhari: Sure, steady march of a reformer

Barely  seven weeks into a four-year presidential term, criticism has arisen from some quarters about the pace of governance of President Buhari’s administration. Some of the criticism is from people who have made it their stock and trade to deride the new government. That is fine. It is a part of democracy. However, I do not write this article to address them. Nothing can be said to them for they criticize the president not because of the quality of his actions but because they must. Their survival hinges on quantity of words they yelp his way.

These are the same people who watched silently as the Jonathan administration let the economy fall into the bog. They suddenly gained voice when President Buhari took over, complaining that he was allowing the economy to collapse. When he moved to save the economy by freeing money to pay the average state civil servant and tto restructuring the states’ debt burden, these same people complained that the president was letting profligate state executives too easily off the hook.

These people cared little for the fact that  this presidential action will stave a deeper economic calamity by putting money in the hands of hundreds of thousand government workers that they may feed their families, pay bills and inject needed life into the local commerce. These critics would rather the people starve. Fortunately, president Buhari’s compassion exceeds theirs. Let me put it another way. Had Jonathan remained in office and continued as he was, there would not have been a relief package. He would have smiled but remained idle as the states and then the national economy went into the swell. That President Buhari moved decisively to halt this slide before abject emergency was upon us more than vindicates his performance thus far.

Yet, there are well meaning people who are concerned about the pace of governance.  This submission is directed to them.  First they must remember that only 7 weeks have elapsed of an administration that will cover more than 200 weeks. This is less than 3 percent of the term. It is much too early to conclude the negative.

I think a reason for this concern is that  the people do not have a full grasp of the dimensions that corruption and malign indifference have eaten at the core of our governing institutions. While we all know that corruption and misgovernance have reigned supreme for years, it is only when you begin to clean the house does the full extent of the filth truly confront you. Given the pervasive anomalies of our institutions and the need to straighten the twisted compass of governance before we can move swiftly in the right direction. , President Buhari’s pace is that of an experienced and determined leader preparing to perform the wholesale housecleaning needed if reform and progress are to be had. This  pace is the one that makes the most sense. For him to move too fast  to enact policies would be to miss too many of the twists and distortions in the system that would pollute and bend even the most well conceived policies.

Buhari must make haste slowly and above all wisely, else he falls into the many snares laid before the prior administration went into retreat. Although the election is over, entrenched interests never cared much about the people’s sovereign will. These interests may have left the seat of elected power but they still seek to steer governance toward their liking. Reform bested the status quo on election day . Now, the status quo seeks to prolong the war by other political means. Buhari won the election but now he must win in the trench warfare of changing the governing bureaucracy and the institutional mindset of almost every government entity.

The task is enormous yet it must be done with the care of surgery lest we excise the decent portions that should remain while allowing the canker to spread. Millions of Nigerians would be the worse for it. The APC government will make haste, but slowly and deliberately. Like Bola Tinubu APC national leader rightly puts it,  APC never promised to be fire fighters in combatting the problems of Nigeria, but to be meticulous planners and executors in order to bring about enduring change.

Tinubu had a parting shot for the PDP and their co-travellers. Under the PDP, government had become addicted to high-octane corruption. you cannot expect a latrine of  sixteen  years to be cleaned up  in a mere 30 days.

President Buhari took several bulls by their horns when he stepped into office. He knew security demanded urgent attention. He knew regional cooperation was key to securing victory against Boko Haram. He hewed regional cooperation by visiting Chad and Niger. He held the ECOWAS meeting and took practical steps to improve Nigeria’s military  — including changing its command — so that it might have the right fighting spirit coupled with decisive strategy that would bring the BoKo Haram insurgency to breakage.

President Buhari spent countless hours before he was sworn in and since he took over to pour over tons of papers and briefings. He has sat at numerous meetings with key government elements in an attempt to grasp the needed information to act. Like a true statesman and strategist who surveys the long-term consequences of his present actions, he has moved patiently with an eye for detail before settling on his approach. Once he has decided a thing, he has moved with purpose and resolution toward it.

As time moves on, we are beginning to see the stern stuff he is made of and the integrity of his actions. The man moves in pursuit of our highest national purpose.

We have seen the process of fighting corruption unfold and Nigerians who have amassed ill gotten wealth are now moving to surrender their loot because they know our new president is not up for sale or purchase. Buhari has put all on notice that he intends to run a zero tolerance government regarding corruption.

Recovering ill-gotten wealth and ploughing such back into the economy is one sure way to revive the system. As mentioned previously, Buhari has acted to resolve salary woes of many states through his emergency funding/loan restructuring plan.

In this complex situation, what use is it to dash about swiftly if the end result is that you swiftly stumble. President
Buhari cannot afford to fail on the promises he made to us.

An understanding of the multi-dimensional crisis into which this country has been plunged is key to designing apt solutions. Here, the devil is not only in detail; it lurks in way the avarice of the previous administration infected government processes and even personnel.

Currently, it is the inherently methodical process of clarifying these details through which the Buhari government must go. He must correct and repair the tools of governance before they can be used properly to implement the sweeping reform the nation seeks.

A word for the PDP who seek to stampede or fluster President Buhari. They need to look in the mirror and chastise  themselves for what they have done to this nation. They brought it low by trafficking shameless greed as the overriding policy of their government. Their tactics against the president will not work.

They spoiled their place in history. They shall not spoil his. President Buhari has heart and mind to do what is right for Nigeria.  He works to perfect a broken nation. This endeavor cannot be judged by the tick of seconds on a clock or the marking of days on a calendar. It is done by facing the problems we have then studying them thoroughly until the right solution presents itself.

In the end, neither  history nor the world will care if Buhari seems to dancing fast or slowly but only that he does what is right. Thus far, the actions taken cannot be much assailed. His course is a correct one. he has justice and progress  as his allies. Gradually and definitely things will take shape.

If the PDP had left behind a minimally functional government, Buhari would not have had to invest this much time and energy in fixing even the simplest things that the PDP’s arrogant malpractice had broken. But this is not about just the PDP.
It is also for those focused on the ministerial and other appointments. The appointments will come but first the president must remove much of the dry rot that affects government. He must put his personal stamp on this government by insuring a certain level of performance and integrity is maintained. Upon establishing these new standards he will then name people whom he knows can live up to the higher standard he has established.

Buhari made a solemn promise to reform government and thereby improve this nation. That he seeks to be meticulous in doing so should be applauded not condemned. He is not a man given to theatrics or gimmicks. He seeks results and we all should pray that he continues to be diligent and studious because that is the only path to finding the exit from the complex of troubles into which the PDP has cast us.

When the history of this moment is written, those complaining of the pace of things will be seen to  have given the wrong counsel. The sure and steady direction of President Buhari will be seen to have been the right and perhaps the only course out of the storm. We all must realize the task at hand is not an easy one. President Buhari deserves our understanding and support. Few men have entered office to face such myriad problems. He has set about to earnestly tackle them and bring Nigeria to is rightful future. We should be grateful that he is at the helm as the direction he courses is the right one. Ultimately, it is better to be steady yet right than fast yet utterly wrong. In all, he deserves our prayers.

Dare is special adviser on media/chief of staff to Bola Tinubu