From ‘Change’ to ‘Next Level’: Buhari’s democratic second coming

The Director General of the Buhari Campaign Organization and the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi (a former member of the PDP) said and I quote: “Power has improved from 3,000 megawatts that we met it to 7,000megawatts and we are discharging about 5,000megawatts.” How can we be discharging 5000MW as a nation and our people are daily sleeping in darkness? We have spent so much as a nation, but we are getting so little or nothing in return. Nigerians are being led by a bunch of insincere people. This is 2018 and we are talking about discharging a fallacious 5,000megawatts. It is a huge national-shame! Within the context of development, Nigeria is not clearly the giant of Africa.

On one hand, yesterday, Mr. President spoke about sixteen (16) years of the PDP led administration, but it seems PMB does not know that Mr. Rotimi Amaechi was a part of the wasteful years of the PDP for about 12years. On the other hand, His Excellency, Rotimi Amaechi said on the Channels Television: “Nigerians need to trust us.” But he does not know that in leadership, you do not ask for trust, you earn it. Politicians should stop begging for trust—as a beggar—who sat at the beautiful gate, begging for money. For now, no politicians deserve to be trusted, not even PMB!

Also, on Saturday, I traveled from Lagos State on Lagos-Ibadan expressway to Osun State and on Sunday, I returned to Lagos State and all I can say is that it is a huge shame on those who have been Presidents of Nigeria—since 1999. Lagos-Ibadan expressway has gulped trillions of naira, but as at this moment, it is still a national embarrassment. And a road that is a national embarrassment is one of the achievements of the administration of President Buhari.

The only way you would justify mediocrity is if you are both cold-blooded and eating from the crumbs that fall from the varied tables of our politicians. The only place where shameful roads (roads that only last for a few weeks) are constructed and commissioned with fanfare is Nigeria. Nigeria is more than 200 years behind—within the context of development and we cannot afford to remain as we are right now.

Also, politicians only identify with the poor, once in every four (4) years. Now, Atiku started in a little way as an orphan, who sold firewood in Adamawa before becoming an owner of companies and private jets. One said had no shoes, to bond with the poor. And by the time he was leaving power, those who had shoes before he got to power lost their shoes due to economic harshness. They deliberately and consistently tell lies because they are always in need of the poor to vote for them and it is shocking that the poor keeps falling into their trap.

Taking this piece a little further, the only reason you’d praise PMB; dragging GEJ in the mud is—if you have an access to some crumbs that daily fall from his table, because nothing has truly changed since GEJ left power. I thought things were bad when GEJ was in power, now; things have become worse for our people. The rate at which people are begging for money and food is mind blowing. PMB needs to leave Aso Rock and for our dusty streets to truly know what our people are going through. What those crumb-eaters tell him is not true!

Some hours ago, when PMB was launching his political campaign before the whole world, our service chiefs were in attendance! How can those who are supposed to be dispassionate and unbiased be identifying with a politician against other politicians? Tell me how they are going to be fair to other contestants, during the coming Presidential election.

Immediately it became legitimate for every political party to start campaigning, Presidential candidates began to roll our policy documents, promising what they know they are incapable of doing. On every four (4) year, they lie to our people and our people also do amazingly believe in their falsehoods. The question is; how can a people who do not have any respect for the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria honor mere policy documents?

President Buhari at the unveiling of his campaign at a well attended launch in the Presidential Villa “vowed” to take the country to the “next level” against the background of what was claimed as 16years of waste under the PDP. If PMB does not know, those who are close to him need to let him know that most of his principal actors were part of those who wasted our national resources for 16years! We have become butt of all the jokes before the whole world. And nations are not taken to the “next level” by one man who emptily vows. We actually do not need any man to vow to take us anywhere. We want clear and well articulated plans on how Nigeria will join other high-flying nations. We are sick and tired of slow on the uptake people changing slogans every four year to deceive the unsuspecting citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

As I begin to coast home, Festus Keyamo (SAN), while doing what puts food on his table, said that PMB has been prudent with Nigeria’s resources. Same President who goes abroad as others (wasteful Presidents) for medical checks? Same President who budgets for forks, spoons, computers… every year as other locusts? Same President who has borrowed trillions of naira in less than four years and we have little or nothing to show for it? Everything we either say or do will attract blessings or curses from generations yet unborn!

Lastly, in less than four (4) years, an estimated 11million jobs have been lost. And a man who is running an administration that is not business or job friendly wants to take the nation to an undefined “next level.” Mr. President needs to define the proposed next level. The former “change” agenda was not defined and here are we after about four (4) years. Mere slogans cannot take Nigeria beyond here. And if we cannot govern ourselves, let us shop for foreigners to lead us—just as one is leading our senior national football team.