Is PMB Fulfilling His Promises To Nigerians? -By Abba Dukawa

Leadership, as you are aware is a responsibility bestowed on you by God and as a Muslim you are aware that you will account for every deed and activity you engaged in under oath as a president before Almighty Allah. Nobody is prefect, as the saying goes.  I am     actually intended to remain you the promises you made to Nigerians before and after 2015 elections which ushered your administration.
You may recalled ahead of the March presidential poll in 2015 elections there are  key APC promises to Nigerians by President Buhari that  your administration would  improves  Nation’s  Economy where Naira would be  equal to the dollar in value, if voted into office, It is sad that the value of the naira has dropped to more than N360 to one dollar; this does not speak well for the nation’s economy. 

You promises Nigerians  to end Boko Haram insurgency in 3 months and there is still no end in sight to the terror attacks from Boko Haram. In the early stage of Buhari’s administration Boko Haram suffered one loss after another until the authority boldly declared on national television that the militants had been “technically defeated”. That “Technical Victory”, it is apparent, is fast becoming a Pyrrhic Victory with the renewed wave of attacks by the insurgents on soft targets. Are you sure you have fulfilled your promised to us.

Initially the military made some gains, recovering lost territories. But the honeymoon did not last long. Boko Haram regrouped and carried out vicious attacks, overrunning military posts and killing security operatives. To be honest without misled you PMB’s performance, as well as poverty. Under your leadership Nigeria has experienced awful scenario in both security and economy challenges remains the biggest obstacles detailing and diminishing your credibility and your passed records of service. In a nutshell, you have been doing great in some areas while you have levity hands in some areas. But whatever the case may be you have not fulfilling your promise to us  excellently as we all hopeful.

Despite Northern Nigeria is facing serious insecurities threats such as kidnappings, robbery and banditry in Kaduna Niger Sokoto Katsina and Zamfara states. Herder-farmer clashes erupted across some central states, leading to the killing of hundreds and displacement of thousands. We all heard our   courageous and outstanding achievements of Police Special Forces of Nigeria Police Force  backed by helicopters have attacked their camp in Birnin Gwari forest in Kaduna State, killing over 250 of Ansaru  terror group who had been mobilising and terrorising Nigerian.  Just recently many prints and electronic media quote  Mr President during launching  Nigerian Air Force Helicopters at the Eagle’s Square in Abuja said  “I promised to put an end to Boko Haram insurgency, kidnapping and other forms of criminalities that have bedeviled our country during my inaugural speech as president.  Has Mr President achieve his promised to Nigerians still Peoples are dealing with a fresh set of security challenges. 

But Baba  keep looking other ways  and don’t hesitate to find solution to it. Your subject lives must be secured. You know what had already happened at Auno just 25 KLM to Maiduguri which part of Book Haram attacked killed 30 peoples and burnt down trucks and vehicles. . First of its kind Baba straight from Adidis Ababa landed in Maiduguri Airport to sympathy with peoples and government of Barno. Whatever happened remains history.

Mr president  you may recalled that, Northern votes secured your first and  second term, and northerners will raise voices in their demands that your administration, this time, rewards their loyalty in real terms. PMB   known  that the solid northern support behind you  has been badly ruptured. Just recently  Northern Elders Forum raise NEf voices  that the administration of President Buhari appeared helpless in finding solutions to insecurity as well as poverty in the country.  Your  Special Adviser To The President On Media And Publicity insulting them for expressing our northerners suffering Agaskiya am not regional or ethnic  bigotry but not happy by the way  Mr Femi  Insult Northern Elders because of their criticism of the Government,they are those that will receive and accommodate the President when he is done with power; and are the ones to be with him long after those in the palace today have deserted him for new greener pastures. Nigerians never not heard him  insulting Southwest elders simple he   now drunk with power you have audacity to starts insulting peoples and left and centres.

If Mr President and other Nigerians reflect on PMB’s political  process since you joined politics 2002  from the All Peoples Party, the All Nigerians Peoples Party, the Congress for Progressive Change to the All Progressive Congress, When he unsuccessfully ran for the office of president of Nigeria in the 2003, 2007, and 2011 general elections.the likes of Prof Ango and Hakeem Baba Ahmed and many more in the NEF were PMB’s   loyal troops through thick and thin and have never abandoned him even in defeat . So the issues they raised are real and each and every Nigerian except Femi and Garba share these concerns, even you as our Commander in Chief claimed not to be aware of our insecurity situation until the likes of NEF raised the red alarm. 

The question remains: what transpired between then and now? President Buhari’s promise was to ensure effective and adequate security of lives and property. Nigerians believed in him  Base on PMB  status as retire General a position he was  not picked from ground and with  experience in military especially when Chadian forces invaded Nigeria in the Borno State, Buhari used the forces under his command to drove them backed this  is enough  for Him to tackle insurgency and high rate of crimes in control.

Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened. It is a complete treachery of the role the state should play to its people. The first order of the state is to protect lives of citizens and the inability to fulfill this majestic constitutional provision is indeed a saddest  of all. Mr President you have many capable hands around you, sir, listen to them and  engage them. Ignore other and keep paying them if only for charity, but please secure us.

Mr. President, you said your second term will be harsh. I understand that you softened your language later. To be honest, I wish you had stuck with tough, because tough is what you have to be. Nigerians needs PMB exhibits anticipating hard on yourself and those around you. Find people who are good and honest and knowledgeable enough to represent your vision, and who can be trusted with huge responsibilities. You need to trust more, Sir,  you have to keep trusted people under closer watch. You have to be tougher on security threats and those who fail to exercise responsibility to protect citizens. You have to be tougher on corruption, on insecurity, on secretive employments, poor health facilities etc which may require that you isolate this debilitating scourge from politics. Believe me, what you do from now on as leader will determine whether this nation will be strong enough to deal with challenges of the future, or it will go under because its cumulative problems have been left unattended by its leaders. 
According to US intelligence estimates, there are between five to six thousand core militant boko haram fighters and   Nigeria  army has some Six thousand officers and a whopping 150,000 soldiers.

The Nigerian Airforce one of the largest in Africa, consists of about 15,000 personnel, has aircrafts including 12 Chinese Chengdu F-7s, 3 JF-17 Thunder Multirole Fighter, 13 Dassault-Dornier Alpha Jets, 12 Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano, Helicopter gunships, armed attack drones and military transport aircraft. In  2020 annual Global Firepower  review Nigeria is ranked 42 of 138 out of the countries. 

One of most important qualities of a  leader include integrity, accountability, empathy, humility, resilience, vision, influence, and positivity. “Management is about persuading people to do things they do not want to do, while leadership is about inspiring people to do things they never thought they could.

Dukawa can be reach at abbahydukawa@gmail.com