Buhari’s Eight Years In Power -By Ibrahim Mustapha Pambegua

The two tenure of president Muhammadu Buhari administration will come to an end on May, 29. To wit, there will be change of guard with Bola Ahmed Tinubu takes oarth of office as president. The presidential and National assembly elections conducted on 25 February, by INEC, returned Tinubu as the president- elect. Unless elections tribunal which began its sitting on Monday last week nullifies Tinubu’s election, the May 29 handover remains a sacrosanct. While there is euphoria that greets the election of Tinubu as the president, many Nigerians have paused, reflected and assessed Buhari’s eight years in power. Buhari political oddesey began in 2007 when he contested the position of president under the platform of APP. His first shot at the presidency was unsuccessful as late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua emerged president under the people Democratic party (PDP). Buhari’s quest for presidency took him for another two futile attempts in 2007 and 2011 respectively. However, as fate will have it in 2015, progressive politicians came together and floated new and strong opposition party, the APC which Buhari rode to power. 

Prior to his emergency as president, Buhari campaign promises were premised on fighting against insecurity, corruption and above all formulating good policies that will stabilize the country’s bad economy. The posers begging for answers are: Have these promises been fulfilled? Has the country’s security improved in the last eight years? What about the war against corruption and the condition of our battered economy? Have these areas fared well under Buhari watch? To the credit of Buhari administration, the war against boko haram insurgents has recorded tremendous and appreciative success. The dreaded and murderous group has been tamed by our gallant soldiers with the remnants resorting to attacking only soft targets. While boko haram has been degraded in the north-east states, the emergency of bandits in North-west, Killers herdsmen in north-central and IPOB in Southeast have exacerbated tension in the country. The non-state actors and other terrorists have continued to unleash terror on hapless nigerians. The attendant consequences of their incessant attacks are:humanitarian crises and looming food crises. Farming communities have fleed their ancestry homes due to frequent and coordinated attacks of these criminals.

President Muhammadu Buhari is a no- nonsense president who abhors or hates corruption. His greatest asset is “integrity”. He is incorruptible leader. This quality has endeared him to many Nigerians. Regrettably, corruption has blossomed under his nose. Buhari administration is being accused of corruption. Some of his cabinets or ministers are fingered in multi-billion corruption saga. The corruption charges against the former minister of power, Sale Mamman, is one among many. While the anti-corruption agency, EFCC and its sister agency ICPC, have been allowed to operate without led or hindrance, the pardon granted to former plateau and Taraba state governors, Dariye and Jolly Nyame has  shocked Nigerians and mocked the administration’s war against corruption. These ex- governors and other corrupt politicians whose sources of their wealth are questionable should have cooled their feet in jail. Undoubtedly, official corruption has risen astronomically under Buhari eight years. 

Despite the fact, in the last eight years, the administration initiated and implemented various policies through CBN and other social investment programs, oversee by the federal ministry of humanitarian disaster and social development, poverty has reached its frightening peak in the country. The multi-dimesional poverty index report which places 133 millions Nigerians below poverty line state the obvious facts. Unemployment has jumped up exponentially. Recently, the National Bureau of Statistics released the report on unemployment rate from 2018 to 2023. 23.1per cent in 2018 to 33.3 per cent in 2020. It has estimated that, the rate has increased to 37.7per cent in 2022 and will rise further to 40.6 per cent in 2023. The inflation rate has also risen high, eaten up the purchasing power of Nigerians. In economics front, the Buhari administration has performed woefully and below the expectation of Nigerians. Added to the burden of our fragile economy is 77trillions foreign and domestic debt incurred by the government.

No wonder, president Buhari recently asked Nigerians for forgiveness. While his government might have started in wrong foot, the eight years he spent in power have failed to transform the country into eldarado of sorts .The incoming administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu should brace up for the challenges ahead. Interestingly, his antecedent as tax guru who governed and transformed Lagos State to a mega city speak volume about his capability. If his giant strides recorded in Lagos could be replicated in the country, Nigeria will achieve greatness within a shortest period of time. This is possible, if he can hire and assemble competent and capable cabinets who will help him to move or drive the country forward. The challenges of insecurity can be tackled through massive recruitment of security personnel as stated by Tinubu. There is no gainsaying the facts, jobs creations and poverty reduction are elixir for building a resilient and prosperous nation. The president-elect needs to embrace this formula wholeheartedly. 

Ibrahim Mustapha Pambegua, Kaduna state. 08169056963.