THE SWEARING-IN/INAUGURATION OF NIGERIA’S PRESIDENT-ELECT BUHARI AND NIGERIANS’ EXPECTATIONS

Zik Gbemre

 

Amidst the usual colourful ceremonial display and dexterity by the Nigerian Military and school children parades, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd) will take the oath of office and allegiance as President and Commander-In-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Federal Republic come Friday May 29, 2015. The inauguration ceremony will usher Buhari in as the country’s Fifth Executive President. Before Buhari, were Second Republic President Shehu Shagari, President Olusegun Obasanjo, the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, and then the soon-to-be outgoing President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. The late Nnamdi Azikiwe who was Nigeria’s President in the First Republic, held the office on ceremonial capacity.

Considering the wide celebration (within and outside Nigeria) that greeted the final outcome of the March 28, 2015 Presidential Election when it was announced that Buhari of the All Progressive Congress (APC) had won the incumbent President Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), one would realize that Nigerians and many concerned stakeholders outside the country had really wanted a Change from the current government. The last time we witnessed such wide celebration in Nigeria was when Sani Abacha died mysteriously on the seat of power. Even people that are not Nigerians monitored the Presidential elections closely as they stayed stuck online and glued to their TVs just waiting for the final outcome of the said election. Even the sick and the very old insisted on being carried from their sick beds to go cast their votes; which obviously indicates how much Nigerians really wants a Change from the scheme of things in country’s politics.  It was as if Nigerians united to vote out the current administration of President Jonathan.  And from the look of things, many Nigerians believe that there is hope that Nigeria will be on the path of progress and real development. With such over-the-roof-top high expectations from Nigerians, the President-Elect seriously has a lot on his table to grapple with soon after he takes over power in May 2015.

As rightly noted by former President of Ghana, H. E. Jerry Rawlings, on the outcome of Nigeria’s Presidential election recently, and we quote: “Nigerians have taken the lead in the rejection of corruption. The election result is a manifestation of the people’s resolve to confront corruption, dishonesty and exploitation. This is a clear message to the new leadership. A bold step has been taken towards a new Nigeria and the incoming leader cannot be unaware of what is expected of him. Nigerians did not vote for just anyone. They voted for a man whose integrity is extremely high. Nigeria is tired of corruption and the choice of this leader is a clear indication of where she wants to go. I hope General Buhari will put together a team whose understanding of the power of the people recognizes and respects the will of the people. General Buhari owes it to his people and to Black Africans, the restoration of our pride and the black man’s dignity. The image of President Jonathan, a Nigerian Head of State climbing up the stairs to go and complain about Boko Haram to a French President is an image I hope I will not see again.”

 

To this end, we would like to rightly advise the President-Elect Buhari to tighten-up his belt as he prepares to take over from Jonathan; by starting to do things differently to satisfy the yearnings and expectations of Nigerians who have voted him in.

The first point of call is for the President-Elect to insist and ensure that his inauguration ceremony does not drain the nation’s already-depleting resources like was witnessed during President Jonathan’s inauguration in May 29, 2011. It was reported that it took between N830 million to over N1 billion for the inauguration of President Jonathan in 2011, which left many of us speechless and dumbfounded. We believe the Federal Government should concentrate on moving the nation forward rather than use its inauguration to drain the national purse more. The President-Elect inauguration and swearing-in ceremony should also not exceed a day or two, unlike what we had with President Jonathan’s One Week inauguration activities/ceremonies. For us, we believe that if the new government to be led by Buhari truly wants to deepen democratic ideals, then it should start the new dispensation on a humble and considerate state by reducing the outrageous budget for its inauguration. There is no amount of inaugural celebration that would address the numerous problems shocking life out of the country on a daily basis.

When the inauguration ceremony is over and the stage kick-started for another four-year of democratic dispensation, the now President-Elect Buhari that will be sworn in, will have to demonstrate to Nigerians that he has what it takes to be ‘fully-be-in-charge’ of the country. We all will agree with the fact that the work of the President of a Federal Republic like Nigeria, with its multi-ethnic and tribal complexities, is one that is not only tedious and straining but also demands a whole lot of dexterity and charismatic stamina from an individual. It is a post that is definitely not meant for the lily-livered or an effeminate man. Nigeria, where corruption is known to thrive unrestrained, with its over 170 million population, surely needs a credible – dependable leader to steer the affairs of this multi-faceted entity to the desired heights of modern advancement.

We are very much aware that the President-Elect will ofcourse, read to Nigerians his ‘inaugural speech’ that are usually filled with lofty, inspiring and motivational words. But it would not be the first time; neither will it be the last time Nigerians will be fed with such ‘promising inaugural speeches by its leader.’ We hear such great speeches during their political campaigns and when elected, they make it sound more believable and promising; making Nigerians to wait in anticipation of the fulfillment of such promises made. But often times, such promises never sees the light of the day, bringing us back to square one.

However, like every other fresh tenure that gives another ground of opportunities for our leaders to make a difference, Nigerians in their “optimistic spirit” we believe, will give President-Elect Buhari the benefit of the doubt, by believing and trusting that ‘all the promises’ he has made during his campaign and expected inaugural speech, will become realities to the Nigerian citizenry at the end of his four years reign in government and outlive him reign. It is obvious that the expectations are very high and Nigerians are seriously praying that this time around, the country’s economy and the standard of living of the average Nigerian would drastically improve. So, we believe Nigerians would appreciate “less talk and more actions” by the President-Elect. We know that the problems facing the nation are quite overwhelming, but the new government should take it one by one and address these pressing issues.

One of the major concerns we believe, troubling well-meaning Nigerians which the President-Elect has applied wisdom and caution in doing, is in the area of Political Appointments and Selection within the Executive Arm of the Federal Government. When President-Elect Buhari is sworn-in, we believe his Political Appointments/Selection of his Cabinet and officials of the Presidency will either make or mar whatever ambitions and intentions this new administration is trying to actualize. No matter how good or exceptional a leader is, when those around him are not of the same stock, or do not necessarily have what it takes to make that desired difference, then that administration is on its way to doom. We saw it in the soon-to-be-outgoing administration, let us hope and pray things will be different in the new government under Buhari. There is need to ‘Appoint Fresh Blood and Hands’ like integrity-driven technocrats and professionals into the sensitive positions (like those in the Oil and gas Sector) in the new government. We cannot keep having the same set of leaders being appointed and re-appointed within the circles of government in every new administration. For there to be genuine ‘change,’ we need to start doing things differently otherwise, it will be a merry-go-round.

We all know that the dominium usually assumes the (real) character of its ruler.” That is, every nation, state, society and entity usually assumes the character of its ruler/leader. For instance, Nigeria under Abacha is different from Nigeria under Obasanjo. Nigeria under Yar’Adua is different from Nigeria under Jonathan, and so on. And that is because the ‘character’ of these rulers/leaders is different from one another. There are things you can do now in the Nigerian polity under President Jonathan and practically get away with it, which you cannot do and easily get away with the same thing in the time of some past leaders like Obasanjo.

For the President-Elect Buhari, we believe he can only make the needed difference in the lives of Nigerians when the ‘right persons are appointed in the right positions.’ We also believe Buhari should use these political appointments as a tool of ‘reconciliation’ between the Northern Nigeria and the Eastern and Southern Nigeria. With the way the Presidential election went and the number of votes that were recorded in each region, this reconciliation strategy is needed for a more united and progressive Nigeria. To this end, what is due to each region should be given to them in Political Appointments on merit at the Presidency.

There is so much that needs to be addressed in the country when the new administration of President-Elect Buhari comes into power fully, within the four year period that we cannot afford as a nation, to waste time and resources in the appointment of the wrong persons in sensitive positions. Every aspect of the Nigerian Economy and all the various Sectors seriously need one attention or the other. The World Bank 2010 World Development Report revealed that Nigeria’s per capita income stand at $2.748, falling behind that of Ghana and Cameroun with $10.748 and $10.758 respectively. One can imagine how low we have ‘fallen’ as the supposed “giant of Africa”, in virtually everything you can imagine that makes a nation relevant in global affairs. The United States of America has a per capita income of $512.612; the United Kingdom $408.753, while Sweden has $513.424. The Netherlands has per capita income of $421.389; Germany $496.447; China $9.387 and Australia $493.080. The World Bank report also added that the bank’s survey in 2007 show that “Life Expectancy” for Nigeria male was forty-six (46) years and forty-seven for female. It was also revealed that Nigerians that live on $1.25 per day make 29.6 percent of the population while those that live on $2 are 83.9 percent. This report was made in 2010, we can the figures presently with our devalued Naira, depleting foreign reserve and falling oil price.

These mind-buggling revelations should be of great concern to the new administration under the leadership of the President-Elect Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. It calls for holistic actions with the right attitude from our leaders at all levels of government under the new government.

One area, which the new Buhari-led Government seriously needs to give hundred percent attention to, is the nation’s epileptic Power Sector. The truth is that if the new government can fix the nation’s Power Sector and guarantee Nigerians regular uninterrupted power supply, it will ultimately address several problems facing the nation like unemployment, industrialization, improved health care delivery, improved standard of living etc.

To this end, Nigerians expect the new government to sanitize the nation’s Power Sector in all ramifications. For example, like we have advised severally before now, the new Federal Government under Buhari should completely re-take over the nation’s Power Sector and overhaul it before re-privatization. This is hinged on the fact that the Power Distribution Companies (DISCOs) and Power Generation Companies (GENCOs) that took over the nation’s Power Sector have proven not to have the wherewithal, capacity and capability to manage the nation’s Power Sector for regular power supply to Nigerians.  Today, Nigerians are forced to pay outrageous electricity bills without seeing or enjoying the power supply. The problem is that it appears the privatization of the nation’s Power Sector was done by the present administration without sincerity of purpose.

The amount of money people spend daily in fueling and maintaining their generators (for those that can afford it), cannot been comprehended. The Nigerian economy has been turned into a “Generator-driven” economy. Nobody will be happy to pay electric bills to DISCOs in the current situation, especially with the increase in tariff for power supply. For example, there is hardly power supply in the entire Delta State and it is the common poor masses that are suffering and bearing the grunt, no thanks to the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC). The situation is getting out of control and daily becoming a nightmare. The privatization of the nation’s Power Sector is a ‘complete failure’ because since the takeover of power supply by these private hands, the electricity supply situation in the country has gone from bad to worse. The new government is expected to address this.

We also believe that the new government under Buhari should compel major car manufacturing companies like Toyota, Nissan, Volkswagen, Mercedes Benz, Peugeot etc, to establish Car Assembling Plants to assemble vehicles in Nigeria. Such Car Assembling Plants will obviously generate revenue for the country and provide enormous employment opportunities for our teeming graduates. We are aware that at least 23 automakers have signified interest to set up assembly plants in Nigeria, as disclosed late last year by the Director-General of the National Automotive Council, Mr. Aminu Jalal,including the launch of Made-In-Nigeria Cars in 2009 by Innoson Vehicle Manufacturers Company (IVM) Limited, however, we are referring to having the big-players in the auto industry like the ones listed above; coming to establish Car Assemlying Plants in the country and not names like Pasco Nigeria Limited that will produce JVC trucks or SCOA Nigeria Plc that will produce MAN Diesel trucks. Big automakers like Toyota, which has a huge market patronage in Nigeria, should be compelled to establish Car Assembly Plants in Nigeria. If they can have such assembling plants in South Africa, then Nigeria should not be an exception.

An obvious angle which the new government must address, is the issue of ‘corruption’, which should be the major challenge and huddle the new administration must tackle. There is need to holistically deal with corruption at all levels of government and bring it to the barest minimum. Buhari is known by many as a disciplined man and we are glad that he has made a lot of promises in this regard during his campaign. Buhari seriously needs to ‘sanitize’ the entire Nigerian public sector. Right now, there is practically little or no ‘fear’ or ‘caution’ in various Government Parastatals and Civil Service as there is ‘no discipline’. And when there is ‘no discipline’, the country’s Public Sector will not let the new leadership under Buhari to succeed.

The complete absence of discipline in the Nigerian polity has left us with “dysfunctional, disorganized and corrupt-ridden” Government Institutions, especially in the Public Sector of the Civil Service, and all various Government Ministries and Departments, including Government institutions like the Nigerian Custom service (NCS), the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), The Nigerian Army, Navy, Airforce, The Nigerian Customs, The Power Sectors. There is absolutely no discipline in Nigeria’s Public Sector from top authorities to those at the bottom. And as such, public servants are seen to do whatever they like since the possibility of facing any query/disciplinary actions from the top is not there. Hence, they come to work whenever they please and go home whenever they feel like it and treat the public they are supposed to be serving however they please.

We have had a case where the FRSC, precisely the FRSC Warri Unit Command by Delta Steel Company (DSC) Housing Complex, Orhuwhorun Road, Udu LGA, Delta State, unlawfully impounded a vehicle of a Pastor for no justifiable reason and left the said car in their office premises for several months after trying to extort money before the car would be released. It took the intervention of the Nigerian Police before the said car was only released two weeks ago, and the damaged caused on the car was over a N150, 000 because of the way it was left in their office premises.  That is just one example of the sort of indiscipline and corruption we have in Government establishments. We see it the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) where illegal immigrants have found their way into the country across our borders and International Airport without any restrictions. At the end of the day, these illegal immigrants (especially the ones from neighboring countries) continue to constitute nuisance on our streets and the integrity of the nation’s security. The Nigerian Customs Service is also not left out, as they are known for corruption in high proportions which has led to the importation of all manner of fake and substandard products into the country. The NCS has made Nigeria a dumping ground for all manner of substandard products, especially from Asian countries. We also see such indiscipline in the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Navy, the Nigerian Airforce, etc. We can go on and on because the list is endless.

It is only the ‘truth’ that can make/set us free; that is the Bible principle that transcends all time and can never change. Unfortunately, we are in a generation that abhors, despises, rejects and refuses to accept the truth even when it is steering us in the face. And as such, we have become a “morally bankrupt and indiscipline Nigerian society” and a people that are steadily losing their fundamental ‘values’ and speedily degenerating to oblivion.

We are where we are today in Nigeria not because of any other thing other than the fact that we have become a people that have lost their ‘value system’ due to pervasive indiscipline. And as such, every level of ‘leadership’, be it in politics, family, or even religion, have all been ‘corrupted’ one way or the other by this. We have become a people that value ‘ephemeral gains’ of life more than life itself. We have exchanged the value of life for material wealth, even if our actions will adversely affect millions of our fellow countrymen. We have exchanged the virtues and values of hard work, discipline, integrity, sincerity, honesty, punctuality, accountability, patience, brotherliness and so on for the most ‘self-centered’ corrupt tendencies and mediocrity of highest proportions. That is why the present generation of Politicians and society Elites have failed and are still failing the people and the society at large. They have become leaders that are more interested in their well-being than that of those they are meant to ‘serve’. So, the President-Elect really has a lot on his plate to deal with when it comes to the fight against corruption and indiscipline in the supposed new Nigeria.

It is only when those who are seen to be indiscipline or who have stolen public funds are thoroughly dealt with the full-wrath of the law that Nigeria may end up not being a failed State. If it means that the new government should establish Special Courts to fast-track the process of trailing corrupt public officials, we believe they should. This is one area the President-Elect Buhari must consider. For if Nigeria must get there in its anti-graft war, the establishment of Special Courts remain the best solution for speedy trial of “high-profile corrupt cases”. This is necessary since it appears the normal Court System where the EFCC and ICPC high-profile corruption cases are brought before the Courts have either been quashed or proven to be very slow.

To this end, there is need for the new government under Buhari to set a new trend in Nigeria’s Judiciary. There is need to thoroughly sanitize the country’s Judiciary and rid it off any iota of corrupt practices. The corruption case against the former Delta State Governor James Ibori is a good example of how corrupt the Nigerian Judiciary is. To refresh our minds on the Ibori’s case, it was very obvious that there was no “political will” in his prosecution. Ibori’s famous guilty plea in South Wark Crown Court, UK, over corruption charges, clearly shows that something is intricately wrong with our judicial process. One Justice Marcel Awokulehin of a Federal High Court in Asaba, Delta State, discharged and acquitted Ibori of all 170 – count charges of corruption brought against him by the EFCC involving the laundering of millions of dollars. Thanks to the UK Metropolitan Police, the same Ibori is currently serving a jail term in the UK over the same corruption charges. Another case in point was that of Mohammed Abacha, where it was reported that the Federal Government on June 18, 2014, dropped a nine-count charge against Mohammed Abacha, son of the late dictator Head of State Gen. Sanni Abacha,  over alleged complicity in the theft of N446.3 billion during his father’s administration. What we find most appalling about the said Federal Government’s withdrawal of the suit against Mohammed, was that there was no concrete explanation given to justify the suit withdrawal, other than what they described as “fresh facts” that emerged. Today the guy is enjoying the political asylum shelter no thanks to the PDP-led government.

When public office holders are allowed to go scot free or merely given a slap on the wrist for stealing public funds meant for the general good of all, then the system is practically adding kerosene to the already burning fire. Not until the issue of corruption at the levels of government circles is drastically reduced to the barest minimum, our Power sector will continue to dwindle; the Health sector will remain in shambles; price of food will continue to heighten as a result of the pathetic state of our Agricultural sector; Our Refinaries will continue to function below capacity, making us still dependent on the importation of refined petroleum products; Housing for all will continue to be a dream that can never be realized; Transportation system will remain in its undeveloped state; the Education sector will suffer more harm than ever; and unemployment will sky-rocket even more as industrialization and infrastructural development will continue to derail, and so will the country remain in its “developing status” while other less endowed nations will overtake us. The President-Elect should realize that there is no amount of policy and inspirational oratory that will move this nation forward if the issue of corruption in high places is not addressed holistically headlong.

Aside the increasing level of corruption that seriously needs to addressed, another area that greatly disturbs us and many well-meaning Nigerians, which the new government under Buhari is expected to address, is the ‘high cost of governance in Nigeria.’ Honestly, if it is possible for us to sit down and calculate all the money recklessly/inappropriately spent by the Nigerian Government at all levels, in their governance activities, within the last 16 years of our democratic dispensation, the results will not only be shocking and quite revealing, but will also not be commensurate with the deplorable status of the country which they are expected to govern effectively in the first place. Rather than the high cost of governance to reflect on improving living conditions of the populace, it is only reflected on some selected public holders and those in the circles of government, leaving the majority of the population in perpetual want and need. These are issues the President-Elect would have to grapple with and address after his inauguration.

It is very disheartening to note the way our public office holders use and waste public funds in the name of doing ‘government work’; while the people they are supposed to serve are left to wallow in abject poverty. It is only in this country you will find most public officials living beyond their legitimate means of livelihood. The way they waste money, lavish in affluence and comfort, suggest to us that we still have a long way to go in salvaging the nation. For those in the National Assembly and the Presidency, their salaries, bonuses and allowances, are not only the highest paid in the world, but are also, obviously draining the National purse to a bleeding point.  With the 7^th National Assembly gone, and a fresh one on its way, it is expedient for the President-Elect Buhari and the relevant establishment, to drastically reduce the amount of public funds expended as emoluments and allowances by members of the National Assembly. As the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had highlighted some few years ago, we cannot continue to have about 25 percent of the National budget expended by our legislators in their comfort. It will be simply outrageous for this to be allowed to continue. It is very unfair that “our political leaders and law makers are the highest paid in the world” whereas; the Minimum Wage is a miserly N18, 000. We cannot actualize any tangible level of development if our Recurrent expenditure in the yearly National Budgets are more than Capital expenditures.

The Nigerian political circle has become an arena where every dick and harry are seen to be doing whatever that is necessary to find their way there, so as to position themselves for another round of embezzlement and misappropriation of public funds for their selfish insatiable wants. Public office is no longer seen as a channel through which one should ‘serve’ the people; it is now seen as a ‘beautiful window’ of opportunity to become rich overnight, almost insane level of wealth. This has been the major reason why most politicians seek for political office. But, we just earnestly pray that this will change in this new dispensation under Buhari. There is need for us to make government positions/public offices “unattractive”, so that politicians who are interested in one public office of the other, will go into public service to ‘serve’ and not to amass public funds. We are very much aware that some of these things are part of the recommendations in the Confab Report, which include making our lawmakers at both the National and State levels to be on ‘Part-Time’ basis.

Buhari should note that Nigerians expect the implementation of the Confab Report in the new government. It will be foolhardy and a step in the wrong direction if, after all the time, energy  and the country’s  resources that were utilized to carry out the National Conference, then at the end of the day the resolutions and decisions reached by the Confab are not judiciously implemented. We have advised before now that necessary amendments in the nation’s Constitution need to be made by the National Assembly to give room for a referendum. This is to ensure that the Nigerians have the final say about the outcome of the Confab resolutions. And to back this up, legislative steps should also be taken by the Lawmakers to ensure that the resolutions reached by the Confab having gone through a referendum, are binding on every Nigerian.

It is also expected that the new government to be led by Gen. Muhammadu Buhari will build on, and advance the already recorded successes by the Nigerian Military and neighboring Armed Forces in the fight against terrorism perpetrated by the Boko Haram sect. We sincerely hope the war against terror, though a global phenomenon will be drastically ameliorated. Nigerians expect nothing less from the retired General in the Nigerian Army like Buhari. We also expect the Bring-Back-Our-Girls episode will finally come to an end with the recovery and return of these girls that have been held captive for months.

After all has been said and done, our major thrust and concern here is the need for the new administration led by Gen. Muhammadu Buhari that will sworn-in come May 29, 2015, to become more ‘responsible,’ ‘accountable’ and ‘transparent’ to its citizenry in the fulfillment of ‘all’ the  ‘promises’ made during their campaign and expected inaugural speeches. As custodians of the wealth of the nation, they would be held responsible if they are not able to judiciously manage, distribute and ensure the effective appropriation of the vast amounts of revenues that is daily going into the coffers of the government. Let the generality of the Nigerian citizenry have a taste of that ‘Nigerian dream’ within the next four years and after wards. Nigeria cannot afford to continue to be dubbed a country that is so rich, yet so poor in every sense of the word. There should be a balance. Things have to change this time around. Let the right things be done, this we urge.

Zik Gbemre, JP

National Coordinator

Niger Delta Peace Coalition (NDPC)

No.28, Opi Street, Ugboroke Layout, Effurun-Warri,

P.O. Box 2254, Warri, Delta State, Nigeria.

Tel:       +2348026428271

+2348052106013

Website: www.ndpc-zik.org