By Ephraim Adiele
Happy Democracy Day, Mr. President
How are you, work and family?
Dear Sir, I have not been a fan of you as Nigeria’s president since you emerged as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2014 because I have done proper ground research and realized you have nothing good to offer.
You were not an exemplary leader during your first stay as Head of State – You even overthrew a democratically elected government. You are not exactly a role model when it comes to being a businessman so I did not expect you to revolutionize the economy. So pardon my pessimism about your leadership skills (I was not wrong anyways).
My first draft of this open letter was quite lengthy and might have probably gotten me arrested because I was pretty pissed while I was writing and had a lot of things to say about how terrible your administration has been and the unimaginably horrible impact it has had on the Nigerian people as a whole. After writing for a while (about 1200 words) I stopped and realized I was ranting, then I realized I did not really need to analyze how bad your administration has been because Nigerians are feeling it and do not need an article reminding them of their very sorry condition. Asides that, I recall writing three different letters to your daughter, son and wife within the first year of your administration.
Then I remembered that fateful day – December 24, 2014 – when I was invited to Oriental Hotel, Lagos as part of a number of young leaders of thought to come and have audience with your then-Vice Presidential aspirant, Yemi Osinbajo.
On that day, we were given the APC manifesto (which should be attached to this article) which I went through and laughed heartily because I realized that you and your party members really take Nigerians for fools (well, aren’t we?) by making promises that can never be fulfilled even in the next 20 years except a miraculous revolution occurs.
After I was handed the manifesto, I went through it and underlined several of those phantom promises which I knew will never be fulfilled. I will just list them here and probably just make a few additions later.
THE APC PROMISED THE FOLLOWING:
- “Within the first year of your administration, employ 740,000 (20,000 per state + FCT) young graduates in immediate employment and empowerment scheme.” – This promise was never fulfilled and this is already the 3rd year and no signs of this EVER happening.
- “After NYSC, we will pay graduates stipends for one year under a vocational scheme where they build entrepreneurial and work-readiness capacity.” – NYSC alumni… how market?
- “Create an additional middle class of at least 4 million new homeowners” – Please when and where is the next landlord meeting holding. I have to attend.
- “Provide free meals in school to drastically reduce the number of out of school children. Osun State provides free lunches and got its enrolment to 80%” – This was APC using Governor Rauf Aregbesola as an example! I’m stunned!
- “Targeting up to 20% of our annual budget for education.” – By my last check, only 7% of the 2018 budget was allocated for education.
- “Ban Medical Trips for government officials” – Yes, you read right! This same Buhari promised to ban medical trips to the abroad for government officials.
- “Tuition reimbursement for health workers willing to relocate to rural areas” – I know many of my friends in the medical field who would dive at this offer if ever it is made, but what do I know? “Buhari has fulfilled his campaign promises”
- “In different phases over 4 years, APC will make monthly direct cash transfer of N5,000 to the 25 million poorest citizens, if they immunize their children and enroll them in school” – Dear Mr President, I strongly believe I am among the 25 million poorest Nigerians and my children are immunized and in school, where can I join the queue to collect my N5k?
- “Generate, transmit and distribute electricity on a 24 hour basis … by 2019” – I will borrow the words of Mr President himself when he was talking about his friend, Olusegun Obasanjo, “Where is the power?”
- “Will guarantee the independence of EFCC and ICPC” – The same EFCC whose chairman was spotted wearing a Buhari re-election badge during a recent interview with Channels TV? Issokay!!!
In summary, a good look at the APC manifesto shows that the Presidency has failed woefully as regards fulfillment of its promises to Nigerians.
Asides the aforementioned, it is pertinent to note the following anomalies who have assumed order of the day since the President took oath of office.
- Incessant killing of innocent villagers by herdsmen (Fulani or not), people are being killed and nothing is being done about it! Benue, Taraba, Plateau… name it!
Just before the election, I used to have discussions with my friends and they were all of the opinion that you were the savior Nigeria badly needed. I used to laugh and tell them you will do exactly what you have been doing and are still doing.
I would like to go on, but the point is clear, you proved no point to me, except that which I already knew before you won the 2015 election: You have no business being the President of Nigeria. I like you, but I don’t like you as the President of this country.
.Adiele is a Media and Digital Marketing Specialist. Contact him on @baba_random on all social platforms
