National Director, Election Planning and Monitoring for All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council in the 2015 general elections and former Imo State Commissioner for Information, Theodore Ekechi, speaks on President Muhammadu Buhari’s one year in office in this interview with Assistant Editor (South East), CHRISTIAN NWOKOCHA.
Perceptions on President Muhammadu Buhari, one year after
I am not happy with the situation of things on the ground. I am not also happy that we have not met expectations of Nigerians perhaps in the last one year. But I am however very happy, and it is very important, either by design or providence, to have a person like Buhari as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because it could have been worse. To fix this country, foundation is key. It could have been worse, in the sense that some of the promises were made on the basis of what was or seemed to be working in government. The mindset then was on the economic profile that was presented to Nigerians by the previous administration and the price of oil which later dwindled. Take it to be a coincidence that as soon as Buhari came into office, the price of oil which was about 95 per cent of the earnings of the country nosedived. It will also give reason for anybody to believe that the same 95 per cent of Nigeria’s earnings is no longer there. If you have a critical look at this, you can agree with me that Nigeria was already heading towards total collapse before Buhari’s emergence and that was why I said it could have been worse. It is not the fault of either Buhari or APC. The problem is global.
Nigerians losing confidence in Buhari
I do not believe that Nigerians are losing confidence in Buhari’s administration. There are people who expected Buhari to fail. So, I completely disagree with you that Nigerians have lost confidence in Buhari.
On the contrary, Nigerians are beginning to hope that Buhari will fix this country, having noted that we lived a false life as Nigerians in the past. We are moving away from the position of pretence and falsehood to the position of reality. This comment of loss of confidence is coming from areas where the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is holding the people hostage. That we are still together as a nation is as a result of the transparent nature of the man, Buhari. Because of his anti-corruption agenda, some sections of Nigeria obviously would want to talk about loss of confidence. PDP members are badly hit by this anti-corruption agenda. However, the Nigerian situation today is where we need to pile a foundation for better structures.
Nigeria having credibility problem on account of comments by the President abroad
I will disagree with you again. Probably you are referring to comments in the United States, London and India trips. When a nation puts on trial its former National Security Adviser (NSA) for a sin that is obvious, when a nation puts on trial Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) for corruption, when a nation puts on trial the publicity secretary of the former ruling party, when a nation puts on trial former ministers, other government officials for corruption, when a nation parades former governors, when a nation probes military officials who embezzled funds meant to fight for the people, will it not amount to fool-hardiness if anyone in Nigeria continues to pretend that no one is corrupt because the President said it? The essence of these trips is to lay siege to corrupt Nigerians who stole money and sent them abroad. With what the President is doing, there is no more hiding place for these corrupt government officials. The President is being proactive. If he agrees with the international community that some Nigerians are corrupt, the next line of action is to plan how to return the loots in their domain. We want them back to our country.
Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, portraying Nigeria as broke
Permit me to say that in a critical situation where Nigeria found itself, the whole truth can be made public. We must run away from the era of political decoration and perhaps say things the way they are, depending on who is saying it and at what occasion. So I don’t really see what is bad in being frank. You tell the international community that you are rich when you are broke, that is the pretence that has kept us where we are today. If we must pretend that all is well with us, why do we travel to China, Saudi Arabia and many other countries of the world seeking help? Nigeria can be broke but not to the point of insolvency because we have abundant material and human resources that can keep us moving.
Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade targeting members of the opposition
Again, that is the propaganda of the opposition party. That is the dilemma of a frustrated political party which ruled the country with false impression. That is the position of the opposition party, stinking with a bad image. This country was ruled by one party in the last 16 years through “who do you know in government?”. The last regime infiltrated every nook and cranny of the country and institutionalised corruption.
If it is true that most people who handled contracts and rendered services to Nigerians are PDP, then you cannot remove the fact that most people who will be called to render account of services must be PDP. APC has just come to power; therefore its members should also know that in case they lose election at the centre or at any level, they will also be called by the party in power to come and render its account in office. It is a good beginning for Nigeria.
But I want to state that the former PDP members who later joined APC are facing trial too. Let me remind you that the anti-corruption agencies of government work on information and petitions backed with facts. So if anybody can identify anyone in APC, let the person come up with a petition. For me, the people should not bother so much because there will be a day of reckoning even for the APC members who are now in power.
Buhari’s achievements within one year in office
Yes. Impunity has reduced. Our respect and status have been restored as a leading developing country among others. Buhari has laid foundation for future development. Nigerians have changed in the way they carry out government business. There is discipline among Nigerians in the exercise of their powers. Those in power no longer take people for granted. People can now believe that corrupt practices can be punished. There is confidence in the electoral system, otherwise PDP couldn’t have won re-run elections in some states of the federation. Certain contracts and fake contracts outside the country, using Nigeria’s hard-earned money, have all stopped. The 2016 budget was made an issue because the President, for the first time, wanted the right thing done. Now that the budget has been passed, Nigerians, in the next few weeks, will witness rapid infrastructural development. Today, we have a President who cannot be intimidated. Leadership is about taking the people where they should be and not where they want to be. Respect for Nigeria as the most populous nation in Africa has been restored. Gone are days you looked down on the Nigerian President and treated him with a wave of hands. We have keyed into the committee of respected nations and we can also be heard. Buhari’s government has reasonably reduced Boko Haram’s fighting capacity. Foundations have also been laid to which developments will thrive.
