Idris Oladele Kosoko, who represented Badagry federal constituency in the House of Representatives, assesses President Muhammadu Buhari’s one year in office, saying he is on course, in this chat with Assistant Politics Editor, DANIEL KANU.
What is your assessment of the Muhammadu Buhari government so far?
The truth is that a lot of things, as far as governance is concerned, were messed up before President Buhari took over. The economy was already down because of the drop in the price of oil and of course you know ours is a mono economy which should not have been so. We ought to have fully diversified by now, given the potential of both human and resources that abound in the country.
Sadly also is the worrisome case of corruption that has eaten deep into the fabric of the nation. Corruption has remained cancerous and we need a President that must have zero tolerance to it. There is so much decay in the system; so one is not expecting that things will change with ease.
Of course, part of what we are witnessing today, like the economic issue, is global. But it depends on how each nation is handling its own.
We cannot expect Uhuru at the moment because we are still in transition. But I am optimistic that applying the right policies will get things done.
I do not think one year is enough to begin to witness the change promised. I believe the issues of power, solid minerals, and agriculture among other sectors are being looked into.
You cannot say the battle on corruption has not been active. You must know that the corruption fight is not easy, but we are making progress. That some people are even afraid and returning their loot is cheering and shows that there is a shift in the way things were done before. Some say the anti-corruption is selective, but you and I know that you must start with those that just left office. It is not a day, a week or a month’s exercise, so one cannot say that government is through with the crusade. You cannot arrest all those involved the same day; so we must exercise patience to see how it ends before passing judgment. You can see that some people who ordinarily appeared untouchable are being touched. Some are saying that enough convictions have not been made in terms of those involved. But don’t forget that it has to pass through the courts, and the procedure takes time. I still think it is better for government not to be too fast and make mistakes but to be steady and focused.
Some critics are saying that nothing good will come out from the present crop of ministers. That, to me, is a blanket statement. Let us give them time first and watch them before passing our verdict.
So, all that the government is doing is acceptable to you.
It is not as if all that they are doing is acceptable to me. Maybe in terms of style, I may have approached some issues differently. You know the welfare of the people is always paramount and most times when the masses pass through some tough time without getting some relief, they begin to lose faith, even when what you are doing is right.
Government is on the right track, but I would have wanted them to consider some relief to cushion the effect of the pain resulting from what the former government refused to do well. But I know that government is sensitive about the situation and I am sure they are working on all sectors.
What we are witnessing now is a tough experience. But tough decisions sometimes are taken for better result at the end. I still believe that government is not ignorant of the situation. Any policy you make rests on certain variables and not cast on stone.