The Presidency making a self-based review of its activities and performance in steering the wheel of the nation’s administration since it took over the nation’s state of affairs has revealed that the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration in the Country has exceeded and surpassed the very high expectations of the Nigerian populace, adding that since the All Progressive Congress [APC] came into power in the year 2015 after defeating the incumbent administration which was led by the then President of the Federation, Goodluck Jonathan
As revealed by the Presidential Spokesman, GarbaShehu, he stated that the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration in the country five years after its assumption into office to steer the affairs of the nation has worked very hard in all quarters to meet the various expectations of the Nigerian Populace, while also acknowledging the fact that there are more tough and unavoidable decisions which had to be taken to ensure that the country is placed back on the path of sustainable growth and development in the nation Nigeria.
According to the Presidential Spokesman, GarbaShebu, for the federal government of Nigeria to put a lasting stop to the mi-use of public funds, tax-payers ‘money, the victory and out right removal of corruption which are associated with subsidies on petroleum products, fertilizers among others, the Buhari led administration took the bold and drastic implementation of the long delayed reforms which was to withdraw and allow the marketers to set their prices themselves.
He explained that the removal of subsidy in these various sectors had long been predicted by consecutive administration as game changer in the hunt for resolutions to move the nation’s growth and development. These various reforms and changes to move the nation forward is a necessary and unavoidable one if the nation is to return to a path of development and growth. Plans upon plans, times over times had come and gone but the courage to take the much needed bold and courageous step was not there.
In the last few days in the country, there has been a certain and common claim which has been well and strongly re-echoed by the online community as well as the various labor movements and the opposition is that the bold and courageous step taken by the federal government as explained by GarbaShehu is an ill-timed and ill-advised one.
That the nation Nigeria is facing various multiple challenges at the moment alongside Covid-19, low earnings by its worker, near collapse of the nation’s oil market, cases of floods, the incessant cases of terrorism and banditry but notwithstanding these various challenges a good government in its duty must ensure that it takes the right decision for the good of all
Garba further elucidated that history will be good to President Buhari because adding to his impressive ability to command votes, the Nigerian populace will remember him as the president who made a genuine contribution to the economic and overall national development by removing the fangs of corruptions which has been long entrenched in subsidies. In any form of democracy in any part of the world, the most important and essential factor in governance is the acceptance of a government by its people which is otherwise known as legitimacy, with the support of the common people that is the Nigerian populace, the President has demonstrated an uncommon determination and commitment to carry out bold initiatives and courageous programs which are tailored towards the greatest good of all in the nation. In executing these various national reforms, the President needs the general support and understanding of all citizens which includes that of the opposition parties, labor groups as well as civil societies in the country
In these tough times, President Muhammadu Buhari is fronting the development goals of the nation, choosing not to play politics; history will judge him in good terms rather than his critics on the social media as well as the opposition.
While GarbaShebu has given his own honest appraisal and review of his principal officer, President Muhammadu Buhari, who in glowing terms he has praised as one who has taken the bull by the horn to make the right and necessary changes in Nigeria, however while an larger populace of the Nigerian community might have viewed these various stern and bold stand which been taken by the President Muhammadu Buhari as part of the reforms made to combat the nation’s economy recent fall, which has being described by GarbaShehuas a necessary requirement to restoring the nation back to the path of progress and development. The recent of these decisions are the increase in electricity tariff in the nation, removal of subsidy and the hike in petrol fuel price which many has regarded as an ill-timed decision from the federal government of Nigeria which will inevitably bring about harsher realities for the average Nigeria.
While the federal government of Nigerian has experienced its stand and decision to stick by its decision which its stated as the only way out, it is the hope of Nigerians that this recent decision will bear the desired results as anything other than this will not go down well with Nigerians who were originally against the idea and the decision of the Federal government.
While GarbaShehu has given according to his perception his own take and opinion of his principal officer, he must also understand the fact that the public perception and what history will eventually think of President Buhari will be ultimately determined by the Nigerian populace and not just according to his own view.
For the president to be afforded a good place in the history books of Nigeria, it must ensure that his policies ad decisions are geared towards the sustenance of the masses and that every decision taken by him either the ones which the public supports or the ones which are considered to be back breaking and ill-timed it must ensure that the Nigeria populace eventually see the need for such decisions in the eventual outcome of such decisions.
By Marcus Amudipe