The Nigeria’s democratic system will elatedly clock 23 by May this year. Though the country had from the outset been experiencing – at intervals – democratic leadership, it’s emergence in 1999 which marked the fourth republic hasn’t been interrupted till date.
This signifies that we’ve thus far, since 1999, enjoyed an uninterruptible democracy. It suffices to say that the style of leadership in question has consecutively lasted for 22 years without interruption, hence has apparently come to stay.
In spite of the countless challenges so far witnessed in the country’s civil rule, there’s one big reason for the citizenry to celebrate the aforementioned milestone. The reason remains that, the worst democratic sphere is far better than the best autocratic rule or any other.
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This implies that as we groan over the devastating pattern of democracy being harboured in the most populous and popular black nation, we ought to be consoled by the fact that democracy can never in any way be equated with autocracy, hence are not unlike two parallel lines that have no meeting point.
It would be recalled that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) premiered the leadership of the ongoing republic. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was at the helm of affairs at the time. Nigerians were of the view that soonest the country would be ushered into the long awaited Promised Land. But pathetically, eight years after, no tangible development was recorded.
The show of uncertainty continued unabated till 2015 when a merger party branded as the All Progressives Congress (APC) surprisingly unseated the ruling PDP reportedly via the mandate of the people’s votes. The defeat was not unconnected with the fact that the citizens yearned for a change having ostensibly gotten weary of the PDP’s administration.
President Muhammadu Buhari who came on board in 2015 under the auspices of the APC, celebrated his 6 years in office last year. It’s worthy of note that prior to his victory at the polls, his party was able to attract the attention of the teeming Nigerians with the aid of its change mantra.
In his acceptance nationwide speech after the election, Pres. Buhari pledged that, under his watch, the lingered societal plights such as insecurity, corruption and epileptic economy shall be addressed headlong.
Ironically, as the journey progressed in the course of tackling the Boko Haram menace, which was mainly occurring in the North Eastern part of Nigeria, other security challenges abruptly sprang up in virtually all the parts of the country.
In the area of corruption fight, he has succeeded in minimizing some ugly situations that used to be the order of the day in the public service through the fierce implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and the Bank Verification Number (BVN).
However, the people were baffled that despite the various ongoing court proceedings, no single conviction had been recorded, perhaps owing to the notion that “corruption is fighting back” as recently alleged by the government, not until an erstwhile governor of Taraba State, Jolly Nyame was served a verdict, followed by the conviction of his counterpart in Plateau state in the person Joshua Dariye.
The economy cannot be left out while dissecting the overall leadership stride of the present administration. Recession came into place the moment the Buhari-led government took over the mantle of leadership apparently as a result of the drastic decline in the oil price.
In view of the recessionary era, several firms operating across the country became bankrupt, thereby leading to redundancy. Nevertheless, we must acknowledge that even if the PDP was still in charge, the recession wouldn’t have been avoided.
Although the Presidency had claimed that the Nigeria’s foreign reserve had “improved significantly”, it’s difficult to believe considering that importation isn’t yet curtailed because foreign products still abound in the country.
The citizenry had equally be told that inflationary rate had “consistently reduced every month since January 2017”, but currently, the prices of goods and services in the country’s numerous markets still endlessly skyrocket.
On agriculture, Mr. President had categorically informed that rice importation had been “cut down by 90%”, but till date, Nigeria’s various markets are engulfed in foreign-made rice.
The Presidency had also boasted about the effectiveness of the ongoing Social Investment Programmes (SIP). It’s mind-boggling that the various initiatives embedded in the said programmes are yet to meaningfully solve the problems of unemployment and hunger that informed their implementation.
It’s noteworthy that the ‘Not too young to run’ bill had been signed into law by Pres. Buhari, signifying he ostensibly means well for the youth, yet various ‘old men’ are currently warming up to take over the mantle of leadership from him come 2023. Isn’t it a paradox?
More so, the President’s re-election in 2019 indicated a paradox as regards the ‘Not too young to run’ law he personally signed. If he was truly in support of the law, he wouldn’t have contested for a second term in office.
From my point of view, what Nigeria presently needs is sincerity on the part of her leaders. This is the only way she could get better, stronger and greater.