EDITORIAL: Holding president Buhari to his campaign promises

The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is entering its 7th year since his reelection in 2019. The country, within that period has experienced two economic recessions and has continued to battle various economic challenges occasioned by corruption, poor economic management, and frequent drop in crude oil price that has not gone above $70pb since 2015.

In spite the economic challenges, the President consistently said his administration is committed to lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty between 2021 and 2031. This is notwithstanding the government had promised Nigerians better lives with series of promises in 2015 and 2019 elections that included to fight corruption and revamp the economy; to sustain the anti-insurgency war and curb insecurity; remodeling 10,000 schools per year; to complete the Ibadan/Kano phase of the Lagos/Kano rail link and also complete the Port Harcourt/Maiduguri line and the complete the Itakpa/Warri link to Abuja, through Lokoja, among other promises.

It is unfortunate that in spite the high hopes Nigerians invested in the present administration especially during the 2015 and 2019 elections, the government have not lived to the expectation of the common man.

On security, the government may be quick to say that Boko Haram insurgents have limited their activities to Borno State, compared to the previous administration when the attack of the capital city became regular occurrence, yet within the period, we have experienced a high rate of kidnapping, farmers/herders clash and banditry all over the country.

It is rather unfortunate that under the government, some states government have resolved to negotiate with bandits since the federal government cannot guarantee the safety of lives and properties. Highways are not safe for traveling, farmers are murdered in broad daylight and there is no other time in the history of the country that inter-ethnic tension has been this high.

On the economic front, we recall the decision of the Federal Government to close land borders in August 2019 due to the activities of smugglers and the inability of neighbouring countries to tame the situation. President Buhari also said the closure was to prevent smuggling of rice and other products into the country at the expense of locally produced goods. We are not unaware that the decision left the country for the worse with inflation rising to a three-year high of 14.9% and food prices reaching a record high of 18.3%.

The recent kidnap of students and others in school premises in Kagara and the abduction of Jangebe school girls exposed the level of commitment and investment the government has committed to the education system in the country.

IMPACT NEWS submits that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has performed far below the expectation of Nigerians, yet the two years left for him to lead the country is enough to turn the tide around. We therefore urge the President to revisit his promises to Nigerians and deliver the dividends of democracy to all Nigerians not minding ethnic or religion background. We urge him to start with the security situation of the country.

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