Adetokunbo Pearse
The claim in his June 12th speech that he had fulfilled the promise made in his first term to secure the nation, enhance the economy and eradicate corruption is truly preposterous. The fact of the matter is that since President Muhammadu Buhari took office in 2015, acts of vandalism, kidnappings, banditry, ethnic conflicts are all on the rise. Also, every economic index points to a downward slope in the economy.
As for the fight against corruption one can see that the President’s understanding of corruption is parochial; limited to illegal wealth acquisition. Consequently the President himself has unwittingly promoted other forms of corruption including nepotism, ethnocentrism, tribalism, political protectionism, political favouratism, cover-ups, insensitivity and hypocrisy.
Throughout the nation, farmers live in daily fear of lawless Fulani herdsmen, who are quick to use violence to occupy ancestral lands, with the erroneous claim that all land belongs to federal government. Meanwhile kidnapping, rape and murder are fast becoming common place on our inter-state highways. 2019 has witnessed another dimension to the national state of insecurity. The North West zone which was relatively secure has now become the theater of kidnapping, killings and armed robbery.
The fact that terrorism escalated here immediately following the 2019 elections leads one to infer that as with Boko Haram in 2011, these terrorists are hoodlums who had been armed by unscrupulous politicians to influence the recent elections in their favour. Once let loose these evil people become uncontrollable. Unfortunately for Nigeria, Boko Haram’ threat has not abated contrary to Buhari’s claim. According to sources, (see Wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline of the Boko Haram insurgency 2019), there were over 86 incidents of Boko Haram attacks in 2018 resulting in 502 deaths, and 598 injuries. This is in addition to scores of properties destroyed, unknown numbers of farm animals stolen, and hundreds of people abducted.
On their own part, United Nations’ economic monitoring agencies posit that Nigeria’s economy is in dire straits. Since Buhari became president in 2015 the situation has gone from bad to worse. Foreign Direct Investment in flow (FDI) dropped from 17, 200, 465, 948 dollars between 2012 and 2014 to 11, 445, 102, 771 between 2015 and 2017 (40% decline). Stock Market Capitalization in 2013 was $80, 609, 900,000 and $62, 766, 310,000.0 in 2014; an average of 70 billion dollars yearly. Under Buhari, the Stock Market has nose-dived to an average of 38 billion dollars between 2015 and 2018. Additionally, Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which surpassed that of South Africa for the first time between 2013 and 2014 has declined by over 20% in the last four years. And the naira which exchanged for 190 to 1 American dollar in 2011 is now 360 to the dollar.
Every day hardships land credence to these bleak economic statistics. Cost of staple food items such as rice, garri, beans and yams have increased by 200% between 2015 and 2019. A litre of petrol which cost 87 naira in 2014 is now 145 naira. Kerosene, used by majority of citizens for fire has gone from 300 naira per gallon to 900 naira. Primary level school fees have gone up by 60%. Bus fare has doubled in price, as has house rent. Nigerians are dying in increasing numbers as people are finding it difficult to pay hospital bills or buy recommended drugs.
In proffering solutions it is instructive to interrogate time tested remedies. In order to mitigate against civil unrest the federal government must allow room for true federalism in which states can develop at their own pace, using their human capacity and their God – given natural resources. To combat Boko Haram insurgency, Buhari and other leaders, especially from the North must stop pretending that they don’t know what the terrorists want.
Boko Haram have sworn never to co-exist with people whom they regard as infidels. Why not cede a few local government areas to them around the Borno, and Maiduguri border towns. After all these are artificial boundaries created by colonial governments for their selfish purpose.
To deal with the menace of insecurity in the communities, there must be a divergence from the current situation in which Mr. Musliu Smith, Chairman of Police Service Commission confessed that the number of police in the country is grossly inadequate, their training sub standard and that they are ill equipped.
To add to this damning evaluation, the Inspector General of Police lamented that the main reason for the weakness of the police is paucity of funding. According to him only 20% of approved funding allocated for 2018 was released to the force. More than the promise to end insecurity or to improve the economy, it was his image of the incorruptible leader that endeared Buhari to the Nigerian electorate.
Unfortunately the President does not understand the true meaning of corruption. The dictionary as well as conventional definitions of corruption include dishonesty, immorality, wickedness, perversion, and bribery. The President can militate against corrupt practices if the leads by example. He must avoid all forms of favoritism in national appointments. Equal justice must be applied in dealing with dissidents. To equate the civil disobedience of groups like Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) with the atrocities of religious fanatics such as Mhyta Allah, and killer herdsmen is a perversion of justice.
To curb political corruption, the President must stop his party from providing a haven for alleged criminals. For example, financial misconduct cases against some politicians as well as the murder cases against should not be covered up because they have defected from PDP to APC. The independence of the judiciary and the legislature must be jealously guarded. Any attempt by the executive branch of government to manipulate or subjugate them will be a direct attack on democracy and a rape of the Nigerian constitution.
Dr. Pearse is a public affairs analyst, and an Associate at the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies, University of Lagos.