THE survival instinct of a nation revolves within
the capacity and charismatic leadership of the
person who pilot its affairs. Nigeria will collapse if
the electorate fails to make the right choice in the
2019 presidential election because the present
leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari from
all indications has proved that it lacks the
political will to discharge functionalities of a
government.
From what are on his score-card, the incumbent
President has no moral justification to ask for
votes or convince Nigerians that he should be
returned for a second term in office. He has also
demonstrated to the people of this country that
judging from the events of these past three and a
half years, who says he would not disappoint
Nigerians again, as he has done.
Under the Buhari-led All Progressive Congress,
APC, administration, man’s inhumanity to man,
barbarism and all kinds of killings became the
trade-marks of certain sections of the country;
making Nigeria one of the most dangerous places
to survive.
The APC has failed in its campaign promises and
giving the party a second chance will amount to
sending the people to their untimely deaths.
For instance, before he got nomination to the
exalted position of presidential candidate in 2015,
Buhari said: “I, Muhammadu Buhari, believe that
our politics is broken. Our nation urgently needs
fundamental political reform and improvement in
governance more transparency and accountable …
If you nominate me in December, 2014 and elect
me in February 2015, my administration will: 1.
Initiate action to amend the Nigerian Constitution
with a view to devolving powers, duties, and
responsibilities to states in order to entrench true
Federalism and the Federal spirit; 2. Strengthen
INEC to reduce, if possible, eliminate electoral
malpractices in Nigerian’s political life; 3. Prevent
the abuse and misuse of Executive, Legislative
and Public offices, through greater accountability,
transparency, strict, and implementable anti-
corruption laws, through strengthening and
sanitising the EFCC and ICPC as truly
independent entities;
4. Amend the Constitution to remove immunity
from prosecution for elected officers in
criminal cases; handover and Defence: I will
urgently secure the territorial integrity of the
nation. I will never leave the defence of the
nation in the hands of Hunters, Children,
and Civilian JTF through the following:
Urgently address capacity building
mechanisms of law enforcement agents in
terms of quantity and quality as this is
critical in safeguarding the sanctity of lives
and property. Establish a well-trained,
adequately-equipped and goals-driven
Serious Crimes Squad to combat
insurgencies, kidnapping, armed robbery,
ethno-religious and communal clashes,
nationwide.
Consult and amend the Constitution to enable the
State and Local Governments create City, LG and
State Policing systems, based on the resources
available at each level, to address the peculiar
needs of each community. I will, therefore, work
with the National Assembly to set and revise,
when necessary, boundaries of operations for
Federal, State, and Local Government policing
units, through Criminal Justice legislation to
replace the Criminal Code, the Penal Code and
the Police Act, etc.â€.
Sadly, on the contrary, the Buhari-led APC
government has failed in its promises due to
flagrant disobedience of court orders, and inability
of the administration to defeat the Boko Haram
insurgency in the North-East. In addition, the
murder of innocent citizens of this country have
continued unabated.
Cataloguing clashes between farmers and semi-
nomadic herders in Nigeria, Amnesty
International, AI, reported that more than 3,600
people have been killed since 2016. Most the
fatalities occurred in 2018. The report is a serious
indictment of President Buhari’s administration;
no matter what the administration or its military
says against AI and their other efforts to distract
Nigerians.
AI noted that “The Nigerian authorities’ failure to
investigate communal clashes and bring
perpetrators to justice has fuelled a bloody
escalation in the conflict between farmers and
herders across the country, resulting in at least
3,641 deaths in the past three years and the
displacement of thousands moreâ€. These indices,
especially the total rejection and jettisoning of the
devolution of powers to component States as
promised by the present government during its
campaign in 2014, the failure to provide adequate
security and combating terrorism in the north-
east and some parts of the north central zones of
the country also explain why Nigerians must vote
out the APC government in 2019 presidential
election. That way, we would avoid the economic
and political collapse of the nation.
Buhari’s war against corruption has not recorded
huge successes because less than 3% of those
accused of corrupt practices have been convicted,
while perceived enemies of the government are
being harassed, humiliated, intimidated and
incarcerated. In the meantime, the All Progressive
Congress, APC, remains a safe haven for corrupt
serving and former public office holder – as the
party openly welcomes those indicted for corrupt
practices.
The need to vote out the APC from government is
also matched with the importance to vote in a
competent and committed replacement. This is
where Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Mr. Peter Obi
come into play. These are men of proven
integrity; men with the political and economic
experience to pilot the affairs of the nation to
greater heights. That is beyond doubt, and the
earlier the Nigerian electorate focuses in that
direction, the better for all Nigerians and the
future of the country.
source:
www.vanguardngr.com/2019/01/ensuring-nigerias-survival-2/
