Toxic words: Nigerians give verdict as Buhari spends last week in office

Upper Monday, President Muhammadu Buhari will leave office after completing his two terms in office.

The last eight years have been tough for Nigerians given the accompanying downward change in their socio-economic life.

There is hardly any aspect of the nation’s existence that was not negatively impacted by the Buhari administration, which left many in pain and penury. The outgoing President’s exit is something the population is literally waiting for with bated breath.

While the administration believes it has done its best for the nation, most sections of the country have contrary opinions.

In several conversations with Sunday Vanguard across the country, people seem to be in a hurry to see Buhari’s exit upper Monday.

Their assessment of the President’s performance, especially as it affects lives and property, wasn’t something to cheer about.

The verdict is generally damning, with the majority saying Buhari holds the worst performance record among all the leaders who had governed Nigeria.

In 2014, I told Tinubu Buhari will fail — Fadaka

A former Zonal Publicity Secretary, South- West, of Peoples Democratic Party, Ayo Fadaka, said Nigeria went through an unmitigated depreciation under President Buhari.

According to him, “no institution or segment of the nation was spared Nigeria should be considered lucky to still be standing as a nation as he takes his leave from the Presidency.

“His main preoccupation was to become an ethnic champion and activist. He led protesters to the late Lam Adesina, then Governor of Oyo State.

At the onset of his administration on May 29, 2015, I predicted that Nigeria will come out worse after Buhari’s Presidency, and I have been proven right. I even told the President-elect Bola Tinubu earlier in 2014 at a meeting in his Ikoyi office in the presence of Sam Omatseye.

Buhari took over an economy that was second best in Africa, a nation that was attractive to foreign investors and turned it into penury.

Buhari failed colossally. He had no control over anything except his toothpick, yet he is the Commander-in-Chief.
The Buhari era represents the lowest ebb a nation can sink. I can’t wait for the next few days to pass by.”

Buhari leaving Nigeria more divided — Akintoye

A public analyst, Zadok Akintoye, said: “It seems like yesterday when the outgoing President was being sworn-in with promises of making Nigeria a better place. It saddens me that the last eight years have proven to be probably the worst since the return to democracy in 1999.

I remember sadly the hope Nigerians reposed in Buhari by believing that with him as President, Nigeria could somehow find its way out of bad governance. The President is leaving Nigeria more divided and disunited than he met it, with citizens poorer.”

Country is worse than Buhari met it in 2015 – Farounmbi

A former Nigerian envoy to the Philippines, Dr Yemi Farounmbi, on his part, said: “The eight years of General Muhammadu Buhari’s administration were filled with hopes and failed expectations. A lot of people had so much faith in 2015 that he was the one who would create a new country, where corruption would have been completely defeated, where insecurity would become history.

“It has become difficult after eight years to say categorically that he has achieved any of his promises. On the contrary, it appears as if corruption had exploded under his watch.

“We also cannot say he has succeeded even though he claimed to have tactically defeated Boko Haram. Beyond Boko Haram, we now have the Islamic State of the Sahara and the Islamic State in West Africa Province. “Insecurity has become a national issue. It is no longer restricted to seven local governments as it was in 2015. He did his best in the area of infrastructure but the country has grown worse than he did in 2015.”

President stabilized Nigeria, contained terrorists – Olajide

A former Secretary-General, Yoruba Council of Elders, Dr Kunle Olajide, who appeared to be satisfied with the performance of the outgoing President, also speaking, opined: “Buhari was able to stabilise the country in his time. He was able to contain terrorists invading Nigeria in the North.

“He was able to stabilize the country. He maintained peace. He made a promise and to the best of my knowledge, he kept the promise. I think he needs to be given credit for that. To the best of my knowledge, he didn’t appear to intervene in the electoral process that elected the incoming President.”

Buhari didn’t meet expectations – Ajibulu

Secretary, Ekiti Council of Elders, Chief Niyi Ajibulu, said, “Before Buhari came to power, we had high hopes. He was seen as an incorruptible leader, disciplined and patriotic. From his manifesto when he ran for the presidency, people believed he could solve the problems of the masses. Unfortunately, he didn’t fulfil the expectations of the people. Not only that, he didn’t deliver his obligation to the people. The economy is in a precarious state. On the economy, he didn’t perform at all.

“When it comes to security, it’s another issue as Nigerians find it very difficult to travel to other parts of the country.”

I’m disappointed, says Onayemi

Convener, Yoruba Commitment Leaders, Orunba Tayo Onayemi, stated: “Going by the performance of President Muhammadu Buhari, when he was the Military Head of State between 1983 and August 1985, he meant well for the country and its people, but what we saw in the last eight years, was the opposite.

“I am very disappointed and bitter with the people around President Buhari in the last eight years except for his wife, Aishat, who stood like a man and spoke the truth to us constantly.

“Yes, President Buhari had some health challenges just like any other human being of his age, but for these hawks to latch on such a situation and make life difficult for Nigerians of all shades is not only callous but very inhumane and sadistic”.

No credible ideology under Buhari – Prof Ojo

A political scientist at the University of Ilorin, Prof. Gbade Ojo, said:” The ideology of the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is not a credible one. In the last eight years, it has failed, as it did under military dispensation to transform Nigeria economically, politically and socially.

“Sadly, apart from wrongly defining the purpose of government, the Buhari administration has also undermined Nigeria’s critical institutions.

“President Buhari failed to surround himself with competent people who can give him political support, envision and implement the good reforms and deliver the right outcomes for the good of Nigeria.”

‘He’s a failure

A member of the Socialist Party of Nigeria, SPN, Abiodun Bamigboye, described the outgoing President as a failure when it comes to security.

His words: “His government is synonymous with the enthronement of incompetence, insensitive leadership, endemic corruption in high places and governance by propaganda and false performance claims.

“In the last eight years, his administration has done nothing but drove our nation to the precipice.”

Unsafe Nigeria is his legacy – Ekpenyong

Prominent political leaders from Akwa Ibom State also expressed their views regarding the legacy of outgoing President Buhari.
The senator representing Akwa Ibom North-West, Christopher Ekpenyong, regretted that Buhari didn’t accomplish or fulfil any of his campaigns promises to Nigerians.

He said:” He inherited insecurity and he is also leaving behind insecurity. People cannot travel without being afraid that they may be waylaid on the road. And if you use the train you are not safe. The violent attacks by Boko Haram insurgents are still prevalent. That is his legacy

“Also, he promised that the exchange rate will be one Naira to a Dollar, and will replicate what he did in 1984 as military Head of State. Nigerians hurriedly voted for him. Today, $1 is almost N800.”

‘Self-inflicted distractions’

Contributing, a chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, Eseme Eyiboh, stated: “President Muhammad Buhari was a balanced diet in governance regardless of various self-inflicted distractions occasioned by poor leadership recruitment policy.

“He was unable to inform as much as he performed particularly in infrastructure. Corruption received sufficient oxygen because of the unnecessary overstay of cabinet members. As President, he was moderate and disciplined”

Buhari brought misery on Nigerians – Alagoa

On his part, Programme Manager/Head, ERA Niger Delta Resource Centre, Yenagoa, Comrade Morris Alagoa, said: “Nothing spectacular about Buhari in Aso Rock. I was thinking he was the Buhari we knew in the early 1980s when War Against Indiscipline, WAI, was associated with this military administration.

“When he spent years angling to become President, I thought he had something special and positive for the country. Unfortunately, he is leaving the presidency after eight years as the Nigerian in Aso Rock whose administration took Nigeria into greater debt burden by unchecked borrowing, depleted the nation’s foreign reserves and couldn’t defeat the monster called corruption, with unparalleled insecurity and a more divided Nigeria.

“Sadly, the elections conducted under his watch are below acceptable standards. It would have been better not having him as Mr. President except those coming after him would be worse. Buhari’s administration brought greater hardship to Nigerians. Buhari acted as if his aides were the ones in charge.”

In his own contribution, a former Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Chairman, Bayelsa Council, Comrade Tariyon Akono, said, “President Buhari came with old glory that was dead. People believed he was the Messiah. He is leaving our country more polarised than he met it. Nigeria is more insecure than he met it. He conducted the worst election ever in the country. He plunged the country into a nation of debt. The judiciary was ridiculously bastardised with consistent disobedience of court orders. Our country is in the worst of times.”

Buhari was nice to South-East, says Ohanaeze leader

A chieftain of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prince Richard Ozobu, said: “People of the South-East zone are always quick to blame him for everything bad with the zone, forgetting that his predecessors never did anything for the South-East.

“President Buhari has been in office for seven years and 11 months, he has never withheld federal allocation to any of the five states. The Igbo must learn to hold political officeholders accountable. Nobody has asked what our governors have done with the monthly allocations they receive.

“But we are to blame for everything. It was Buhari who completed the Second Niger Bridge which his predecessors only paid lip service to. The Second Niger Bridge became an object of political campaign before Buhari came to power. The Enugu –Port Harcourt and the Onitsha –Enugu expressways were not passable, but today they are wearing new looks. “Many people from the South-East zone held important positions, especially under President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration. What benefit did it attract to the zone?”

We deserve congratulations for surviving Buhari — Onyebuenyi

A taxi driver in Owerri, Imo State, Victor Onyebuenyi, said Nigerians should be congratulated on surviving the Buhari administration.

Onyebuenyi described Buhari’s administration as the hardest period Nigerians have undergone since after the civil war, in terms of high cost of living and insecurity.

He paid tribute to those who were consumed by the woes of the country, especially those killed by herdsmen and terrorists.

Onyebuenyi, however, submitted that the future still appears gloomy, as he noted that most Nigerians were not happy with the outcome of the presidential election.

He stated: “Nigerians deserve to be congratulated for surviving Buhari. About four years ago, we wondered when the next four years would come, here we are.

“Buhari’s administration was the hardest period for Nigerians after the civil war. Things are very expensive, and people are being killed in the North every day. We must remember those who were consumed by the insecurity in the country.
“Unfortunately, the future doesn’t look bright. Most Nigerians are not happy over the outcome of the presidential election. I pray for God’s intervention in the affairs of the country”.