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General News of Tuesday, 4 May 2021

Source: www.mynigeria.com

'Stone us if we do not perform after two years' - What Buhari, APC leaders said about Jonathan's presidency

The candidate Buhari and former Governor Babatunde Fashola on the campaign trail in 2015 play videoThe candidate Buhari and former Governor Babatunde Fashola on the campaign trail in 2015

The political temperature in Nigeria for the best part of 30 years is heightened by clear partisan politics. The death of military leader General Sani Abacha in 1998 and the collapse of military dictatorship, a year later didn't end the political turmoil in the country as many would have thought. It rather metamorphosed into a new kind, more potent than the first.

The introduction and practice of democracy in 1999 till now might have worked for Nigeria to some extent. While it managed to temporarily help the country move on from the deadly military regime, another monster in the form of corruption has gradually been let loose.

Several democratically elected governments have come and go without really solving what has become a cancer. The cancer has now grown in stages, birthing secession, protests, nepotism, ethnic violence, and more.

More worrying is the failure of state actors to effectively manage it.

Nigerians had so much hope for the Buhari-led administration. The ex-military leader was touted as the man of steel, his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan wasn't. He was described as incorruptible, goal-oriented, the messiah et al.

Years down the line, Nigeria is in a bigger mess than it was before 2015. Now, the country is the playground of bandits, terrorists, kidnappers, who perpetrate these heinous crimes at will.

Before 2015, several big whips in Nigeria said President Goodluck Jonathan was Nigeria's biggest problem. Was he?

Below are comments from leading APC members about former President Jonathan's government

"A serious government will fix power problem in six months.” – Babatunde Raji Fashola (November 12, 2014)

"Stone us [APC] if we do not perform after two years.” – Tony Momoh ( April 3, 2016, The Guardian)

"The only way to have stable electricity is to vote out PDP.” – Babatunde Raji Fashola (July 12, 2014, The Nation)

"We seriously frown at President Goodluck Jonathan, over the unceremonious removal of the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mr Andrew Yakubu.” -(APC, August 4, 2014, Channels TV)

"It’s Time To Restructure Nigeria: The present situation of things where all component units get monthly allocation from the Federal Government only makes the states lazy and unproductive.” – Nasiru El-Rufai (August 2010)

"Jonathan should resign if he has no solution to the violence being unleashed on some parts of the country.” – Nasiru El-Rufai (August 2012)

"The only solution to the present political uncertainty in the country is for the National Assembly to set machineries in motion for the impeachment of ailing President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.” – Muhammadu Buhari (March 10, 2010, Sun Newspapers)

"Waste: Let me give an instance, presently, there are more than 6 aircraft in the presidential fleet. What do you call that? “Billions of naira is budgeted every year for the maintenance of these aircraft not to talk of operational cost and other expenses.” – Muhammadu Buhari (February 2015, Nigerians in UK)

"We intend for instance, to bring back our National carrier, the Nigerian Airways. We shall do this by bringing all the aircraft in the presidential fleet into the Nigerian airway and within a year increase the fleet into about 20.” -Muhammadu Buhari (February 2015, Nigerians in UK)

"Why do I need to go for foreign medical trip if we cannot make our hospital functional?” – Muhammadu Buhari (February 2015, Nigerians in UK)

"Why is the nation's currency, the Naira, now trading for N180 per Dollar, while the South African Rand is trading at R11 to one United States Dollar?” – Babatunde Raji Fashola (Dec 26, 2014, The Nation)

"Give Nigerians a daily update on the health of President Umaru Yar’Adua to stem the growing rumors surrounding his state of health.” – Lai Mohammed (December 21, 2009, The Nation)

"Amaechi is not only clean but a tool to free Nigeria from the corruption imposed on us by those who hate our nation.” – APC (October 24, 2016, Vanguard)

"The recent proscription of Boko Haram and Ansaru violates the Constitution.” – Lai Mohammed (June 10, 2013, The Nation

Watch then-candidate Buhari on the campaign trail