Many, including the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, have accused Mr. Buhari’s government of lacking movement, and dillydallying over constitution of cabinet.
However, Mr. Buhari’s party, APC, through its Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, at a press conference on Tuesday, said “that there has been motion, and there has been movement, contrary to what is being peddled in some quarters.”
Mr. Mohammed said though the expectations of Nigerians from the APC and Mr. Buhari were high and urgent, the President had started addressing the “the enormous challenges that it faces, including an empty treasury and an economy that has virtually collapsed”.
“While Nigerians are right to demand quick and sustained action in addressing these challenges – and honestly we make no excuses – it is important for us to put things in perspective for a better understanding.”
He continued, “The Buhari administration got the handover notes from the former government just four days before the inauguration, hampering its efforts to have a clear understanding of the situation on the ground before taking the necessary measures to address it. If any disease is not appropriately diagnosed, it cannot be effectively treated. Any government that is truly desirous of bringing about real change will not act hastily and without the necessary understanding of what is on ground. Coupled with the delay in getting the much-needed information, that takes time.
“Recall that when we raised the alarm over the delay in getting the handover notes, the former government even accused us of seeking to form a parallel government!
“Secondly, Nigeria has never before witnessed this kind of transition. What the country has been accustomed to is transition from one government to another under the same ruling party, not from the ruling party to the opposition as we have now. The implication is that this is a new learning curve, with its attendant hiccups.
“Thirdly, never before has the ship of Nigerian state been steered aground as we have it now. Never before have Nigerians been this expectant from any leader or any government. These are all the more reasons to get things right, once and for all, so we won’t need to continue with the vicious cycle of hopes raised and dashed!”
In spite of the challenges, Mr. Mohammed said the APC Government of Mr. Buhari had recorded major gains in certain sectors, including security and anti-insurgency war; the fight against corruption; and restoration of Nigeria’s pride in the comity of nations.
In the area of security and anti-terrorism fight, Mr. Mohammed said, “This is one area in which the Buhari Administration has hit the ground running.”
He said the President had been exploring domestic, regional and global windows to address the problem of insecurity, resulting in pledged support from G-7 nations and announcement of five million dollar assistance for the war against Boko Haram as well as the deployment of the Multi-National Joint Task Force “to pep up the fight against Boko Haram! This is the same force that the past administration could not get off the ground in six years!”
On anti-corruption agenda, the spokesperson said, “Thanks to the painstaking efforts of President Buhari, Nigerians now know that out of 8.1 trillion Naira generated by the NNPC in three years, 3.8 trillion Naira was not remitted to the Federation Account. Nigerians now know that the cash in the Excess Crude Account has been depleted by 2 billion dollars without explanation. A panel of four governors has been set up to investigate what happened to the money that was not remitted to the Federation Account. The rot met by the Buhari Administration is sickening, and the President is working hard to plug all loopholes for siphoning public funds, in addition to recovering looted public funds.
“This is just the beginning of the fight against corruption. Nigerians should grab a front row seat so they can watch clearly as events unfold in the ring of anti-corruption fight in the days ahead. It will no longer be business as usual as the Buhari Administration seeks to make sure that every kobo of national funds is spent for the benefit of Nigerians, not to fill the deep pockets of a few fat cats.”
Mr. Mohammed said, “since President Buhari’s election on March 28, 2015, Nigeria has been moving fast to regain its deserved place in the comity of respected nations. Leaders who once shunned Nigeria have been inviting, in droves, President Buhari to visit their countries. The latest is US President Barack Obama, who will play host to our President at the White House on July 20th.
The election of the immediate past Minister of Agriculture, Akinwunmi Adeshina, as the President of African Development Bank, AfDB, is yet another indication that Nigeria is regaining its lost glory under Mr. Buhari, he said.
Mr. Mohammed said Mr. Adeshina’s emergence as AfDB chief is a first in spite of Nigeria’s acclaimed frontline role.
He said the “Buhari effect” – “the mere fact that President Buhari, a man of impeccable pedigree, an incorruptible personality has taken over the mantle of leadership” – had spurred Nigerians to dream again, put public servants on their toes, forced many looters to start disgorging some of their loots even without prompting, and fired the zeal of many public enterprises to deliver better services.
“Despite the laudable achievements of the Buhari Administration within the past few weeks of its coming into being, Nigerians are right to demand even a faster pace. Nigerians are right to ask that a government be quickly put in place. Nigerians are right to demand that looters be exposed and brought to justice. Nigeria is long suffering, and our compatriots can’t wait for a paradigm shift in the way we do things.
“Nigerians are right and justified in their expectations. All we ask for is a little more patience, a little more understanding and continuous support for the Buhari Administration,” he added.
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