NIGERIA AND THE WASTED YEARS

NIGERIA AND THE WASTED YEARS

Monday letter2

There was a time when I too believed in President Muhammadu Buhari. Fed up with the system and the way things were going, I was desperate for a change at the top of our country. Yet by now it is clear as day that we didn’t receive change, we received more of the same. Buhari promised to be the father of all Nigerians, put an end to tribalism, and fight corruption like a saint. I was sure that our courts would be flooded with cases of corrupt officials just days after Buhari’s taking office.

Instead, he tragically fooled me, and the consequences are felt by all of Nigeria. He has not fenced in corruption, and this disease is still rampant in all sectors of society. We all know that this is the primary reason that prevents sustainable development, job creation and investment in our economy. We also know that all Nigerians desperately need these to build a better future for their children. And it dawns on me that Buhari is just not the man who can deliver progress on these issues. It may be his age, it may be the promises he made to his friends; frankly I do not care much anymore at this point.

What matters now is the way forward. We don’t have the luxury of staying indifferent to our country’s fate and future, as it is our and our children’s fate and future. And, in fact, we do have a choice: the choice of someone new, fresh, healthy, successful – all attributes hardly applicable to Buhari’s presidency. The choice, then, is clear: we need to vote for the person that is most likely to beat Buhari at the polls. At the moment, this seems to be Atiku Abubakar. And he also is a candidate who has presented a clear vision and an audacious plan for the future. I am looking forward to the Presidential debate to see if any of the other candidates can offer something better. In any case, unfortunately Buhari has missed his chance and wasted four precious years.

Victoria Abuto, Abuja

Related Articles