AGAIN, IT’S TIME TO RENEW HOPE

The President will do well by signing the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law
Despite worsening insecurity amid a stalled economy and crumbling public services, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed on Thursday reeled out a long list of what he described as the “achievements” of the current administration.

As expected, the main opposition party was quick to dismiss the performance claims as a litany of lies that are at variance with the reality of the Nigerian condition. “Is it not unpardonable that instead of facing its failure to secure our nation the All Progressives Congress (APC) led government is celebrating the mass killings currently going on in our country by engaging in self-praise?” asked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

As we therefore wish our readers happy new year, it is becoming increasingly clear that Nigerians are being ushered into 2022 with some trepidations. The prevalent public disillusionment occasioned by severe economic hardship is being capped by the fact that the authorities are fast losing the dominance of the machinery of violence to non-state actors. To compound the problems, across the country today, many basic services such as education, health and infrastructure are decrepit or in short supply, while a demographic crisis is looming large on the horizon. The unemployment rate is not only frightening but breeds the risk of social, economic and security turbulence. With a large segment of the population roaming the streets without any means of livelihood and hope for the next meal, it should be little wonder why the social tension in the country has reached a boiling point, taking several forms, including violent agitations.

The End of Year Poll recently released by NolPolls revealed that most Nigerians were thoroughly dissatisfied with the past year mainly because of insecurity and economic hardship. But Nigerians needed no poll to gauge the level of insecurity across the country. Only recently, President Muhammadu Buhari summoned his security chiefs for the umpteenth time after some terrorists hurled rockets in the direction of the airport minutes before his arrival in Maiduguri, the Borno capital.

Meanwhile, the security situation is affecting every sphere of life. There is severe economic hardship across the country. The reasons are clear. The perception of Nigeria as an investment destination continues to diminish in the face of pervasive insecurity. Many farmers across the nation cannot go to their farms because of the fear of being kidnapped, and with dire consequences for agricultural production, and the prices of goods. Food is expensive. With the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, Nigeria has become a rough guide to hell. By official statistics, 33 percent of Nigerians are jobless. Corruption is rife. Many basic services are mostly non-functional. The rail lines are helpful, but in short supply as the billions poured in are not commensurate with the numbers. Sadly, in addition, the government will continue to spend most of its revenues, like in the past few years, in servicing debts.

Unfortunately, the prevalent public disillusionment occasioned by severe economic hardship could be worsened by politicians and other stakeholders because of intense electioneering activities ahead of the 2023 general election. This will certainly cause some serious disruptions for political office holders. But many expect the President to make good use of his last full year in office by signing the rejected Electoral Act Amendment Bill when it is returned by parliament this January to make room for credible and transparent election in 2023. In addition, the government should summon the courage to decentralise the police. There are too many ungoverned spaces across the country hence an urgent need to restore some sense of security in a starkly divided country.

As we, therefore, begin 2022, we hope President Buhari will spend his last full year in office tackling the security challenge that has dogged his administration in the past five years. We also hope that Nigerians will embrace a new spirit that places emphasis on unity of purpose as we seek to advance our country for peace and prosperity.
Once again, we wish all our readers happy new year!