2019:Why Buhari Should Be Re-Elected

By Young Erhiurhoro
LAGOS AUGUST 13TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Today, so many Nigerians especially those in the opposition parties, majorly the PDP directly or indirectly attack the ruling party, APC with all sorts of attacks ranging from APC is a failed government, APC initiated herdsmen and other killings, Boko Haram insurgency, corruption, tribalism, sectionalism, unemployment, economic recession, poor social amenities and many uncountable ones.
In the first place, let us be realistic, since the beginning of this conglomerate of different tongues and tribes known as “Nigeria” which was not willfully done by the indigenous people but forced on them by the British government, there had’nt been any government either in the colonial period, pre-independence period or post-independence period which in Nigeria’s political history that was able to satisfy the insatiable needs of her citizens. This is the political belief in every part of the world. This is why there is continuity in government, whether military or democratic government in every sovereign or independent nation of the world. Government doesn’t understand the dictum of vacuum. No vacuum is allowed in government. The vacuum must be filled in any way the people deemed it fit. That is the workings and systems of government all over the world. If all human needs can be satisfied in just one government, then such advanced countries like the US, China, Britain, Egypt, Holland, India etc should not have governments any more. In such advanced countries, even if they have all their needs satisfied in just one government, but there should be continuity of government just to protect and promote those needs already achieved. Government must be in place to add value to those needs to avoid depreciation over time.
Without missing words, the bottom line of my arguments is that, our insatiable needs as men and not just men but men from Africa, cannot be satisfied in just one government. There must be need for continuity through electoral processes and not the other way. The problem of Nigeria didn’t start today and it cannot be solved just some few years in government.
However, I have over a thousand and more reasons why I said, Buhari should be given a second chance in 2019 to complete what he started in 2015. Many Nigerians especially our political analysts will agree with me that Nigeria is a dust pit where every debris and dirt heaped and piled up over the years. Therefore, it will take a true democrat and selfless leader to clean up the entire rottoned political system. This is what President Buhari is religiously doing for Nigeria at the moment. We need to give him much time to fix the broken bone. Let us remove tribalism, sectionalism, nepotism and the rest of them from the political scene this time around; only if we need progressive growth in our nascent democracy. Without going far, I want to bring your memory and understanding to some of the historic achievements made by PMB since the beginning of his government in 2015.
First and foremost, President Buhari revamped some of the abandoned and decayed infrastructure by past governments over forty years ago. If those projects were operatinal, they would have added to the economic growth of the country and thereby reduced the high rate of unemployment in the country. Some of such projects are Mambila-Plateau power plant, Ajaokuta steel plants, Esan water plant and Dadin Kowa dam among others. If these projects were completed by past governments, the recurring problem of power in the country today would have be a thing of the past. Today, the Nigerian power sector has improved since 2016. I gave kudos to our working president.
Secondly, before 2015, many federal roads were abandoned and in a state of decay. These are roads that would ease transportation across the country. All the funds released for these federal projects were embezzled by the same people that awarded the projects. Since 2015, when President Buhari took over the government, he revisited such federal road projects based on their importance and injected life unto them. Some of those federal highways are Lagos/Ibadan, Lagos/Abeokuta, Ikorodu/Sagamu, Apapa port road, Port Harcourt/Enugu, East/West road and 2nd Niger bridge among others. From available records, Buhari government has embarked on over 300 federal roads across the country. The happiest thing is that, most of these roads are already completed and commissioned by this same government. While few others are still under construction and some are over 90% completion. We have not experienced this rapid development before in Nigeria since 1999.
Thirdly, President Buhari has again proved his worth as a credible president to Nigerians in the area of railway development. Before 2015, many railway projects awarded by past governments were abandoned. Railway is another means of transportation in the world. A good and accessible railway networks is hallmark of advancement in science technology. PMB therefore took the bull by the horn by revamping decayed railway projects. Some of them are Kaduna/Abuja rail, Warri/Itakpe rail (this rail was abandoned over 35 years ago), Lagos/Ibadan rail, Abuja light rail etc.
Fourthly, I overheard somebody arguing that because of the incessant killings of the Fulani herdsmen in the middle belt and Niger-Delta regions, Buhari should be asked to withdraw from the 2019 presidential race. However, I want to say here that though the issue of security is a national issue but it is equally sensitive to handle. Since 1999, there had been killings in the country. Killings do not start in this present government. During the reign of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as president, where they not killings? Was Dr. Goodluck killed or impeached because there were mass killings in the country? Why do we now say that Buhari should be hanged because there are killings? Many of these killings are politically motivated by those who could not make it to the national government. They deliberately do this in order to ruin and humiliate those in power. It is a virtue of Nigeria’s political leaders. When Buhari took over government in 2015, Boko Haram insurgency was in vogue. The man was able to tame that deadly terrorist group and put them where they belonged. Now is Fulani herdsmen. Herdsmen here, herdsmen there. I think Buhari needs a second tenure to also provide a solution to this security issue.
On the issue of economic recession that recently affected our economy, it is a natural economic problem all over the world. There were many countries that have also experienced economic recession before. Nigeria is the first and Nigeria will not be the last. Thank God, we are gradually recovering and rejuvenating from those impending economic ordeals. But we must not forget that it was not Buhari that caused the economic crisis. The economic recession came as a result of years of embezzlement of pubic funds by our public officers and other unsolved economic problems that heaped up in the national treasury. Today we are happy that the Buhari government was able to raise our foreign reserves from 29 billion dollars to above 47 billion dollars within the shortest time of his government. This is another reason and testimony why Nigerians must allow Buhari to do a second tenure.
Fifthly, and the last in my multitude of reasons is centred on the Niger-Delta region- my own region. We in the region should as a matter of importance and beneficiary considered it a priority to give President Buhari a second tenure to continue and complete the good works he has started in the region. Some of the good works are, full legal recognition of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources in Delta state, Federal Maritime University in Delta state, recognition of Anambra state as an oil producing state, ordered oil majors to relocate headquarters to Niger-Delta region, another long sought move and many others.
Great Nigerians, with the above mentioned reasons of mine, I plead with you especially the voters who have the legal and fundamental right to usher in a new and viable government to give priority to President Buhari to continue with all his progressive policies based on his credibility as a selfless leader and not just a party man. And to the Nigerian political players, I strongly believe that President Buhari needs a second chance to continue with the corrupt-free government he established in the annals of Nigeria’s political history. In order for this country not to revolve round her fate and destiny as it used to be since 1960, it is healthy and pertinent to allow continuity to prevail in every government. We must sweep under the carpet the social and political problems of tribalism, sectionalism, nepotism, terrorism and every other negative (sm’s) that have been planted by the PDP led federal government for the past 16 years of their mis-rule and corrupt-infested government, which have released their poisonous tentacles to destroy our fragile and nascent democracy and the Nigerian people; but thank God for this government that came at the right time as a saviour to deliver Nigerians from this satanic stronghold of a party and a government. Let’s vote President Mohammadu Buhari come 2019.
Young Erhiurhoro;Kjc is a reporter and a member of the Urhobo Historical Society.

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