A political affairs analyst, Chief Chidozie Ezeugwa says the foundation for the current hardship being experienced across the country was laid by the immediate past administration, calling on Nigerians to be patient with the current administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Addressing newsmen in Awka, the analysts described the eight years of the Buhari administration as disastrous, which will take time to recover from. “For eight good years, when we were thinking that they would start formulating policies, implementing those things they promised during their campaign that they were going to revamp the economy and tackle the security challenge, throughout the period, it was like we were in hell”.
“The economic problem we have at the moment, the foundation was laid down by the previous government. They did not do anything to make sure that what we are experiencing today was taken care.
I’ve never seen that kind of a clueless government. What will witness was a massive looting, corruption was so high. Buhari’s administration was a disaster.
Chief Ezeugwa regretted that for the eight years, the Buhari-led Federal Government did not bother about the social welfare of Nigerians. “Of course you can agree with me that the primary purpose of government to promote the welfare and security of its citizens”.
“How did you just wake up and formulating unarticulated policy?. Few months to the elections, you started printing money naira. There were a lot of inconsistencies in that government”.
According to him, it will take the current administration some time to recover Nigeria from the economic ruins caused by the immediate past administration.
“President Tinubu cannot perform miracle under the circumstances he finds himself because he inherited a lot of economic problems. Our treasury was looted to zero. Corruption was so much pronounced and insecurity. Tell me how can these things be solved within a period of nine months?
He commended the positive shift in the leadership style of President Tinubu who had demonstrated hatred for corruption with his swift response to every corruption alarm so far raised under his watch since May 29, 2023.
He however advised the President to remain courageous in weeding out those who don’t mean well for the country from his cabinet to earn people’s trust and patience in the face of excruciating economic woes.
“How can you constitute a cabinet and few months after, you start seeing those who want to continue looting? Fortunately, the current President was swift in his reaction unlike his predecessor, who looked the other way while the treasury was being looted.
“The difference between the past and the present is that there is a little bit of conscience to look at issues without being biased in addressing it. However, I hope and pray that Nigerians who are facing hardship like they have never witnessed will be patient enough for him to do what is supposed to do”.
He was happy that some of the harsh economic policies of the immediate past administration which plunged the country into the current woes are being jettisoned. “However, I don’t know how far they can go. I hope that this administration will begin to address some of the issues that are facing us because the workforce and the youth can no longer condole any kind of lawlessness and non performance from the government?
“Labour congress has given ultimatum to call for mass action. The Nigerian university unions have also given them a notice that they will be going on strike possible by next week. Nigerians in many states of the federation are all over streets on demonstrations over the hardship in the land. That’s why I said that I hope that Nigerians would be patient enough for government to address the problems”.
The public affairs analyst appealed to the President to lead by example by deliberately cutting down the cost of governance. So I feel that, if government shall live by example, they should start cutting down the cost of governance as against the bogus cabinet size we have now. Some are being paid for doing nothing,” he concluded.
