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100 Restless Days For Buhari By Chukwudi Enekwechi

It has always been said that you cannot make an omelet without breaking an egg. By all estimations, governing a heterogeneous society such as Nigeria is a monumental task that requires the unalloyed commitment of not only the leader, but the followers as well. With this background, one may begin to assess the accomplishments of President Muhammadu Buhari in the last one 100 days. While 100 days is infinitesimal in the life of a four-year administration, it still beats the imagination of many patriotic Nigerians that President Buhari has within the period under review been able to rein in the Boko Haram terrorists. In one hundred days, the scarcity of petroleum has also literally disappeared across the nation, while electricity supply has spiked.

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It has always been said that you cannot make an omelet without breaking an egg. By all estimations, governing a heterogeneous society such as Nigeria is a monumental task that requires the unalloyed commitment of not only the leader, but the followers as well. With this background, one may begin to assess the accomplishments of President Muhammadu Buhari in the last one 100 days. While 100 days is infinitesimal in the life of a four-year administration, it still beats the imagination of many patriotic Nigerians that President Buhari has within the period under review been able to rein in the Boko Haram terrorists. In one hundred days, the scarcity of petroleum has also literally disappeared across the nation, while electricity supply has spiked.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s shuttle diplomacy to some key nations like Chad, Benin Republic, Cameroon, Niger Republic—all of those most often referred to as Lake Chad Basin­—has gone a long way to bolster the efforts of the new administration in the war against Boko Haram. There is no doubt that following from these travels, the international community has begun to review their perception of Nigeria, especially regarding the war President Buhari is waging against corruption.

From the foregoing, it can easily be deduced that President Buhari has invested a lot of energy in championing the cause of a new Nigeria. He has not rested nor tired, and he is not expected to falter in ensuring that the promised and desired “change” is realized.

Obviously, Buhari’s commitment and dedication to ensure that Nigeria returns to the path of moral rectitude and restoration is unshakable, and we desire it as a nation. Therefore, in taking stock of his activities over the last 100 days, we must take into consideration the numerous efforts he has made to turn things around.

In all facets of our national life things are beginning to straighten up in a way that government officials, who used to do things with reckless abandon, now look before they leap. If the amount of care being invested these days in carrying out the affairs of government had been the practiced over the years, perhaps the country would have reached the much-desired status of an El Dorado.

Perhaps, one novelty we now have in the affairs of state is the ongoing sector briefings by ministries, departments, and agencies on their activities to Mr. President. Through this means, government outfits have the opportunity to ventilate their programs and activities for the benefit of the public. Again, government will be in a position to adjust their programs where shortcomings exist.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that President Muhammadu Buhari has started well and his desire to rework Nigeria for the benefit of all is not in doubt. President Buhari has used the 100 days to signpost the direction his government is heading. With his ability to mobilize the Lake Chad Basin countries to join in the onslaught against Boko Haram, there is little doubt that the President’s target of routing the Boko Haram terrorists from Nigeria’s North-East in three month’s time will be met. Already, available information indicate that the terrorists are in disarray and unable to regroup to carry out their mindless killings.

In the area of oil supply (downstream sector), even the most ardent cynics will agree that Nigeria is now witnessing sufficiency in fuel supply across the country, as the industry players are now in tune with global best practices, again on account of President Buhari’s insistence on integrity and due process.

This upsurge in the oil sector is indicative of improvements in most sectors of the economy that have started to deliver optimally since President Buhari came on board. Truly, Nigerians ought to empathize with Mr. President, who has spent sleepless nights on tiring foreign travels with the sole aim of restoring Nigeria’s lost glory as a nation.

In all sectors of economy, there are noticeable improvements. In the power sector, it has moved up to 4,810 megawatts from a paltry 2000 megawatts on May 29th, 2015.

These successes can be attributed to Mr. President’s commitment to service delivery to Nigerians, and his zero tolerance policy for corruption. Again, with his assumption of power, there has been a noticeable attitudinal change amongst the workers and other stakeholders in the industry. With 4,810 megawatts, electric production is at its highest ever in Nigerian history.

In the oil industry, there is constant and regular supply of petroleum products across the country and the positive effects of these two factors in the growth and sustenance of the nation’s economy are unimaginable.

Therefore, if President Buhari can attain these heights in 100 days, there is no doubt that in the months and years ahead, there will be a quantum leap in the growth of the nation’s economy.

On the part of Nigerians, it is expected that they will avail the president with their unalloyed support to enable him redouble his efforts towards delivering the promised “change” to all and sundry.

Lastly, it must be appreciated that the journey of one thousand miles begins with a single step, and all indices point to the fact that President Buhari has indeed put the right step forward.

Chukwudi Enekwechi is a journalist and public affairs analyst based in Abuja

[email protected]

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Politics