By Emmanuel Ebimoh
In preparation for the hugely anticipated Presidential election coming up next month, a town hall meeting was held yesterday with President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo live on stage, answering questions from a moderator and other live participants.
So far, Nigerians have been pouring out their different reactions regarding the responses and performance of the APC flagbearers in the town hall meeting for next month’s election to the highest offices in the land.
President Muhammadu Buhari, who seemed rather confident at some point, and a little uncomfortable for most parts of the interview, gave some interesting response to the questions asked.
Concerning the bribery scandal of Kano state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, President Buhari reiterated that he doesn’t know the kind of technology used in making the video where the governor was seen clearly collecting wads of dollar notes as bribe and putting them into his pocket. Though it seems logical, according to Buhari’s argument, to wonder why a sitting governor would allow himself so exposed to be captured on camera collecting bribes for contracts, it is still not enough reason to doubt the authenticity of the viral video tape. Well, unless perhaps the person seen in that video is a clone image of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, Nigerians are deeply asking questions as to why president Muhammadu Buhari has not made any move to bring the governor to book since his main target is in the fight of corruption.
For most Nigerians, especially on social media, the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has failed to deliver on its 2015 campaign promises of Security, Economy, and Fight against Corruption. With the expectation of a proposed ‘change’, many Nigerians are lamenting that the situation in the country has gone from bad to worse.
However, in response to the question on the economy, Professor Yemi Osinbajo highlighted that the government has invested more to improve the life of the common Nigerian despite earning less since 2015. He explained that with the dwindle in crude oil prices that reduced the government’s revenue from oil from N383 billion in 4 years under Goodluck Jonathan, to 94 billion in 3 years under the present administration, the government has still been able to invest in Social Investment Programmes that are helping Nigerians and improving their livelihood.
In the Vice President’s words: “poverty doesn’t disappear, you’ve got to deal with it. And that’s what we’re doing, we’re dealing with it on a daily basis. We have a credible programme; we’re ensuring that that programme works. And that’s how it’s done.”
So far, the hype to next month’s elections has been heating up in full gear, but Nigerians are still asking some pertinent questions. Whether the answers to these questions will be given before the elections is probably another ray of light to hope for.
Another town hall meeting will be held next week with Africa Action Congress (AAC) flagbearers Omoloye Sowore and his running mate, Dr Rabiu Ahmed Rufai.
