ABUJA: Ordinarily, an incumbent is expected to run on his records but the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, President Muhammadu Buhari would perhaps go down in history as one who ran, not based on his track records of fulfilling his first term electioneering campaign promises but on the basis of new promises.
President Buhari’s new five major thrusts are job creation, provision of infrastructure, business and entrepreneurial development, human capital enhancement services and political inclusion of those considered vulnerable by the system.
Last Sunday, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC had lifted the ban on political campaigns, a development which saw President Buhari and his arch-rival, former vice president Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP reeling out promises to turn Nigeria into an eldorado.
The plank of the president’s new policy document is hinged on his belief that he has completed Nigeria’s “foundational work” upon which to build the stairs that would take Nigeria to the “Next Level”.
To the president, he has been able to fulfill his promises in the three focal areas of security, economy and anti-corruption and consequently lifted Nigeria from a depth of decay.
“We have worked hard to fulfill our promises – and while the road may have been difficult, over the last three and a half years, we have laid the foundations for a strong, stable and prosperous country for the majority of our people.
“Foundational work is not often visible, neither is it glamorous – but it is vital to achieving the kind of country we desire. Judging by the prior depth of decay, deterioration and disrepair that Nigeria had sunk into, we are certain that these past few years have put us in good stead to trudge on the NEXT LEVEL of building an even stronger nation for our people”, the President’s manifesto reads.
Secretary General of the northern sociocultural group, the Arewa Consultative Forum ACF, Elder Anthony Sani said although he has not read the document, from the remarks of the president at its unveiling, Nigerians are in the best position to appraise the administration and make proper decisions.
“I have not read the Next Level documents but from the statements made by the president during its launching, I get the impression that the regime used the first tenure to record some successes in addressing the challenges bedeviling the nation for some level of socioeconomic development which the president considered as laying of foundation needed for sustainable socioeconomic performances.
“And since Nigerians have witnessed the performance of the regime in so far as laying of the foundation is concerned amid limited resources which increase the yields the regime boasts of recording, most Nigerians are the ones in the position to make fair and realistic assessment of the progress against plans, and as to whether the regime has laid the foundation strong enough for its next level for which it canvasses electoral mandate needed to continue after first tenure.
“As for me, I would not be tired of saying that even though the regime has some short comings that are natural concomitant of all systems, since no system and practices are perfect, on a balance, I think the regime has tried in delivering on its electoral mandate and should be allowed to address the next level of challenges. But as I have said, the book keeping is of this world by Nigerians and the jury is out”.
Senator representing Ondo North in the Senate, Robert Ajayi Boroffice believes that Nigerians will be doing themselves a lot of good by reelecting the president to consolidate on his achievements.
He however asked Nigerians to be vigilant so as not to allow themselves be distracted by the antics of those who destroyed the nation’s economy, but are now angling to return to power.
While declaring that there is no vacancy in Aso Rock, the senator counselled Nigerians to queue behind President Muhammadu Buhari to continue the process of building a better nation.
He said; “Nigerians are united by the desire to have good governance, ensure justice and equity for all and fight corruption, adding that this can only be achieved through President Buhari. We will be doing ourselves a lot of good to continue to support the President for a second term in order to consolidate on the gains already achieved. We will line up behind Buhari and we are united behind this cause and we will succeed by the grace of God”.
Special Adviser to the President on Disability Matters, Dr. Samuel Ankeli said persons living with disabilities in the country will do everything possible to work for the success of the President in the 2019 elections, becauae he is the only leader to have a policy for people with disabilities.
He said; “you see him as a man of integrity, but for those of us in the disability world we see him as our eyes, our ears and our legs.
“He has given us a voice where others relegated us and today, we can sit down with others and discuss. But in the past, people saw us as lepers, but that has changed. A man that makes you sit with him to decide on your future has done great for you. So, we celebrate him and are ready to go anywhere with him.
“Where others failed, we won. At the international level, we have won several laurels for this country. Buhari has empowered us and we our loyalty goes to him”.
On his part, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political Matters, Gideon Zamani scored the president high on all fronts, specifically singling out his exploits in fighting corruption.
“President Buhari came to fight corruption and injustice in the country and has done that creditably that he deserves the support of all Nigerians to complete the good work he has started”, he said.
Spokesman of the Presidential Support Committee, Prince Ebunola Martins told Saturday Vanguard that it will be a fatal error of judgement for Nigerians to allow political locusts back to the system.
To him, the president is determined to create more jobs, saying he has done it before and would do it again.
APC chieftain, Nurain Hassan on his part said the document would indeed move Nigeriens to the next level. He said; “We had a challenge before us as a government to revive the economy whilst fighting corruption. It was no easy challenge but we steered our course and delivered our mandate. The policies we have set in place thus far will enable the expansion and mechanizing of the agricultural sector which will lead to an increase in output and result to a continuous drop in food prices. The path to progress is a process and we are heading towards the next level of this progress.
The president, in the new document, made several promises, but without specifically stating how he would achieve all of those.
Just days ago, the National Bureau of Statistics NBS announced its inability to release the unemployment statistics for 2017, a development that has made some Nigerians believe that government was trying to cover up the worsening unemployment in the country ahead of a crucial election.
