A
former director of new media of the PDP, Deji Adeyanju has described
the President Buhari's #ChangeBeginsWithYou campaign as evidence that
the president is bereft of ideas on how to deliver on the promise of
change to Nigerians.
“Before you ask, ‘where is the change they promised us?, ‘ you must first ask, ‘how far have I changed my ways?.’” – President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) September 8, 2016.
1. I watched the official launch of the #ChangeBeginsWithYou
Campaign & it reiterated my belief that the President Muhammadu
Buhari is bereft of ideas on how to deliver on the promise of change to
Nigerians.
2. My consternation was made worse by the fact that President
Buhari made comments implying that the “Change” is not about economic
progress or empowerment but about social reorientation and behavioural
modification.
3. His statement that Nigerians should change first before they can
see the change his administration promised is further evidence of his
tone deafness & inability to take responsibility for the pain &
suffering he has brought on Nigerians.
4. For the avoidance of doubt, Mr. President, Nigeria & Nigerians have changed. We have changed:
– From being the largest economy in Africa;
– From having an average 6% GDP growth per annum over the last 5years to a recession GDP of -2.38% in your first year in office;
– To a country where 4.58million people have lost their jobs in 16 months of your leadership;
– To a country where inflation has risen to 17.1% from the 9.6% that your admin inherited;
– To a country with the worst performing currency in Africa & third worst in the world;
– To a country where non-oil exports have fallen by 43.2% ;
– To a country on the brink of what most western media calls the
worst food crises ever seen happening in the North Eastern part of the
country;
– To a country where its citizens are increasingly unable to afford
food and other basics (a bag of rice has gone from N9000 to N20, 000)
& where hunger now reigns supreme, etc.
5. Mr. President, you need to realize that change begins with you.
Indeed, change will come when you begin to fulfil the 81 promises you
made during your campaign.
6. Again, for the avoidance of doubt and in the event that you may have forgotten, these promises include:
– Generation, transmission and distribution of at least 20,000 MW
of electricity within four years and increasing to 50,000 MW with a view
to achieving 24/7 uninterrupted power supply within 10 years.
– Three million Jobs per year.
– Making the economy one of the fastest-growing emerging economies in the world with a real GDP growth averaging 10% annually.
– Permanent peace in the Niger Delta and other conflict prone areas such as Plateau, Taraba, Bauchi, Borno and Abia.
– Public declaration of assets and liabilities.
– Ban on all government officials (yourself included) from seeking medical care abroad.
– Preserving the independence of the Central Bank.
– Creating additional middle-class of at least two million new home
owners in the first year in government and one million annually
thereafter.
– Requiring full disclosure in media outlets, of all government
contracts over N100 million prior to award and during implementation at
regular interval.
– Strengthening INEC to reduce, if possible, eliminate electoral malpractices in Nigerian’s political life.
7. The fulfilment of these & other campaign promises you made,
not sermons, is what will change Nigeria from the current trajectory
upon which you have placed us to a path of prosperity.
8. It is the fulfilment of these and other campaign promises that
will ensure that you stop wasting tax payers’ money on colourful
ceremonies and Tv/Radio.
9. President Buhari must realise that he cannot shift the burden of
change onto Nigerians, many of whom voted for him on the basis of his
promises to bring change.
Signed:
Deji Adeyanju
Member, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
