Politics

Buhari And Nigerians’ Great Expectations

Published

11 years ago

May 25, 2015

In less than one week, precisely May 29, Nigerians will witness the inauguration of Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) as the new president of Federal Republic of Nigeria after the expiration of President Goodluck Jonathan’s tenure.

Observers are quick to note that the incoming administration will be formed by the APC, an amalgamation of three opposition parties, that defeated the ruling PDP, which has been in power for 16 years, in a keenly contested general election.

As the new administration prepares to assume office, the hopes and expectations of Nigerians are obviously very high, with most people expressing the belief that Buhari, the president-elect, will correct all perceptible anomalies in the political and socio-economic life of the country.

Such expectations are rife, considering the “change’’ mantra of the APC and its presidential candidate in the lead-up to the elections.

Observers, therefore, maintain that the incoming administration will, no doubt, face some challenges immediately after its inauguration, judging from the high expectations of the citizenry.

They note that Nigeria’s problems are numerous, complex and multi-faceted, ranging from corruption to insecurity, poor economy and inadequate electricity supply, among others.

Dr Ibrahim Shuwa, a sociologist, insists that the Buhari-government is expected to provide urgent solutions to some of the myriad challenges facing the nation and its citizens.

“The people’s expectation for a pragmatic change in every aspect of national life is quite high and if they fail to see changes soon, they will be somewhat disillusioned,’’ he says.

Shuwa, however, notes that while some Nigerians appreciate the enormity of the challenges facing the country, others want nothing short of quick solutions to the problems.

Sharing similar sentiments, Mr Kunle Onas, a civil servant, says that in line with the APC manifesto, the Buhari-government needs to initiate novel ways of cushioning the effects of the “harsh economic conditions’’ on the citizens.

He recalls that Buhari pledged, during his election campaign, to stimulate Nigeria’s economic turn-around and create the basis for its improved prosperity, stressing that there should be no excuses for failure in that regard.

“During the campaigns, the term ‘change’ was the in-thing; we believe that Gen. Buhari already has a lot of plans in place to provoke this change before embarking on such a campaign.

“Now that he has been elected, we hope he is not going to start giving excuses for his inability to effect the desired change after some time because Nigerians are tired of excuses,’’ he says.

Going from the general to the specifics, Onas advises the incoming government to fix the country’s refineries as a matter of urgency so as to resolve the perennial challenge of fuel scarcity facing the country.

“I believe that finding solutions to the perennial scarcity of petroleum products should be a priority for the incoming government and the matter should be handled with all the urgency it deserves.

“It is an embarrassment for an oil-rich country like Nigeria to depend on imported fuel for local supply and consumption; Nigerians expect the incoming administration to tackle this embarrassing fuel supply situation.

“Gen. Buhari should immediately commence the construction of new refineries, while refurbishing the existing ones, so as to tackle the issue once and for all,’’ he says.

Onas believes that the focus of the administration’s revenue generation activities should also be on the export of refined petroleum products to other countries.

“Rather than importing refined fuel, we expect the new government to devise a means that will enable Nigeria to export petrol and refined petroleum products to other countries, particularly African countries,’’ he says.

However, Mr Steve Ade, a contractor, advises the incoming government to place considerable emphasis on how to boost the country’s security.

“Gen. Buhari should use his experience in the military to enhance the security of the citizens’ lives and property, especially by crushing the Boko Haram insurgents.

“We want a safe country where citizens will be able to live and work in any part of the country without fear.

“A situation whereby some states in the North are no longer safe to visit is not acceptable and this should be addressed immediately.

“I understand that the present government has done a lot lately in terms of battling the insurgents, but so much still needs to be done; the new administration should be ready to live up to our expectations,’’ he says.

Besides, Mr Tunde Adeoti, a technician, urges the incoming government to give priority attention to the agriculture sector.

“There have been some landmark achievements by President Goodluck Jonathan in the area of agriculture and I advise the incoming government to consolidate on these achievements.

“The remarkable improvement in fertiliser supply to farmers and the boost in rice production should be sustained and in fact, improved upon so that Nigeria can finally stop the importation of food items.

“Most governments are fond of discarding the policies of their predecessors even if they are potentially viable. I advise the Buhari-administration not to toe that line,’’ Adeoti says.

Mrs Vicky Dada, a business woman, urges the incoming administration to urgently focus its attention on job creation so as to curb the rising menace of crime and insecurity

“The president-elect, during his campaigns, expressed concern about the high level of unemployment in the country. “He promised to boost employment and create jobs; this is why many Nigerians voted for him,’’ she recalled.

According to Dada, “Now that Buhari is about to be sworn in, he must tackle the issue of unemployment as a matter of priority so as to enhance the country’s growth.

“Tangible efforts should be made to resuscitate all the moribund industries across the country, as part of efforts to boost job creation.”

All the same, Mr Frank Eke, a lawyer, urges Nigerians to be patient with the incoming government.

“It is obvious that most Nigerians are expecting some kind of miracle from the incoming administration but I will advise them to be patient.

“Although there is a compelling need for Nigerians to live comfortably, considering the resources at our disposal, but we have to appreciate the degree of the decay of our infrastructure and the enormity of the work required to achieve results,’’ he says.

Buhari himself appears to have anticipated the high expectations of the citizens, judging by his acceptance speech after he was declared winner of the elections.

While pledging to meet aspirations of Nigerians, he advised them to be realistic in their expectations from his government.

“We shall correct that which does not work and improve that which does. We shall not stop, stand or idle. We shall, if necessary, crawl, walk and run to do the job you have elected us to do.

“I realise that the expectations of our people today are quite high; their commitment to change has been strong and their belief in us is unshaken.

“While we pledge to begin doing our best without delay, we would like to appeal to them to appreciate the gravity of our situation, so that we become more realistic in our expectations,’’ he said.

Nevertheless, analysts insist that as all the stakeholders in the “ Nigeria project’’ are looking up to the incoming government to meet the great expectations of Nigerians, they should also strive to partake more meaningfully in all the nation-building processes.

In a matter of days, the new government will be in power but most Nigerians are anxiously waiting to see whether or not the new administration will be able to guide the nation to the Promised Land.

Abdulrahman is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Politics

Senate Urges Tinubu To Sack CAC Boss

Published

2 days ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

The Senate yesterday urged President Bola Tinubu to remove the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission, Hussaini Magaji, over what lawmakers described as a persistent refusal to appear before its Committee on Finance.

The resolution followed a motion raised by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu during a session where members of the President’s economic team were present for engagement with the committee.

Tension rose at the commencement of the meeting when agency heads were introduced and senators observed the absence of the CAC Registrar-General, who had been invited to account for the commission’s activities, particularly on revenue matters.

Moving the motion, Kalu expressed anger over what he termed repeated disregard for legislative oversight, accusing the CAC boss of consistently avoiding invitations to appear before the committee.

He said, “Since I came to the Senate, this CAC man has always given excuses that he is in the Villa or going to London. He is not above the law. This man is not coming to the Senate. Look at the ministers of finance and budget. They are both here. We summoned them and they came.

“But this man thinks he’s bigger than the Senate. We’re not going to take that rubbish again. He had refused on so many occasions to honour our invitation to appear before this committee. We have issues with the reconciliation of the revenue of CAC.

“I move a motion that the man should be reported to Mr President and ask for immediate removal because we cannot continue with him. Is that what we’re doing here? He should come and give us an account of what he had done.”

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa, corroborated the concerns, pointing to unresolved discrepancies in the reconciliation of the commission’s revenues.

He noted that despite several invitations, the registrar-general had failed to show up to address the issues raised by senators.

“The registrar-general of the Corporate Affairs Commission has refused on so many occasions to honour the calls, invitations or summons of this most important committee.

“There are only about three committees that are in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Committee of Finance is one of those committees. Sections 88, and 89 have given us these powers.

“And as registrar-general, we have issues with the reconciliation of their revenue. Anytime he is invited, he will give us one reason or another, and he will send junior officers to come and talk to the Senate. That cannot be accepted,” he said.

In a further show of frustration, Senator Adams Oshiomhole proposed that the Senate escalate the matter by withholding approval of the CAC’s 2026 budget pending the registrar-general’s personal appearance before the committee.

Oshiomhole also suggested that the commission be restrained from spending its internally generated revenue without prior approval of the national assembly.

“This senate should decline to appropriate anything in the 2026 budget until we are satisfied that he has accounted for previous money and spending properly.

“And should he spend money that is not appropriated, he should be heading to Kuje prison,” Oshiomhole said.

The motion urging the President to remove the CAC Registrar-General was subsequently put to a voice vote and adopted.

The development underscores renewed assertiveness by the Senate in exercising its constitutional oversight functions, particularly over revenue-generating agencies.

The Corporate Affairs Commission, which regulates companies and business registrations in Nigeria, is a key contributor to non-oil revenue, making accountability and transparency central to its operations.

News

Amend Constitution To Accommodate State Police, Tinubu Tells Senators

Published

2 days ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

President Bola Tinubu has appealed to the leadership of the 10th Senate to amend the constitution to provide a legal framework for the establishment of State Police to tackle insecurity nationwide.

President Tinubu made the appeal during an interfaith breakfast with senators at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, yesterday.

The president said that the creation of State Police has become urgent to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges, strengthen grassroots policing, and enhance states’ capacity to respond swiftly to threats within their jurisdictions.

He noted that a decentralised policing structure would complement existing federal security architecture and promote intelligence-led, community-focused law enforcement.

“We are facing terrorism, banditry, and insurgency. But we will never fail to make a right response to this cause. What I will ask for tonight is for you (Senators) to start thinking how best to amend the constitution to incorporate the State Police for us to secure our country, take over our forests from marauders, and free our children from fear,” he said.

The president commended the cordial relationship between the Executive and the Senate, saying that unity is needed to defeat terrorism and banditry in the country.

“It is a good thing that we are working in harmony, we are looking forward to a country that evolves, a country that takes care of its citizens and protects all.

Tinubu thanked the Senate for its unflinching support towards achieving various economic reforms of his administration, especially the fuel subsidy removal and tax reform policy.

“I have a lot of credit for bold reforms. Without your collaboration and inspiration, those reforms would not be possible. We are reformists together. What we gave up and what we stopped is monumental corruption in the subsidy system. We don’t want to participate in monumental corruption and arbitrage foreign exchange.

You don’t have to chase me for dollars; you could see what Nigeria is today. You should be proud, and I am glad you are. What we are enjoying is a stable economy, and prosperity is beckoning us. We need to work hard, and this attendance means a lot to me,” the president said.

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, commended the president for hosting the leadership of the Senate to the Interfaith breaking of fast.

He commended President Tinubu for providing the visionary leadership the nation needs at this critical time, stating that the administration’s bold reforms have now brought more revenue to governors at the sub-national level for the development of critical infrastructure.

The Senate President prayed for the administration, and for the nation’s peace and prosperity.

Politics

FCT COUNCILS’ ELECTIONS: PDP WINS GWAGWALADA CHAIRMANSHIP AS APC SECURES AMAC, BWARI

Published

6 days ago

February 23, 2026

The Tide

Alhaji Mohammed Kasim, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has won the Gwagwalada Area Council chairmanship election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Philip Akpeni, the Returning Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), announced the results on Sunday morning.

Alhaji Kasim polled 22,165 votes to defeat Alhaji Yahaya Shehu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 17,788 votes.

Alhaji Biko Umar of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) scored 1, 687 to come in third place.

“I am the returning officer for the 2026 FCT Area Council, Gwagwalada chairmanship held on Feb. 21, 2026,” Akpeni said.

“That Mohammed Kasim of PDP, having certified the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”

In the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Christopher Maikalangu, the APC candidate, was declared the winner of the chairmanship poll with 40,295 votes.

Andrew Abue, the Collation Officer for AMAC, said Hon. Maikalangu, who is the incumbent AMAC chairman, was returned elected having scored the highest number of votes cast.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) came second with 12,109 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 3,398 votes.

According to Abue, the total number of valid votes in the chairmanship poll was 62,861, while the total votes cast stood at 65,197.

He added that the number of registered voters in AMAC was 837,338, while the total number of accredited voters was 65,676.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Mr. Joshua Ishaku of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the Bwari Area Council Chairmanship election.

Announcing the result on Sunday in Bwari, the Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Mohammed Nurudeen, stated that Ishaku polled a total of 18,466 votes to emerge victorious in the February 21, 2026 poll.

“I am the Returning Officer for the 2026 FCT Area Council, Bwari chairmanship held on Feb. 21, 2026. That Joshua Ishaku, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” Nurudeen said.

According to the results declared, the candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) secured 4,254 votes, while the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) polled 3,515 votes to place second and third respectively.

The declaration adds to the series of results emerging from the 2026 FCT Area Council elections, as political parties assess their performance ahead of future contests.

INEC UPLOADS 2,602 OF 2,822 FCT CHAIRMANSHIP RESULTS ON IReV

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had uploaded 2,602 out of the 2,822 expected polling unit results from Saturday’s chairmanship elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as at 5:55am on Sunday, data retrieved from its Result Viewing Portal (IReV) showed.

According to The Tide source, the figure represents an overall upload rate of about 92.2 per cent across the six area councils of the territory.

A council-by-council breakdown indicates that Municipal Area Council recorded the highest number of submissions in absolute terms, with 1,309 of 1,401 polling unit results uploaded, representing 93.43 per cent.

In Gwagwalada Area Council, 330 of the expected 338 polling unit results had been uploaded, representing 97.63 per cent — the highest upload rate among the six councils.

In Bwari Area Council, INEC uploaded 463 of 485 polling unit results, translating to 95.46 per cent.

In Abaji Area Council, 129 of 135 polling unit results had been uploaded as at 5:55am, representing 95.56 per cent.

In Kwali Area Council, 164 of the expected 201 polling unit results were available on the portal, representing 81.59 per cent.

In Kuje Area Council, 207 of 262 polling unit results had been uploaded, representing 79.01 per cent — the lowest rate among the six councils as at the time of review.