President Buhari’s Promising Beginning. Femi Ojo

 

Picture courtesy of Google

It is more than 100 days now  President  Buhari has assumed office and within the first 100 days majority of my country people expected that the President would have tackled so many of the challenges confronting our nation. Within this period, the President has slowly but strategically begun a promising policy action that is revolutionizing the mindsets of Nigerians especially proximate political actors by showing how to embrace high moral standard in our polity. 

One promising beginning which Mr. President has started that has  attracted commendations both nationally and internationally is his avowed frontal attack against corruption and the ripple effects on our political-economy and this  is indeed  highly commendable. The anti-corruption crusade of Buhari’s administration to me is a good beginning and if this can be sustained holistically, perhaps this will bring a new era of change which the current ruling party has over-hyped. 

 Moreover, one major event last week in support of President Buhari’s promising beginning  was the solidarity support given to the anti-corruption crusade of the President by the National Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress and other civil society organizations. In Lagos, Edo, Abuja, Kwara, Ogun, Oyo State and indeed almost across all the state capitals in the country, there were anti-corruption rallies in solidarity with President Buhari’s zero tolerance to corruption. This firm solidarity support for the President’s fight against corruption was a strategic move by NLC and TUC to regain its lost glory. The Labour Union to me has become passive on some national issues until now and I do not know if Nigerians still trust NLC and TUC  as that altruistic vanguard that sincerely champion the interest of the masses. 

The country could indeed be returned to sanity if President Buhari  will sustain the fight against corruption and stealing of resources. The recent establishment of anti-corruption committee to advise the President on the right anti-corruption campaign is commendable and this is indeed a promising beginning that will lead to success and economic recovery. The President therefore needs to establish quickly an anti-corruption court that will strengthen this fight against sleaze. The President also has the duty of making the anti-corruption campaign holistic without being misconcepted as a mere witch hunting exercise against his political foes. 

Beyond this promising beginning by President Buhari, there are so many things still left undone, the economy activities in the country is at low ebb, the slow approach and absence of policy direction of the present administration is strangulating business activities. Many private companies are winding down their operations while those that are still in business are finding it very difficult to survive. The President as a matter of urgency should let the nation know and understand the direction of his government and the economic policy thrust of his administration. As the President promised to fight corruption in the country to a standstill, Nigerians equally expect Mr. President to come up with a strong economic policy thrust that will rejuvenate the almost comatose economic activities in the country. This is a very challenging time for Nigeria but fellow country men and women will not take excuses from this government of change.

The President’s promising beginning will be sustained if those who will make his cabinet members are committed men and women that believe in  Mr. Buhari’s moral philosophy in governance. As the nation awaits the announcement of future cabinet ministers, in some days’ to come, one hopes that those yesteryears political character that have in one way or the other milked the resources of this nation will not be called for clarion’s call. The choice of his cabinet members will also tell Nigerians, how altruistic the President is on his anti-corruption crusade.