Assessing Buhari - By The Statistics

•Buhari has been statistically worse than any previous leader, even Abacha

The Nigeria Economist | December 15, 2022

The statistics do not favour the Buhari regime and so might reality. From poverty to deaths, unemployment, inflation and economic collapse, Buhari is seen to be worse than Abacha, far worse statistically.

Abacha was a Nigerian Military leader who ruled from November 1993 to June 1998. He took over power from the interim Ernest Shonekan Government on the 17th of November, 1993 citing that it was a move "to bring about stability to the nation" threatened by the "uncertainty of the interim Government."

Abacha was originally from Kano State and was both Chief of Defense Staff and Minister of Defense at the time of his coup. Abacha is said to have been involved in many coups leading to his own, including the coup that brought Babangida.

He was however not known to be involved in harm against civilians. He commuted Obasanjo's death sentence to a 15 year Imprisonment and said he was warned not to interfere in Ken Saro-Wiwa's case. He reduced Nigeria's inflation (from 54% in 1993) to 8.5% in 1997, increased CBN reserves by over $9bn as at 1997 and reduced the national debt. He had a GDP growth of 2.2%.


Below are some of his numbers and as they compare with Buhari:

GDP Growth:
Abacha: 2.2%
Buhari: 1.1%

�Infl change:
Abacha: 54%(1993) > 8.5%(1997)
Buhari: 9%(2015) > 79%(2022), (2015 base year)


Fed Debt:
Abacha: $36b(1993) > $27b(1997)
Buhari: $20b > $109b

CBN Reserves:
Abacha: $0.4b(1993) > $9.7b(1997)
Buhari: $37b(2015)~$37b(2022)

Central Govt Corruption (per annum)
Abacha: $2.2bn
Buhari: $30bn , per annum (est.)

Killings:
Abacha:2000 (est.)
Buhari: 66,000

Unemployment:
Abacha: 13.0% > 8.0% (est)
Buhari: 6.7%(2015) > 33.3%(2021)


Abacha was the first known Nigerian Military General to have become a General without skipping a single previous rank. He was married to only one wife with whom he had 9 children. He is survived today by 33 grandchildren. About $4.3bn has so far been repatriated to Nigeria as hidden proceeds from his regime but analysts estimate the Buhari regime might have deviated in excess of $160bn from national coffers.

https://nigeriaeconomist.com/2022/12/15/assessing-buhari-buhari-was-worse-than-abacha-op-ed/