BUHARI STILL CLUELESS ON ECONOMIC ISSUES AFTER 32 YEARS - Richard Omoko
I watched with keen interest the APC town hall meeting of Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th March, 2015. Various questions were asked on how APC intends to tackle such matters as Security, Job creation, Power generation, women empowerment, The exchange rate amongst others issues.

In their response to the issues or questions asked, Buhari and his fellow APC stalwarts at the town hall meetings sounded like semi-illiterates when giving responses to this crucial matters of importance. Before we draw conclusions let us go back in history to how our economy used to be like before Buhari ceased power by force through a coup de ta in 1983.

As a young lad I can remember vividly that this was how Nigeria was before Buhari ceased power by force
1. When it came to exchange rate it was $1.00 exchanging for 0.60 kobo (yes if you didn't know that), the British Pound Sterling was £1.00 exchanging for N2.00.
2. We didn't require visa's to travel abroad. Now interestingly while you only needed to board a plane with your blank passport, your visa would be stamped at the point of entry in almost all nations of the world including the United Kingdom (UK). America was begging us Nigerians to come and visit (so we could spend our money there) they even offered free scholarships to most Nigerian students to study up to masters level, and when they finished their studies there were mouth watering offers of jobs and accommodation waiting for their picking should they decide to stay. Some Nigerians even had special luxury treatments given to them right from the airports at America.
3. In most shops in the UK they would close their shops to other customers once they learnt that you were a Nigerian and intend to shop there. This treatment is only now meeted out to Arab sheiks.
4. It was automatic citizenship for any Nigerian baby born in the UK, with immediate allowances for both baby and mother.
5. Our International Trade fairs used to be a big issue, with every notable company from all nations in the world fighting to ensure their participation. These companies even released their products to Nigerians with only a promise to pay.
6. The economy was bouyant and merriment was always in the air, every family had one reason to celebrate. People like Fela that were hooked on candies could afford to travel to the UK just to buy candies from his favourite shop. I could afford to buy my big dip for 50k.
7. Nigerians were driving only brand new cars. You were considered poor if you happen to drive a car that was more than 3 years old talkless of buying a 'tokubo' vehicle (ie. Second hand vehicle). The major automobile plants were working a Volkswagen beetle was N3,000, a Peugeot 504 was N7,000.
8. Prices of essential commodities were affordable, a can of liquid milk was 25k, a bottle of coca cola was 15k, a bag of rice was N15, a loaf of bread (family size) was 50k.
There are more happenings I can reel out, however this is enough for our youths to digest as they never new how Nigeria was before Buhari came in is usual manner of brute force with no economic knowledge and destroyed everything.

When Buhari ceased power in 1983.
1. Buhari immediately introduced import license when he ceased power. This policy favoured only his cronies as they were the only one who had access to import license. They only obtained the licenses and sold it for a price without importing anything. Some would use such license to import sand from Saudi Arabia, expired tires from Europe, empty containers etc. They did this just to pocket the exchange dollar. The resultant effect was the shambles this caused by increasing black maketeering, increasing smuggling, creating a scramble for foreign currency and hence devaluing the naira. For those who do not know it was in Buhari's regime that the dollar started to appreciate over the naira from what was 0.60kobo to $1.00.
2. Buhari's singular act of importing a human being in a crate (Umaru Dikko) from the UK resulted in the UK removing all those privileges that we enjoyed. From then on you can only come into the UK with a visa, and not anymore as a citizen of the common wealth. The United States also followed suit from this.
3. His regime introduced Price control. This lack of elementary understanding of Pricing and the forces of Demand and Supply caused a lot of hardship for Nigerians as you had long queues for such 'essential commodities' as bread, milk, tea, sugar etc. Of course traders hoarded their wares as you couldn't force them to sell at a loss thereby creating a sky rocketing inflation.
4. The overblown stance of corruption and Nigeria being a drug nation dealt a big blow on our image internationally as most nations started viewing Nigerians with suspicion, to them every Nigerian is either corrupt or a drug dealer. The killing of Bartholome Owho and two others without a convincing trial made other countries view us as babaric. They were no longer comfortable in having business dealings with Nigerians based purely on trust. This we are seeing Buhari repeat yet again.

Buhari's current clamour after 32 years
The chanting is yet to change after 32 years, the so called 'change' agent is still to change from his old ways.
1. On security: as usual he continues to blow it out of proportion hence scaring intended foreign investors whose Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) would having given a boost to the economy and helped in creating jobs. Agreed the current security situation is not perfect, however only until this week did he acknowledge the efforts of our gallant soldiers. His utterances in the past has caused a lot of security breeches that had costs lives and properties of Nigerians. These statements he made had helped increased both followers and symphatisers of boko haram.
2. On Economy: "I would create two million jobs in one year". Free Education, free lunch, free monthly allowances/stipends for jobless youths, he wants to build four refineries in less than four years, his claims of single handedly increasing the price of crude oil and so on just goes to show that he still is clueless on the economy and how it operates. For instance how does he intend to increase the price of crude oil when he cannot control it's demand and OPEC has limited control to its supply as a means of price increase instruments. They clamour oil theft (even though he would not tell you that it started way back in the 70's when he was Petroleum Minister). For those who care to know the US being the largest consuming nation of crude oil is using Fracking and other new technologies to explore for crude as a result demand for global oil is low and the price has to fall because supply is constantly increasing due to oil theft not only from Nigeria but from all ISIS controlled nations and Libya inclusive.
The clear difference between United Party of Nigeria (UPN) led by Awolowo and APC led by Tinubu is very simple. Awolowo would tell you that he would create jobs, industries, roads, free education and so on. Awo doesn't stop at that he would break down the economy for you and show you where and how he would raise the money to perform and fulfil all his promises. That is why the till today the western region is still living off Awo's legacies. Please someone ask Tinubu/Buhari (no pun intended as this is the ticket) to show us how they intend to raise the capital for their promises. They are only building castles in the sky.
NIGERIAN BE WISE AND DONT BE FOOLED - VOTE WISELY

Voting wisely is voting for Buhari

Anyone can write an epistle but we know the truth that a vote for Buhari is a vote for the development of the nation.

When will this Jonathan boys get sense?

When will they realize that the more they attack buhari the his followers increases?

For me and my entire Family WE HAVE DECIDED TO VOTE GEN BUHARI FOR PRESIDENT 2015

I stand for jonathan!!

Lailerh:
Voting wisely is voting for Buhari

which type of buhari are you talking about?(a)buhari haram, (b)buhari abuse, (c)buhari insane, (D)buhari kworupt, (e)buhari osibande

Yungwizzzy:
When will this Jonathan boys get sense?

When will they realize that the more they attack buhari the his followers increases?

For me and my entire Family WE HAVE DECIDED TO VOTE GEN BUHARI FOR PRESIDENT 2015

simply put...you and your family have decided to go back to being slaves

GboyegaD:
Anyone can write an epistle but we know the truth that a vote for Buhari is a vote for the development of the nation.

How is a vote for Buhari translate to a vote for development?

GboyegaD:
Anyone can write an epistle but we know the truth that a vote for Buhari is a vote for the development of the nation.

which nation? islamic nation i guess not nigeria because he will not smell aso rock

henryangelo:
simply put...you and your family have decided to go back to being slaves

Weather you like it or not BUHARI IS YOUR NEXT PRESIDENT

You can hug the next transformer

Yungwizzzy:


Weather you like it or not BUHARI IS YOUR NEXT PRESIDENT

You can hug the next transformer

is laughable that till now you cannot read the handwriting on the wall,buhari can afford to be the next shekau but for aso rock ?he is a forgotten story

Yungwizzzy:
When will this Jonathan boys get sense?

When will they realize that the more they attack buhari the his followers increases?[
For me and my entire Family WE HAVE DECIDED TO VOTE GEN BUHARI FOR PRESIDENT 2015

Maybe after Buhari's must have bn sworn in..

Yungwizzzy:


Weather you like it or not BUHARI IS YOUR NEXT PRESIDENT

You can hug the next transformer

hugging the transformer doesn't work anymore..Tell him to head for the gallows or jump in a well.

henryangelo:
which type of buhari are you talking about?(a)buhari haram, (b)buhari abuse, (c)buhari insane, (D)buhari kworupt, (e)buhari osibande

Don't you think we need to give him a chance. PDP failed us and we can't go on like this....

Lailerh:
Don't you think we need to give him a chance. PDP failed us and we can't go on like this....

buhari also failed us when he was the head of state,we cant forget soon when he treated us like slaves and jeopardise our human right and freedom,i will stand for the man that gave me freedom