By Dr Essien Attah

The rise of President Buhari to the exalted office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is akin to the rise of Abraham Lincoln, the American President who failed a number of times but finally succeeded in his thirst to serve his people. And just like Lincoln, he is faced with a myriad of challenges that can make or mar his Presidency. But the most contentious disappointment of the Buhari Presidency is his failure to declare his assets. This is a campaign promise that remains sacrosanct. The failure of the President to do so is worrisome especially in the midst of the double speak from his spokesman and the Code of Conduct Bureau. This is one faux pas against the President. But outside this the President has restored sanity to a nation that was brought to the brink of collapse by the criminally minded corruption perpetuated by past regimes. As the President commences spring cleaning to clear the mess left behind by his predecessors Nigerians rejoice that change has finally come. The nation's revenue has jumped in leaps and bounds as the leakages condoned by previous regimes are checkmated. Power generation is at its highest level in living memory. The refineries are now working. And Boko Haram is finally on decline as the Desert Fox, hunts down this vermin.

But two key issues have defined President Muhammadu Buhari's first 100 days .
Firstly is the nature of his appointments. The President has kept everyone guessing and on their toes as he fires and hires key individuals at will. There is an outcry that a certain region of the country has been left out of the leadership equation. This is noteworthy but holds little water for the President has chosen to appoint people who can get the job done over partisan accolades or ethnoreligious jingoism. For the first time in 6 years round pegs are being placed in round holds. Accountability in Governance is being rebuilt as the President seeks to build strong durable institutions that shall stand the test of time. Indeed Buhari has refused to dance to the tune of partisan politics appointing Technocrats and experienced hands to choice positions. This is indeed a departure from the past when charlatans and thugs were given juicy posts because they swore allegiance to the first lady. The President is slow but deliberate in his approach seeking out Men and women of integrity whose hands have not been stained by the filthy lucre of corruption. Indeed Buhari means well to build a new Nigeria devoid of the old ways when "stealing was deemed to be not corruption".

As he seeks out Men and women to fill his cabinet many are running away from the juggernaut of change for they fail to pass the integrity test. This is a sharp departure from the days of yore when Ministerial posts were shared to the boys and girls to come and chop their own share of the National cake. Today many are weary of accepting the Greek gift of Ministerial appointment for in their hearts they know they are incapable of living up to the General's high standards. This is indeed change we can hold on to. Thus to those who grumble, they should hold their peace. Nigeria has gone beyond saying my brother must occupy a choice government position for in retrospect a certain Azikiwe occupied the exalted office for years and left his people more impoverished than he met them only enriching a select few, mostly sychophants and charlatans.

The New Nigeria of President Buhari is about getting the best hands to get the job done. Period.
The next issue is the spectre of corruption. Nigeria deserves to be one of the greatest countries on earth but alas the looting of the commonwealth by past regime's has robbed a nation of their destiny. Despite having the most religious of people on earth it is a pity that the most corrupt of people reside in Nigeria. As the cankerworm of corruption perpetuated by the most corrupt regime in the history of Nigeria is unearthed how best to prosecute and jail these criminals, recover looted funds and reinvesting in the Nigerian state is what is going to make or mar the Presidency of Muhammadu Buhari. Any fool begging for a soft landing for these criminals or trying to deflect attention from the greatest serial rape of the resources of a people should be declared persona non grata and should be labeled an accomplice of these Ex-Vagabonds in power (VIP).

These thieves are far worse than Boko Haram. They stole the money meant to buy equipment for our military and sent our troops to a certain death armed with barely their bare arms.
They stole money meant to build a world class transnational railway and left Nigerians stranded with a decrepit "Tokunbo" locomotive track and coaches while lying between their teeth that Nigeria is too poor to buy new trains. What nonsense.
They stole money meant to rebuild the Niger Delta and left its people impoverished while they built castles in the sky and mansions in Abuja.
If a hungry man steals a satchet of peak milk a mob enacts jungle justice and throws a tyre around his neck before setting him alight like Guy Fawkes but alas no similar bonfire is advocated for the looters of the treasury who instead enjoy a retinue of "imminent" personalities who grovel to beg for a soft landing for the VIPs.
But alas President Buhari is neither given over to mob justice or the principle of soft landing. Instead he has made it clear that a proper investigation shall be done and the guilty shall face special courts to answer for their crimes against humanity. Hence the rule of law is the basis for every prosecution hence all the talk of selective justice, witch hunt and persecution is a figment of the imagination of the guilty who go begging for soft landing by night or fake illness then lie in a foreign hospital hoping to stoke pity or feigning illness so as to escape the long arm of justice. Buhari was elected on an anti-corruption platform and he is striving to live up to this billing.
The recall of 2500 soldiers dismissed or sent to the gallows by the insincere previous regime who made scapegoats of innocent soldiers to hide their ineptitude, is indeed another plus for the Buhari regime.

Two other aspects of the nation need urgent attention and have not been sufficiently addressed in the first 100 days of change.
Education and healthcare.
The health system left behind by the former regime is on life support and without urgent intervention will slip into a deadly coma. Poor funding and massive corruption has left the health sector decrepit and moribund as no one worth his salt who has a few zeros in his account will dare entrust their life into the hands of the strike riddled health sector.
Centres of Medical excellence have become centres of death as the training of personnel and the provision of facilities have taken a back seat. To clean up this sector will need all the tenacity of the ex-General for the inertia in place is akin to moving mountains. But by instilling military discipline and accountability in a sector that has become a dog eat dog slapstick comedy, will reverse this ugly trend.
Nigerians thirst for qualitative education. Without it the nation will remain in the dark ages. President Buhari needs to develop a Marshal plan for Education whose implementation will rid the nation of the unwholesome doctrine of Boko Haram. This is a duty President Buhari has to fulfill to Nigerians.

Other achievements include the mending of fences with the West, perpetuated by the insincere inebriated former regime. Also the fresh air in not having our nation disgraced by the overbearing antics of a First lady whose English makes one question the veracity of the supposed degree she holds, coupled with her malicious attempts to sequester the trappings of power in an illicit manner, is one reason for Nigerians to rejoice except comedians who are forced to dream up new jokes or individuals to riddicle.
Buhari scores high marks for saving Nigeria from imminent collapse. But he dare not rest on his oars for the challenges at hand are indeed legion.

Godspeed President Buhari.

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This is a very great and apt article. It speaks out my mind in volumes......As long as the people appointed do the job well and are honest people like our President, then they are highly welcome. Bye bye to Tribal and Religious Politics that the corrupt government have used since time immemorial that almost turn the Giant of Africa to the most corrupt nation in the world. For all those still wailing and prefer not to wait to see what this people can offer, then i bet you wail for the next 4 years. I can see the change will yearn for in our dear nation coming gradually. God bless PMB. God bless Nigeria.

What is this ds stupid drunk saying. Nonsense write-up.

What is this ds stupid drunk saying. Nonsense write-up. Am sure u hv gone mad again. See me when u get sane.

I don't reply to blog and facebook posts.
But, I'll just say not bad.

All is well. Since April 15,the # PRESSIDIII list was released!!! since then nothing has been said or done. Mr President,Intervene and Save # Pressid. Please break the silence @ NUC. We are loosing our admissions already