Opinion
Former Biafran warlord Ikemba Odimegwu Ojukwu was definitely not everybody’s cup of tea. However admire him or not, there was no disputing that he spoke impeccable English and made several memorable observations about the Nigerian character. When asked why we cannot come to terms with our past, the Ikemba famously observed that despite having excellent memories, Nigerians suffer from “selective amnesia”.
In other words we deliberately choose what to remember and what to forget! This is ever so relevant today when there is increasing impatience, dissatisfaction, and discontent with President Muhammad Buhari (PMB) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) national government.



The likes of the self-promoting Senator Ben Murray Bruce; inconsistent Pastor Tunde Bakare; and ever erratic Fani-Kayode, have joined other critics in trying to spread disaffection with the government of the day as if an alternative currently exists. True to Ikemba’s observation PMB’s critics have chosen to forget the extent to which their People’s Democratic Party (PDP) mismanaged and ruined our economy between 1999 and 2015.
In those 16 years a bag of rice which originally sold for N2,500 increased to N11,000; the Naira which exchanged for N20 to a dollar in 1999 crashed to N220; petrol pump price increased by 800% from N11 per litre N87; and the price of a bag of cement increased from under N500 to N2,000. In addition to mismanaging the economy, the PDP also exacerbated our socio-political problems.
In 1999 the nation only had to contend with the activities of OPC, but by 2015 Niger Delta Militancy, MASSOB, IPOB, BAKASSI and Boko Haram had all flourished to the extent where they could disrupt public order. Most disastrously for the nation PDP also retarded our democratic progress. In 1999 they won a free and fair election but by 2015 they had institutionalized election rigging, ballot snatching, political assassinations, do or die politics together with rice and money sharing elections.
In truth the only thing the PDP managed to reduce in 16 years was life expectancy which was 59 years in 1999 but fell to 42 years by 2015! No reasonable person would expect that all these problems can be solved within eight months and in response to the critics the Governor of Bauchi State Barrister Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, said, “it is unfair to judge the APC government so far…People should give us at least 16 years and see..”
Although Governor Abubakar is correct that it’s too early to judge, he and other members of the APC must be cautioned that they have four years, not sixteen, in which to convince the electorate that they have changed things for the better.
By 2019 the stock excuse that they met a ruined economy will not be good enough to win an election. The APC ran on a promise of change and while that change was not really defined, Nigerians believe it meant improvement in their personal circumstances. 
However there is no disputing that as a result of unending fuel scarcities, deterioration of both power supply and the value of our currency, and increasing insecurity occasioned by highway robbers, herdsmen, and Boko Haram things have changed for the worse. PMB is inexplicably opening himself up for criticism that he is insensitive preferring to embark on foreign trips and address the world press, while saying nothing to reassure the rest of us that the situation is temporary.
Indeed a major failing of his government is that other than the anti-corruption war they have not articulated any concrete plans or policies that patriotic Nigerians would buy into even if they belong to opposition parties.
Chief John Odigie Oyegun National Chairman of the APC says although nobody can give a date, he is sure Nigerians will see the results of a new government “very soon”. He had better be right for the sake of his Party because the APC should not expect to automatically rule for 16 years.
The reason PDP managed it was due to monumental election rigging in which the likes of Maurice Iwu sold their souls and wrote their names in the national hall of infamy.
Although the Supreme Court quite retrogressively rubbished the use of card readers Professor Jega’s tenure as Chairman ensured that such large scale election rigging is no longer possible and removing an incumbent government is very possible. It’s important that PMB and the APC realize that judgment of their administration will come in 2019 not 2031, and a quarter of that time has almost gone.
Unfortunately for PMB his party will have a difficult time effecting meaningful change within four years when so many APC leading lights are former PDP members who actively participated on the retarding the nation’s progress. However the PDP in its current state cannot provide an alternative government. If they don’t get their act together quickly it may just be that APC will get their sixteen years by default.
http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/opinion/apc-its-four-years-not-sixteen/138934.html

Perfectly written,dis is wat a patriot should be doing.not insultin n instigating hate.

Op, it's 24, not 4

The truth is this, PDP failed woefully in their 16 years of reign jokes apart. In 2019, that will be another election years. What will d PDP tell Nigerians? That they will give us electricity, water, good roads, free education and health that they couldn't give us in 16 years? I wonder. I strongly believe that no Nigerian can become a President again under d platform of PDP. The highest they can achieve is to secure some seats at d national senate or Reps or secure a governorship seat in a certain part or corner of d country as we are seeing today in south-south and Southeast which is not enough to secure d seat of d President.

PDP and destruction.

size40:
The truth is this, PDP failed woefully in their 16 years of reign jokes apart. In 2019, that will be another election years. What will d PDP tell Nigerians? That they will give us electricity, water, good roads, free education and health that they couldn't give us in 16 years? I wonder. I strongly believe that no Nigerian can become a President again under d platform of PDP. The highest they can achieve is to secure some seats at d national senate or Reps or secure a governorship seat in a certain part or corner of d country as we are seeing today in south-south and Southeast which is not enough to secure d seat of d President.

so na APC be dy party dat will nw deliver wen dy re already making life hard 4 every1,dy claimed dy met empty treasury but recently OBJ said buhari met $30billion,GEJ did his best but was sabotage through his own party men nd opposition nd APC have vehemently denied every promises dy gave yes PDP wer bad bt dy tried in making dy country great in one way or the other so as 4 me PDP is better than APC cs dy party is filled with liars ask LAI

I tinx dis guy was watching back of television or mayb readin newspaper upside down durin 2015 election 4 him 2 say dat pdp election was do or die affair. Guy wake up n start watching tv at d front

Naijacitizen:
In those 16 years a bag of rice which originally sold for N2,500 increased to N11,000; the Naira which exchanged for N20 to a dollar in 1999 crashed to N220; petrol pump price increased by 800% from N11 per litre N87; and the price of a bag of cement increased from under N500 to N2,000. In addition to mismanaging the economy, the PDP also exacerbated our socio-political problems.

Why I have forgiven some bubble heads who keep talking rubbish about PDP Wasting 16 years is because I know that over 90% of the youths of today had no access to News paper, CNN or any other genuine news other than the local FM and AM radio programs in the 90s. In fact, some of them didn't know the Nigeria they were living in. Ok, if you know any civil servant that was working before PDP took over, ask him/her how much directors were paid that time. Ask how much Profs. were earning. And really I want to challenge these fellows that keep saying PDP destroyed Nigeria in the past 16 year, tell me any thing that was exiting/function well before PDP came that is no longer there or destroyed. If you give me 1, I will give you 100 thing that never existed that PDP fixed/brought.

9jalyte:


Why I have forgiven some bubble heads who keep talking rubbish about PDP Wasting 16 years is because I know that over 90% of the youths of today had no access to News paper, CNN or any other genuine news other than the local FM and AM radio programs in the 90s. In fact, some of them didn't know the Nigeria they were living in. Ok, if you know any civil servant that was working before PDP took over, ask him/her how much directors were paid that time. Ask how much Profs. were earning. And really I want to challenge these fellows that keep saying PDP destroyed Nigeria in the past 16 year, tell me any thing that was exiting/function well before PDP came that is no longer there or destroyed. If you give me 1, I will give you 100 thing that never existed that PDP fixed/brought.

Wetin pdp fix. apart from GSM and we're just lucky they didn't know about satellite phone. dem for do am only for dem self