NIGERIA TODAY
Unfolding events in Nigeria for weeks now have shown that this nation is at the point of hopelessness with proofs that our current national drivers are indeed the problems of this nation.
If you can remember a few years ago, cautionary statements were made by notable personalities which the citizenry felt were noble cautions and the civil society organizations followed them up to impactful points but today, we are having a repeat of such scenarios perpetuated by same personalities whose cautions were seen as noble with excuses given as why they are normal.
Under the leadership of an anti- corruption government, we read how the president’s lawyer gave a presiding justice a half million naira while the certificate saga of Mr. President was being determined in court which has led to the indefinite adjournment of the case but unfortunately, it has been taken to be a wedding gift.
Facts to remember include:
1. In 2014, the then president of Nigeria removed the GMD of NNPC from office on corrupt offences and the APC spokesman had this to say:
"We seriously frown at President Goodluck Jonathan, over the "unceremonious removal" of the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mr Andrew Yakubu."
- APC (August 4, 2014, Channels Television). Now we have seen the reason for his sack.
2. Today we read how Nigerians are being killed at will in Southern Kaduna while El Rufaii the Governor has no solution to it but had this to say in 2012 when there was similar crisis in some parts of the nation...."Jonathan should resign if he has no solution to the violence being unleashed on some parts of the country." APC- El Rufai ( August 2012)
3. In 2009 and 2010 the current APC spokesperson and the incumbent president of the nation had these to say respectively in the case of the then ailing president Musa Yar’Adua and civil society organizations and NLC followed up:
"Give Nigerians a daily update on the health of President Umaru Yar’Adua to stem the growing rumors surrounding his state of health. " - Lai December 21, 2009 (The Nation)
"The only solution to the present political uncertainty in the country is for the National Assembly to set machineries in motion for the impeachment of ailing President Umoru Musa Yar 'Adua. " - Buhari (March 10, 2010, Sun Newspapers)
Today Alh. Lai Mohammed the information minister and the President’s spokesman has unleashed several unthinkable corrupted and falsified information about the state of the health of Mr. President who has gone on an indefinite sick leave. It has become wrong for anyone to ask about the health of our president and the CSO and National Assemblies has collaborated in the hide and seek game.
4. Take a look at some statements credited to Fashola on the power sector which i felt were right but as the Power minister today, he has no idea of what to do which has made him the darkness minister..."A serious government will fix power problem in 6 months."
- Babatunde Raji Fashola (November 12, 2014) (Almost 2 years in office now)
"The only way to have stable electricity is to vote out PDP."- Fashola (July 12, 2014, The Nation). I hope Nigerians are ready to vote out this vision less government according to the Vice President in 2014..... "Jonathan leading a vision less government. "
- Yemi Osinbajo (December 22, 2014, Thisday & tweet @ProfOsinbajo)
5. Fashola again had this to say on the exchange rate of the Naira: "Why is the nation’s currency, the naira, now trading for N180 per Dollar, while the South African Rand is trading at R11 to one United States Dollar?" - Fashola (December 26, 2014, The Nation)
Can Fashola now tell Nigerians why naira is trading at 520/$1?
6. In all these, where do we begin the stoning of the drivers of the economy today being the APC according to the authority given by Tony Momoh since it is obvious that the first 2 years of APC government have been a wasted trial and error?? "Stone us (APC) if we do not perform after 2 years." - Tony Momoh ( April 3, 2016, The Guardian)
Today documentary evidence of electoral fraud in the Yobe election petition tribunal has been silenced and mere allegation of that Akwa Ibom and Rivers is set to be concluded.
The cause of the death of the Kano Electoral commissioner with his family has been swept under the carpet and unconfirmed cases taken up because of ruling party’s target to silence the opposition.
The recent appeal court ruling giving judgment to Sen. Ali Modu Sherif is being celebrated by the ruling party and one begins to wonder and think aloud if APC is not the problem of this nation.
Today bribery has become a gift, sacks has become normal, impeachment is no longer the way forward, indefinite sick leave has become constitutional, freedom of expression has become forbidden, Civil Society Organizations has gone to bed, protest has become unlawful and all alleged recovered loots being looted again. Propaganda has become a way of governance.
In all these, my point and questions remains... what are we passing unto the upcoming leaders? What can they beat their chest to say, yes i learnt this from my principal, when the nation was faced with similar challenge, my principal applied this remedial method and it worked. Do we still believe in the future of this nation? What are we doing to preserve her respect, honor and integrity? Do we still have any reason to pride our self as the giant of Africa? Do we make statements for statement sake or for posterity sake?
As leaders we claim to be, we must then be mindful of what we say or do because if we destroy this nation, there is no other to call our own........
Thanks and i remain
Prof. Jude E. Njoku
FMR. VC FUTO
Professor of Agricultural Economics and Expert in Public Administration
For inquiries, E-mail: prof.njokue@gmail.com

It is former not formal