₦airaland Forum

Electoral Reform: Which gives birth to this moment, this day... Happy Democracy! Thank God am alive to witness today as it goes down d history lane.

Achievements:

Though his administration fell largely short of expectations, Mr. Jonathan performed impressively in some areas. Though still far from being at par with services around the world, President Jonathan resuscitated the comatose railway sector.

Previously abandoned routes especially between the Southern Nigeria and the North were revived and made pliable though at a less than desirable speed and comfort. His administration also started to build new railways lines like the one linking Kaduna to Abuja.

Road construction and rehabilitation should rank among the top five of his achievements in office. During his administration more than 50 road project were either completed or at various stages of completion.

The government rebuilt the notoriously defective Benin-Ore road,and worked a significant part of the Abuja-Lokoja road, amongst many other roads.

Electoral reform was perhaps the best of President Jonathan’s delivered promises. Though electionsin the country remains far from ideal, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not enjoy the kind of independence it enjoyed under the Jonathan administration in the entire 16 years of democratic ruleof the Fourth Republic. The independence enjoyed by INEC allowed it to introduce innovative electoral fraud busting technology such as the card reader and bio-metric identification of voters.

The president also approved notable legislations his predecessors failed tosign.

With the signing of his Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) early in his administration, Mr. Jonathan indicated he was ready to run a transparent government. However, he did not do enough to make government agencies and parastatal buy into the spirit of the FOIA as they repeatedly turned down FOIA requests except in few cases.

President Jonathan provided vital support to sections of the business and the entertainment community, including his grant for the Nollywood.Access to such facilities remained problematic though.

After sweeping to power with a vast majority of the votes during the 2011 presidential election, it didn’t take long before the Goodluck Jonathan presidency began to unravel.

Mr. Jonathan, who had endeared himself to majority of ordinary Nigerians with his “I had no shoes” speech, promised a break from the old ways of doing things. His campaign slogan which was tagged “ABreath of Fresh Air” promised a break from the old and mostly retrogressive way the country had been governed in the past.

Like all the country’s past leaders before him, Mr. Jonathan kicked of his presidency with a string of promises.

But this was not just another member of the country’s navel-gazingelite promising to be the messiah of the long-suffering common man, this was a person they saw as one of them; someone who had experienced their pains and hardshippromising to alleviate those pains. Nothing could be more reassuring.

In his inaugural speech, he promised a transformative government. He promised to grow the economy, create jobs and to provide overall happiness to Nigerians.

“The urgent task of my administration is to provide a suitable environment, for productive activities to flourish,” the president said.

He promised to improve electricity and medical care for all, provide efficient and affordable public transportation and first class education for every Nigerian.

But it soon became clear that these were merely soundbites as the Jonathan administration couldn’t deliver of most of its promises.

POWER:

On power generation, Mr. Jonathan said four years was enough to solve the endemic power generation in the country. On 31 January, 2011, speaking to diplomats of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, UNECA, and the African Union,AU, in Addis-Ababa Mr Jonathan said:

“If I’m voted into power, within the next four years, the issue of power will become a thing of the past. Four years is enough for anyone in power to make a significant improvement and if I can’t improve on power within this period, it then means I cannot do anything.”

After several interventions including the privatisation of the power sector and several billion naira spent on power reform, power generation has dropped to less than 2,000 megawatts. One of the country’s biggest distribution companies, Ikeja Electricity Distribution PLC, announced last week that it was allocated zero megawatt.

Only five megawatts is available to the country’s capital, Abuja, and just five out the country’s 23 power plantswere functional as of Monday. In January 2011 when Mr Jonathan promised to “make a significant improvement” in power supply, the country was generating over 3,000 megawatts. That is more than 1,000 megawatt lesser power.

Fuel, Subsidy and Refineries:

Nigeria was literally brought to a standstill this week after oil importers and tanker drivers embarked on a strike over disagreement with the Federal Government over subsidy payment. Schools, hospitals, major airline, banks were shut down due to the unavailability of fuel. PMS was selling as high as N500 per litre from the N87 official pump price. Fuel subsidy has constituted a black hole in the country’s finances.

An attempt by the government to remove fuel subsidy – its first most controversial policy, a decision Mr. Jonathan said will eradicate fraud – left Nigerians paying more for fuel. The government increased fuel pumpprice, and petrol for instances, climbed from N65 to N97 per litre.

Between 2010 and 2014, the government spent more than N6.354 trillion on subsidising imported fuel. On May 13, 2010, soon after he was sworn in as substantive president after the death of Mr Yar’Adua, Mr. Jonathan awarded the contract for the construction of three Greenfield refineries at the cost of $23 billion.

The main contractors China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) is meant to pick up 80 per cent of bill while the Nigerian National petroleum Corporation finance 20 per cent of the project. The refineries were to be established in Lagos, Bayelsa and Kogu State and were expected to have a combined refining capacity of over 400,000 barrels per day by 2016 to meet the shortfall in domestic demand. If the project had been successfully executed, it would have saved the country more than $10 billion spent annually on subsidy payment.

Last October a member of the House of Representative, Abass Tajudeen, observed that one year to its estimated completion date, no tangible work has been done on the project so far.

“We are amazed that despite a favourable recommendation by the task force for the Lagos refinery, there is no evidence of plan to construct a refinery at the Lekki site by year 2015,” he said.

Second Niger Bridge:

During the 2011 presidential campaign, Mr Jonathan at a town hallmeeting in Onitsha promised to buildthe Second Niger Bridge to ease economic activities in the South East.

“When the first bridge was built, it was during the presidency of NnamdiAzikiwe; the second Niger Bridge will be built under the presidency of Azikiwe Jonathan.

“I will go on exile on the completion of my term in office if I didn’t build the bridge by 2015,” he said.

Though skeletal work has commenced on the site of the bridge,the project is still a mirage. In January this year while campaigning in the Anambra State, Mr Jonathan extended the completion date of the bridge by 14 months.

However, Nigerians were quick to observe that all they saw during the president’s visit to the site, were sanddunes and a prototype picture of the bridge.

Unemployment and Corruption:

Under President Jonathan, Nigeria’s unemployment rate increased as the government did little to provide jobs despite claiming huge numbers.

In 2010 when he assumed office, unemployment rate was at 23.9 per cent, but by 2014 the figure steadied at 24 per cent, according to figures from the National Bureau of Statistics. The agency recently announced a new protocol of calculating unemployment, with claims the figure stands at less than 7per cent.

No doubt, one of Jonathan’s administration was its approach to corruption. The president started out by granting pardon to his former benefactor and ex-Bayelsa State Governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who was convicted for money laundering and theft of state funds. If the Jonathan administration had any pretence of fighting corruption it quickly went out of the window after that. Mr Jonathan also failed to rein in aides and minsters accused of corruption.

For several months, he kept his Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah, in his cabinet despite public outcry over her scandalous spending of over N255 million to purchase two BMW bulletproof cars. When the minister finally left office, the government made the point of insisting the decision was voluntary to allow Mrs. Oduah pursue other political interests.

Yet, the same government acted differently and swiftly when the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Lamido Sanusi, in 2013 claimed that $20 billion of oil money was unaccounted for by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. Mr Jonathan promptly fired the CBN governor after accusing him of financial recklessness.

Boko Haram:

If anything tore the Jonathan government apart, none did as the Boko Haram insurgency. The government struggled for years for a response while the bloodthirsty group ran amok, killing, maiming anddisplacing Nigerians in mostly northern states in its bid to form an Islamic caliphate within Nigeria.

Critics say the president didn’t act decisively until eleventh hour when it became clear that his failure to put down the group was going to affect his chances at the polls. Despite international outcry and calls, especially by the Bring Back Our Girls campaigners, for the over 200 school girls kidnapped by the extremist group from Chibok, to be rescued, hisgovernment failed in rescuing the girls.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/features-and-interviews/183866-nigeria2015-transition-jonathans-failures-achievements-in-five-years.html

MrChukwudiChuks:
I waited for this day to join Nairaland. Am happy to now be officially a registered member and I hope to make an impact of change in the business section.

God bless Nigeria and God bless Nigerians.

Going by your moniker u will definitely do good in d business section... Ndigbo! Una nodey carry last for business na just as una used 2015 General election as business

Na wa o! Dis life is vanity upon vanity... After all d struggle and hustle... this is how it end.

May deir soul Rest in Perfect Peace... And give deir families d fortitude to bear d lost.

NYSC has lost much of its member within 2 days. Sunday it was one of my batch (B) in Ilorin found dead at Tanke. Sigh!

missclasssy:
[color=#000050]Who the fvck cares? [/color]

U just did...

Nominated or will be given a sure award? Naija sef!

She deserve it... Go on my lady... Next will be BET by God grace.

Defcon1:
These are the only pictures l could find.
l am not there, you know.

You try... buh u can trek to dat place, u will be highly welcome in a grand style more dam GMB inauguration.

DNA test should be carried out on d woman... I dont think she was d real mother of d boy.

Na so educated people scarce for dat local govt? na dat kind local govt deir ladies be like men. And deir men no fit run one round race on bed *wink*

Sevila all d way... I Rep La Liga. Congratulations to Sevila. Am so happy to see u in UCL next season...

I cant wait to see Barcelona lift their own UCL too...

Who say my market no go sell... FTC twice in a day and thrice in 24hrs.

Abeg, make una clap for me

Picture or adon believe it

It is well o...

Vs DrizzyDrag... Op better add my name. me too be celeb for my Nairaland.

As dumb as she is, she is ravaging based on information not dat she even saw d news on d blogger's page by herself... Abeg, make she park well jor.
Attention seeker.
By d way, everybody is a sinner... wetin dey pain am.

Ok...

Are u related to dis guy?

Ok

Whats dis sudden fever catching all PDP mofos, all about? Y dem dey fear already?

Please, can someone help me ask dos PDP, whats dis sudden fear all about?

Nice one... Life na turn by turn.

I cant wait for Friday to come o... Chanji!!!

Hehehe! am dere again for d 2nd time within 24hrs... FTC!

Dis land is for sale! Any interesting buyer should meet me in Sambisa Forest.

President-elect Muhammadu Buhari has reaffirmed his willingness to work with any leader of the National Assembly that the process throws up,irrespective of what part of the country he or she comes from.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Mr. Buhari said that this has become necessary in view of the continued name-dropping in some circles linking his name to some candidates.

“I am prepared to work with any leaders that the House or Senate selects,” Mr. Buhari said in the earlierstatement two weeks ago. “It doesn’t matter who the person is or where he or she is from.

”He added: “there is due process for the selection of leaders of the National Assembly, and I will not interfere in that process”.

Their has been controversy over the election of new leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives, as the All Progressives Congress which has the majority seats has failed so far to allocate the offices to different regions of the country.

Sources in the party say the delay is apparently because Mr. Buhari has refused to approve any formula for the election.

Leaders of the party say the APC will not jettison zoning, but add that the party will consider merit first.The president-elect has insisted he will not back any candidate.

In his statement Wednesday, Mr. Buhari said the media and the public should begin to get used to no more “business as usual”.

“Nigeria has indeed entered a new dispensation,” he said. “My administration does not intend to repeat the same mistakes made by previous governments.”

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/183760-no-more-business-as-usual-buhari-warns.html

The fear of PMB is d beginning of wisdom...

Please, I need help. I cant create new topic since early hour of today. Anytime I tried, it keeps telling me "Please wait for a few minutes before submitting this post. Our server is overwhelmed".What can I do to resolve d issue?

Cc Seun... lalasticala

uduokirika1:
NOW SEE WHAT NGOZI OKONJO IWEALA PUBLISHED

From 2011 to 2014, A total of N2.92trillion has been distributed to 36 states from the excess crude account.

KOGI - N61.99bn (18th)

http://pulse.ng/business/the-whole-truth-finance-ministry-gives-breakdown-of-how-n6-21trn-of-excess-crude-funds-was-shared-id3794645.htm

Lalasticlala, Seun

[color=#990000][/color]
If dat figure quoted above is true about my state and yet dat my state is d poorest state in Nigeria, Thunder wey go strike Gov. Idris Wada dey swim River Niger to confluence River to strike Wada. Docile and Insane governor I've ever heard of.

Lagos: a land where impossible doesn't exist in their language.

A land where Oyibo have to beg for a boot lift due to hike in transport fair...

afuye:
Check again... Bros .... I just did.

I knew u did, dat was i said am closer. buh I made front page of d thread. Na d jubilation b dat

dougivilla:
Do all these people you mentioned look like people waiting for anything? They all appear to be posing for a snap shot. Stop foooolinf yourself; Even liar mohammeed is yet to find an answer!!

You really need help.

Guy d difference btw dem is dat odas made deir visit public and camera were deir so, dey had to turn it to be fun buh Baba never made his visit public and he never knew PDP Mofos has sent Paparazzi to spy on him

ITbomb:
All of them are smiling to the camera while Baba one chance is staring back at the closed door looking helpless

dat was because baba own was snap unknowningly by PDP mofos called deir shelves Paparazzi

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