My advice to President Jonathan and his handlers is
to stop wasting their time trying to campaign on his
job record. Those who have decided to vote for him
will not do so because he has taken Nigeria to the
moon. His record on the economy is a clear ‘F’ grade. As one reviews the laundry list of micro interventions the government calls its achievements, one wonders whether such list is all that the government could deliver with an unprecedented oil boom and an unprecedented public debt accumulation. I can clearly see why reasonable people are worried
Everywhere else in the world, government
performance on the economy is measured by some
outcome variables such as: income (GDP growth
rate), stability of prices (inflation and exchange rate), unemployment rate, poverty rate, etc. On all these scores, this government has performed worse than its immediate predecessor— Obasanjo regime

blackCITIZEN:

Read the article and concentrate your mind more on facts and terms like GDP, inflation rate, oil boom, foreign reserve, exchange rate, unemployment rate, poverty, statistics and the rest.. Dubai was tranformed within 7yrs and the current govt has already spent 6yrs boasting about bringing back train around the ELEECTION PERIOD. It is very unfortunate and worrisome that our youths have resorted to terms like HIS WIFE'S AUNTY, YOUNGER SISTER TO WIFE'S MOTHER, lost election, coup, muslim, Christian etc other than what the likes of Prof Soludo, Sanusi are saying. Like he said "I see the reason why reasonable people are worried" Let us not be sentimental, how can we become future leaders with this kind of mindset? Only CHANGE can awaken us from the nightmre called history.. For without CHANGE everything remains the same. Thank you

LRNZH:
[b]Generally good piece from Soludo.

That said, he has over hyped OBJ and IBB's regimes. What happened to Murtala/OBJ regime in the 70s which laid the groundwork for Nigeria's development as we know it today?

Right now, give Nigeria stable electricity and see the miracles that this country will perform. Soludo is wrong to compare us with Greece and Spain who have reached a certain employment saturation. Nigera is yet to get there so electricity will guarantee jobs in Nigeria. He should be speaking 3rd world macro economics here.

Why not endorse GMB who is surrounded by proven technocrats and progressives?
GEJ grade F is true. But staying undecided is a vote for the incumbent. Soludo may be on the fence to avoid the ire of Igbo's who are mostly Pro-GEJ but he needs to stop burying his head in sand.

GMB is untested under current economic conditions but that is a better choice than a confirmed Grade F failure like GEJ. GMB still has the room to score from grade A to F.

Thank you former CBN Governor.[/b]

2sExy1:
dude, be objective for once! Anything outside your state, akwa ibom, shouldn't be be celebrated with such gusto, cos PDP generally is a failure. AI is just an exception from the lots. Thank your God for giving Akpabio... But please do not use his achievements as a yardstick of the general pdp performance cos non exist.

Luchitec:
No doubt, Prof. Soludo raised some valid points about the state of affairs in the country. However, Soludo's denigration of Peter Obi for leaving funds in Anambra State coffers while at the same time praising OBJ's regime for accumulating a huge external reserve highlights his doublespeak and pettiness. Moreover, if stuffs that transpired in the banking sector during Sanusi's tenure at CBN are put into consideration, then Soludo is actually overrating himself as an economic guru.

Boss13:


I beg to differ. Our main source of revenue is dwindling. Either we have a robust and efficient tax collection system to support the revenue base.

Boss13:

Corruption does not stop economic development; if there was one anyway. Nigeria has no economic blueprint. If you stop corruption and waste money on unproductive infrastructures, you still get poverty. The problem is that in this country people are either thinking for their pockets or not thinking at all.

Boss13:

Here again you mention corruption, which I think is not correct. If your income is increasing and yet your are borrowing along side - what does it make you. It is either you are wasting your money on frivolous expenditures or you are clueless.

neocortex:
Soludo was right in demanding for how Buhari is going to pay the N5000 he promised unemployed Nigerians.
Only the man who understands the current state of the economy can steer us through this trying times.
Buhari supposedly fought corruption for 20 months with no single legacy or achievements to point to.

GEJ:PROGRESS

damola1:
Soludo, you are right for most of what you wrote. But still you are a learner when it comes to politics.

Did awolowo you spoke about, with such figures win the election? NO.

Politics is not played with intelligent figures, this is just the fact, thats why you can't win an election. How many of the voters are as figure smart as you? so what's the use of speaking big grammar to someone like you, who will not even go and vote anyway, when I can use bag of rice to convince 1Million other people? Politics is played by understanding people, their desires, and how to play on their desires. Thats why, GMB is in the race. Cos. A. he's a muslim. and a core northerner. B. Because he can work with people like the SW.

I look at what Lagos as achieved (As it affects my life, This morning, I rode a bicylce to my office, 15mins Ride, with good roads, few pot holes, and I feel refreshed), and I compare with what you've wrote, and I tell you. We've a better chance standing behind the infrastructure of APC, (since in 16years of PDP rule I still need a generator to work). Like you rightly noted, we need a sharp leader now, especially now that we are broke, and GEJ hasn't shown any of such characteristics even with so much money made. If GEJ wins this election, Nigeria is doomed!... he's a good guy, but he's not just the man for the job. He's too much of a politician than a technocrat, We need sharp guys, with sharp teams , who will hit the bulls eye in govt.

Oduduwaboy:
King Uzziah must die first for the glory to be revealed ...GEJ must go!

Sai Buhari !!!

ogene007:

Your answer is indeed revealing, it simply shows that people like you who go about criticizing GEJ know little or not about what an economic blue print is. So it is on twitter that APC wants to talk about its economic policies? They have not put together any document with which the electorate and organised private sector can plan with, that is why there is so much speculations as to what may become of the nigerian economy, if Buhari is to win the elections. This speculation is adversely affecting FDIs and the value of the naira, no to talk of a halt in all forms of investments by businesses. It goes to show that the people whose actions and inactions, generated the problems do not have the capacity to effect any positive change. Let Buhari tell us how he intends to fund all the bogus promises he is making all over the place, and the over 90% of the budget spent on recurrent expenditure. APC should go beyond bogus and vague promises, to provide us with the specifics, else we can all safely conclude that they are indeed clueless as to what the solution to the problem is. The solution to this present problem is the restructuring of the country along the lines of true federalism, only than can we not have history repeating itself on this issue of monies from oil boom. Whe n it comes to cutting down on the cost of governance, the national assembly becomes bipartisan, ensuring that there are no reductions in government expenditure. Why has the Oresanya report on the restructuring of the civil service not yet implemented? Have you bothered to ask why we are spending over 90% of our budget on recurrent expenditure? A lot of the ministries, agencies and parastatals which were recommended to be scrapped, where established by acts of parliament, meaning that the national assembly needs to amend the relevant laws in order to reduce the size of government. On issues like this, the NA adopts a bipartisan approach, so it smacks of sheer mischief and distortion of facts for Soludo to come here reeling out figures as if reducing government spending is done by just wishful thinking. It will take a bipartisan approach from all members of the political class, at all levels, to bring down the cost of governance. Anything other than that is mere grandstanding by the so-called agents of change. GEJ remains the only viable option in getting nigeria out of the present economic mess. GEJ till 2019.

kmariko:
A classic tale of economists measuring who have/ had a bigger manhood on their handling of there respective assignments.
In these economic tales, the greatest football match is the one they captained though neither came home with the crown.

If Obasanjo government was so good why are we still in this economic mess...non existence manufacturing index,low productivity, non existent technological index, infrastructure deficit etc. You cannot get something from nothing. Relying on crude oil as the only source of economic analysis belies the paucity of our collective intellect.

Soludo thanks for exposing our "intellectual elite" for what they truly are outside the confines of appointment

Obi won and Obiano got "appointed" is the reality. Deal with it and move on. Let it go

kmariko:
A classic tale of economists measuring who have/ had a bigger manhood on their handling of there respective assignments.
In these economic tales, the greatest football match is the one they captained though neither came home with the crown.

If Obasanjo government was so good why are we still in this economic mess...non existence manufacturing index,low productivity, non existent technological index, infrastructure deficit etc. You cannot get something from nothing. Relying on crude oil as the only source of economic analysis belies the paucity of our collective intellect.

Soludo thanks for exposing our "intellectual elite" for what they truly are outside the confines of appointment

Obi won and Obiano got "appointed" is the reality. Deal with it and move on. Let it go

kmariko:
A classic tale of economists measuring who have/ had a bigger manhood on their handling of there respective assignments.
In these economic tales, the greatest football match is the one they captained though neither came home with the crown.

If Obasanjo government was so good why are we still in this economic mess...non existence manufacturing index,low productivity, non existent technological index, infrastructure deficit etc. You cannot get something from nothing. Relying on crude oil as the only source of economic analysis belies the paucity of our collective intellect.

Soludo thanks for exposing our "intellectual elite" for what they truly are outside the confines of appointment

Obi won and Obiano got "appointed" is the reality. Deal with it and move on. Let it go

Boss13:


We are in this mess because someone called Jonathan got us into it. One of our problem is that we always find a way to attack the messenger and ignore the message. That is why our leaders misbehave and rather than we holding them accountable, we make excuses for them.

Soludo has told us nothing but what we already know. He only added verifiable facts to the issues. If you did not read the article, please do. It was not a campaign tool but a wake up call to both presidential candidates.

Buhari promised 20,000 jobs for each state every month or year. How would he achieve that? The president promised 2,000,000 jobs per annum - likewise, how would he achieve that. These are mere words/deception if they have no documented implementation strategy. Do you also know that in our 2015 budget - oil revenue was estimated as $60/barrel and presently oil price is lower than $50/barrel. Now you begin to question, who is the wicked and clueless person that did that budget? Be mindful that the team responsible are considered the best the president can recruit.

hermesprogidy:
Same thing I have been saying to my friends and any other person who croons about jonathan's so called achievement. The most nauseating is the so-called agricultural revolution. For all the so-called revolution, agriculture contributes only 33% to our GDP as against 37% in 2008. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for food products are at an all time high. I don't know where the CBN gets their figures from. They keep telling us inflation is reducing and it's a single digit figure (8.4%) whilst in reality, inflation is at a double digit figure. Don't even get me started on the minimalist Youwin crap and the Surep nonsense that is targeted at only 1% of the employable population (the rest goes into their private pockets, because such programs are hard to audit)

Jonathan's achievement is only on paper and he can't do better than this, hence he should step aside. The exciting thing about Buhari, is not only his persona, but the people he has surrounded himself with. Nigerians are not expecting an El dorado any time soon, but they need someone who can apply the brakes to this vehicle called Nigeria and steer it off the precipice it is heading to. Buhari is that person! We need Buhari for just one term to provide the foundation of a new mentality for government officials and Nigerians at large (corruption is stealing and you will be punished if caught, frugality and effectiveness in managing our resources mentality) and someone strong enough to break the demonic hold the civilian military have on Nigeria (David Mark et al). Then will we move forward as a nation.

All these, are clearly beyond Jonathan.

Vote wisely, vote Buhari

angelsing:
Typical GEJ fan going after the messenger rather than the message...He quoted figures to buttress his point why don't u do same rather than go after Soludo because he pointed out the ineptitude of this administration.

deletrue:
Soludo, the degree of your madness in your brain regions is such that no one can described. Was it not in your presnce when Thief Ibori and his click including yourself took total and complete control of the Central bank of Nigeria such that Nigerian were made to suffer when worker's salaries including the most popular oil companies were not paid? When Ibori and your click abi your likes took over the control of monies in circular so much so that at the end of every month, we were made to wait for not less than five to a week to earn a quarter salary? When where I was working could not pay salary not because the company was broke but because the Iboris withheld and keep to themselve and their business entities the salaries across the country. Because Thief Ibori, your best friend is jailed today, you are here talikng like a barbarian and like those professors in the west whose brain regions are faulty. Stupid like you:If GEJ is not been pulled down because he is from monority, is there any leader who is damn better than him.
Look at Buhari who picked his VP from the west, thus openly telling the other regions, especially the south south that their oil can be taking away and nothing will happen. Is not as if GEJ worth nothing, it did not occur to you that the region of GEJ should be allowed the two terms. Since GEJ took over, the man has not known peace, there is boko haram, four governors decamped from his party, threats like formation of parallel government so and so forth. Is there any oppression that is worst than that? Even if Okorocha is considered, it would have been better.
The frank truth is that we are waiting, let Buhari take over, then hell must fall because this is a clear oppression. Silly you

Boss13:


We are in this mess because someone called Jonathan got us into it. One of our problem is that we always find a way to attack the messenger and ignore the message. That is why our leaders misbehave and rather than we holding them accountable, we make excuses for them.

Soludo has told us nothing but what we already know. He only added verifiable facts to the issues. If you did not read the article, please do. It was not a campaign tool but a wake up call to both presidential candidates.

Buhari promised 20,000 jobs for each state every month or year. How would he achieve that? The president promised 2,000,000 jobs per annum - likewise, how would he achieve that. These are mere words/deception if they have no documented implementation strategy. Do you also know that in our 2015 budget - oil revenue was estimated as $60/barrel and presently oil price is lower than $50/barrel. Now you begin to question, who is the wicked and clueless person that did that budget? Be mindful that the team responsible are considered the best the president can recruit.

BlackTechnology:


To believe that a man who can't use an annual pension of 300million naira to transform Daura can bring about national change is the height of economic illiteracy


Buhari has nothing to offer.

hermesprogidy:
You are missing the point. Don't think like a micro- manager, Buhari has people on his team that can revamp the economy. We only need his persona to curtail wastage and instill a productive mentality in Nigerians.

Buhari may not solve all of Nigeria's problems, but he has a lot to offer.

Sai Buhari

BlackTechnology:



A Yoruba proverb say


Look at what the person who promised you clothes puts on


A man can't give what he doesn't have


Buhari is not the answer.

hermesprogidy:
Same thing I have been saying to my friends and any other person who croons about jonathan's so called achievement. The most nauseating is the so-called agricultural revolution. For all the so-called revolution, agriculture contributes only 33% to our GDP as against 37% in 2008. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for food products are at an all time high. I don't know where the CBN gets their figures from. They keep telling us inflation is reducing and it's a single digit figure (8.4%) whilst in reality, inflation is at a double digit figure. Don't even get me started on the minimalist Youwin crap and the Surep nonsense that is targeted at only 1% of the employable population (the rest goes into their private pockets, because such programs are hard to audit)

Jonathan's achievement is only on paper and he can't do better than this, hence he should step aside. The exciting thing about Buhari, is not only his persona, but the people he has surrounded himself with. Nigerians are not expecting an El dorado any time soon, but they need someone who can apply the brakes to this vehicle called Nigeria and steer it off the precipice it is heading to. Buhari is that person! We need Buhari for just one term to provide the foundation of a new mentality for government officials and Nigerians at large (corruption is stealing and you will be punished if caught, frugality and effectiveness in managing our resources mentality) and someone strong enough to break the demonic hold the civilian military have on Nigeria (David Mark et al). Then will we move forward as a nation.

All these, are clearly beyond Jonathan.

Vote wisely, vote Buhari