"Nigeria is in trouble" - Buhari
February 6 2016 By Abiodun Giwa
President Muhammed Buhari of Nigeria has said that Nigeria is in trouble, confirming all that many Nigerians have been saying that this is not the best of time for them. The Nigerian leader, who is currently holidaying in the United Kingdom said that he is at a loss for why he has to be the country's leader at a time that the nation's income has nose-dived resulting from the dwindling price of oil.
“With the problems we have in this government, I sometimes wonder. At least, this time around, I asked for it, I prayed for it, I went round the country and I asked for it. But the first time under the military, I allowed the military to take decision. But I say why me? Why is it that it is when they have spent all the money, when they made the country insecure that I returned? Why didn’t I come when the treasury was full? Oil price was over $140 per barrel and when I came, it slipped down to $30. Why me? I keep on praying to God to pity Nigeria and its over 170 million people who are exposed to climate change, illiteracy and poverty,” Buhari said in a report published by the Punch Newspapers captioned, "I didn't know why I came to rule now".
"You know the condition we are in now. I am sure with demands from home, in spite of what your effort is, you know we are really in trouble, the president added, in a statement during a meeting with Nigerians in London. Before President Buhari's disclosure in London, many Nigerians at home have been crying of what they said seems like a visitation of economic Armageddon.
Many Nigerians have said that they know that there has been a drastic fall in oil prices, but they are unsure whether their current economic predicament is as a result of the fall in oil price or from government policies to turn all Nigerians into Angels, which the government's fight against corruption entails and the reason for introducing what the government calls Single Treasury Account.
Although, President Buhari said his government has mopped about N2.2trn, he said that his government is not responsible for the Single Treasury Account but that his predecessor initiated it and that his administration has only executed it, because his as capable of helping in the country in the face of dwindling income from oil. However, considering Fitch's recent report on the outlook of Nigeria's economic future, based on current government's plans, observers question the rationale behind the government's decision to even want to spend more money now that the country's income no longer robust than when the country earned more money from oil.
Struggling Nigerians have never had a time they consider good in term of economic condition, despite the country's large earning from oil. The politicians and their military counterparts who have ruled the country from independence have been taking care of themselves and their friends, while ordinary Nigerians are left to languish. Buhari emerged as military president in 1984 with an aim to tackle corruption. He did, but corruption also tackled him and he lost the battle. Nigerians voted him into power just eleven months ago, favoring his promise to fight corruption.
But many Nigerians who are now caught in the quagmire of unexpected sad economic situation, arising Single Treasury Account combined with the astronomical fall in oil prices, have made many poor Nigerians to start cursing the government silently. When these Nigerians reveal their hard economic experience under the current dispensation, one can hardly believe it, if President Buhari has not said it himself that Nigeria is in trouble.
The irony of the president's disclosure about his statement that he does not understand why he has come to rule again is what observers are already saying, that he has offered himself for leadership, because he believes that Nigeria is rich, and that if Nigeria is a poor country, he would probably not have anything to do asking Nigerians to make him president.
“With the problems we have in this government, I sometimes wonder. At least, this time around, I asked for it, I prayed for it, I went round the country and I asked for it. But the first time under the military, I allowed the military to take decision. But I say why me? Why is it that it is when they have spent all the money, when they made the country insecure that I returned? Why didn’t I come when the treasury was full? Oil price was over $140 per barrel and when I came, it slipped down to $30. Why me? I keep on praying to God to pity Nigeria and its over 170 million people who are exposed to climate change, illiteracy and poverty,” Buhari said in a report published by the Punch Newspapers captioned, "I didn't know why I came to rule now".
"You know the condition we are in now. I am sure with demands from home, in spite of what your effort is, you know we are really in trouble, the president added, in a statement during a meeting with Nigerians in London. Before President Buhari's disclosure in London, many Nigerians at home have been crying of what they said seems like a visitation of economic Armageddon.
Many Nigerians have said that they know that there has been a drastic fall in oil prices, but they are unsure whether their current economic predicament is as a result of the fall in oil price or from government policies to turn all Nigerians into Angels, which the government's fight against corruption entails and the reason for introducing what the government calls Single Treasury Account.
Although, President Buhari said his government has mopped about N2.2trn, he said that his government is not responsible for the Single Treasury Account but that his predecessor initiated it and that his administration has only executed it, because his as capable of helping in the country in the face of dwindling income from oil. However, considering Fitch's recent report on the outlook of Nigeria's economic future, based on current government's plans, observers question the rationale behind the government's decision to even want to spend more money now that the country's income no longer robust than when the country earned more money from oil.
Struggling Nigerians have never had a time they consider good in term of economic condition, despite the country's large earning from oil. The politicians and their military counterparts who have ruled the country from independence have been taking care of themselves and their friends, while ordinary Nigerians are left to languish. Buhari emerged as military president in 1984 with an aim to tackle corruption. He did, but corruption also tackled him and he lost the battle. Nigerians voted him into power just eleven months ago, favoring his promise to fight corruption.
But many Nigerians who are now caught in the quagmire of unexpected sad economic situation, arising Single Treasury Account combined with the astronomical fall in oil prices, have made many poor Nigerians to start cursing the government silently. When these Nigerians reveal their hard economic experience under the current dispensation, one can hardly believe it, if President Buhari has not said it himself that Nigeria is in trouble.
The irony of the president's disclosure about his statement that he does not understand why he has come to rule again is what observers are already saying, that he has offered himself for leadership, because he believes that Nigeria is rich, and that if Nigeria is a poor country, he would probably not have anything to do asking Nigerians to make him president.
