Governor Babatunde Fashola’s piece
entitled, “Presidential Declarations: My
Take Away”, which appeared on the back
page of THISDAY last Monday, raised
critical issues in the on-going
electioneering and my decision to
respond is predicated on the fact that the
writer is one of the few contemporary
Nigerian leaders whom I believe
approaches public service and issues with
seriousness. He is also one public office
holder I can appropriately address as ‘His
Excellency’, not because of his
achievements in physical infrastructure
but because of his character and conduct,
especially in public.
I have always maintained that character
and values, when cherished by leaders,
are far more important than their
contributions in other areas of public
service. It is also for the above reasons
that I have chosen to engage him here
today.
While I agree with Fashola that President
Goodluck Jonathan should base his
campaign on what he has done so far and
also that core issues should occupy the
front burner in this election campaign, I
must invite his attention to the fact that
President Jonathan actually told Nigerians
what he had so far done in office. Close
attention to the campaign of Mr.
President shows that he discussed all the
issues Fashola raised, and even more.
On corruption, for instance, he
emphasised the strengthening of the
institutions like the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and
the Independent Corrupt Practices and
Other Related Offences Commission
(ICPC), in addition to his resolve to follow
due process of the law at all times; rather
than arbitrarily arresting and jailing
people for countless number of years.
The president explained that his
government has prosecuted more
persons for corruption than any
government before, but that the best way
to fight corruption is to build institutions
that will make it difficult for people to
steal.
Fertiliser distribution and the pension
reforms were respectively cited as
examples of where institutional measures
eliminated the old, corrupt practices
associated with pensions and fertiliser
distribution, respectively.
The president also spoke of how his
government drastically reduced, if not
stopped, militancy in the Niger Delta and
kidnapping in the East, while dealing with
the international terrorism in the North-
east. He educated Nigerians on the global
dimension of the phenomenon and
further pointed out that previous
government had not equipped the
nation’s armed forces for decades.
The All Progressives Congress (APC)’s
claim that it would stop insurgency, if
elected, raises two major issues. The first
is whether genuine patriots would wait
until they are in office to proffer solutions
to serious national problems. The second
concerns the endorsement of the APC
candidate by Boko Haram and the fact
that the party and its candidate see
nothing wrong with this endorsement.
Governor Fashola used France as an
example of how, within hours of terror
attack, it was possible to bring things
under control. But my brother knows that
this is not a fair comparison, as he did not
mention how everybody in France,
including the opposition, came out with
one voice and how on Sunday, President
Francois Hollande held hands with the
opposition in condemnation of evil. When
last did such happen in Nigeria?
Instead of doing so, the opposition was
recently quoted to be encouraging mutiny
and perhaps even celebrating terrorism in
their fatherland. His Excellency is most
likely aware that Boko Haram has the
same flag as ISIS and Al Shabaab, which
are renowned international terrorist
organisations. He is also aware that the
group celebrated the attack on France.
Meanwhile, APC is yet to comment on the
adoption of its candidate for the 2015
elections by Boko Haram.
I agree with Fashola that all matters
relating to the forensic audit should be
properly investigated, but I must also
draw His Excellency’s kind attention to the
fact that no money has been
misappropriated, as the office of the
Auditor General, which instituted the
audit has confirmed to me that the audit
is still on-going. The SURE-P monies have
also not been used for politics, as we all
know that the states and local
governments received their own shares of
the SURE-P money.
The federal government’s component of
the money has been used to finance the
N50 billion Lagos-Ibadan dual
carriageway, the first and second sections
of the Apapa-Oshodi dual carriageway
and the Abuja/Kaduna rail line, among
other federal projects.
The president showed that the sound
economic policies of his government have
brought about macro-economic stability.
This has been acknowledged by the
renowned economist and former
Chairman of the Asset Management
Division of Goldman Sachs Group, Dr. Jim
O’Neill, who coined the term BRIC (Brazil,
Russia, India and China) and MINT
(Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey),
recognising these countries as the world’s
fastest growing economies.
He said: “The deliberate efforts by the
Goodluck Jonathan administration to
encourage entrepreneurs would go a long
way in supporting the country’s growth.”
Further he said: “I think the government’s
efforts to allow more entrepreneurialism
has been good and the government’s
macroeconomic policies have been
encouraging.” To show how highly Nigeria
is rated under Jonathan, he continues “I
think, like I said before, Nigeria should be
included in the G-20. South Africa is in the
G-20, whereas Nigeria is bigger.”
I agree entirely with his position and state
that the highest growth among quoted
companies was recorded between 2011
and 2013. The values and profits of many
companies within the same period
doubled, one example is Dangote Cement
Plc. Manufacturing, which was declining,
had a reversal and Nigeria moved from
massive importation to self-sufficiency in
cement within the period.
The country also witnessed resuscitation
of auto companies such as Peugeot
Assembly of Nigeria (PAN) and
ANNAMCO. New ones also came up such
as INNOSON Motor Manufacturing
Company, Nnewi and NISSAN and they
are doing very well.
All these created many jobs for our
people and multibillion dollar
petrochemical industries are also being
set up. While the Dangote Group is
building its own ($9 billion) refinery and
petrochemicals plant at the OK-LNG Free
Trade Zone, between Ogun and Ondo
States, President Jonathan on the 14th of
August, 2014 performed the ground
breaking ceremony for the construction of
$1.5 billion methanol plant in Ibeano,
Akwa Ibom State, by quantum
Petrochemical Company Ltd, established
by Mr. Jim Ovia. Many similar projects
are ongoing in the country.
Let us note that the creation of Mortgage
Refinancing Institution to make available
long-term funds available and increase
liquidity by funding primary mortgage
institutions is a job creation initiative of
the Jonathan government. The boom in
the housing sector, with an estimated six
direct jobs and four indirect jobs for
every house built, has done a lot so far.
Many of the 2,400 businesses under
YouWin 1 and 2 have created about 22,000
jobs, translating into nine jobs per
winner. The turnaround in the agricultural
sector has reduced our import bill by 50
per cent and the effects of the recent
collapse in oil prices and devaluation of
our currency would have been worse, but
for the diversification achieved through
agriculture and other sectors.
In aviation, all of us can see the upswing
in bilateral agreements, improved
services and the on-going renovation and
remodelling of our airports. There is also
what I consider the audacious
construction of five new terminals
simultaneously in Abuja, Lagos, Port
Harcourt, Kano and Enugu. This is in
response to the perceived needs of the
travelling public and businesses. On
completion, they will change the face of
our airports, improve commerce and
tourism.
So will the roads some of which I
mentioned before, like the Lagos-Ibadan,
Apapa-Oshodi, which are at various
stages of completion, while some like the
Benin-Ore road have been completed.
It is not correct to say that the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) caused chaos
during its campaign in Lagos. The party
conducted its campaign in a most
responsible manner. Traffic control was
near excellent, because the president
insisted that no citizen should suffer
because he was in town. Instead, the APC
primary was an exemplary display of
disorder, in terms of traffic control and
coordination of activities connected with
the event.
I should perhaps not say much on power,
than just point out that the president has
taken the most critical decisions in that
sector, by unbundling the generation and
distribution of power in the country. We
should all calmly watch out what will
follow, as the revolution Nigeria
witnessed when the telecoms sector was
liberalised will be replicated in the power
sector.
It is worthy of note that an article that was
supposed to celebrate the APC did not
mention its presidential candidate, but
rather celebrated the speech by their vice-
presidential candidate, Prof. Yemi
Osinbajo. This supports the widely held
and evidence-based perception that Gen.
Muhammadu Buhari will be a mere figure
head while the running of the government
will be in the hands of Prof. Osinbajo, if
elected.
All things considered, we can see the
compelling reasons for re-electing
President Jonathan, as he is in a better
position to deal with all the issues of
genuine and sustainable national
development. Considering the experience
he has garnered over the years, it is
better that we cannot have our
democratic vehicle manned by an
inexperienced person, or one with
analogue credentials.
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