A Legacy Of Non

A Legacy Of Non-Implementation-Compliance And Confusion

Abbas A. Dikko

In the last nine years of democratic or best define it, civilian rule in Nigeria, million of its citizenry; have watched with dismay of non-implementation of government policies and programmes in every stratum of their national lives as a people and sovereign entity. In the last nine consecutive years, we saw a folly demonstration of rule of law, due process and diligence, gory abuse of our collective patrimony, political and economic instability, immorality at its peak not to mention corruption that has become a routine and, at its worst shape.

Our nation and people have been completely denied everything that goes with good and comfortable living, their aspirations and expectations, have been completely eroded, leaving them in a state of utter hopelessness and despair. Our leaders have become people without borders, confuse and insincere, fighting anyone that cared to raise alarm or presumed stumbling blocks because of his stand on honesty and truth, regarding them as enemies of development or antagonist, which whose aim, is to pull down the government in place and its leadership. It’s only in Nigeria and under these crops of our immediate past and present leaders that fight or ignored Media or its objective reportage and those that kept to professional ethics. Any observation(s) made out of the contents and context of their governance, is presume anti the system.

It’s as well too early for this country to forget Obasanjo’s eight years rule of non-implementation and compliance to budgetary provisions so, by extension all his programmes and policies except those that are inimical to the happiness and well being of the larger segments of the Nigerian populous. A legacy that could be said to have been laid and bequeathed and by which Yar;Adua’s presidency is replicating today. More than a year into his administration, with two budgets so far, nothing meaningful could be seen or have been recorded by way of budget implementation. Six months into this year’s budget, after all the delays it had suffered in its passage, still a harmonize position has never been reached between the legislative and executive arms, prompting the latter to send to the former what can be describe as controversial supplementary budget.

Controversial indeed, because in the original budget, N50 billion was allocated to transport, while in the later sent supplementary budget, the figure drop to half by the amount. This no doubt, raised some sort of confusion in the National Assembly.

Over two months of Yar’Adua’s presidential broadcast to the nation, on 29 May this year, the citizenry are yet to see or felt the positive impact of his one year planning as categorically stated in that broadcast. All the discoveries and indictment of principal characters in the immediate past and present system by the series of probes conducted by members of the National Assembly, yet, these culprits walk freely in our midst. All the recommendations and suggested pro-active approaches to tackle the Niger Delta militancy, insecurity of lives and property in the country, food crisis and several other negating problems, defies solution largely because of non-compliance and insincere implementation by the existing government.

Nigerians are once again confronted with all manner of rubbish alleged to have been perpetrated by the immediate past regime of Olusegun Obasanjo and worst, in a fashion full of deceit, deception and abuse of our collective intelligence. Tell me, a government that came-in, full of vigour and candour to address our myriads of political and electoral short-falls, but, ended up creating more with every stretch of recklessness, this must be quite disturbing. Does anyone ever imaging the charade called local governments, bye and re-run elections conducted under Yar’Adua’s presidency? No! This is a clear indication of insincerity and confusion on the part of these our leadership against the popular will of the Nigerian people.

Come to think of this, the recent verdicts of the Appeal elections tribunals, one continues to ponder what manner of judgments is these under a government that rule of law has become its official language. Cannot this be described as a macabre dance in the gallery of absurd? And, for how long would these continue in a country of over 47 years of nationhood and abundantly blessed with human and natural endowments and having the enabling opportunities to transform? When people speak of confusion at the center stage of governance in this country, those in the helm of affairs came forward with all sorts of excuses, shenanigans and political rhetoric.

But in reality, one can glaringly see a total disconnect between the three tiers, governments at the local and states levels, fashioned out their economic policies in total disagreement with that of the central government. Yet, Yar’Adua’s government continue to awash us of making Nigeria one among the 20 leading economies of the world by the year 2020. Isn’t this not a factor of confusion, lack of foreknowledge and ineptitude in the art of governance by these our present leadership? Statistical data shows that, poverty prevalence is by eighty percent higher in the north compare to that of twenty percent of the south due to self-centeredness, lack political will and commitment of our ruling class and elite. Therefore with this economic imbalance, how would the country and this present government achieve its targeted projection by the year 2020?

So far, out of the series of probes that has been carried-out by the legislative arm including that of the presidency on ACF vs Charles Soludo, the nation’s Apex bank governor. Reports and recommendations of some of the findings are already at the door post of Yar’Adua’s government. But, what became of it all with regards to compliance and implementation? And, would this not worries anyone that, an anti-corruption crusader, of course president Umar Musa Yar’Adua, recently replaces his principal private secretary with someone allegedly accused of corruption and under investigation by not only the country’s Anti-graft agency, EFCC, but as well, London metropolitan police (David Edevbie)?

The power probe that has today become a common knowledge by even the least informed in the society and, with all the constitutional and prerogative powers conferred on the presidency, yet, it watched helplessly how some certain powers that be are working tirelessly to scuttle it instead of mustering the courage to legally and capriciously deal with the issue as expected of an Executive President. One may ask what manner of legacy do Yar’Adua dreamt of bequeathing the country after his term of office?

Several of glaring problems inherited from the Obasanjo’s regime are still there in addition to several others created by Yar’Adua’s government in its one year in the saddles of affairs of this nation because of his slow-phase and lackadaisical approach to even menial and issues that requires immediate intervention. So, in all honesty, how best can one believe or be convince that Yar’Adua is here and would be capable of solving one not even part of the Nigerian problems? As I said earlier and would want to repeat here, 2007 budget was partially implemented, 2008 budget, still at harmonize level between the two arms barely eight months of the year, Judiciary retracking from its initial efforts that brought some succour to the oppressed.

Corruption remain a dominant factor in the system because, all those found guilty so far, are being protected by the authority at the center including several other financial innuendos seen to have been committed under this present regime. So, one ponder, what are the focal points and direction of this administration with all its one year planning?

Already, the electoral system had suffered another set-back from the so far elections seen to have been conducted under this administration, therefore, Nigerians have lost hope of even the possibility and workability of the recommendations of the Electoral reform committee after the end of their assignment. This was no doubt corroborated by the utterance of PDP National Chairman, Mr. Vincent Oguolafor that PDP would continue to rule Nigeria for the next sixty years to come. In essence, Nigerians would continue to experience epileptic power supply, infrastructural decay, educational degeneration, increase corruption and several others too numerous to mention for the next sixty years to come. God forbid!

In short, an entity called Nigeria, has now become a country of select few as is being seen predicated in their attitude, conduct and utterances by those holding sway our statecraft. May God save us!