Buhari can’t solve Nigeria’s problems in 2 years ―Presidency

THE Presidency on Tuesday admonished Nigerians not to expect President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressive Congress (APC) to solve Nigeria’s problems in two years.

It has therefore advised against writing a scorecard on the president’s two years in office.

Special Adviser to the President on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, who addressed State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday on the second year anniversary of the Buhari administration, insisted that the administration has a four-year tenure to acquit itself.

With him at the press briefing were Senior Special Assistant to the president (Media and Publicity), Garba Shehu and Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President (Media and Publicity), Laolu Akande, who all spoke on different issues.

Adesina, who foreclosed questions on the president’s health status, because “this is not about the president’s health status because he made it clear that he would return for medical vacation,” said APC never promised to solve the nation’s problems in two years.

“You can’t write the report card of this administration at half time

APC did not promise to solve all the problems of the country in two years. It has four years,” he said.

Adesina dismissed allegations of selective prosecution of the war against corruption by the administration.

He said there were no secret cows as all those who have questions to answer would answer for it, noting, that “government conscience is clear on this.”

He said: “When a government via a party is voted into office, it is voted for a four year term under our own democratic arrangement. When you have spent two years which is like a midterm, the first half of a game, you don’t then determined that it has succeeded or it has failed. No. You can be accused of being atomistic, using a small part to determine the whole.

“You can’t write the report card of this administration when it is just hitting the half way mark. That will not be fair.

“The term is four years and the promises are going to be stretched over that four year at period.

“APC did not promise to solve all the country’s problems in one year or two years. The mandate the party as is four years and it is pacing itself as it goes along and I am sure that by the end of those four years, we will have a lot more to record.

“It is not by a sudden flight, it will not come by a snap of a finger but will the promises be fulfilled? Yes, I believe it will be fulfilled.

“This administration will take Nigeria far beyond how it met it. So, if anybody says APC has failed, just tell them it’s too early in the day because is a four year-term and this it’s just two years. You don’t reach definitive conclusions in two years.”

On jobs creation, Adesina said it was not government’s responsibility to create job but to create the enabling environment for job creation.

Asked about the performance of 2016 budget, Adesina said from what he knew, the budget implementation was about 45 percent.

He said the submission of the report of the Vice a President Yemi Osinbajo-led Presidential Investigative Panel on suspended Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), David Babachir Lawal and Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayo Oke, could not be submitted because the president had to travel for medical vacation.

But he insisted that the status quo was being maintained as the SGF and DG NIA remained suspended.

Also speaking, Shehu said Buhari “has paid his dues” and would win again if election was conducted today, saying: “If election is conducted today, Buhari will win overwhelmingly. The masses are happy with him.”

Responding to a question on lack of impact of government policies on ordinary Nigerians, he said the ordinary Nigerian has bought into the policies of government and were happy with the administration.

He said it was understandable that those criticizing Buhari were the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and opposition members who benefitted from the past dispensation.

“If PDP and opposition praise government, they will lose the next election,” he declared.

Shehu insisted that former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki, cannot be released now despite several court orders because many cases against him have yet to reach the courts.

He also maintained that Islamic cleric and Shiite leader, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, was also being held for his own safety and in the overall national interest.

Addressing the question of people detained despite court order, Shehu defended the human rights record of the present administration which he said was “impeccable.”

According to him, while it was true that courts orders existed for the release of Dasuki, nobody has bothered to find out how many cases against the former NSA were still being investigated and have not reached the court.

Suggesting that Dasuki was being held in the interest of the country, he added: “Dasuki is being kept despite court orders. But have you found out how many cases are against him. There are more cases that are being investigated against Dasuki than those that have gone through courts.

“It’s common all over the world that that if there are matters of common safety and in all cases, public good should over ride all interests.”

On El-Zakzaky, he said the Islamic cleric could not be set free because of the threat he might face on the streets, adding however that El-Zakzaky was detained with his consent and not strictly in a typical prison situation.

According to him, his wife and children were with him and could leave if they so decide.

Shehu maintained: “El-zakzaky is held for his own good. If you set him free, what do you think will happen on the streets?

“He’s not in a typical prison condition. He has the company of his wife and children. They can leave if they want.  There is overall public good weighing against his release.”

Defending Buhari’s human rights record, he stated: “The Human rights records of this administration are impeccable, there are unimpeachable. I think we should avoid speaking in general terms.

“The thing to do is to pin point specific cases to buttress assertions that people make and then we can tackle them. “As we speak to you now, we are not aware that the administration of Muhammadu Buhari is in breach of the constitution of Nigeria with regards to the protection of the rights of Nigerians.

“Journalists in this country ought to bear testimony on this. There is no single journalist that has been expelled from his duty because he has reported or failed to report. There is no single journalist who is in government detention because they have expressed some views that the government does not like.

“This administration is complying with the decision of the courts of the land. I assure that if anybody tries to do otherwise, the president will not allow him to get away with it.”

In his contribution, Akande pointed out that the country’s criminal justice system was being reformed to strengthen prosecution of cases.

He explained that the problem of weak prosecution of cases was a long running one that would take time address, adding however that “this government is working on it.”