NIGERIANS, expressing their expectations from the government in the New Year 2018, have admonished President Muhammadu Buhari, to listen to calls for the restructuring of the country and fix the economy, as these, they said would hasten the drive for national development and also ease the tension occassioned by a high cost of living.
Similarly, the president was asked to stop the renewed Boko Haram insurgency and Fulani herdsmen’s killings, as these, they also said, had threatened the fragile national security in recent times.
Nigerians expressed their views in an opinion poll conducted by Sunday Tribune via Tribune Online Facebook page, @Nigerian Tribune when asked to post their comments on their expectations from President Buhari in 2018.
Responding to the question: “What are your expectations in 2018, in view of the renewed promise by President Muhammadu Buhari, in his New Year national broadcast, to deliver on power, roads, rail, aviation, and other infrastructures,” many respondents, who felt the president had disappointed them, even asked him to resign, saying he had failed to deliver on his campaign promises, while others believed he needed time to deliver.
Others areas, which are of great interest to the respondents, are the power and transportation sectors, as they called on President Buhari to invest more in power and railway projects to create more employment for Nigerians.
They also asked him to listen to restructuring advocates, as this, they said, would solve most of the country’s problems, when each state or region was allowed to develop at its own pace after the devolution of power, which they said is now too concentrated at the centre.
The post reached over 8,998 people, and below are some of the views they expressed:
I’ll vote him out in 2019
- Mazi Fidelis O. Ndubueze: I can’t wait to vote him out in 2019.
I believe in Buhari
- Timothy Faboade: I still believe President Muhammadu Buhari can correct some anomalies characterising his administration. Hence, my expectations are as follow: I expect him to remove some of those he knows serve as impediments to his crackdown on corruption. He should replace those hands immediately with patriotic ones. He should intensify efforts in fight against Boko Haram insurgency. The Boko Haram insurgents are still strong, and the president himself knows this. The new $1billion fund should be well accounted for. His administration had, on several occasions, said that Boko Haram has been crushed, yet, the whopping sum is still needed. Well, the end will justify the means.
Also, Nigerians are groaning in pains, so I expect the president to salvage the economy. Though on paper, the economy might be said to be good, Nigerians are groaning in pains. I expect the government to do more to salvage the situations confronting Nigerians,.” Faboade said.
He also called on the president not to increase petrol pump price, saying: “According to the NNPC GMD, N26 is a subsidy on a litre of fuel. Though NASS sees this as illegal, the presidency must do all its homework to maintain the status quo on PMS. Nigerians can’t afford an increment on petrol pump price. Increasing the price is like sitting on a gunpowder keg.
This was just as he Faboade called on the president to listen to the advocates of restructuring.
Nothing is working, the president should resign
- Save Bright: Buhari, I beg you in the name of God, please, resign, because nothing is working under your administration and killing is too much by the Fulani herdsmen and no one is arrested.
Buhari means well, but…
- Dike Sam: Yes, Buhari means well for Nigeria, but I think age is not on his side, I will like to see a younger digital president, not even Atiku or Tinubu.
We need to restructure, diversify the economy and curb Boko Haram/Fulani herdsmen’s menace
- Ogundiran Abdulazeez: Mr. President needs to intensify efforts to diversify Nigeria’s economy. We cannot continue to depend solely on oil. PMB would also do well to listen to agitations for restructuring. The central power should be decentralised and each state or region should be responsible for its development. PMB should continue efforts to curb the Boko Haram menace and very well take action on Fulani herdsmen.
Fulfil your campaign promises
- Ajose Odunayo: Buhari is really trying; maybe if he constructs roads and fulfills all his promises, Nigeria will be a better place. He has not fulfilled any of his promises
Invest more in power and rail projects, create jobs for Nigerians
- Raymond Adeyemi: I will seriously suggest he invests more in power and railway to create more meaningful employment for Nigerians.
Keep your team focused and motivated to achieve set goals
- Adam Kanemboy: Leadership is not about glorious crowning acts, it is about keeping your team focused on a goal, and motivated to do their best to achieve it, especially, when the stakes are high and the consequences really matter.
He should resign
- Eni Godday: Our expectations hover around Buhari’s resignation for glaring ineptitude. He is a monumental failure, with disgraceful conduct.
He should not re-contest in 2019; he is a failure
- Osuinde Jacob: Buhari should not re-contest in 2019, he is a failure.
He has cost us a lot
- Blessing Mosindi: President Buhari has cost us a lot. Have you not heard that the Israelites have asked Nigerians to leave their country? Because Buhari and co have it in mind to Islamalise Nigeria. If allowed for a second term in power, he will be able to accomplish his dream, but Jesus Christ will fight for his own.
He made empty promises
- Ajadi Abiodun Semiu: He made empty promises, all towards 2019 elections.
He is helpless, weak and tired
- Moses Egbeobawaye: Empty promises! Look back at 2016, 2017, and the New Year broadcast, has he fulfilled any of those promises? 2018 has come with another empty promises president Buhari is helpless, weak and tired.
It is late…
- Peter Olateju: You can’t do any project again; it is late continue your campaign.
No performance yet
- Olusegun Salmon: Zero performance. More lies and blame game till 2023.
He can do it
- Mahmud Adamu: I think he can do it and he is doing it already, all he needs are our support and prayers.
He added promises to unfulfilled ones
- Yusuf K Maina Raul Another New Year promises again? What of those 200 promises he made previously, none of them is fulfilled, and he still added new ones on top again.
He said Nigerians are impatient…
- Abiodun Ojo: “Nigerians could be very impatient,” said Mr President, after three years in office. What is he promising us in the rest one year again?
He has good intention but lacks capacity
- Hassan Kehinde: Buhari cannot do anything; he has a good intention, but lacks the capacity to deliver it. It is better you resign so that people can be out of poverty and hardship. APC government does not have a solution to Nigeria’s problems.
He has failed Nigerians
- Akindiose Wole: The man has failed us.