By Omoniyi Salaudeen
These are not the best of times for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. Contrary to the goodwill that heralded the administration barely two years ago, the basic social capita-trust and confidence that promotes good relationship between the government and the governed-does no longer exist. This is as the downtrodden are lamenting the untold hardship unleashed on them by the government’s new economic policies tied to its change mantra. Consequently, as the economy nosedived into recession, so have people’s hopes and aspirations been dashed, their promises breached, while the future looks more and more unassured with the dwindling value of the naira.
It is, therefore, not by mere coincidence that many cities across the country erupted into spontaneous protests in the last couple of weeks to demonstrate their bottled up anger against the dismal performance of the economy under the present government.
The widespread protests involved not only the rights activists but also the organised labour. And if the feelers from the organizers of the events are anything to go by, the series of rallies witnessed in the last two weeks may just be a tip of the iceberg unless something urgent is done to ameliorate the situation. The labour unions under the aegis of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) protesting against current economic hardship called on the Federal Government to create policies that would reduce the suffering of Nigerians and also provide food on their tables.
The Vice President of the NLC, Amaechi Asugwani, who led the Lagos protest said: “Creating people’s orientated policies would reduce the level of poverty in the country. This rally was necessitated by the outcry of people who are worried about the increasing cost of food, goods and services. We are demanding for a change. They promised us food, jobs, stable power supply but none has been done.”
“The government should be sensitive to the plights of the people. It has not increased the salaries of workers and many companies have closed because of poor power supply,” he added.
A former president of Performing Musician Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Charles Oputa (Charlie boy), who also addressed the workers’ union, categorically declared that Nigerians should watch out in the next two months for the giant of all rallies as businesses would be shut down.
According to him, the murder of all rallies would take place in April 2017.
On his own part, Human Right lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to prosecute those who diverted the money meant for the internal displaced Persons (IDPs). “In spite of the promises made by this government to make life good for the people, pensioners are dying, things are getting difficult every day. I urged organised labour to ensure payment of pensions and salaries of workers. Despite recession, convoys of governors are still very long and they still purchase cars,” he said.
A coalition of activists had spurred Enough is Enough (EiE) campaign protest against the government on social media. This was originally planned to be headed by a popular musician, Innocent Idibia (aka 2Face). Although Idibia pulled out of the march at the eleventh hour, citing security concerns, the organizers of the rally nevertheless went ahead and recorded a huge turnout in Lagos and Abuja. The protesters demanded an explanation as to Buhari’s absence from the country since mid-January. The President had left the country on January 19 for a vacation in the UK where he was expected to go for his routine medical check-ups. But anxiety began to mount when Buhari wrote the National Assembly seeking for extension of his vacation to enable him complete the recommended medical tests.“We have a missing budget, missing Chibok girls and missing president,” protesters chanted.
In Abuja, two opposing groups on Monday, February 7, demonstrated about governance in Nigeria. While one group expressed support for the actions of the Federal Government in the areas of security and anti-corruption campaign, the other demanded improved quality of life for Nigerians. The pro-government group came under the banner “#I stand with Buhari.” Some of the group’s placards read, “I stand with Buhari”; “We are happy with your policies, especially the anti graft war”, “Nigerians are fully with you”, “We believe in President Muhammadu Buhari making Nigeria great again,” among others. Mr. Amos Adaka, one of the conveners of the pro-government gathering, commended Buhari for his laudable achievements since assuming office. Adaka said the president had recorded huge milestones in the areas of security and anti-corruption and also doing so much to ensure that the country was on sound footing. He added that the president could not have reversed what past administrations destroyed within two years of his administration and asked Nigerians to give government more time to correct the anomalies.
The other group, “#I stand with Nigeria” carried placards that read: “We demand the change you promise,” “Where are the recovered monies?’ “Exchange rate madness,” “Emiefele must go,” among others. The anti-government group led by Mr Ezenwa Nwagwu said Nigerians should have better deal under Buhari and should be treated fairly. Nwagwu said: “Nigerians would no longer fold their arms and watch government.”
He added that the era of waiting for the NLC and other civil society groups to fight for the citizenry was over and urged Nigerians to come out and demand for their rights. He said: “Our government needs to hear directly from us those things we say in our offices, markets, schools, churches, mosques and cabs about how bad things are, not through NLC or TUC.” While the protests lasted at the Unity Fountain in Abuja, the police monitored the situation.
The protest was organized by Enough is Enough Nigeria (EiE Nigeria).
The current whirlwind of protest is not limited to Nigerian cities alone. Similarly in London, some Nigerians also stormed the Nigerian High Commission, demanding a five-minute speech from President Buhari regarding his state of health and state of the nation. While a Lagos-based lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), demanded that President Buhari speaks to Nigerians to douse mounting fears over his health, other protesters demanded the removal of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr. Babachir David Lawal.
Responding in a series of statements on social media, Nigeria’s Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, said the government was aware of people’s concerns. “To those who are on the streets protesting the economic situation and those who are not, but feel the pain of economic hardship, we hear you. You deserve a decent life and we are working night and day to make life easier,” Osinbajo said.
Buhari has been under intense criticism for his inconsistency in his economic policies especially the forex issue. The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in its criticism of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government blamed the bad shape of the economy on dearth of competent hands to lead the economic team. The spokesperson for the caretaker committee of the party headed by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, in a recent statement in Abuja, said: “We advise the APC-led administration in this year (2017) to urgently employ the services of economic experts to put in place viable policies that will revamp our ailing economy. We are presently in recession because of significant decline in government business in both internal and external spheres.
“The Federal Government should increase money supply, cause rise in disposable income (spending) and decrease mindless taxation which have led to high inflation and multiple prices in money market.”
However, Osinbajo maintained that years of destruction could not be corrected overnight. “Years of deterioration cannot be remedied overnight but again, I must emphasize that it’s our business and duty to ensure that we put the Nigerian economy on the path of sustained growth and that is exactly what we are determined to do.”
Giving highlights of government’s efforts to fix the economy, he further explained: “We have in the past 18 months intervened three times to states to enable them have enough resources to pay salaries and the last intervention was in December when we paid the Paris Club refund to the states. This is money that the Federal Government was owing states since 2005 and even oil was selling at 115 dollars per barrel; this debt was not paid. “The President insisted when he was going to pay that money to the states that at least 50 per cent of it must be to pay salaries of workers. We intend to ensure, of course, that that is what is done. Many of the states were able to pay salaries and backlogs of pensions in December because of that particular fund that was made available to the states.
“Those have been the concerns of the President and the Federal Government to ensure that as much as possible, the most vulnerable in our society, those who earn salaries, those who have no work, market women, the man on the street take as little of this pain as possible. The home-grown feeding programme has started in several states; it will provide opportunity for farmers all across the country. We are also providing credit facility to 1.6 million traders and artisans. The economic recovery growth plan is engaging the private sector to seeking more practical ways of putting the economy back on the right track. The Federal Government on its own cannot do it alone.”
The exact state of health of President Buhari is yet unknown. But the reality is he must hit the ground running as soon as he returns to the country as people are fast losing patience over poor performance of the economy.