he title of this piece is clear cut, for Nigerians not to expect much from the tenure of President Umaru Yar'Adua for reasons that will be made more manifest later on in this article.
For starters, Nigerians seems to have quickly forgotten the manner President Umaru Yar'Adua and his political party, the PDP got in to power: Peoples vote were stolen to call a spade a spade. The so-called farce of an election was condemned out right by all concerned - the electorate, international community and by President Yar'Adua himself. He has been quoted as saying that his election 'fell below acceptable standards'. But then, the election did not only throw up President Yar'Adua but the National Assembly and indirectly, the Federal Cabinet. How then can one expect much from such an unacceptable process? How can one expect much from such unacceptable people? How can one expect much from such an unacceptable government? But then memories are short; so short that Nigerians are beginning to expect much from President Yar'Adua's government. Nigerians will be disappointed once again.
The rigging process apart, let us revisit the political party that has been in power in Nigeria for the past eight years, PDP, of which, President Yar'Adua is an integral part of. The PDP in power today in Nigeria under this current dispensation is not a new political party; people make political parties and not the other way round. PDP is President Yar'Adua and President Yar'Adua is PDP, they are not different politically. The principal actors in PDP since the last eight years of waste are still there and much part of this present government. Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo is still there, so are Ahmadu Ali, Tony Anenih, Ojo Maduekwe, David Mark, Peter Odili, Baba Gana Kingibe, Florence Ita-Giwa and the whole rest of them. What did PDP offer Nigerians in the last eight years of abundant oil revenue? Nothing, but a collapsed country and economy irrespective of their spin. The reality is on the ground for everyone to see. I have seen it. What then makes Nigerians to expect much from the Yar'Adua administration? This administration is a continuation of the failed Obasanjo administration; this administration is a continuation of the last PDP led government that woefully failed Nigerians, what then makes Nigerians to expect much from it? I do not.
To further cement my position, The President Umaru Yar'Adua led PDP government came into 'power' with no manifesto i.e. a public written declaration of their intention, of their contract with the Nigerian people. Their intention with regards to affordable housing, with regards to law and order, with regards to employment generation, with regards to stopping brain-drain, with regards to agriculture, with regards to sound education system, with regards to fixing dilapidated infrastructures, with regards to modern health-care provision, etc. The President Umaru Yar'Adua led PDP government by not having a manifesto, have no contract with the Nigerian people and as such have nothing to honour and by implication nothing to offer to Nigerians. Nigerians then should not expect much from him.
To most Nigerian's, corruption has been and is the biggest obstacle and the major stumbling block in the development of the country. The Obasanjo administration (irrespective of EFCC) paid lip service to tackling corruption. That being the case, how is President Yar'Adua's government (and EFCC) tackling this hydra headed monster called corruption? In my views, lip service. Irrespective of high profile arrests here and there of some governors that at the end of the day will amount to nothing, President Yar'Adua in cahoots with EFCC is just playing to the gallery with regards to tackling corruption. On this issue of corruption, EFCC appears to be singling out state governments. What about the activities of the federal government and its organs under President Obasanjo? The federal government collects fifty-three percent (53%) of the total revenue accruing to the country whereas the state governments collect circa twenty-six percent (26%). What did the federal government under President Obasanjo do with its portion of this revenue? Nothing. What happened to all the money expended on electricity, on roads, on water?
One of the most inept ministers under the last dispensation was Muktar Shehu Shagari, the longest serving minister of water resources in the history of Nigeria, manning one of the largest ministries with regards to budgetary allocation, yet there is no pipe- borne water any where in Nigeria. Water-borne diseases like Typhoid fever are still the order of the day. Where is Muktar Shehu Shagari? Should he not be accounting for the parlous state of the water situation in Nigeria despite the enormous resources made available to him? What about the federal ministry of works and state of Nigerian roads? What about the federal ministry of power and the electricity situation in Nigeria as at today? What is President Yar'Adua and by implication EFCC doing about the activities of these ministries during the last eight years? Nothing. Some body somewhere by doing NOTHING appears to be condoning corruption and by implication have nothing to offer Nigerians except business as usual.
Nigerians seem to have forgotten that President Yar'Adua was executive governor of Katsina State from 1999 to 2007, a whopping eight years. An executive governor with enormous financial resources, of a meek state, a politically uncharged state, a state with little or no opposition, a peaceful state. Hence a theatre to excel, a platform to take his state to the next level, developmentally. What did he achieve in his eight years as executive governor of Katsina State with such enabling environment? In my views again, nothing. Otherwise his spin-doctors will have been showcasing his achievements to all concerned. Has any body heard about President Yar'Adua's achievement in education, employment creation, industrialisation, infrastructure provision, health-care delivery, etc as governor of Katsina State?
Ex Governor Donald Duke with lesser resources than President Yar'Adua as governor at least have Tinapa and tourism to boast about. Imagine Donald Duke as president, his spin-doctors will not have let the world rest on Tinapa. Ex Governor Chris Ngige with all the obstacles thrown in his way have his tremendous achievement in the area of road construction to smile about. Again his spin-doctors will have capitalised on this to high heavens had he been the President.
For President Yar'Adua's spin doctors to have nothing to boast about in his eight years as governor of meek, timid, peaceful and wealthy Katsina State implies that unlike Cesar, he came, he saw, but he did not conquer.
If President Yar'Adua did not deliver in such an enabling environment like Katsina State, what make Nigerian's think that he will deliver in such an un-enabling environment that is Aso Rock, the seat of the Presidency of the federal republic of Nigeria? This and all the earlier arguments sum up the title of this article.
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