Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the mid-term report of the Jonathan Administration within the context of growing public disillusionment about the ailing economy, soaring poverty and infrastructure decay across the country.
Pre-empting the judgment of the people, President Goodluck Jonathan hurriedly scored himself high, when he laid before them the mid-term report of his ‘Transformation Agenda’, in Abuja, the Federal Capaital Territory (FCT), two weeks ago. He emphasised that democracy was on course, urging Nigerians to assess his score card outside the prism of partisan politics. In two years time, things would be better, the President assured.
The executive summary of the self-adulating report, which is 58 pages, unveiled an administration that has buried itself in idealistic yearnings. Not only has the government sought to score cheap points, even in the critical sectors, it also listed unverifiable achievements and exaggerated the feats recorded in other areas. The report conflicted with the National Assembly’s assessment of the budget performance, which it observed, has been very poor. Neither has the “improved economy”, as claimed by the Presidential Economic Team, impacted positively on the citizens, who still wallow in abject poverty, squalour and misery.
President Jonathan drew attention to what he called a “model of leadership”. He claimed that he has advanced democratic culture by delivering its dividends to the people. He also submitted that he has expanded the civil space by allowing freedom of expression to thrive. According to the report, the President hosted the civil society to a retreat to express its opinion on the proposed constitution review. Describing the move as unprecedented, the report said that the forum gave the over 300 groups the opportunity to vote on a number of national issues.
However, that posture conflicted with the President’s earlier remarks that a Sovereign National Conference (SNC), which is being vigorously agitated for by other stakeholders, is a no-go area. Analysts view this as an attempt to draw the wool on the eyes of Nigerians, contending that a piecemeal constitution amendment, may not resolve the national question the way a national conference would attempt to do.
The administration also projected its respect for checks and balances among the three organs of government. The report noted that President Jonathan has fostered national stability by strengthening the independence of the legislature, executive and judiciary. It claimed that the National Assembly has now become a more vibrant legislature, which has come up with a more assertive legislative practice.
To observers, this is commendable, although the President would have scored a fuller mark, had he not ignored the resolutions of the National Assembly last year January, when he was advised by the two Houses, to quickly rescind his decision on the embarrassing fuel price hike, which triggered mass demonstrations across the country. The elder statesman, Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN), observed that the President would have exploited the escape route.
President Jonathan alluded to what he described as “electoral progress”. He attributed the sanity to the adequate funding and autonomy enjoyed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chaired by Prof. Attahiru Jega. “The country witnessed the most credible elections in 2011”, said the report. The President also said that electoral violence has reduced. These remarks are debatable. Many election observers agree that there was an improvement. But the Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms (CODER) disagreed. Its Coordinator, Mr. Ayo Opadokun, observed that the crusade for the sanctity of the ballot box is an unfinished business. “There are still some unresolved issues. INEC is not totally independent. It is not appointed by a neutral body. We don’t have tribunals for trying electoral fraud. Unless the report of the Uwais Panel is fully implemented, electoral sanity cannot be fully guaranteed”, he said.
Also, the government rationalised that it has maintained equity, fairness and balance in the distribution of the federal appointments. Many stakeholders have objected to the claim. According to the Afenifere and Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), the distribution is lopsided to the detriment of the Southwest geo-political zone. Also, the government claimed that “confidence is building in each geo-political zone that it does not matter where the President comes from”. This assertion is false. Although merit, standard, and sound pedigree should form the basis for recruiting Nigerians for the highest office, the reverse is the case. Ahead of 2015, ethnic bigots have invaded the media, calling for either the retention power in a certain zone or power shift to a particular zone. This may have been induced by the perception that the Presidency is weak. Observers also attribute the struggle to the neglect of the inexplicable rotational principle in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Presidency is not a uniting factor in the highly populous and complex heterogeneous nation-state. Rather, it is a divisive force. Although former President Olusegun Obasanjo could not be described as a democrat, or a leader who mustered the strength to resolve the national question, his Presidency rose above ethnic sentiment. His successors have not mirrored this singular quality. Recently, ethnic voices from the Niger Delta have been clashing with their Northern counterparts over the soul of the Presidency. Mujaheed Dokubo-Asari, claiming to be expressing the view of the devastated coastal communities, spat fire on behalf of Dr. Jonathan, warning that there would be no oil to finance the country beyond 2015, if the Southsouth does not retain the Presidency. The Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs, Comrade Kingsley Kuku, had echoed the same sentiment, threatening fire and brimstone. Perhaps, it was in response to the opinion of the Northern leaders, including Alhaji Tanko Yakassai and Alhaji Lawal Kaita, which instantly elicited a fierce response from the elder statesman of Ijaw origin, Senator Edwin Clark.
How has the government also tame corruption? The report pointed out that certain strategies have been adopted to nip it in the bud. These strategies, to observers, are laudable. But they are incomplete. Recently, the former Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) President, Mr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), observed that the war against graft is slow and not yielding adequate results. He pointed that the court processes are still slow. Also, some lawyers have pointed out that the anti-graft bodies and courts are after those culprits who steal tubers of yam and fowls, leaving those who cart away millions from the public treasury.
On security, the report did not award any imaginary pass mark. “Insurgency is being contained and will soon be a thing of the past”, said the report. It is evident that the government has failed woefully in this area, more than any other. However, it is noteworthy that the Federal Government is really not relenting in its efforts. Security is multi-dimensional. At the state level, the governor, who is the chief security officer, is impotent. He lacks the power of control over the police. If the Boko Haram insurgency is politically motivated, then, only a political solution can end it. Also, many believe that, if insecurity continues to permeate the trembling polity, it will take its toll on all sectors.
Perhaps, the most controversial aspect of the report is the score card on the economy. It is a sensitive sector requiring expert’s searchlight. Government acknowledged that it inherited a number of challenges, which the transformation agenda was designed to address. They include unemployment and poverty, food insecurity, poor infrastructure, high inflation, and rising domestic debt. Others are high recurrent expenditure, falling reserves, housing deficits and inability to diversify the economy.
The Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Eweala, painted a glossy picture of a performing economy. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP), she explained, is one of the fastest growing in the world at 6.5 percent. Inflation has come down to 9.1 percent and external reserves have rising to 48.4 billion dollar. The Sovereign Wealth Fund, which has generated quarrel between the President and 36 governors, is in place, cost of governance is reducing, national debt is declining and petroleum subsidy payment regime is also in place. In addition, trade is booming and investors are competing to be in Nigeria. Rail, waterways, aviation, roads, electricity and other sectoral reforms are on course.
To observers, the minister has reeled out theoretical facts and imaginary indices, which ultimately paled into fable and propaganda. “Where are the roads?”, asked ARG chieftain, Kunle Famoriyo, who added: “Have they dome Lagos-Ibadan Expressway? Have they done Shagamu-Ore Road? Do we now have regular electricity supply? There is no evidence of governance yet”. Before the release of the mid-term report, Afenifere chieftain Pa Rueben Fasoranti lamented that the ship of state may hit the rock. He said the soaring unemployment, infrastructure decay, corruption, especially the pension scam, and misuse of public funds portend danger for the country’s future. “The only thing they are doing is that they are preparing for the 2015 elections. There is no governance”, he added.
