Has The Change Changed?

 March 28; 2015: the nation Nigeria went agog following the declaration of Muhamdu Buhari as the winner of the 2015 presidential elections. Nigerians couldn’t hide their joy as they took to the streets in celebration of what they believe is their long awaited deliverance from the dark ages. President Buhari and his party, All Progressive Congress (APC) promise change and that’s exactly why they 

were voted in. Virtually everyone was tired of remaining in status-quo and therefore, change was irresistible.

Nigeria no doubt has been used to mediocrity offered them by the sixteen-year rule of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and therefore, the emergence of the APC as at the time it came was nothing below perfect. The selection of CHANGE as its mission was even more perfect! The timeliness of the change mission was just too enticing for the majority of Nigerians irrespective of religious and ethnic differences.

However, seven months into the regime of the former military Head of State and the APC conglomerate, Nigerians have yet to see the reality of the change they bargained for. The ordinary man on the street is primarily concerned about good roads, stable power supply, affordable food, good jobs, proper housing amongst other basic infrastructure. The common Nigerian is not bothered about those weighty government policies, plans and ideas. He is little concerned about how things work; rather, he just wants to see that things work.

Sadly so, asides the issue of insecurity (particularly the Boko-Haram insurgency) in the North, the president seems to have achieved nothing or perhaps very little, visible to the ordinary Nigerian. Roads are yet to be constructed, the rail system has seen little change (which many argue is the work of the previous administration), there are no jobs, prices of goods and services are rising, good housing remains a problem for many and a vast majority of Nigerians still suffer epileptic power supply. Where then is the change promised by the APC nee President Muhamadu Buhari?

The emblem of the APC is a broom and the party had promised to sweep away the rot in the country. But when a woman continues to sweep a bedroom for hours, then one will begin to think the woman either doesn’t know how to make the bed or is just angry with the floor. President Muhamadu Buhari must begin to show Nigerians the reality of the change he was voted in for because Nigerians will never forgive him or his party if he fails. People talk of how the president is trying to set things straight before starting something. But hey! When an airplane keeps moving along the runway for hours; then it’s either the supposed pilot is a driver or the plane has turned into a motor car. 

PMB’s romance with Nigeria has become one pleasure too many. It’s high time he got into the thick of the action regardless of whatever unfortunate circumstances he’s faced with. Nigerians have been heart-done by four consecutive democratic regimes and President Buhari shouldn’t be too eager to be fifth.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

©2016 CHIDUBEM N.J