Politics 10 Biggest Issues That Shaped Buhari’s First Year in Office

kemi

Social Member
President Muhammdu Buhari came to power with the change mantra of his political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC); and his inauguration on May 29, 2015 raised the citizens’ hope for a new lease of life. Here we bring to you 10 most prominent issues that has shaped his 365 days in office.

buhari.jpg

1. Anti-corruption war

President Buhari seems obsessed with the anti-corruption war. His first two bills to the Senate kick-started the process of giving an impetus to his anti-graft crusade. President Buhari has also approached the global community for the repatriation of stolen funds stashed away in foreign banks

Former top government officials, including ex-security chiefs, are currently being tried for alleged complicity in the $15 billion arms procurement contract scam during the Goodluck Jonathan administration.


2. Security

The president restructured the security architecture on July 13 with new appointments. At his inauguration, the president identified the Boko Haram insurgency as the most immediate security challenge confronting the nation. And he did not renege on his promise to relocate the Command and Control Centre from Abuja to Maiduguri, Borno State; the hotbed of terrorism. He also succeeded in securing the support of the G7 for the fight against terrorism in Nigeria. The support included military training and intelligence sharing to arms procurement.

3. Herders’ attacks, resurgence of Niger Delta militancy

Attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen in parts of the country as well as the resurgence of Niger Delta militancy have recently added to the general air of insecurity in Nigeria. Suspected herders were reported to have massacred scores of persons and destroyed property worth millions of naira, especially at various villages in Benue and Enugu States. In the last few months, the group known as Niger Delta Avengers demonstrated its capacity to threaten the national economy.


4. Treasury Single Account (TSA)

On August 7, 2015, Buhari issued a directive that all Federal Government revenue be paid into a Treasury Single Account (TSA). The administration believes that the TSA has helped block revenue leakages and save over N3 trillion. The initiative has also enforced the Bank Verification Number. This is said to have so far helped to weed out about 65,000 “ghost workers” and saved the federal government of N185 billion.


5. 30 foreign trips

Between June 2015 and May 2016, President Buhari has embarked on 30 foreign trips to 22 countries. The president has been pilloried for allegedly junketing round the world, but his aides have shaved off the allegations.

6. Bailout to states

Under Buhari’s year, the Central Bank of Nigeria disbursed a total sum of N709.5 billion as salary assistance loans and additional N310 billion as Excess Crude Account-backed loans to states to enable them pray backlog of salaries.


7. Power

Buhari at his inauguration last year pledeged to identify the quickest, safest and most cost-effective way to bring light and relief to Nigerians and for the first time in the history of her electricity generation profile, Nigeria generated about 5,074 megawatts of electricity. But as of Thursday last week, power generation stood at 2,695 megawatts; and for the past three weeks, it has not risen above 3,500 megawatts as rationing continues.



8. Fallen value of naira

During the South-East presidential of the APC held in Owerri, on March 23, 2015, Buhari decried that “the value of the naira has dropped to more than N230 to one dollar; this does not speak well for the nation’s economy”. Today, the value is N350 to one dollar.

9. Fuel price hike

To the consternation of many, Buhari’s government hiked fuel price from N86.50 to N145 per litre on May 11. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, while defending the hike, said it was not a subsidy removal issue, but a foreign exchange problem in the face of dwindling earnings.


10. Budget padding

The 2016 national budget of “change” is probably the most controversial in the nation’s history. The budget proposal of N6.08 trillion, laid before the National Assembly on December 22, was passed on March 23; but in between were allegations and counter-allegations of sabotage by both the executive and the legislature.

The president returned the budget to the legislature several times before it was finally assented to.
 
Back
Top