Hon. Essien Okiemute, a former member of the Delta State House of Assembly, spoke with Polycarp Orosevwotu in Isoko on why President Muhammadu Buhari should be re-elected in 2019 poll.
What is your assessment of the Buhari administration in the last two and half years?
President Muhammadu Buhari, has performed credibly well, personally I will score him excellent, because within the two and half years of his government, the president has achieved a lot, particularly the reshaping of Nigeria’s image and integrity in the international community.
Virtually, every Nigerians are very much aware that Buhari practically inherited a collapsed economy, a very rotten and corrupt system. Resources of the country were looted and mismanaged without considering the poor masses and the future of the country. It got to a point where few corrupt individuals were becoming richer than Nigeria as a country.
Budgeted funds meant for projects and other purposes of national importance were diverted into the pockets of individuals. Buhari inherited a huge debt owed marketers who supplied petroleum products not paid by the immediate past administration, the President has paid these monies.
What are other achievements?
For the past two and half years, he has done everything humanly possible to restore the dignity of Nigeria as a country by initiating a clean spirit into the system, one area that the President has done well through the fight against corruption.
When President Buhari promised to fight corruption, many never believed what he was saying, but from what we are seeing today, the various shocking revelations how government officials in the last administration looted the resources of this country, Nigerians have developed strong confidence in President Buhari, and trust whatever the President is doing to transform the country.
President Buhari is determined and genuinely fighting corruption as he promised, and that is why you can see that the President is getting the full supports of majority of Nigerians in the fight against corruption and it is on this note they want to re-elect him come 2019 because of the confidence Nigerians repose on him.
Many people have described Buhari as a non-performing president. What is your take on this?
It is not a surprise that the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party PDP is always criticising President Buhari, what would you expect from PDP when their members were actually the main beneficiaries from the corrupt system of the last administration.
Apart from the PDP, some other Nigerians still criticizing Buhari, it could be that the President may have blocked their source of milking the country; certainly, they must fight back and criticize the President.
More so, the only Nigerians that I think would criticize Buhari should be those who were benefiting from the corrupt system of the last administration. Nigerians who are doing legitimate businesses and earning legally from the last administration till now would not criticise Buahri. The only “Sin” Buahri has committed is blocking leakages and stopping the looting of Nigeria’s resources by those criticizing him now on pages of newspaper.
You will agree with me that President Buhari has not done anything wrong to attract such unnecessary criticism. Evidently, President Buhari is enjoying the supports of Nigerians because of his good intentions toward the country. He is repositioning the country to greatness. Nobody can instigate Nigerians against the present government of Buhari, such attempts would definitely fail.
Buhari has ensured that the country is gradually moving to the right direction, people are now doing things properly, even public office holders are more careful not to fall under the hammer of Buhari.
The President’s objective is clear on why things must be done properly and funds judiciously used for assigned purposes. That is the only way this country can move forward. Buhari is rebuilding a Nigeria where whatever you are asked to do as a public officer, or even as a Nigerian, you are expected to do it rightly, diligently which will eventually produce good results.
I can assure you that by the end of 2018, when Buahri’s achievement must have been unveiled, most of the persons criticizing him now would turn around to praise him’
There is protest against marginalisation by the people of Niger-Delta region. What is your view?
It will shock you to know that Isoko South local government is the only local government won by President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC in the entire Delta State, South South and South East geo-political zone in 2015 presidential election. In my local government, Isoko South, Buhari and APC won with 10,000 votes, but despite my efforts I have not been given appointment.
I am a founding member of APC in Delta state including late Senator Okpozo, Akamukali and Senator Ewherido. Also, Olorogun Ortega Emerhor, Hon. Rufus Akpodiete and Hon. Okpoko.
Remember, the immediate past President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, was from the Niger Delta region, he was President of Nigeria for six years, if we the people of Niger Delta are sincere and fair to ourselves, we should invite Jonathan to a Niger Delta conference to tell the people what he did for the region, when he was in office as President, but I doubt if there is anything he can lay claim to as his achievement in the region.
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