“People Should Not Expect Change Immediately” Buhari Tries To Tweak His Promises & Timelines

by Musa Abdullahi

Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari, the president-elect, has once again reinstated commitment to ensuring positive change in the polity.

NewsWireNGR recalls that during the campaigns the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Maj-Gen Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) who started his promises in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and Uyo in Akwa Ibom State vowed to ensure immediate overhaul of the economy & security.

But the promise to revive the ‘ailing economy of the country’ is being revisited with the statements being made after the elections.

Buhari has however urged Nigerians not to expect immediate results from the newly elected administration after it takes office on May 29, The Nation reports.

The All Progressives Congress politician made a claim on April 15, Wednesday, in his hometown Daura, Katsina state, when visited by some senators and reps.

“People should not expect change immediately because of accumulation of problems in the country. There is need for more time and prayer from the public for the incoming administration to handle matters and bring change.

“I am affirming my commitment to fighting economic sabotage, insecurity, bribery and corruption.”

Alhaji Muhammadu Badaru Abubakar, Jigawa state governor-elect, who was also among Buhari’s guests, vowed to support the incoming All Progressives Congress government’s policies to bring positive change.

In a letter Buhari wrote to Nigerians outlining his 100 days in office promises. He outlined several actions he will take in his first one hundred days as Nigeria’s president if voted into office. Find a quick reminder of some of the things promised within 100 days in office below….

Buhari in a document highlighting this said he would publicly declare his assets and liabilities, if voted into power.

He said he would encourage political appointees in his administration to also declare their assets publicly.

In the document titled, “I pledge to Nigeria” Buhari also said that all his political appointees would only earn salaries and allowances as prescribed by the Revenue and Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission.

He said, “I pledge to publicly declare my assets and liabilities, encourage all my appointees to publicity declare their assets and liabilities as a pre-condition for appointment.

“All political appointees will only earn the salaries and allowances determined by the RMFAC.”

While pledging to personally lead the war against corruption in the country, Buhari also said that he would inaugurate the National Council on Procurement as stipulated in the Procurement Act.

He added that the Federal Executive Council, which he said had been turned to a weekly session of contract bazaar, would be made to concentrate on its principal function of policy making.

He said that he would also work with the National Assembly towards the immediate enactment of a Whistle Blower Act.

On the other ways to strengthen the anti-graft war, he said, “We will work with the National Assembly to strengthen the Independent Corruption Practices and other related Offences Commission and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission by guaranteeing institutional autonomy, including financial and prosecutorial independence and security of tenure of officials.

“We will also make the Financial Intelligence Unit of the EFCC autonomous and operational; encourage proactive disclosure of information by government institutions in the spirit of the Freedom of Information Act.”

He also promised that his government would work with the leadership of the National Assembly and the judiciary to cut down the cost of governance.

On insurgency and insecurity in the country, the former head of state said that he had had the rare privilege of serving the country in the military in various capacities and rose to the rank of a major general and Commander -in -Chief of the Armed Forces, he would defend the integrity of the nation.

“I pledge, as Commander-in-Chief, to lead from the front and not behind in the comfort and security of Aso Rock, to boost the morale of fighting forces and the generality of all Nigerians,” he said.

On the fate of the kidnapped Chibok girls, Buhari said that as a father, he had been feeling the pain of the victims of insurgency, kidnapping and violence whether “they are widows and orphans of the military, paramilitary, civilians and parents or the Chibok girls.

“My government shall act decisively on any actionable intelligence to #BringBack Our Girls.”