Dr. Felix Nwosu is an Imo State-born public affairs analyst and commentator on national issues. In this interview with EJIKEME OMENAZU, he takes a critical look at the state of the nation in 2023 and how Nigerians fared in the outgoing year. Excerpt:
How do you see the outgoing year 2023?
In my opinion, the year 2023 was not a rosy year for Nigeria and Nigerians. Politically, the year was full of crises. The economy was on the verge of collapse. It was a year Nigeria almost became bankrupt. The banks went dry due to change of currency and sabotage at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with the government in power. There was a food crisis. Security was bad. Killings continued unabated till the end of the year. See what happened in Kaduna. Killings continued in Plateau, even on this Christmas day which claimed over 100 lives. There were killings in several other places. In fact, there is nothing to write home about Year 2023. We are praying that it ends fast. 2023 was a year kidnappers had a field day. Even the traditional institution was not left out as Obas and Ezes became victims of kidnappers. In Education, higher institutions were on long strike. How much is a bag of rice at the end of 2023? Cost of transportation was very high. People pay N28,000 to N30,000 to travel to the East and other parts of the country, even when the government announced that it had reduced the cost of transportation by 50 percent. As the year was coming to an end, there was also another currency crisis. Till now, there is no cash even in the banks, and POS people are reaping fortunes by overcharging the people. Cost of everything is very high. During his Christmas, there were no fireworks, no street carnivals. 2023 is indeed a hopeless year for Nigerians.
To what will you attribute this poor scenario you have painted about 2023?
I will attribute the sorrowful state of Nigeria and Nigerians to bad leadership, bad administration. It has been so from the Buhari administration to the current Bola Tinubu administration. There is no way the current administration can absolve itself from the failures of the last administration. This is because it is the same All Progressives Congress (APC) that has been in power. The APC administration has been hostile to Nigerians. I don’t see any bright future for Nigerians. This current federal administration has nothing new. It is a continuity government. They will continue to frustrate the people. It is a continuity of failed leadership and bad governance. There is no redemption in sight. The government terms itself as Renewed Hope. Where is the hope? There is no light. The government gives Nigerians false hope. They claimed that they reached agreement with transporters to reduce transport fares by 50 percent. But the transport unions said there was no agreement with the government. The fuel price is still the same. The government is just a show. They are making a show for Nigerians. They decide everything for Nigerians, even when their decisions do not favour the people. Only those in power are enjoying it. This yuletide, Nigerians did not enjoy Merry Christmas. Several Churches did not hold Christmas services because they knew that people would not turn up. The morale of the people has been very low as the year is coming to an end. The government is only tormenting Nigerians.
President Bola Tinubu has already spent six years in office. How would you rate his performance so far?
I don’t see anything he has performed so far. Even Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, commended him when the government announced the 50 percent subsidy on transport fares this yuletide, but it turned out to be a failure. It would have made many to smile if it had worked. But the promise became an empty one. Cost of everything is high. It was too bad for Nigerians this yuletide. The economy was so bad. Nobody is smiling. Funny enough, nobody is talking about Buhari now. Tinubu inherited all these from Buhari. He failed to advise Buhari well so he could inherit a better government. He stood aloof as the people suffered under Buhari. Look at where we are now. Everyone is in pain. As it is, there is no area we can score thi administration well. The Railways are not working well. Port Harcourt Refinery is not working well. Dangote Refinery is not working yet, even though it cannot change the cost of fuel. Government is a failure in all sectors and in all levels, including states and local governments. Even street lights are not working because the government lacks capacity to keep them working. Everyone branded Nigeria as a giant of Africa. But, the government cannot do anything to make us proud. Government has not been able to stop the Jaapa syndrome. Salaries are not paid. Infrastructures are not working. Even companies are exiting the country. The government is killing vision and dreams. Why won’t there be Yahoo Boys? Anointing flows from the top. Except there is a miracle Tinubu will perform that can turn Nigeria around, as he turned Lagos, we are going nowhere, because Lagos is just a state. Several companies are lamenting. People are now making reference to the Buhari administration as being better than that of Tinubu. When people say last year was better than 2023, were they not referring to the Buhari era? So, Buhari, a Military man, is now better than Tinubu who sees himself as a Progressive Socialist? We did not see all these coming. We did not bargain for this. All dreams and visions for a better Nigeria are being killed. Everything is a failure and disappointment. I do not know if they really had leadership training. A leader directs, a leader sponsors; a leader motivates. We do not see all these.
How would you place the National Assembly in all these as 2023 is coming to an end?
Do we have any Assembly? From local governments to states and to the federal level it is the same thing. There is nothing the executive presents to them they question. They all want to safeguard themselves. Like the executive, they are not representing the people. Ordinary people on the streets are better and more organised than the lawmakers. Ordinary people are more knowledgeable than them. They just want Executive Bills to sign. They are just conspirators. They do not have any views of their own. They have no concern for the lives of Nigerians. They are not educated, not minding the qualifications they parade. In 10 years’ time, Nigeria will be so indebted that even the next generation cannot pay back the foreign debts. The President cannot borrow without going through the National Assembly. What of our oil money? We generate a lot through oil revenue. We have other mineral resources which they personally hijacked with their cronies. We generate a lot of money within the country, but they mb3zzle all only to be the budgets with borrowed funds. Nigerians are docile and cannot ask questions. Even professors are mum because they are used to running elections that are used to rig. Now our professors are no longer doing research or saying anything because they have compromised in all areas, including their Oath of Allegiance and professionalism. No, the government claims that it met nothing. So, Buhari left nothing for Tinubu, while they have continued to vilify Goodluck Jonathan who left a lot of money for Buhari. Even Buhari acknowledged that he met money in the treasury. Now, Nigeria is in a mess and the National Assembly is part of the mess.
From what you have said about the National Assembly, do you think the lawmakers can diligently consider President Bola Tinubu’s N27.5 Trillion budget now before them?
The National Assembly members are already hailing the budget as wonderful even when they have not read through it. They call it Budget of Hope, Budget of Restoration, etc. How can they see any loopholes in the budget? Even when Nigerians are complaining about the budget, the lawmakers are commending it. The budget has already received their acceptance before the consideration. So far, there is no budget by the state governors and local government chairmen that does not sail through within a few days. Some are even passed after one day’s consideration. Instead of the National Assembly to reduce the budget, they will see reasons to increase the figures for their own benefit. But, all these do not add value to the lives of Nigerians.
Would you say the Judiciary is playing its roles well, especially considering the conflicting decisions on the 2023 general elections matters?
Because of the decisions of the Judiciary on the presidential elections, Nigerians are not happy. Now the courts are finding it difficult to unseat the governors who have been sworn in. The Tribunals will sack people and the Appeal Courts will throw out the decisions of the Tribunals and reinstate the people. The Court of Appeal will pass rulings and the Supreme Court will throw them out. Are they all not Judges? The Judiciary is no longer the last hope of the common man where there is justice and equity. They use technicalities to turn Justice up and down. The Judiciary is now the survival of the fittest. They are now making a mess of adjudication. The decisions of the Tribunals and the Appeal Courts are no longer respected. Everything now ends in the Supreme Court. Judicial decisions are now empty documents. We need a workshop or conference where all these will be addressed. Nigeria needs a working Federal Executive Council (FEC), working National and State Assemblies, working Judiciary, working parastatals, working state governments. There should be a connection between all these. Now, the courts are like circus shows. There should be accountability and integrity in the Nigerian system. These are lacking in all levels of government.
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