My Administration Has Done Better Than Obasanjo, Ya’Adua, Jonathan’s To Put Nigeria Back On Track, Buhari Boasts In Independence Anniversary Speech, Analysts Differ

For the the records, the current democratic dispensation began in 1999 and since then, Nigeria has had Olusegun Obasanjo, the late Umaru Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan and Buhari as presidents.

However, President Buhari has boasted that in six years, his regime has performed better than any government since 1999.

Buhari noted this on Friday in his nationwide broadcast to Nigerians to mark the nation’s 61st Independence Anniversary.

“Since coming to power, this administration has tackled our problems head-on in spite of the meagre resources.

“No government since 1999 has done what we have done in six years to put Nigeria back on track.

“We shall continue to serve the country: listen to all and protect our democracy and country,” Buhari boasted.
But, this assertion dies not seem to go down well with most Nigerians who say realities on ground prove contrary.

Specifically, using data gathered from Nairalytics, the research arm of Nairametrics, under the Buhari regime, the economy has experienced rising food inflation and currency inflation which have seen Nigeria’s GDP per capita fall to the level it was 40 years ago. These stood as the major propeller of misery.

According to the online medium, his presidency is characterised by a high unemployment rate of 33.3% (Q4 2020) which neutralises the 0.51% GDP growth rate (Q1 2021), a high inflation rate of 18.17% (March 2021) and prime lending rate of 11.24% in April. These placed the misery score at 62.2 index point.

According to Lagos based analyst who pleaded for anonymity, “some of us cannot disagree less with President Buhari’s boasts because, most Nigerians are finding it difficult to feed, sleep orove around, so what do we have to celebrate? How about the country’s indebtedness and continued borrowing, are we not mortgaging the future of the younger generation and those yet unborn,“.

But in another breadth, Buhari also said in the speech that he understands anxiety of some Nigerians over broken promises and unfulfilled dreams.
“I fully understand the anxiety of many Nigerians on the inability of this country to go beyond a never-ending potential for becoming a great nation to an actually great one.

99. A lot has been achieved in the last six years on many fronts: in infrastructure, social care, governance, Nigeria’s image and influence in Africa and the international community.

100. But critics misdiagnose incremental progress as stagnation. Since coming to power, this Administration has tackled our problems head-on in spite of the meagre resources.“

According to Buhari, “We shall continue to serve the country: listen to all and protect our democracy and country,”.