Jonathan, Buhari, Tinubu - Which Way Forward Nigeria?—-Micheal Adegbuyi

Many of us actually believed that General Muhammadu Buhari will engineer the turnaround our nation needs as President following rising insecurity and economic challenges during the tenure of former President Goodluck Jonathan. 

We joined in calls and protests for a "Change" of government that at the time, we saw in it, clear ineptitude, massive corruption (Diezani Alison-Madueke etc) and lack of accountability and vision to move the country forward. And through the polls in 2015, we secured that CHANGE.

However, only few months into the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, some of us realized it was business as usual, there was nothing significantly different from the status quo that had become our reality, and public office holders became more brazen with siphoning public funds (Godwin Emefiele etc).

Fast forward to 2022, some of us having long lost hope in the "docile and unaware" Buhari Government (himself who spent so much time through his 8 years getting treated and being out of the country), began to believe a candidacy and presidency of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is what we require to finally turn the tide. 

Sadly, our current reality is even way more depressing. We now have a president who pays more attention to politicking than real governance, safety and welfare of Nigerians, who appropriates trillions of naira to coastal and super highways when indigenous contractors remain owed outstanding payments from 2024. 

Our nation's yearly budget life has become a joke with wobbling performances. We are in mid 2026, but we still have unsettled businesses from 2024 as the budget remains at around 80% serviced, 2025 budget hasn't also been fully serviced, let alone the servicing of 2026 budget. It's a shame were we currently are as a nation. 

Prices of most commodities are now 3 - 5 times what they used to be just from 2023 till now, no important and strategic safety net has been put in place to cushion the effect of subsidy removal and floating of the naira, everything is only about sharing of rice (palliatives) that is never sustainable. 

The average Nigerian struggles hard to make ends meet, and why we continue to read about policies in the right direction and astronomical revenue generation figures, how resources are managed and allocated remains shrouded in mystery. Those figures have not reflected in improving the livelihood of the common man, as everyone's purchasing power has greatly diminished. 

All we hear is "Ask your Governors", "Money is allocated directly to LGAs now". Does the Federal Government find it relaxing to appropriate without ensuring performance? Does it find it fun throwing money around without wholesome plans and structuring? At least 31 State Governors are members of the ruling party today, the hypocrisy remains very glaring, clear and loud. 

For a man who promised so much, and for someone that many of us actually believed could do better, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been way below par, and that is the truth as evident in our everyday reality. 

The conversation continues...