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As the electioneering campaigns kick off on Sunday, November 18, candidates of some of the major political parties that are likely to win have released documents containing their plans to move Nigerians out of poverty and deprivation
By Olu Ojewale
The race formally started on Sunday, November 18. In line with the time table of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, many of the presidential candidates in the 2019 elections have mounted the soap box to tell Nigerians about their plans to change the country for the better if elected into office. From incumbent President Mohammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to Oby Ezekwesili, the candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, ACPN, and others, Nigeria, as expected, is now in the season of political promises that will continue to feature in its daily life until the 2019 elections are over. Although there about 30 surviving presidential candidates in the race, only two men and one woman stand out. They are Buhari, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Ezekwesili, the only woman.
Buhari set the ball rolling with the unveiling of his 2019 campaign document titled ‘The Next Level.’ Launched at the Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja. The two-part document showcased the achievements of his administration in the past three and half years, especially in tackling corruption, insecurity and the provision of infrastructure.
Characteristically, the president, in his speech, devoted more to corruption, as he warned that except the county was rid of the problem, it would get nowhere. He said: “To succeed, moral integrity and conscience must continue to form the dominant character of our nation and its leadership. Corruption is an existential threat to Nigeria. Despite the gains we have made in closing the gates, we know that there is still much ground to be covered to stop systemic corruption. We are committed to deepening the work we started this past term.
“The nation’s assets and resources will continue to be organised and utilised for the good of the common man.”
He then urged Nigerians to return him into office to fight corruption otherwise the county will return to the inglorious past. Buhari said: “The next four years will be quite significant for our country. Nigeria is faced with a choice to keep on building a new Nigeria or to go back to its tainted past, which favoured the opportunistic few.
“Our choices will surely shape us, defining clearly, our economic security and our future prosperity. Nigeria, more than ever before, needs a stable and people-focused government to move the development of our county forward.
“Join us in this journey to the next level, for a strong and stable Nigeria…”
That notwithstanding, the Buhari administration knows that it is presiding over, perhaps, the worst job situation ever witnessed by the country. According to the government statistics figure, the unemployment rate was 18.8 percent with 15.9 million people unemployed by the third quarter of 2017, despite government intervention through Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, N-Power, improving Ease of Doing Business, among others. However, no official document has been released on the job situation by the statistics department of the government since then.
Hence, the APC candidate announced that at least 15 million new jobs would be created in the next phase of his administration if re-elected. In his re-election policy plans, the Buhari administration has promised to pursue its economic programmes with much ambitious results. For instance, it said that the N-Power would engage one million graduates and also give skill up 10 million people under a voucher system in partnership with private sector.
In the same vein, it said several millions of jobs will be created through agriculture, with the “Anchor Borrowers” programme to support input and jobs to one million farmers, while its Livestock transformation plan will create 1.5 million jobs in dairy, beef, hide and skin, crops; and that its agriculture mechanisation policy will create additional five million jobs.
The president said if elected, he will provide $500 million in funding for the Tech and Creative Industry in order to create 500,000 jobs and also train 200,000 youths for outsourcing market in technology, services and entertainment.
The government said more jobs will be created with the creation of Regional Industrial Parks and Special Economic Zones, and “Next Level of 109 Special Production and Processing Centres, SPPCs, to spur production and value additive processing (as well as) Tractors and Processors Plan in Each Senatorial District.”
Still on jobs, Buhari said that there will be 300,000 extra jobs for vendors and farmers by increasing the number of children fed under the school feeding programme from 9.2 million to 15 million.
On the infrastructure development, the president said he is committed to four areas such as roads, rail, power and internet, which he marked as a critical infrastructure. According to him, work will continue on the Second Niger Bridge. He noted that works were going on several bad roads before his coming to power and now promised to complete them if re-elected.
On the railway, he said he will complete the Lagos- Ibadan-Kano Rail, Eastern Rail (Port-Harcourt-Maiduguri) taking the network through Aba, all South-east state capitals, Makurdi, Jos, Bauchi and Gombe, and the Coastal Rail (Lagos-Calabar).
Besides, he promised to prioritise Internet access to education, markets, primary healthcare and business clusters across the country.
On power, he said through renewable, clean energy sources such as solar, he will ‘energise’ universities and up to 300 markets across the country to have an uninterrupted power supply. Besides, he said that “a minimum of 1,000 MW New Generation incremental Power capacity per annum on the Grid; Distribution to get to 7,000 MW under Distribution Expansion programme.”
On business and entrepreneurship, Buhari said ‘people moni bank’, ‘entrepreneurship bank’, easing business process, and MSMEs clinics will play prominent roles.
Under the people moni scheme, he said there will be a consolidation of the current trader moni, market moni and farmer moni schemes, targeting 10 million Nigerians from “the current 2.3 million.”
He said that the Entrepreneurship Bank is being proposed to be tech-enabled and offer credit, capacity building and business plan support to young entrepreneurs.
For the ease of doing business, the president promised to “legislate and enforce deadlines for issuance of government licences and permits” and “simplify investments, customs, immigration, trade and production procedures.”
Similarly, the president said: “Every child counts will make our students digitally literate in Science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics,” adding: “all teachers will be retrained to deliver digital literacy.”
According to him, if re-elected, the president promised that 10,000 schools per year will be remodelled and equipped.
On the issue of healthcare, the APC flag bearer promised insurance for all using “co-payments to share the cost between individuals, the private sector and government,” while “the poorest 40 per cent will be exempted from such co-payments.”
He also promised that he will run an all inclusive government by giving 35 percent of his appointments to females. He did not say if there would be a legislation compelling 35 percent affirmative action on women inclusion in government. A similar project had failed at the National Assembly last year.
He similarly promised to increase the number of youths to boards of government agencies.
Similarly on Sunday, November 18, Atiku Abubakar, a former vice-president and the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, formally released his policy document aimed at wooing electorate for the 2019 elections. The 63-page document titled, “Let’s get Nigeria Working Again” contains his plan for the nation’s critical sectors.
In the document, which details a seven-year plan, Abubakar categorised his mission into three namely: unity, security and prosperity. According to the document, he promised to create three million jobs every year if he is elected as president in the 2019 election.
He said his decision is based on the fact that “close to 16 million people are unemployed, nine million more than in 2014,” and that more than “two million new entrants join the labour force each year meaning the unemployed share of the labour force more than tripled in less than a decade: from 5.1% in 2010 to 18.8% in 2017.”
Hence, the PDP candidate said his administration, if elected in 2019 will, “launch a new, more efficient, cost-effective and sustainable national Entrepreneurship Development and Job Creation Programme.
“Target the creation of up to three million self and wage-paying employment opportunities in the private sector annually. Target all categories of youth, including graduates, early school leavers as well as the massive numbers of uneducated youth who are currently not in schools, employment or training.
“Create incubation centres, clusters and industrial/commercial hubs to provide a marketplace for MSMEs and SMPs.
“Champion the repositioning and streamlining the activities of the existing Federal and State Government Job Creation Agencies.”
Apart from job creation, the document also listed other critical areas of priority such as infrastructure development, human capital development and poverty eradication.
Based on these, Abubakar said his programme will lift 50 million Nigerians out of poverty, by 2025.
Under what he called, ‘Refining and Petrochemical Infrastructure,’ Abubakar promised to privatise all the nation’s four refineries if voted into office in February 2019. He said the decision became necessary because the four refineries with a total installed capacity of 450,000 barrels per day had operated sub-optimally over time. Besides, he said the refineries had struggled to produce at 10 percent of installed capacity.
He described Nigeria as the most inefficient member of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, in terms of both the percentage of installed refining capacity that worked and the percentage of crude refined.
Abubakar said the objectives of the policy were, among others, to create one million new jobs within 10 years via petrochemicals and petrochemicals-based activities, as well as to build enabling infrastructure to add value to the economy via the development of petrochemical facilities.
As part of efforts to promote the oil and gas sector, the former vice-president said he will partially privatise the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to ensure transparency and accountability of the oil firm.
He also promised to reconsider the introduction of the marginal fields’ bid round and oil blocks’ bid round as well as the building of modular refineries in the northern parts of the country.
To safeguard the oil pipelines, Abubakar promised to deploy modern technology in pipeline surveillance and other security enhancements as well as intensify engagement with local communities in the oil production zones.
On the issue of restructuring, the PDP candidate said his administration will decongest the exclusive and the concurrent list in the Constitution. In line with that, the federal government under Abubakar will retain the role of providing required direction for the economy, defence and national security, internal law and order, currency, international affairs and foreign policy, customs, citizenship and immigration, firearms and related matters.
Hence, he said: “Issues bordering on minerals and mines, internal security including police, law and order, railways, communications, transport, environment, land matters etc would be devolved to the concurrent list. Local governments shall become an independent tier of government, generating units will be supported in economy management. Nigeria’s common resources will be shared equitably in accordance with a new revenue allocation formula to be negotiated across broad.”
On youths and women empowerment, Abubakar promised to break all barriers that prevented women from actualising their potential whether in adolescence or adulthood.
He regretted that while women constituted 50 percent of Nigeria’s population, they were less empowered financially, politically, socially, culturally and economically within and outside the home. In any case, Abubakar promised to create a special tribunal for crimes against women. “We shall encourage states and the private sector to incentivise studies for girls in sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics.
“We shall provide microfinance and financing schemes specifically targeted at the youth and women.
“We shall create a special tribunal for crimes against women including domestic violence, physical or sexual abuse, rape.”
He added, “We shall increase women representation and retention rates in politics and business, through positive action such as quotas for women on political platform and corporate boards.
“We shall increase the number of appointments made to young people in government and in government committees.”
He did not give how many percent of them will be in his government.
Under his economic development agenda, Abubakar said he will ensure a competitive and open economic system; reform public institutions; reduce infrastructure deficit; promote economic diversification; and human capital development.
That notwithstanding, the former vice-president said he had a good grasp of the challenges facing Nigeria and will learn from the mistakes of the past, consolidate on the successes of previous regimes and build the future.
Nevertheless, Abubakar said he had an unwavering commitment to the principles of open, competitive and private sector-driven economy and was committed to building institutions.
If Nigeria were to be ripe for female president, Ezekwesili would have been considered to have a good chance of getting elected. But that notwithstanding, the ACPN candidate is not a pushover. In fact, she kicked off her presidential campaign, saying she remained “the best man for the job.”
Ezekwesili who is a former minister of Education, on Monday, November 19, released her campaign plans, highlighting her economic philosophy, fundamental principles and concepts that will guide her government if elected. Fondly called ‘Madam Due Process,’ while in the Former President Olusegun Obasanjo administration, Ezekwesili reeled out her plans while reading out her policy speech to the media in Lagos, on Monday.
Ezekwesili, who was also a former minister of Solid Minerals, expressed confidence that her proposal will lift 80 million Nigerians out of poverty.
She said: “My plan proposes a better future for Nigerians. It is a blueprint of possibilities and a pledge to Nigerians of what an ACPN government can achieve. Our program will provide hope, progress and prosperity for everyone.
“We will be radical but responsible. We will think big while living within our means. The overriding vision of an ACPN presidency shall be to build a new Nigeria that is prosperous, stable and harmonious.
“A strong belief in the dominant economic role of the private sector and a commitment of our government to launch vigorous market economy reforms. Through policy, effective regulation and catalytic public investment in the provision of basic services for people and businesses, we will accelerate and expand the sources of growth in the economy.
“A massive program of deregulation of the Nigerian economy to unleash the depth of competition and efficiencies necessary for higher and deeper economic growth and expansion of the economy. The division and rebalancing of roles between business and government will reduce opportunities of corruption and bottlenecks that limit the competitiveness of the Nigerian economy.
“A commitment to pursuing growth that is inclusive which is a necessity for lifting the poor to an improved state of well-being. Research has shown us that the poor are uplifted faster in a market economy cushioned by relevant safety nets.
“A dedication to improving the Productivity and Competitiveness of Nigeria and Nigerians in every sector of economic activity by removing barriers and providing a menu of sound policy measures.
“A deliberateness in easing the Doing Business environment not just for major businesses in Nigeria but for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, which are the lifeblood of our economy.”
She has, therefore, challenged her rivals to “bring up their doable programmes to better the lots of citizens.”
According to her campaign organisation, watchers of the forthcoming general election in Nigeria have expressed the view that Ezekwesili remained the most prominent woman to run for the office of president in Nigeria’s history.
In his published reaction, Olisa Agabakoba, SAN, a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, dismissed claims that the Buhari administration will give Nigerians a better deal. At an ARISE TV morning show on Monday, November 19, he said the president’s campaign manual lacked policies to get the nation working. “It’s a handout. It’s not a political document. It has no conceptual overhang. The one for Atiku is 80 percent. It’s got the right stuff in it. It needs more work, but it’s a working document. It’s something I can live with. I see nice things there. It’s a conceptual framework that creates micro-economic stability. It’s got all the nice indices in it. On evaluation, it is clear that the economic blueprint unveiled by Atiku addresses national needs than Buhari’s economic plans,” he said.
Agbakoba also stressed the need for restructuring of the nation. “Vibrant fiscal, trade and monetary policies must be introduced to boost Nigeria’s economy,” he added.
But for Raymond Yinusa, a human right activist and public commentator, Abubakar’s policy plan is nothing but wasted priority and irrelevant to the ongoing problems facing the country. He argued: “If you know a little about economic growth and development, then you will understand that there’s no difference between Atiku’s ambiguous policy and that of Buhari’s empty-handed Blueprint.
“Let me help you a bit. Can you point one aspect in the said policy where Atiku indicates restructuring roadmap and solution to resource controls? Capital No! Did Atiku policy writer explain how they plan to raise money to fund the policy aside planning to sell off the national heritage to their cronies? Forget it! Atiku can never defeat Buhari with this unacceptable policy in the forthcoming presidential election.
“The current assertion that Atiku Abubakar’s administration will be selling off 90% of the NNPC is a wrong political calculation he should quickly recant out of the public before it becomes negative against his aspirations in the presence of the Nigerian masses. His government doesn’t need to sell off the NNPC before the corporation can work optimally. Atiku surely needs urgent help and real policy makers, if he ever plans to get the onlookers and sitting on fence votes,” he added.
On his part, Izedomi Ohirein a public commentator, said with 15million poor schools children to be fed daily by the Buhari administration if re-elected many would have been protected from the effects of extreme poverty.
Ohirein said with Buhari’s plans to give millions of Nigerian youth graduates training that will make them self-employed is a welcome development and also make them produce what would have been imported into the country and cause capital flight. “These are laudable jobs creations and poverty alleviation programmes the PDP could not start in their 16years in power,” he said.
With the same vehemence, Jossy, a businessman who does not want his other name in print, accused the president of insincerity. “Buhari to provide 15 million jobs in the next four years, how many did he and his government provide within this past almost four years? His campaign would have been much straight forward as he should be displaying all he did but unfortunately for him, he has nothing significant to show apart from tribal and religious massacres, the astronomical growth in poverty level, worsening exchange rate of the currency and exhibiting the worst style of fighting corruption by declaring all the APC chieftains free from corrupt practices,” he said.
According to him Abubakar’s plans look quite logical and expressed the hope that he will be able to deliver on them, using his experience as a successful businessman.
On Ezekwesili, Jossy said: “Our Oby is supposed to be the champion of all candidates judging from her background and all she has done in the past but one element might work against her, the North! Another factor is the party she is in because it is not popular and has a very little following, otherwise, her manifesto makes a lot of sense too.”
In any case, as the campaigns for the 2019 elections started, the United States, European Union and 23 other Western nations have called for transparent campaigns in the run up to the polls.
They also warned political and non-political actors against hate speech and violence, stressing that their concern was to see a process leading to free, fair, transparent and peaceful elections.
The group in a joint statement in Abuja, on Sunday, November 18, said they will follow the campaigns and monitor the election process closely.
Let us all hope and pray that all stakeholders in the forthcoming elections will be mindful of what is at stake for Nigeria should the election be mismanaged.
– Nov. 23, 2018 @ 17:47 GMT |
Tags: 2019: What Presidential Candidates are offering Nigerians
