Buhari ‘too slow’: Washington Times

As Nigerians wait with bated breath for the “Change” that President Buhari promised during the electioneering season, a special report by The Washington Times in the United States of America, has dubbed President Buhari as too slow.The report filed in by Ali Abare Abubakar from Abuja, special to The Washington Times took the pulse of Nigerians, Buhari supporter, media etc., on their impression of the president’s performance in the last six months of the administration.The respondents in the report expressed disappointment with the president for not charting a clear economic policy for the nation which has caused a slur in economic activities around the country.The president recently constituted his cabinet after six months in office.“I think he’s too slow,” said Innocent Lagi, a Buhari ally and former attorney general of Nasarawa State in central Nigeria. “He must have underestimated the problems of the country.”“The change was only in the new leadership,” said Mr. Lagi to The Washington Times. “The courts, legislature and other institutions like the army, police, etc., have not changed. The president has no powers to fight corruption; the institutions do. He can’t take a corrupt person to court. He can’t arrest a corrupt person. The reality is that the country hasn’t moved forward.”The report also quoted one of Nigeria’s influential newspapers, The Guardian, of slamming the president for always putting forward excuses instead of producing results in its recent editorial.“Instead of whining and seemingly ruing why he chose to lead at this time, the president should consider the dire situation of the economy as an opportunity to demonstrate that Nigerians did not make a mistake by giving him the job he sought for 12 years.”The paper continued, “All the citizens want is for him to translate his plethora of sweet promises into policies and programs that would improve their lot. All that Nigerians need now is his performance and not excuses.” Hajiya Hafsat Musa, who runs a small clothing shop in Mararaba, told the Washington Times that: “My customers no longer patronize me.”“Some of them have not been paid for months. The way the economy runs, if there are no ministers, everything is grounded.”The report also captured the lamentation of the Nigerian Labour Congress that about 60,000 Nigerians have lost their jobs in recent months because of a drop in government spending on infrastructure. “It has become critical. We are still lacking answers,” said Congress President Amechi Asugwuni to the Washington Times. “We have not seen the plan for infrastructure.”Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the new Minister of Information, however disagreed with critics: “He’s not slow.”“The government is focused; it is methodological. People will say this government does not have ministers, but we are saying this government wants people with proven track records of competence and integrity.”Read the full repot here.