‘We Thought Jonathan Was Bad’- Abuja Residents Can’t Wait For ‘Buhari Disaster’ To End

Residents of the Federal Capital Territory have expressed disappointment in the outgoing administration of President Muhammadu Buhari over his inability to improve the fortunes of Abuja.

 Those who spoke to THE WHISTLER said Buhari brought more economic hardship and insecurity to Nigerians, with the FCT witnessing spike in kidnappings.

 Bright Uchenna, a civil servant in one of the federal ministries said despite cutting costs with the implementation of the Treasury Single Account, the Buhari administration did little for Nigerians.

 He said, “Buhari’s regime was a disaster. He made so many promises and fulfilled none. He promised to remove the petrol subsidy but the subsidy was highest in his regime. He promised to improve security, but under his watch, their comrades released Kuje prisoners who are Boko Haram members. He promised to reduce forex (dollar) but the story of dollar is far more perplexing.

“He made so much money through TSA and did just a little. Inflation is on the highest rise and poverty reigns all over the country. His economic policy was the worst. He initiated the currency change that made Nigerians pay to get cash for their daily needs. In his regime, ASUU embarked on the longest strike in the history of universities. So many failures too numerous to mention. For me as a public servant, my salary can no longer take me home.

“Under this regime security in FCT was at the lowest. There were so many intelligence reports of attacks by terrorists on Abuja which led to the closure of Jabi Lake Mall and other high-risk areas. Personally, I will rate him 20/100,” he added.

Kazeem Adegoke, a butcher at the Dutse market lamented the high cost of housing in Abuja under the outgoing president.

 Adegoke, who resides in Kubwa phase 4, said things became tougher for Nigerians after Buhari’s victory in the presidential election.

 “Since Buhari came in 2015, things just went from bad to worse. We thought Jonathan was bad, but Buhari’s own overshadowed Jonathan’s problems. See house prices, for example, the cost of housing tripled under Buhari. Before if you are looking for a room and parlor in this Kubwa you can budget like three hundred thousand Naira, now it’s 700 upwards. Even the price of food keeps going up. So, while we were being impoverished, his loyal men were smiling to the bank,” he said.

 For Fauziyah Danladi, an FCT indigene, Buhari has done nothing to improve living conditions for FCT residents, especially indigenes. She said the administration had no positive impact on Abuja as infrastructure in the city has received no attention.

 “Look at the roads in some of the outskirts of the town, they are very bad. It’s not something that we should see in a federal capital. The economic system in Abuja diminished. Prices of foodstuffs, housing, and transportation increased more than 100% and insecurity worsened. Inflation ate deep into my savings and I guess for others as well. I downgraded to cope with the shocks created by the above factors. So, I cannot say Buhari’s govt has impacted me positively

“I only know of ongoing projects in FCT. Like the Wuye flyover, the Galadimawa-Area 1-Central area road. He may have done other things but these are what I know about and they have not been completed and he has done nothing for us the locals. So, he should pack his load and go. We are tired!” she said.

Elendu Chukwukwere, a boutique owner turned taxi driver told THE WHISTLER that the administration of President Buhari was the worst he had experienced.

 Chukwukwere, who spoke in pidgin said the FCT had recently witnessed a spike in kidnapping incidents. He said, “This Buhari government na error. Na big mistake we make for 2015 and na all of us suffer am. Things just cost anyhow, strikes and fuel scarcity join. This government na the worst wey I don experience.”

 He added, “Buhari no do anything for us wey even dey Abuja, we no feel his presence, insecurity for this Abuja start under Buhari, I Don dey Abuja since around 2009 during Yaradua time, we no dey too here kidnapping for this place wey be capital of the whole country, but under Buhari dey attack plenty places. Before I get big shop but I lost everything when they seized my goods, now see wetin I dey do”

On his part, Enyinnaya Chinwendu, an aid worker with a renowned NGO noted that what Buhari’s men say on television was the opposite of the life a common man experience in this present government.

“Buhari’s regime did not impact my life in any positive way, his government was zero. I look at the economic indices, I don’t care what Femi Adesina, Festus Keyamo, and all his guys say on Tv. I want to see what is the effect of all policies that they spoke positively about, has it affected the common man on the street?

“If they bring Festus Keyamo on TV, he will read out all the policies and good things about Buhari’s administration but when you go live on the street, you will see that whatever he says is completely the opposite.

 “For me there’s nothing, in fact, it is minus, as in there’s no single thing that is positive about Buhari’s government. In my eighteen years of stay in Abuja, Buhari’s regime is the worst I’ve experienced, and he did nothing in the FCT as far as I know. He’s a total disaster,” Chinwendu said.

 Blessing Godswill, a trader at Dutse market who has resided in FCT for twelve years, said the last 8 years have been his worst.

 He said, “The government of Buhari has impacted negatively on me. If you look at the previous administration, the price of commodities in the market was on average at least a monthly earner can restock foodstuff that can carry him/her till the end of the month.

 “But this present administration made life difficult because of the high rate of inflation, the price of commodities in the market shoots up.

 “The salary of an employee is not encouraging; things keep increasing in the market but salaries are not increased. I haven’t seen what Bihari has done in FCT, except for demolition everywhere.”

According to the National Bureau of Statistics ( NBS), Buhari met inflation rate of 8.7 percent in April 2015.

Eight years under Buhari’s administration, the data by NBS shows that inflation in April 2023 rose by 0.18 per cent compared to the 22.04 per cent recorded in March 2023 and it is the fourth consecutive month surge since the beginning of the year.

This is the highest inflation rate that the country would be recording in the last 17 years.