The National Coordinator, No Alternative to Tinubu 2023, Vincent Uba, has advised Nigerians to take into cognisance global happenings while reacting to issues and problems confronting Nigeria.
Uba gave the advice in his “ Open Letter to Nigerian Youths’’ made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
He urged the youth not to restrict their judgements or carelessly act by what they hear, but what they see in a rational and wise manner.
Uba said that he was concerned about the current situations in the country, regarding economic and security challenges, as a businessman, who is also negatively affected.
He, however, said that he had followed the trend in Nigeria since 1979 till date, adding that he was yet to see a government, be it military or civilian, that had not been out rightly condemned by Nigerians.
He said there had always been complaints of one national problem or the other, ranging from economic, security, religious, corruption and the like.
“We have also been witnessing the same lamentations and in each case, there have been clamour for change of government.
“Much as I agree that some of the administrations mentioned above performed below expectations, some were erroneously and unfairly condemned.
“As a troubled and concerned citizen, I have been under serious thought as to why this has always been the case.
“In my reasoning, I identified key factors responsible for these consistent condemnations, which I have categorised into four.
“They are the mindset of Nigerians, illiteracy, restriction of viewpoints to the Nigerian shores and disobedience to God’s commandments, with respect to responsibilities to our leaders,’’ Uba said.
Uba decried a situation where some Nigerians had wrong mindset or follow bandwagon in analysing happening around them.
“We have witnessed incessant condemnations and complaints against President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to the extent that there is the usual clamour for change of government, with some people surprisingly and ironically asking for the return of PDP government.
“Why condemn a government that not only inherited an impoverished economy, but under which the unfortunate oil glut occurred?’’
Uba also wondered why blame a government managing the country and trying to steer it out of COVID-19 pandemic and its effects, Russian/Ukraine war erupted, with negative effects on the world economy.
These according to him, was also affecting the United States of America and European economy directly and other countries’ economy.
“There is no country in the world that is not currently in distress as Nigeria is, courtesy of these three global crisis of oil glut of 2015, COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia/Ukraine war.
“The almighty United States of America and most European countries are currently in recession. The citizens of these countries rather than blame or condemn their governments, support and rally round them at this hard time.’’
He wondered Nigerians reaction to Buhari, who he described as a corrupt free man.
Uba added that in spite the scarce resources occasioned by the three global crises mentioned above, Buhari has provided Nigeria with vital infrastructure such several kilometres of roads, railways and housing.
“There are various federal constituency projects spread across the communities in the country, diversified economy through the provision of financial incentives to agriculture and the dogged fight against corruption.’’
Uba said that Nigerians should appreciate God for enthroning Buhari as the president, who since his inception, has not meddled with any election in the country, unlike his predecessors.
He said that rather Buhari was bequeathing to Nigerians a sound electoral system that provides that everyone’s vote counts, which all Nigerians would be proud of.
“I am not saying that this government of President Buhari is infallible. I am not saying that President Buhari is a saint, for nobody is. I am not, you are not.
“What I am saying in comparative terms is that this president and this government has outperformed the previous presidents and governments, taking into cognisance what was on the ground at inception and the unforseen global occurrences since then.
Do not forget the excruciating pains Nigerians used to undergo queuing daily at the petrol stations to buy fuel. But now, that is in the past. Remember that the South-South and South-East regions, for several years, were crying and yearning for the second Niger bridge.
He said that in spite of the meagre financial resources available, Buhari’s led government embarked on the construction of Niger bridge, which he said would be commissioned before end of his administration.
Uba said that in the area of security and insurgency, Buhari had reduced the activities of Boko Haram, without any community in their hands.
He said while Nigerians had it so bad, no country of the world was better off either.
“Just because we have not had it so bad globally from 2015 till date, we must not throw our education to winds by being quick in condemning, blaming and unfairly judging this government.
“ Rather we should apply the basic knowledge and principles gained from our education to understand the reasons for the hardships and so, enlighten the uneducated.’’
He added that“one thing I know as a certainty is that posterity will remember this president and his government under whom the country has been held together, despite the senseless and ungodly agitations for cessation.
“It will sure be referred to as one of the best administrations in the history of Nigeria.(NAN)
