DEAR PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI

I would be right to say that you were elected because we got tired with lying and looting personnel in the realm of governance. Our country desperately needs an honest leader at that period. To the glory of God, we got you and our criticism of you should be to avoid the mistakes of GEJ days.  As much as we cannot afford a stray administration, we want you to know that we all know that change is not just a word, and it takes collective action. I would not join the bandwagon of those that assume that criticizing a shortcoming of your administration is an expression of regret for ever supporting you. Of course, we must do criticism but what our government needs as at now is criticism that is founded on intellectualism devoid of bigotry, hatred or ethnic sentiments.

Mr. President, I must say as a matter of obvious fact that you are not winning the war against corruption. We have heard various persons been arrested and money been recovered. If am not mistaken, money recovered and money returned willingly by indicted persons its to a tune of millions of dollars. The money with all due respect has had no single impact in our economy. I do not know if the money retrieved are been kept for another purpose or to be added to the little in our foreign reserve. Sir, it would be good if these monies are pumped into the economy. The monies could be used to run bigger part of the 2016 budget that is not working effectively well. I want to say again that the war against corruption which happens to be the focus priority of your administration would be better appreciated if it is brought down to the local levels. Mr. President, I must say that as at now in Nigeria, the rate at which young Nigerians drops out of school to do illegal things to make money is alarming. At first, we thought it would be reduced to the bearest level but sir, the corruption fight is not felt at this level at all. Education should be a priority of young Nigerians not the compulsory money must be made by all means attitude. If this government is truly working and winning the fight against corruption, we should not be having large numbers of our youths involving internet fraud, robbery and kidnapping.

Sir,  I am afraid of what tomorrow holds for this country especially the rate at which our youths are making it big illegally. I wonder if at the age of your retirement from office, what persons would you be seeing managing the affairs of the country. The various fraudsters that the anti corruption war did not catch up with? Please think about this sir. I must say that the security personnel and the financial institutions are also aiding young Nigerians in this regard. This is the bitter truth your Excellency. If truly you think you are winning the war, you are not anyway close to it sir.

Sir, I want to tell you that your Ministers are not performing to expectation at all. We all assumed that they would best fit into their various portfolios.

However, the reverse is the case. Sir, a change in your cabinet setting would not be a bad idea at all. It would rather be a blessing to Nigerians and to your esteem person as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I know that over time in the Nigeria Ministerial appointment is basically on the basis of compensation to political allies that have performed or under performed in their various political leadership settings. When these politicians that are Ministers do not give us the right qualities demanded from the various offices they held, I think the best thing to do is to reshuffle the cabinet. I remember the good days of Olusegun Obasanjo, he brought the then Mallam El-Rufai who changed the face of Abuja. He also brought in the likes of Ngozi Okonjo  Iweala, Madam Obiageli Ezekweseli and the host of others. I must point out categorically that these persons were not product of politics as at the time they were appointed by the then President. They were technocrats and professionals who have a mastery of their various disciplines. They indeed created an impact in Nigeria’s governance.

In fact, they were fantastic and Nigerians can testify to that. In essence sir, you need professionals that can handle the economy well. You would agree with me that Akinwunmi Adesina of the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration stood out as the best performing Minister. Adesina was a professional during his appointment and not a politician. He brought his skills and he changed the agriculture sector of the Nigerian economy. You need people like this. You don’t need persons that keep telling or reminding Nigerians that the last administration is the cause of their inefficiencies. That excuse is not tenable anywhere in the world. Some of the present crops of Ministers need to be relieved of their duty for the sake of reviving Nigeria. The needful must be done in this regard.

To wrap this up sir, I quickly want to address the issue of the sale of our National Assets. The only excuse that has been given for the sale of some of these assets is that your administration needs money to run the 2016 budget. Sir, I find this barbaric because this is barely four months to the end of 2016. As you can see that from the beginning of this year, we had no budget running the affairs of this country and Nigerians are surviving through the grace of God. This is not really the kind of change we voted for neither is it the one we wished for. It seems to me sir that some of your advisers do not understand the current economic issues. They are too quick to mix the reality and the fiction of their economic mindset together. Sir, how can the sale of our national assets address economic recession? Sale of our national assets can only address the issue of inefficiencies in the way we manage the performance of these assets and ultimately unlocking the value of these assets in the long run. The benefit of the sale will not come in the short-term. If by any means, the supposed cash flows and value that would be realized are already impaired by our current economic and political realities. Hence your Excellency, the sale of non performing national assets, not assets like NLNG, should be done when we have positive economic indicators and the right economic framework.

Your Excellency, I would be glad if you consider to do the needful on all issued raised. It is important and a matter of fact urgent. Don’t allow self centered people that are in your government destroy this country.  Where boasting ends, their dignity begins.

Thanks.

( is a Lawyer, United Nations Award winner, Africa International Arbitration Award winner, Coca cola/ The Nation Campuslife Award Winner, Promasidor Runner-up for the Best Future Writer in Nigeria, i-Hustle Campaign Initiative Ambassador and Editor Egba Youth Awards Foundation.

Email: [email protected]

@whytehabeeb‎