WHY THERE SHOULD BE NO NEED FOR #ISTANDWITHBUHARI

One of the reasons i stopped supporting former president Goodluck Jonathan was his pretence not to know what was going wrong around him and the way he allowed himself to be misled by sycophants and praise singers. At a time when Nigerians were going through different economic hardship, Okonjo Iweala brought all manner of her IMF elitist tactics and statistics to the point of rebasing our GDP and bestowed on us as the largest economy in Africa while many could not afford a day meal.

At first when Bokoharam was getting out of hand, many of his aides and associates made him believe it was a north thing or that it was devised to destabilize or Discredit his government. These sycophants, (many of which do this for their own selfish interests and pockets) will tell him that he is the best President Nigeria ever had, that people only envy him because he has achieved a lot and that's why they are fighting his government. They even pitched him against some individuals, groups and so on. Today the outcome is glaring even to the blind.

There was an advert on NTA where GEJ was compared with such greats as Lee Kuan Yew, Mandela, Obama, among others. That they did it and he will do it. That those behind him are more than those against him. I was particularly pissed off by that unnecessary advert, i usually switch to other stations whenever i stumble on it. How could anyone deceive the president in such manner even when it's glaring that things are going wrong. Well, the 2015 elections showed those behind him and against him.

The same scenario as noted above has almost started playing out through the #IStandWithBuhari# campaigners, Led by someone who wanted us to bring back Jonathan but since Jonathan was not brought back, he has realised he is about to fall, hence his wish to stand with Buhari not because of his so much love the president but because of his selfish interest.

I believe there's no need for #IStandWithBuhari and those around the President must shield him away from these leeching sycophants. The President must not toll the line of his predecessor, he must allow the common man to be his judge. He must come out with policies that will bring the people out of poverty, homelessness, unemployment, create a secure nation and an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

When there is progressive good governance, the populace themselves will feel it. They will know when there is no more fuel scarcity, good roads, electricity, reduction of prices of foodstuffs, change in governance and other indices that characterise a good government.

Why should there be need for IStandWithBuhari? Is Buhari about to fall or falling? Is he now stuck in one place that he can't walk anymore that we all have to stand with him? A government that is barely one year old and some political jobbers have started different sycophantic campaign for it. What for?

Please no one should deceive the President let us allow him to work and when the need arises for us to make an assessment of his government, we will do so in all good faith whether good or bad. For now lets not distract him.

What we should pray for is that by 2019 we will say #ThankYouBuhari

Princewill Chimereze.
@P_Chimereze
amadiprincewill1@gmail.com
Writer, Public Affairs Analyst and Social Commentator.

AN OPEN LETTER TO RIVERS STATE YOUTHS BEFORE THE 2016 RE-RUN ELECTIONS

RIVERS YOUTHS LET'S SHUN ELECTORAL VIOLENCE

My Fellow Rivers youths, elections are test of popularity and not test of guns and Machetes. In 48 hours time we will all file out to elect our representatives for different parliamentary positions in a rerun election.

My brothers and sisters let us not play into the hands of selfish and greedy politicians and those who does not wish Rivers State well. The violence, killings and bloodshed since the build up to the general elections in 2015 have been one too many, worrisome and has continued till this day.

Rivers youths, let us stand up for once and defend our state. Come Saturday, march 19, 2016 let us use our thumb to make a statement. Let us conduct ourselves peacefully before and after the elections and accept the outcome in good faith no matter our divide. This is not about APC or PDP but about Rivers state. Elections, politicians, political parties will come and go but Rivers state will remain.

Let us not buy into the nonsense that is been sold to us by those who are bent on destroying our State. They have deviced many tactics in this regard.
One of such nonsense is that what happened in Bayelsa will happen in Rivers State. Let us ask them what happened in Bayelsa? How many people from Ekiti, Osun, Kaduna, Katsina or Anambra died in Bayelsa State? That some politicians decided to kill their people because of power you want it to be replicated in Rivers State? Most of those who died in that election were Bayelsans. My brethren lets tell them we are wiser.
Another of such nonsense is APC is northern party while PDP is South South party. But today, who is the leader of PDP, what religion and who is the leader of APC and what religion? This same people who use this divisive ideas to divide us will jump to any of these political party they castigate so long it will favour them. Political parties are meant to be used in getting to political office and no one is meant for a particular region in a democracy. Lets be wise.

Some of this politicians that many of us fight for do not even care about us. If they do, they will tell their children to lead most of this onslaught against perceived political enemies. They will provide employment for us instead of giving us guns, Machetes, and incitement against one another.

If we must support any politician or party, let us do so like educated youths and people who believe in the development of the state. We can engage in intellectual debates, rallies and seminar on any issue not in killing of ourselves over some politicians that some of us are better than.

Rivers youths do not put your life on the line for any politician. Vote and shun violence.

God bless Nigeria
God bless Rivers State.
God bless Nigerian Youths

Princewill Chimereze
@P_Chimereze
amadiprincewill1@gmail.com
Writer, Public Affairs Analyst, Facilitator and Social Commentator.

NIGERIA'S PRESENT ECONOMIC PREDICAMENT AND THE NEED TO SAVE FOR THE FUTURE

Back in school, there's one of our lecturers that use to say, "Do not live the life you are suppose to live in ten years time now" there's a saying that do not live a life of champaign on beer income, one of my uncles then no matter how small always remains his food and when i enquired why? He said "You must always save for the rainy day".

The above assertions apply to Nigeria's present economic woes. What we are experiencing today is bad economic decision and policies by past administrations and leaders. There was a time when oil price sold above $100 per barrel, what did we do with the money, today it sells for a paltry $36 or there about. If we want skyscrapers to be built now with $30 daily income on oil barrel, then those who watched over while we sold it for $100 should refund us the excesses.

What do you expect when over the years and even till now, no one knows the actual take home of a senator in Nigeria including allowances. It is believed that a people numbering less than 200 share a great percentage of our annual budget. This is why when i see one man who says he is making common (NON)sense on TV i shake my head and just laugh. Till date he has not told Nigerians his take home as a senator or the pay cheque of an average Senator.

We were all here when a man opened our treasury and began to share money meant to fight crime among his cronies and you think there's no consequences for that? During the 2015 Presidential elections, i saw dollars everywhere. I wondered then if it has become our legal tender. Today the Naira is now shy whenever it sees the dollars. How can you go about spending dollars in a Naira economy and think the Naira won't be weakened?

Over the years we have based our political choice on ethnicity, religion and party. Hence our various bad leaders. Today what do we get? A leader enriches people from his region to the detriment of the Nation. If those who have been at the corridors of power have structured or restructured the country on strong economic, judicial, legislative, social institutions among others, we wouldn't have been this polarised as a nation today and faced with this myriads of problems as if we just gained Independence. A situation where some group of unpatriotic business men hold a nation to ransoms in the name of subsidy, or importation of various goods. This importers see themselves as demi gods and even sabotage Government efforts. When people take delight in suffering fellow citizens knowing they would blame government.

It is so saddening that a man told us he had no shoe before going into an office. But when he got there, he forgot all those who also had no shoes like him rather he bought more shoes for those who already have. That is why today many of us including me still walk bare footed. If he had bought us shoes, would they all have been bad this early that he left office that we still walk about barefooted?

Every day, we hear diversification. Previous administrations told us they have diversified and that agriculture has been boosted. Today the prices of foodstuffs that are locally made have skyrocketed including banned imported ones. If we have improved agriculture as we were told, why are we suffering just now they left. Where are the agricultural products?

We were told they built power plants that power have been privatised and electricity have improved. But today we hardly see light and when we do, it does not last and my friends say it has epilepsy. If power had been improved by past administrations, we would not have had it this bad even in the worst economic condition. Or is power also affected by dollar rise?

What we face today, is a lesson to us, not only to government but to everyone. When there's is surplus, a time will come when there might be nothing or reduced. In whatever we do, we must save for the rainy day. Today we suffer the consequences of our bad decisions. Many want a quick fix to a problem that took years to materialize. Is that possible?

Before we cry we must be Objective. This writer knows many who does not have a job today, but they still did not have six years ago. But they blame this Government more. And you begin to wonder. In those six years, they depended on crumbs from top politicians and forgot they needed a job and today those politicians no longer participate in yam and cow sharing, and as such no more crumbs for them.

If past government have done their job with the masses at heart and the love for humanity, maybe we wouldn't have been this impoverished or hit by this recent economic macabre dance.

Next time when have surplus, let us remember to save, or encourage those who manage our resources to do so.

We would love to hear from you, have you saved for the rainy day? Use the comments box. Critics are welcomed.

Princewill Chimereze
Writer, Public Affairs Analyst, Facilitator and Social Commentator.
@P_Chimereze

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