On January 22, 2016, I tweeted a joke which went viral. I had said that at meetings of the Federal Executive Council, the minister of information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, would address members and say 'turn to your neighbour and say, neighbour have you blamed Jonathan today'!
Yes, it was a joke, but like most good jokes, it had and still has a basis in reality!


The President and his ministers appear ill prepared for office and the evidence of this is their inability to take responsibility for the situation of things in Nigeria.


Was it not John Burroughs who said "a man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame somebody else"?


Those words should be embossed on a plaque and placed in a very prominent location at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa.


Seeing this admonition weekly may help members of the Federal Executive Council take responsibility and stop acting the victim.


For example, Nigerians were shocked when the minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said in December of 2015 that the Jonathan administration, which had left office six months ago, was responsible for the biting fuel scarcity the nation was and still is grappling with.


That statement by Mr. Lai Mohammed is a classic case of psychological projection (a psychological disorder characterized by a patient defending himself against his own unpleasant realities by denying the existence of the reality while at the same time blaming another for it).


And it gets worse. It is bad enough that this administration refuses to take responsibility for its own failures, it also wants to take credit for the success of others.


In a treatise bothering on megalomania, the publicity and communications team of President Buhari's office claimed the implementation of the Treasury Single Account (AKA TSA) as the major achievement of the first 365 days of the Buhari administration.


But for a government that prides itself on anti-corruption, that statement, fraudulent as it is, is dishonest and 'fantastically corrupt'!


First of all, the Treasury Single Account WAS NOT an idea of the Buhari administration and secondly the present government DID NOT initiate its implementation.


The TSA was conceived by the Jonathan administration and there was to be a staggered implementation because from an expert point of view, it was thought that if all Federal Government funds were suddenly pulled out of the commercial banking sector in one fell swoop, the shock on that sector would be so immense that it would trigger job losses and perhaps bank failures. It was thought that a gradual implementation would allow banks recover such that the baby would not be thrown out with the bath water.


Enter the Buhari administration which, in a hurry to claim credit, did not tread with caution, but in one fell swoop forcefully withdrew all Federal Government funds with the threat of sanctions to non compliant banks.


Rather than claim this as an achievement, this administration should chalk this one up as a big failure because in their rush to implement something that should have been gradual they have unleashed an unintended consequence on the banking sector such that Nigerian banks over the last year have shed something like 50,000 jobs.




As a matter of fact, the pro-Buhari Leadership Newspaper had as a major headline on September 12, 2015, 'Banks Begin Massive Sack Over Treasury Single Account'!


Yet, even as the reality of their rushed action stares them in the face, a Presidential spokesman has the nerve to accuse former President Jonathan of lacking the will to implement the TSA!


And the excuses continue! In order to explain away its lackluster performance, various ministers and mouthpieces of the current administration have been touring media houses blaming the precarious state of the economy on the refusal of the Jonathan administration to save for the rainy day when crude oil prices were high.


In fact, President Buhari himself said "In the First Republic, more enduring infrastructure was built with meager resources. But in the past 16 years, we made a lot of money without planning for the rainy day.”


But even as this administration is set on revising history, it should not be forgotten so soon that the Jonathan administration met about $6.5 billion in the Excess Crude Account, ECA, and increased it to almost $9 billion by 2012. However, the Nigerian Governors Forum, using their influence at the House of Representatives, had gotten that August body to declare the Excess Crude Account illegal in 2012.


So excruciating was the pressure from the NGF and most notably from then then Rivers state Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, for the Jonathan administration to end the Excess Crude Account and the Sovereign Wealth Fund and instead share the funds in those accounts amongst the three tiers of government that they approached the Supreme Court, to challenge the legality of the Excess Crude Account and Jonathan's decision to transfer $1 billion from that account to the Sovereign Wealth Fund.


Working in tandem with Amaechi and his supporters in the NGF, the then minority APC members of the House of Representatives approached a Federal High Court on the 7th of February, 2014, for a perpetual injunction restraining the Jonathan administration from operating the ECA and to pay all the proceeds of that account into the Federation Account for sharing amongst the three tiers of government.


So it is quite clear that President Buhari made the accusation he made on April 4th, 2016 without cross checking the facts or consulting history. If the President is not happy that more funds were not saved in the Excess Crude Account, he should call a Federal Executive Council meeting and ask members to get up and point accusing fingers at his ministers of transport and Power, Works and Housing.


In the last 365 days, the most consistent thing that has emanated from the Federal Executive Council is blames, excuses, finger pointing and a refusal to accept responsibility.


As at last count, the President and his ministers have excused their inability to stem the economic tide, fully defeat Boko Haram, provide jobs for Nigerians, maintain the availability of petrol, fix roads and improve power on the previous administration.


The funniest thing is that just as the media team of the Buhari led Presidency was reeling out its achievement in office on its first anniversary, two state governors were also doing the same thing.


The shocking thing however is that if you get the list of achievements released by Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike and Lagos state Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, and compare them with what has been released by the Presidency, the shocking verdict is that in terms of tangible achievements, like roads built and houses constructed and public infrastructure, both of these states have individually outperformed the Federal Government!


Do not take my word for it. Google their released anniversary documents and compare and contrast them by yourself. Ignore such silly and intangible achievements included in the Presidential list like 'motivated the military' and 'no more road blocks and curfews' (believe me, the President's team listed these as his achievements!) and focus on tangibles like roads constructed or hospitals built etc and it becomes clear to even the most brainwashed Buhari supporter that both Lagos and Rivers individually beat the Federal Government hands down.


Both Wike and Ambode took over from predecessors that did not really support them and who left huge debts and a high monthly wage bill, yet despite these seeming obstacles, both of them have proven the adage true that you will either find a way or you will find an excuse.


And for those who are saying that it is not realistic to expect a new government to achieve much, let me remind them that in his first year in office, former President Jonathan did not deliver excuses or blames.


In fact in his first year, former President Jonathan revived the Nigerian Railway Corporation and for the first time in decades the Lagos to Kano rail services commenced in 2012 at a cost of ₦1500. He also built nine new universities including the only federal university in Katsina state where President Buhari hails from. Inflation reduced from 10.2% to 9.4% in his first year and remained at single digits throughout his tenure. Average Life Expectancy increased from 47 years to 52 years (according to the UN). In the same period he also launched the NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X satellites to expand Internet Bandwidth and provide early warning to prevent natural disasters as well established the Automotive Development Fund amongst others.


Many Nigerians must be wondering that if the Jonathan administration was as bad as the Buhari government says it is, then how come he had to leave office before they started experiencing double digit inflation, negative economic growth rate and 'budget padding'?


In conclusion, the word 'execute' means to carry out or put into effect something. When you have a body of men and women who are not carrying out anything, it is hard to see how you can honestly call them a Federal Executive Council. What are they executing? Put it this way, are you an executive if all you do is execute excuses?

https://newsfilz..com.ng/2016/05/president-buharis-federal-excuses.html?m=0

That's all!

Reno has accessed the present adminisration fairly.

I am yet to see a good politician in Nigeria.

Really federal excuse council

Bombshell. Lagos and Rivers States outperformed the Federal Government individually. They all inherited debts just like the Federal Government, but the Governors didn't allow their heads enter the river. They proved that they were prepared for the positions given to them. I believe the Federal Government will borrow a clue from them.

[quote author=Stanlel post=46098337
this administration refuses to take responsibility for its own failures, it also wants to take credit for the success of others.
[/quote]

This aptly describes this present administration.
Meanwhile,I was disgusted to see the list of things listed by buhari as his achievements in one year. Intangibles like meetings attended abroad and resolutions passed at such meetings. Resoultions which would have still been passed with or without his attendance. I saw in that speech a compilation by a retinue of aids frantically searching for what to sell to the nation.
Also,like I keep saying,if buhari wants to know what the pdp did with the resources of 16years,he should just call a meeting of his FEC. 16 of his ministers served as PDP office holders. They should be able to tell him.
Finally,I wish people(and I mean buhari fans) can read this Reno's write up objectively without attack on the messenger. They will appreciate the truthfulness in it

A MAN CAN FAIL MANY TIMES BUT HE ISN'T A FAILURE UNTIL HE BEGINS TO BLAME SOMEBODY ELSE.



Honestly, this administration need to paste this WORDS ON THE MABLE where it can continually be seen to serve as continual reminder to them in order for them to wake up to the tasks they are elected into office for.

Reno Reno Reno how many times did I call u fa
Walahi u are kwarupt fa Magu seal with him fast

Watch as some individuals will avoi this thread like a plague nice assessment reno

Pfft

otukpo:
Reno has accessed the present adminisration fairly.

benue girl is on point

I was disappointed not getting to see the list of people who stole from Nigeria and now they say they would release the loots but wouldn't mention the names, of what use is that to me?

Sometimes I wonder how GEJ, with the amount of corruption Buhari an His Federal Excuses Council are forcing down our throats, was able to rule successfully without causing sufferings on the innocent masses.

Now we're comparing GEJ's first year to Buhari's first year, compared to the available things on ground GEJ achieved, it's a shame that the one fight against corruption Buhari has been preaching since he assumed office, we have not seen any effect, even common list he promised us since, we didn't get any.

Sincerely I thought Buhari was going to do way better, but it seems I thought wrong.

He's just successfully increasing his list of failed promises daily.

O my God, this is what real governance is all about.

But some people will still come and blame GEJ for not saving when oil was high not knowing that it is there ministers that restricted him from saving.

Another thing is that the useless PDP will not see reno as a very good candidate to be appointed as there media chief or what so ever position that lai Mohammed occupied in APC.


Reno a writer or what? I like the way he writes , pls who knows his website or blog?

Hmmm

Can this man stand a debate on this?? Don't come here and decive Nigerians who u know the truth

Now I know whamy northern politicians don't want to educate there people

I blame the government also for not briefing the population in a step by step manner, while no one expected Nigerians to be this easily decived

Thus y I don't believe in God, if he exits at least he should have spoken to a pastor and explained the truth to him, maybe then Nigerians will understand
If am Buhari I will resign and hand over back to Jonathan, what rubbish,
Someone was killing u and someone want to get the poison out of u and u are saying rubbish

[size=28pt]GBAM!!![/size]

This is the best article av read for this past week.

mrvitalis:
Can this man stand a debate on this?? Don't come here and decive Nigerians who u know the truth

Now I know whamy northern politicians don't want to educate there people

I blame the government also for not briefing the population in a step by step manner, while no one expected Nigerians to be this easily decived

Thus y I don't believe in God, if he exits at least he should have spoken to a pastor and explained the truth to him, maybe then Nigerians will understand
If am Buhari I will resign and hand over back to Jonathan, what rubbish,
Someone was killing u and someone want to get the poison out of u and u are saying rubbish

Please if u av anyway of conveying that message that he shoud resign, please do. 70% of Nigerians will be happy if he does.

God bless you.

This is exactly what i've been saying

No lobg talk...

Quite apt!

Pavarottii:

Please if u av anyway of conveying that message that he shoud resign, please do. 70% of Nigerians will be happy if he does.

God bless you.

And in the next 20 years u will regret being happy, we are just too short sighted that's the problem with Nigerians

mrvitalis:

If am Buhari I will resign and hand over back to Jonathan, what rubbish,

Please,if you can pass this message to buhari and persuade him to step down,we will ensure that a national honour(mfr,mon,con etc) will be conferred on you

Reno, can i invite you to my website ?

mrvitalis:

And in the next 20 years u will regret being happy, we are just too short sighted that's the problem with Nigerians

Please just pass d message. I was in dis country b4 buhari became president and am here again 1year after he became president. The diff is clear like 7UP!

Thanks.

Pavarottii:

Please just pass d message. I was in dis country b4 buhari became president and am here again 1year after he became president. The diff is clear like 7UP!

Thanks.

Ooh u are not even in the country
Nigerians and there short sightedness

mrvitalis:

Ooh u are not even in the country
Nigerians and there short sightedness

I am dis country, not gone anywhere. I work in Nigeria.

If only beat had been so eloquent when his drunken master was in power.

Buhari is deaf, and will not listen.

You promised your girlfriend that you'd give her multiple orgasm during Sex.

Shortly into your first round, you start sweating and panting profusely and she looks disappointed at you.

So you start to blame her past boyfriend.

That's the story of APC with Nigerians.



NEIGHBOUR HAVE YOU BLAMED JONATHAN TODAY??