Permit me to take a cursory but holistic look at the administrations of former Presidents Olusegun Matthew Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar'adua, Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan, and incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, whose administration is ongoing.

[size=13pt]PRESIDENT OLUSEGUN AREMU OBANSANJO (1999-2007)[/size]
When Chief Obasanjo was sworn in on May 29, 1999 as the President of Nigeria after his February 27 (1999) triumph at the polls, Nigerians were expectant of better things ahead. He came, met huge debt of about $35billion (year 2000 figure), with Paris Club Consortium being our biggest creditor with $30 billion payable to them (There was actually nothing to show on ground to justify the ridiculous debt); Our External Reserve was a paltry $3.7 billion, with the country in need of progress, institutions, industries, and need to fight corruption.

President Olusegun Obasanjo almost immediately admitted that Nigeria cannot sustain the huge debt and still move forward, he had a high powered economic team led by Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, who doubled as his Finance Minister, to seek for debt relief particularly from our biggest creditors, Paris Club. The effort paid off in 2005 when Paris club announced that they have forgiven Nigeria of $18 billion out of the $30 billion we owed them. As at May 29, 2007, Obasanjo left a Nigeria with external debt of almost zero. Our total debt was $3.348 billion, which included debts incured by the 36 states of the federation http://www.financialnigeria.com/development/developmentreport_category_item_detail.aspx?categoryid=5&item=174

In 2004, President Obasanjo created an account to save excess crude revenue accrued to the country, called Excess Crude Account. The idea behind the ECA is to save for the rainy day. For those that may not understand, the ECA works with the set oil benchmark for each fiscal year. If the Budget (Appropriation Act) for a given fiscal year set Oil benchmark at $50 per barrel and oil is sold at $60 per barrel, the extra $10 earning will be paid into the Excess Crude Account(of Extra Crude Account according to Prof Tamuno David West). According to Madam Oby Ezekwesili, "its primary purpose was to protect the budget against shortfalls and insulate the economy from shocks resulting from volatility in crude oil prices".The Account was $0 as at time of creation in 2004, but rose to $22 billion in December 2007 ($9.8b earned between 2004 and 2006, and $12.3 billion earned in 2007 alone)http://standardtimespress.org/?p=3362.

In fact, the 36 Governors under the Nigeria Governor's Forum had insisted that the ECA be shared, and even went to court. Obasanjo administration was not moved.

In the area of External Reserve, the Obasnjo government performed extremely well by taking our reserve for meager $3.7 billion to a whopping $45 billion.

All these he achieved when oil price was $30(as at 2003) and it was at $90 when he left. He was faced with militancy in the Niger Delta region, and some pockets of crises across the nation.

He created anti-corruption institutions such as EFCC and ICPC, which recorded relative success, as well as indicted powerful government officials including a former Senate President Adolphus Wabara, former minister Fabian Osuji, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Governors, LGA Chairmen etc.

Obansanjo deregulated telecommunication sector, under his administration banking sector boomed as Banks were recapitalised, he unsuccessfully made attempt to deregulate petroleum sector(was resisted), as well as selling the Refineries to private individuals-which was reversed by his successor.

Most importantly, Obasanjo government successfully FOUGHT the scourge of adulterated drugs by strengthening NAFDAC through the former DG and Amazon Prof Dora Akunyili of blessed memory.

DEMERIT
Despite the good deeds of President Olusegun Obasanjo, he had lots of flaws. His government deliberately refused to strengthen the political environment. He disobeyed court order at will especially the Supreme Court order that instructed him to release allocations belonging to the 20 LGAs of lagos state, which he seized due to political disagreement with Lagos state government under Bola Tinubu. http://www.nigerianmuse.com/important_documents/?u=Obasanjo_lawless_unconstitutional_over_LG_funds.htm

The government promoted illegality by backing the illegal removal of Governors that he wasn't favorable to. Among them were Chief Rasheed Ladoja(Oyo state) who was impeached in a hotel by 18 members of OYSHA instead of minimum 22 as required by the law; Joshua Driye(Plateau state), who was impeached by 5 out of 24 members of PSHA, Mr Peter Obi(Anambra), who was illegally impeached within SEVEN MONTHS of winning his mandate in Supreme Court. The Court reversed all aforementioned impeachment.

Obasanjo also dignified godfatherism and exalted godfathers including late Pa Lamidi Adedibu of Amala Politics in Oyo state, Olusola Saraki(Kwara) and Anthony Aninih(Edo) state. Under President Obasanjo, election was neither free nor fair as there was political thuggery, ballot box snatching, electoral fraud of various kind including open fraud perpetrated by INEC in 2003 and 2007 General elections. Political democracy within PDP was lost as the will of Baba must stand.

Most painful is the fact that Chief Obasanjo refused to fixed power even after spending a whopping $16 billion. I recall the former minister of state for power Chief Liyel Imoke once said Nigerians should not expect constant power for the next FIFTY YEARS.

[size=13pt]PRESIDENT UMARU MUSA YAR'ADUA (2007-2009)[/size]
When the Katsina born Yar'adua was elected, he came with "people" policy and crave in to labour demands by reversing the Kaduna and Warri refineries sales, the Egbin Power Plant sale, and reverted price of petrol to N65 per liter(reversing the deregulation moves of Obasanjo).

Yar'adua came with respect for the rule of law, he initiated the PIB bill and sent to NASS, he forwarded the Freedom of Information Bill that was declined by Obasanjo and pledged to work for it if passed(BTW Obasanjo's decision to veto was simply that the bill be named Right to Information instead of Freedom of Information), he commenced electoral reform process, paid Lagos state government under Raji Fashola the seized LG allocation held by his predecessor.

A total External Debt of $3.48 billion (36 states and FG) as at 2007 was left at $3.94 billion Dollars at the end of 2009(when he fell sick in incommunicado).http://www.dmo.gov.ng/oci/News/docs/Fact%20on%20%20Nigeria%20External%20Debt%20Stock.pdf

He "increased" External Reserve from $45billion to $47 billion in 2009 http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/03/state-of-nigerias-external-reserves-worrisome-cipm-president/#sthash.cXXdNcoU.dpuf. It was $65billion as at September 2008. Please note that The reserve grew when the price of Crude Oil was $147 per barrel, It Slided in Mid 2008 during the recession, when the crude price fell to $35 per barrel in 2009. http://www.nigerianmuse.com/20090102021223zg/nigeria-watch/nigeria-s-foreign-reserves-dip-to-52-7-billion/.

However, Umaru Yar'adua conceded to the governors and started the SHARING of ECA. The ECA was first depleted from $22billion in 2007 to $20.34 billion By end December 2008, and $6.54 billion by end of 2009 when Yar'adua went ill (CBN Annual Reports for 2008 and 2009) despite the fact that Oil price sold at $147 per barrel in 2008. Yar'adua never considered the future by taking such decision.

Also Yar'adua reversed the anti-corruption gains by Obasanjo when he unceremoneously removed the celebrated former anti-corruption czar Mallam Nuhu Ribadu from his position as EFCC Chairman due to the demand of indicted(now convicted) former Delta state Governor James Ibori, he replaced Ribadu with Ibori's nomineed Mrs Farida Waziri. He refused to take serious the prosecution of all former Governors indicted by EFCC and also openly rigged the Ekiti rerun Governorship election in favor of his Party's candidate Segun Oni(a decision the court reversed).

Yar'adua introduced Amnesty programs for militants in the Niger Delta region which ushered relative peace and increased oil output, he created the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to pacify agitating Niger Deltans, and initiated the PIB bill. He fought Boko Haram to standstill when they first raised their ugly head in Maiduguri and under him there was relative peace.

However, the country was very stagnant under his watch, and earned himself the title Baba Go Slow.

[size=13pt]DR GOODLUCK EBELEMI JONATHAN (2010-2015)[/size]
Nigeria was on a standstill when Yar'adua fell ill and was rushed to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in late 2009. VP Goodluck Jonathan though was expected to "oversee" the administration, he was not upgraded to the status of Acting President. Nigerians led by Save Nigeria Group protested, and the former VP became Acting President in February 2010.

He inherited an ECA of $6.5 billion but by August 2010, the ECA was shared between the Jonathan government and Bukola Saraki led Governors Forum, and massively depleted to a meager $460million, depleting the ECA by over $5billion(it paid $1billion into Sovereign Wealth Fund Account) with nothing to show for it despite earning so much in oil sales tjat sold at $90 per barrel in 2010. www.vanguardngr.com/2010/08/fg-draws-down-3bn-from-excess-crude-account/

When Ngozi Iwaela came to the government in 2011, she made case for the ECA but grew it back to $9billion in 2012 from the meagre $450 million she met it. www.cp-africa.com/2012/12/03/nigerias-excess-crude-account-eca-more-than-doubles-in-one-year-as-it-rises-to-about-9-billion/ . However, Jonathan administration and the Governors led by Rotimi Amaechi continued to SHARE the money. Between 2011 and 2014 alone, a total of N6.21 TRILLION was shared FROM ECA ALONE. According to a report by the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Federal Government’s share from the ECA during the period of 2011 to 2014 was N3.29 trillion while the 36 states received a total of N2.92 trillion. They received N966.6 billion in 2011, N816.3 billion in 2012, N859.4 billion in 2013 and N282.8 in 2014.
www.vanguardngr.com/2015/05/fg-states-shared-n6-21trn-from-excess-crude-account-in-four-years/. The government left an ECA of $2.2 billion as at May 2015. As at May 2015, Debt rose to $63billion(FG and States) with Jonathan's government accumulating $21.8 billion ALONE ($18.1 billion local debt and $3.7 billion external debt)http://www.persecondnews.com/index.php/psn-news/item/3643-total-nigeria-s-debt-soars-to-63bn-okonjo-iweala-jonathan-incurred-21b-of-national-debts . Meanwhile, Oil sale was between $100 and $110 dollar per barrel between 2010 and 2014.

Insecurity was at the zenith with Boko Haram terrorists bouncing back to kill over 15,000, displacing millions and seizing LGAs.

Under the administration, corruption became institutionalized with sluggishness of anticorruption agencies such as EFCC and ICPC. The ongoing arms-gate probe also serve as a further indictment on the administration. Within one year, fuel subsidy shoot from N600 billion to N2 trillion(2010 and 2011 respectively).

The government achieved relative success in the Agricultural sector, road construction, and other infrastructures including citing of Federal Universities in all states.

In the political terrain, there was improvement in the electoral process, elections were fairly free, INEC was allowed to operate according to their mandate, and the former President did not interfere in the electoral process even in defeat. He signed the Freedom of Information bill into law. But the 2014 invation of the Federeal House of Representative by the police was a dent on the image of the government.

[size=13pt]PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI(INCUMBENT)
[/size]On March 28, 2015, the Daura born General made history as he defeated the then incumbent Dr Goodluck Jonathan in the Presidential election of that year. On May 29, 2015, the President was sworn-in amid cheers and expectation.

Though Nigeria was faced with tough environment when he assumed Power, the President didn't consider it wise to constitute a cabinet or Economic team. The government relied on the body language of Mr President(or body odour). For six months, the country was without cabinet nor economic team. Even when cabinet was announced, it was below so many people's expectation as many wanted fresh faces other than recycled men of yesteryears.

The government though earlier showed political will to fight corruption and recover stolen funds, but it later became clear that the government was not interested in anti-corruption fight. The Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Tukur Buratai's Dubai revelation came, the President refused to institute probe(taking after his predecessor who shielded former Interior Minister Abba Moro, Petroleum Minister Alison Madueke and Aviation Minister Stella Odua). The revelation of padded budget though earned the former DG of Budget office sack, nothing else was done. The Presidency is even shielding the Speaker of House of Representative, Hon Yakubu Dogara on his accusation of padding by former House Appropriation Boss Hon Jubril. Even the President himself has refused to make public his asset as filed before Code of Conduct Bureau, telling whoever cares to listen to go to the Bureau and make demand, when he knows that the law doesn't permit the Bureau to release people's declaration.

The government to their credit tackled Boko Haram insurgency head-on, overcoming initial failure and dealt with the terrorists. It however looked the other way when terrorists masqurading as herdsmen went about killing people in the most gruesome manner in the Southern and Middle Beltan parts of the country.

While the country is in need of investment, lots of foreign organisation are closing moving out, local organisations are closing shops, while some others are downsizing. Unemployment is on the High, poverty rate is increasing, inflation is high, and the country's growth is in the negative at -2%. Instead of the government to face their jobs, they always take every platform to trade blame game(Not saying the former government was faultless, but Nigerians want solution not someone repeating their problems to them). Though Oil Price is not what it was in 2008-2014, I don't see it as excuse that much considering that under Obasanjo oil price was low at some point. Beside, Oil price has been on the increase for few months now.

Sadly, the country's political space is experiencing a trend of Election Inconclusiveness, while the electoral body(INEC) is short of the prerequisite personnel.

Unfortunately, the government is accused of nepotism in appointment of officers, and the President himself declaring a 97% and 5% political sharing formular.

Furthermore, the government is faced with a combination of pro-secession demand in the Southeast and a renewed insurgency in parts of Southsouth, which have led to loss of lives, resources, and suffering of the environment.

For the fact that the government is still a work-in-progress, I will refrain from commenting on the debts and reserves(till the end of the administration). However, Nigerians are suffering. Naira is experiencing a sad fall and it needs to be addressed before the country slips into hyperinflation.

WHOSE ADMINISTRATION IS/WAS BETTER/WORST?
I leave that to esteemed readers including those within my palmchat, facebook, twitter and other social media circle.




May God Bless Us All and Bless Nigeria
PUBLISHED IN http://swiftreporters.com/appreciating-the-administrations-of-obasanjo-yaradua-jonathan-and-buhari/

hmmm

looking for cheap popularity

True democracy ended with GEJ

abokibuhari:
looking for cheap popularity

I assume you are a troll, please allow space for intellectual contribution.

Tonye make i read your article,specifically the one wey concern buhari brb.

I can bet my left blokos in my scrotum that 99.9% of the commenters didn't/will not read this epistle starting from me..

Before complaining or supporting any of them :
do this....
Imagine Nigeria as your favorite football club and "them" as the coach.... Now compare them with Van goal, wenger, mourinho or pep, then decide if they deserves sack or new contract

paid Lagos state government under Raji Fashola the seized LG allocation held by his successor.

tonyebarcanista please, i need help with this, dont understand it.

HungerBAD:
Tonye make i read your article,specifically the one wey concern buhari brb.

It took me time, data, energy and efforts. Enjoy...


Waiting for sensible contribution

The unfortunate death of Umaru Musa Yaradua set us back politically for 21yrs.

It seems Obasanjo 3rd term wouldn't be bad idea at this point.

I was a staunch supporter of Buhari. Looking back now, it was the wrong thing to do. Buhari came in with no economic plan whatsoever. Where are the so called shovel ready Jobs promised by Osinbajo?

Well, Buhari wouldn't be there today if Jonathan had done well.

TonyeBarcanista:
I assume you are a troll, please allow space for intellectual contribution.

Just like the dead thread where you placed tinubu as one of the best governor of all ages, and it never made the front page... Wake up bro, its either you cold or hot.

All had their flaws, he with lesser flaws win

My deduction is that we've had leaders who are/were clueless, non futuristic, corrupt, lack vision and insight...
We lack revolutionary leadership. For instance, Our leaders at campaign rallies discuss nonsense nd trivial issues and never ideas...
I am just so disappointed in them all...

Buhari administration will be the best, because by 2019 Nigerians will be begging him to continue,mark my words.God Bless Nigeria!

FastShipping:
It seems Obasanjo 3rd term wouldn't be bad idea at this point.

I was a staunch supporter of Buhari. Looking back now, it was the wrong thing to do. Buhari came in with no economic plan whatsoever. Where are the so called shovel ready Jobs promised by Osinbajo?

Well, Buhari wouldn't be there today if Jonathan had done well.

Well, I wasn't surprised by the lack of economic plan, my surprise is however what took people so long to see it.

The man Buhari in fairness to him appeared like one with a plan going by his 2007 and 2011 pre-election activities. He appeared in political debates and was impressive(still have his video). However, the APC unfortunately saw him as a tool to capture power and not serve using power. Even when they refused having him debate, I disagreed(was a supporter then) because I believe it is good people know what he was bringing on board. Power is good but to the elite, the masses want service delivery.

But nevertheless, people made their choice. Both candidates were like choosing between Devil and Satan(because there was no difference).

On Obasanjo's third term, though he would have stabilised the economy, but it would turn him into a political god, which is dangerous. I wish Obj left behind strong political environment.

StepTwo:
paid Lagos state government under Raji Fashola the seized LG allocation held by his successor.

tonyebarcanista please, i need help with this, dont understand it.

Oops I mean held by his predecessor... Sorry will amend

You need to add the cost of commodities and foreign. Exchange. You are too kind with Buhari's administration.

There is nothing to compare. Bahari is a disaster. What is the cost of food and commodities in this government?

When God wants to punish a nation, he gives them bad leaders

Obasanjo did his part, and he did it well. Took many out of poverty, and placed Nigeria on the path to prosperity.

Yar'adua would have sustained the tempo or bettered it, but it wasn't to be. He was more or less our own JFK, with vision of peace and rule of law. I especially liked how he carried everyone along.

Buhari vs GEJ was likable to the demon vs the devil. Neither of the two was the ideal man. But like America is about to do, we settled for the lesser evil, or at least so we believe(d), I still do. Goodluck, we have seen, as for Buhari, it's rather too early to reach a conclusion already.

And as your thread is aimed at scrutinizing Buhari (the patriotic stance is a gimmick), I believe it came a tad too early. You should have waited a little longer.

facelessangel:
You need to add the cost of commodities and foreign. Exchange. You are too kind with Buhari's administration.

There is nothing to compare. Bahari is a disaster. What is the cost of food and commodities in this government?

When God wants to punish a nation, he gives them bad leaders

Maybe I was kinda soft on the administration of Buhari but that is because he is a work in progress. I just want to retain the objectivity

BeeBeeOoh:
I can bet my left blokos in my scrotum that 99.9% of the commenters didn't/will not read this epistle starting from me..

Readers are Leaders

Jonathan was a failure in all ramifications.

The worst thing that could have happened to a growing economy like Nigeria was to have a dunce as president in the most fruitful years of our nationhood.

Now there is famine and people are still asking for food while celebrating an ineffectual buffoon who refused to store grain for the days of want.

How did OBJ and Yar'Adua manage to grow our reserves but Jonathan couldn't despite unprecedented higher earnings?

Even if he was too dull to grow the reserves, must he be irresponsible to have depleted what sensible leaders before him worked hard to store up?

Even if he was too irresponsible to deplete the treasury, must he be an enemy of the state to have borrowed so much money with only 2nd hand trains and the same 4000MW electricity that OBJ already achieved, as evidence of all the monies expended?

As at May 2015, Debt rose to $63billion(FG and States) with Jonathan's government accumulating $21.8 billion ALONE ($18.1 billion local debt and $3.7 billion external debt)http://www.persecondnews.com/index.php/psn-news/item/3643-total-nigeria-s-debt-soars-to-63bn-okonjo-iweala-jonathan-incurred-21b-of-national-debts . Meanwhile, Oil sale was between $100 and $110 dollar per barrel between 2010 and 2014.

Jonathan! Jonathan! Jonathan! Ko ni daa fun ee.

Earlier primaries would mean people can see and decipher over a period of time what prospective candidates have to offer.
Just like Jonathan got there and lacked in so many areas is the same way Buhari is now there and also slacking.

TonyeBarcanista:

Readers are Leaders

Hehehehehehe! Like seriously. I don't want to rope Buhari into this now, so let me just stop here for comradic peace & idi n'otu.. #onelove

StOla:
Jonathan was a failure in all ramifications.

The worst thing that could have happened to a growing rconomy like Nigeria was to have a dunce as president in the most fruitful years of our nationhood.

The reason why Nigerians voted en-mass for Buhari. Nigerians were disappointed in Jonathan and would have voted a dog in place of Jonathan. Buhari should never had been a choice if Jonathan had done well despite what was available to him to turn around Nigeria for good.

Here we are today with another failure called Buhari. Buhari was unprepared and lack economic direction. He seems out of touch with 21st century economic policies. I doubt he listens to his advisers. In the coming months we are going to be hearing the voices of reason from APC going after Buhari. We have started to hear dissent from the North with first salvo fired by Sultan of Sokoto and Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

I don't care what anyone says at this point. Buhari has failed. It is a sad situation.

Inspite of different distractions I still give it 2 gudluck adm dats pure democracy ....

FastShipping:


The reason why Nigerians voted en-mass for Buhari. Nigerians were disappointed in Jonathan and would have voted a dog in place of Jonathan. Buhari should never had been a choice if Jonathan had done well despite what was available to him to turn around Nigeria for good.

Here we are today with another failure called Buhari. Buhari was unprepared and lack economic direction. He seems out of touch with 21st century economic policies. I doubt he listens to his advisers. In the coming months we are going to be hearing the voices of reason from APC going after Buhari. We have started to hear dissent from the North with first salvo fired by Sultan of Sokoto and Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

I don't care what anyone says at this point. Buhari has failed. It is a sad situation.

Buhari is failing because it takes time to grow cassava to make garri.
Anyone who is hungry yet celebrating Jonathan, should soak sand and drink to quench the hunger.

Every time Jonathan opened his mouth to talk on the campaign trail, the cluelessness that oozed out of that orifice of corruption and gluttony, ensured that Buhari got 10k voters more.