NewsRescue
by Joe Onwukeme,
The ruling party, All Progressive Congress, (APC) has come under contemptuous criticisms by majority of Nigerians who are disenchanted with the leadership of APC government. The recent increase in the price of Premium Motor Spirit, (PMS) has worsened the tide and many are increasingly of the opinion that the recent increase in the price of PMS has proven that “all promises of the governing party has either been changed or cancelled”.
Has all promises changed? The reason why it seems, the title of this piece has gained traction with the Nigerian people is not necessarily because all promises has changed nor cancelled as being speculated by aggrieved Nigerians who thought APC-led federal government has a magic wand that would turn around our ailing economy immediately they are sworn in.
All promises has not changed, rather what has changed is the endemic corruption entrenched by successive PDP governments—A clear departure from legacy of profligacy, crass impunity, falsehood and financial missapriopriation.
If someone comes to you and declare that 5 years from now your life would remain exactly the same, I doubt if you wilI be happy with such remark. So why are we so afraid of change? What exactly has changed in Nigeria after 16 years of PDP at the helm of affairs?
Change does not come without sacrifice, we can’t continue to do things same way and expect different results. When you find yourself in a tight corner where everything is going against you, no one tells you to retreat.
APC-led government is on a retreat, a retreat on some of the promises of change lest the country grinds to a halt. And one of such retreat is its decision to remove the subsidy on petrol.
Today, what many thought impossible is gradually becoming possible, what many politicians avoided for political reasons has finally been laid bare. We are no longer lacking in the midst of plenty courtesy of few faceless cabals who over the years have continued to hold this nation to ransome in the name of petrol subsidy. The removal of subsidy in PMS has not only discouraged smuggling/diversification of PMS to neighbouring countries but has also made the product available across Nigeria, that is one of the major steps in fulfilling the promise of getting PMS sold below #50 a litre.
With perceived sincerity of purpose which has resulted in sea of change in our democratic development, this government has begun the foundation of revitalizing our moribund economy perfidously left in shambles.
The government seems to be in tune with the temporary pains of the people and has continued to beg Nigerians to exercise patience until we find a way out of this economic turbulence facing us on all fronts. While we wait for the much desired and palpable change, especially now the NLC had called off its strike for further negotiations with the government, reality will continue to betray the unwarranted vituperations against this government by anti-democratic forces that have changed APC’s acronym to “All Promises Changed”. He who refuses to adapt to change will remain bounded in chains.
Joe Onwukeme writes from Enugu
@unjoerated
