Why APC Is Failing to Provide the Leadership Nigeria Needs

When the All Progressives Congress, APC, came to power in 2015, millions of Nigerians believed the country was about to experience a new beginning. Muhammadu Buhari and his party campaigned on the promise of change, assuring Nigerians that they would tackle corruption, defeat insecurity, create jobs, revive the economy and improve the lives of ordinary citizens.

Almost four years later, as Nigerians prepare for the 2019 general election, the question is no longer whether APC made attractive promises. The important question is whether Nigerians are better off today than they were when the party assumed power.

For many citizens, the answer is increasingly difficult to defend.

Economic Hardship Has Deepened

One of the biggest disappointments under the Buhari administration has been the state of the economy.

Nigeria entered a recession in 2016, the country’s first in more than two decades. Although the economy later returned to growth, the recovery has remained slow and has not translated into meaningful improvements in the lives of millions of Nigerians.

Prices of food, transportation, housing and other basic necessities have increased, while the purchasing power of ordinary workers has declined.

The naira has also lost significant value. Before Buhari came into office in 2015, the official exchange rate was around ₦199 to the US dollar. Under his administration, the naira weakened considerably, increasing the cost of imported goods, machinery, medicine and raw materials.

For families whose salaries have remained almost unchanged, the result has been greater hardship.

A government elected on the promise of economic transformation cannot simply point to statistics showing that Nigeria is technically out of recession. Nigerians judge the economy by whether they can afford food, pay school fees, obtain employment and provide for their families.

On those measures, many Nigerians are struggling.

Unemployment Has Become a National Crisis

APC promised millions of jobs during the 2015 election campaign. Instead, unemployment has continued to rise.

Nigeria’s unemployment rate reached more than 23 percent by 2018, with young people among those most affected.

Every year, universities and other institutions produce thousands of graduates who enter a labour market with few opportunities available to them.

Many young Nigerians spend years searching for employment, while others are forced into jobs far below their qualifications.

This growing unemployment crisis has consequences beyond the economy. When millions of young people are unable to find meaningful employment, frustration increases and the country becomes more vulnerable to crime, political violence and social instability.

The government cannot continue promising that prosperity is coming while an entire generation struggles to find work.

Poverty Is Still Everywhere

For a country with enormous oil wealth, agricultural potential and human resources, the level of poverty in Nigeria remains unacceptable.

Millions of Nigerians continue to survive on very little income. Families struggle to feed themselves, children remain out of school and many communities still lack reliable electricity, clean water and basic healthcare.

The Buhari administration has introduced social investment programmes and other initiatives aimed at helping vulnerable Nigerians. These programmes may have benefited some people, but they have not addressed the scale of poverty confronting the country.

Nigeria needs an economy capable of lifting millions of people permanently out of poverty, not simply programmes that provide temporary relief while unemployment and living costs continue to rise.

Insecurity Has Taken New Forms

Security was one of Buhari’s strongest campaign promises in 2015.

There is no doubt that the Nigerian military has made progress against Boko Haram compared with the period when the insurgents controlled several communities in the North-East.

However, Nigerians cannot judge security only by whether Boko Haram holds territory.

Across different parts of the country, kidnapping, armed robbery, banditry, communal violence and farmer-herder clashes continue to claim lives.

In states such as Zamfara, communities have suffered repeated attacks by armed groups. In parts of the Middle Belt, violent clashes have displaced families and destroyed communities.

Travelling on some major roads has become frightening because of kidnapping and armed attacks.

A government cannot claim complete success on security while citizens remain afraid to travel, farmers are unable to work safely and communities continue to bury victims of violence.

The nature of insecurity may have changed, but the fear experienced by ordinary Nigerians remains real.

The Anti-Corruption War Has Raised Questions

President Buhari came into office with a reputation for personal discipline and a promise to fight corruption.

His administration has investigated and prosecuted several former public officials, recovered money and property and brought greater attention to the problem of corruption.

However, questions remain about whether the anti-corruption campaign is being applied equally.

Critics have accused the government of aggressively pursuing opposition politicians while appearing less enthusiastic when allegations involve individuals associated with the ruling party.

Whether every accusation is justified or not, the perception of selective justice damages the credibility of the anti-corruption campaign.

Corruption cannot be defeated if Nigerians believe that changing political parties can protect an accused person from investigation.

The fight against corruption must be institutional rather than political. It must apply equally to government officials, opposition politicians, business leaders and anyone suspected of abusing public resources.

Respect for Democratic Institutions Is Becoming a Concern

Democracy is not simply about conducting elections. It also requires respect for institutions, the courts, the legislature, freedom of expression and the rule of law.

Under the Buhari administration, there have been repeated concerns about obedience to court orders and the treatment of political opponents, journalists and activists.

The continued detention of individuals despite court orders granting them bail has raised serious questions about the government’s commitment to the rule of law.

No government should decide which court orders it will respect and which ones it will ignore.

If the executive branch can disregard judicial decisions whenever it disagrees with them, then the independence of the judiciary becomes meaningless.

Nigeria spent decades struggling against military dictatorship. Democracy should not reproduce the same culture of unchecked executive power under civilian leadership.

The Cost of Governance Remains High

APC came into power promising to reduce waste and bring discipline into government.

Yet the cost of governance remains extremely high.

Nigeria continues to spend enormous amounts maintaining political offices while infrastructure, healthcare, education and other essential services remain underfunded.

Political leaders continue to enjoy privileges that are completely disconnected from the economic realities faced by ordinary Nigerians.

For a government asking citizens to make sacrifices, political leaders must demonstrate that they are also prepared to sacrifice.

Nigeria cannot continue borrowing money while maintaining an expensive political system that consumes resources that should be invested in development.

Businesses Are Struggling

Government policies aimed at reducing imports and encouraging local production may have good intentions, but some of their consequences have created serious difficulties for businesses.

Foreign exchange restrictions have made it difficult for some companies to obtain the dollars needed to purchase raw materials and equipment.

Small businesses have also struggled with unreliable electricity, multiple taxation, poor infrastructure and limited access to affordable credit.

If Nigerian businesses cannot grow, they cannot employ the millions of people entering the labour market.

A successful economic policy must do more than restrict imports. It must create an environment where Nigerian companies can produce competitively, expand and create jobs.

The Government Has Failed to Unite the Country

Nigeria needs leadership capable of bringing together its different ethnic, religious and regional groups.

Instead, political divisions have become increasingly intense.

There is a growing feeling among different sections of the country that government appointments, political opportunities and national resources are not distributed fairly.

Whether every complaint is justified or not, a president must address the perception of exclusion.

A leader of Nigeria cannot govern only those who voted for him. Once elected, he becomes president of every Nigerian.

The country needs a government that makes citizens from every region feel that they have an equal stake in Nigeria’s future.

APC Promised Change, But Nigerians Expected More

The biggest problem facing APC in 2019 may be the very promise that brought it into office.

In 2015, APC told Nigerians that it represented change.

It promised better security.

It promised jobs.

It promised economic prosperity.

It promised to fight corruption.

It promised responsible government.

Four years later, Nigerians have the right to compare those promises with the reality around them.

Boko Haram may have lost territory, but insecurity remains widespread.

Nigeria may have exited recession, but millions of citizens remain unemployed and living standards remain difficult.

Corruption cases may have been prosecuted, but questions remain about selective enforcement.

Infrastructure projects may be underway, but the daily experience of many Nigerians has not improved enough to justify the enormous expectations created in 2015.

Nigeria Needs More Than Another Promise

The argument against APC in 2019 should not be that the Buhari administration has achieved absolutely nothing. Every government will have projects and policies it can point to.

The more important question is whether those achievements are enough.

For millions of Nigerians struggling with unemployment, rising prices, insecurity, poverty and uncertainty about the future, the promised change has not produced the transformation they expected.

Nigeria cannot afford another four years based simply on hope that the same policies will eventually produce different results.

The country requires leadership that can build a productive economy, create jobs, protect citizens, strengthen democratic institutions, respect the rule of law and unite Nigerians regardless of ethnicity, religion or political affiliation.

In 2015, Nigerians were asked to vote for change.

As the 2019 election approaches, they must now ask themselves a more difficult question: has the change they were promised actually improved their lives?

If the answer is no, then APC under President Muhammadu Buhari cannot convincingly present itself as the only way forward for Nigeria.