Thread by @toluogunlesi

Don’t fall for the ‘Incompetence’ message they’re trying to push to distract from ‘Corruption’. Nigeria’s largest-ever Social Welfare Prog @NSIP_NG, 6 million new TaxPayers, new $650m Infra Fund, attracting billions of $$$ in Agric Investments — AIN’T a definition of Incompetence

Let’s break it down a little bit. The @NSIP_NG: Nigeria has never had a more ambitious Social Welfare Programme, targeting the most vulnerable. 500,000 @npower_ng, more than 8 million kids for @NHGSFP, more than 300,000 households for @HUPcct, and 2m for @Trader_Moni by year-end.

Infrastructure: 2 major rail lines COMPLETED between 2015 & 2018, & during a recession. Abuja—Kaduna & Abuja Metro. No rail project completed between 1999 and 2015.

Another 2 standard-gauge Rail projects in progress. Ajaokuta-Warri and Lagos-Ibadan. I’ve visited both. See my TL.

When you say CORRUPTION and they say INCOMPETENCE, always remember that you’re right about the Corruption and they’re wrong about the Incompetence. If anyone’s looking for a COMBO of corruption and incompetence, they’re FAR more likely to find it between 1999–2015 than 2015–2018.

2017 Global Terrorism Index reports that deaths from Boko Haram violence dropped 80% in 2016. Is it tragic that Nigerians are still being killed by Boko Haram. Certainly. Are we where we were in 2013/14? Certainly not. Ask the people in the NE/Kano/Abuja
reliefweb.int/sites/reliefwe…

GLOBAL TERRORISM INDEX 2017: “The largest improvement occurred in Nigeria where terrorism deaths attributed to Boko Haram decreased by 80 per cent in 2016.” reliefweb.int/sites/reliefwe…

How about Communal Clashes and Herdsmen/Farmer Violence? Good question. Btw 2001–2004, an est. 50,000 Nigerians died in Plateau ALONE, from clashes: news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/37…

Should even a single Nigerian have to die? NO. Should we acknowledge when FEWER Nigerians are dying? YES.

More than a dozen comatose Fertiliser Blending Plants revived since 2017, under @MBuhari’s Presidential Fertilizer Initiative. @PremiumTimesng has told the fascinating story of the one in Ebonyi State. Read it. It’s jobs, it’s Fertilizer, it’s agriculture premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines…

“Last year the company joined the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI) of the FG and since then the company has grown through leaps and bounds and is now making serious impact, not only in Ebonyi State but in the South-east and South South.”
premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines…

The one in Ebonyi, estab 14 years ago. Collapsed long ago due to competition from imported fertiliser. The one in Auchi, commissioned early 2000s. When I visited I was told it never worked for a day, they used imported bags at the commissioning, LOL. Both now running, since 2017

Keep the main message in mind:

1. Don’t fall for the ‘Incompetence’ message they’re trying to push to distract from the lost ‘Corruption’ argument.

2. There is great evidence to prove that 1999–2015 will always defeat (and with big ‘gap’) 2015–2018 in the Incompetence Olympics.

I also don’t think anyone should allow PDP to run on ‘Manifesto’ or ‘Promise’. Nah. Too late. Let the newbies do that.

If APC is going to run on its record in the last 3 years then it only makes sense to ask PDP to run on its own 16-year record.

Let Record tackle Record, innit?

Sooner than later this is where it all ends up: They will show you the price of $ and rice and petrol in 2015 vs today.

Fine. If you want to have that debate please ask PDP to take everything back to where they met it in 1999. And then let’s talk. Until then, no debate 😋😆

This thread from a few weeks ago. For those who say ‘Corruption doesn’t really matter’:

https://twitter.com/toluogunlesi/status/1031471592491114496?s=21

@MBuhari Admin inherited >$6bn in Cash Call debts to Oil Companies. Even through the oil boom we didn’t pay & we didn’t care. The Oil Cos suffered mostly in silence

Don’t fall for the ‘Incompetence’ message they’re trying to push to distract from ‘Corruption’.

Ask the PENSIONERS that @PTADNigeria is remembering & restoring dignity to — Biafran Police Officers, Delta Steel, Nigeria Airways, etc — ask them if they think Buhari is incompetent.

Ask the people of the North, who saw Mubi/Kano/Potiskum/Abuja succumb to the madness of B/Haram, and Borno State reduced to Maiduguri its capital. Schools closed for 2 years, flights halted, Sallah and Christmas celebrations suspended. Ask them if they think PMB is incompetent.

The $650m Presidential Infrastructure Devpt Fund is not ‘Manifesto’ or ‘Promise’. It’s reality. In Q3 2018 it began to FUND the construction of the Second Niger Bridge & the reconstruction of the Abuja—Kano Highway. It’s also rescuing the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway from fatal ‘CUTS’

Under the previous admin the Governors fought FG to the Supreme Court, over money. Crippled the Sovereign Wealth Fund. Reason: Lack of trust.

Since 2015, under PMB/PYO the Governors (incl opposition party Govs) have fuss-lessly approved a total of US$1.15 BILLION for the SWF.

If you’re going to be an opposition Governor, you certainly want to be one under PMB/PYO. Listen to how the Govs of Cross River, Ebonyi speak fondly of the President. Look at the collaborations btw the FG and Abia State, in Ariaria Market Electrification, Enyimba City, NPower.

Watch the convivial atmosphere at NEC Meetings. Govs are not looking at @ProfOsinbajo & thinking this guy wants to cheat us. There’s neither APC nor PDP in those meetings. Contrast with when Aso Rock main work was to humiliate Govs. Or when Govs Forum scattered cos PDP fighting

I’ll save the rest for another day. If I finish it tonight what will I hold court with tomorrow?

Don’t forget my theses:

1. Don’t allow them to use the fake news of incompetence to distract from the facts and tragedy of corruption.

2. Let Records tackle Records.

When people act like Farmer/Herder clashes started in 2015, I don’t blame them. 2012–2015 we were all preoccupied with the mounting tragedy that was B/Haram. No one had time or grief to spare for anything else. Now,with BH on the back foot, we can focus on & solve the NC Violence

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