Buhari, who succeeded Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, was sworn in on May 29.
In an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, the Secretary of the NEF, Professor Ango Abdullahi, said while there were high expectations from the electorate, they should also note that Buhari came into power at a time the economy was bad.
He said, “There are so many challenges. Sometimes, I am sympathetic to how this country had been so run down almost to ground zero and Buhari is expected within the shortest time possible to lift it from its knees. It is not going to be easy at all.
“We understand that the coffers are empty and now he has so many things that are outstanding that require funds. These funds cannot be found in our treasury and they are not in our foreign reserve.
“It is a huge job, and to that extent President Buhari will need the understanding of Nigerians. Perhaps, those who understand the enormity of the problems should be able to give him a little more room to come to grips with the gigantic tasks ahead of him.”
The former Vice Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University noted that while the potential was there, the actual means were not immediately available for Buhari to execute some of his programmes that required immediate actions.“This is where some understanding is required. Some sympathy and understanding are required by all Nigerians. If anybody thinks that the kind challenges facing us can be overcome within a month – within a hundred days as people would say – or within the first two years of Buhari’s administration, I think he will be over optimistic,” he said.
Abdullahi stated that the forum trusted Buhari’s resourcefulness and his leadership. He advised the President to block the leakages in the economy, which, he said, were caused by corruption.
He said by doing so, the country would become buoyant soon, with available resources to pursue developmental programmes.
The NEF scribe added, “I really sympathise with Buhari as a person, knowing how committed he is towards bringing about positive changes to Nigerian governance, economy, the security situation and others.
“All these against a situation where the country’s treasury is empty both home and abroad, and against the enormous leakages that are taking place. Clearly, there are high expectations because the people of Nigeria have been more or less exhausted, virtually in every facet of their lives.
“Here is Buhari coming at this point when everything is down; coming at a time when resources are virtually non-existent.”
Abdullahi also said Buhari needed only persons with knowledge and competence on the particular responsibility he is assigned in his cabinet.
He pointed out that the competence of such individuals must be matched with their integrity to ensure that they are “corruption-free and not corruption-prone.”
According to him, these are the major attributes that will make all the difference in who will help Buhari to achieve his mandate.
“Competence and integrity are very crucial and this is where Buhari stands tall. If he can lead the way and show the way, he will be able to identify such people,” Abdullahi added.
-Punch