Africa Focus: Nigerian President-elect Buhari pledges to tackle challenges

While delivering his acceptance speech on Wednesday, hours after he was declared winner of the presidential poll held in Nigeria last weekend, Muhammadu Buhari stated clearly the incoming government would strengthen the economy, enhance security and take the African most populous nation to a level of pride among comity of nations.

With this assertion, one can be convinced that Buhari, the president-elect or head of the incoming government, was fully aware of the enormous task ahead and prepared to take them head on as he takes mantle of leadership next month, precisely May 29.

Even before the election, many had hoped the new leader can address the economic woes caused by falling oil prices and security threats posed by the extremist group Boko Haram.

"Our nation wrestles many challenges including insecurity, corruption, economic decline," Buhari noted in his acceptance speech, adding "I pledge to give you my best in tackling these problems".

Nigerians are waiting, with eagerness, to see a complete turn- around in the country's system and the birth of a "New Nigeria", where all things may be bright and beautiful.

Apparently, the country expects that the incoming government set to take mantle, is fully prepared to fulfill its campaign promises, to clear the rot in the Nigerian system, normalize the system, deepen the rule of law, stamp out corruption, restore and strengthen the institutions, tackle what is left of Boko Haram, and possibly bring back -- sooner than later -- more than 200 school girls abducted by the terror group barely a year ago.

Boko Haram is blamed for thousands of deaths in Nigeria since launching its insurgency in 2009. The group is allegedly fighting to establish an Islamic state in northern Nigeria.

Nigeria, although the largest economy in Africa, is not without daunting economic challenges. For months now, the country has battled endlessly to find its feet where the global price of oil has remained low. The outgoing government declared austere measures to tackle the challenge, yet the problem persists.

Nigeria's former leader Olusegun Obasanjo, in a letter congratulating Buhari on his victory at the national polls, tasked the leader-in-waiting to carry out the reform, repairs and re- direction that will be imperative to put Nigeria back on fast lane.

"With so much harm already done to many national institutions, in lauding the military which proudly nurtured you and me, you will have a lot to do on institution reform, education, healthcare, economy, infrastructure, power, youth employment, agribusiness, oil and gas, external affairs, cohesiveness of our nation and ridding our land of corruption," he wrote in the letter.

One of the major areas Nigerians and, of course, the world may be waiting to see a huge change is the power sector. As of March 31, eve of the day Buhari was declared winner of the presidential election, Nigeria was still generating about 3,000 megawatts of power, whereas most local and foreign investments depend on it to run their businesses.

"The new administration should tackle insurgency as well as the power sector as a matter of urgency. I remember in 2011 that President Goodluck Jonathan promised us constant electricity supply but he did not fulfill his promise," Fred Agbaje, a Nigerian constitutional lawyer, said.

In an evaluation of the hard realities the incoming government must confront, Peter Okebukola, a Nigerian professor and former executive secretary of the National Universities Commission, said the administration will be choked by the challenges it has to deal with when it is confronted with the hard facts of the decay in the different sectors of the economy.

"Nigerians will be hungry for change and no thanks to the legendary impatience of the citizenry. Nigerians will shift tune when no dramatic change is seen in the power sector, economy, health, education, security and the general well-being of the common man and woman by the end of this year," he quipped.

The incoming Nigerian government appears to be fully ready to reduce, to its lowest ebb, corruption which, according to Buhari, distorts the economy and worsens income inequality, thereby creating a class of "unjustly-enriched people".

His administration in the West African country, he said, will ensure an end to the form of evil which seems even worse than terrorism. "Corruption attacks and seeks to destroy our national institutions and character. By misdirecting into selfish hands funds intended for the public purpose, corruption distorts the economy and worsens income inequality," he added. Endi