NIGERIA, POORLY MANAGED FOR 8 YEARS- Obj

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Sunday
said Nigeria had been poorly managed for eight
years, telling Nigerians to be patient with the
incoming administration of President-Elect,
Muhammadu Buhari, to correct the prevailing
abnormalities.
He said this during a visit of a delegation of
South-West women leaders, under the leadership
of Iyalode of Yorubaland,Chief Alaba Lawson, to
his Abeokuta Hilltop residence.Obasanjo noted
that it would take a sizable time for Buhari to
correct the anomalies.
He said, “The country had been poorly managed
in the last eight years, and it will take some time
for Buhari’s government to correct the anomalies.
But I want to him not to be frightened. When I
came in 1999, there was no fuel, there was no
power. The situation was like this, and I thought
we have put that one behind us. The man that is
coming on board has a lot of experience in terms
of governance.He is not a green horn. We have
both worked together in administering, then as a
military Head of State and we did it well.
Nigerians need to exercise patience because what
have been destroyed in eight years cannot be
rebuilt in a day.

“Let’s give him time. Let’s pray for him and let’s
cooperate with him. We are all concerned about
the present situation of Nigeria. The expectation
is very high but at the same time, there is a lot of
goodwill internally and externally for the incoming
government. Once the incoming administration
realises this and takes every step, particularly in
the first three months,when people will be
watching and counting, I think for me, we will get
there.”
The former president, however, warned Buhari not
to take Nigerians for granted but to be as honest
as possible in overseeing the country, adding that
Nigerians were clever and could not be deceived.
He told the visitors that he believed in the
managerial and political acumen of the President-
elect in leading Nigeria aright, because “he is not
a novice in governance, having ruled the country
as a military Head of State from 1983 to 1985.”
Obasanjo said with Buhari at the helm, the
citizens would have a new opportunity.
He said, “God has provided a new opportunity for
Nigeria and Nigerians and I believe God does not
make mistake. There are two things I believe the
incoming President appreciates. One is that he
knows that the expectations of Nigerians are high
and two, that he should not be frightened by the
situation on the ground.
“All he has to do is to be honest with Nigerians,
he should not deceive them. He should not be an
ostrich. He should not deceive Nigerians and not
to be too clever with them. There is a lot of
goodwill for the incoming administration from
within and outside the country. What is important
is that steps have to be taken that will not lead
to the squandering of the goodwill and I believe
the incoming government will be able to take care
of that.”