These are some 5 major takeaways from President Muhammadu Buhari’s Independence Day Speech
(1) Buhari believes the pump price of petrol in Nigeria is actually too cheap. Petroleum prices in Nigeria are to be adjusted. We sell now at N161 per litre.
A comparison with our neighbours will illustrate the point; a. Chad which is an oil-producing country charges N362 per litre b. Niger, also an oil-producing country sells 1 litre at N346. c. In Ghana, another oil-producing country, the petroleum pump price is N326 per litre. “Further afield, Egypt charges N211 per litre. Saudi Arabia charges N168 per litre. It makes no sense for oil to be cheaper in Nigeria than in Saudi Arabia,” Buhari revealed.
(2) Buhari blamed the present woes of the country on the previous administrations as he has always done. “No government in the past did what we are doing with such scarce resources. We have managed to keep things going in spite of the disproportionate spending on security.
Those in the previous Governments from 1999 – 2015 who presided over the near destruction of the country have now the impudence to attempt to criticize our efforts” he said.
(3) Buhari believes Nigeria needs national healing. In his words: “We need to begin a sincere process of national healing and this anniversary presents a genuine opportunity to eliminate old and outworn perceptions that are always put to test in the lie they always are.
“The stereotype of thinking of ourselves as coming from one part of the country before seeing ourselves as Nigerians is a key starting point to project us on the road to our deserved nation’s evolution and integration.
“To start this healing process, we are already blessed with the most important asset any nation requires for such – OUR PEOPLE – and this has manifested globally in the exploits of Nigerians in many fields.”
(4) Buhari also emphasized the need for unity in Nigeria as he stated that togetherness is paramount. “Similarly, the creativity, ingenuity and resourcefulness of the Nigerian at home have resulted in globally recognized endeavours.
“I am convinced that if we pursue our aspirations TOGETHER we would be able to achieve whatever we desire. That informed our adopting the theme TOGETHER to mark this epochal event.
“Together we can change our condition for the better and more importantly, together we can do much more for ourselves and for our country.
“I chose the path of self-reflection because this is what I do on a daily basis and I must confess that at most times, I always felt the need for a collective reflection as I know that the foundation for a solid future which this administration is laying can only be sustainable if there is a collective commitment by Nigerians.
“Nigeria is not a country for Mr. President, any ruling or opposition party but a country for all of us and we must play our part, irrespective of challenges we face, to make this country what we desire.
“To achieve this, we must focus our minds, TOGETHER as a people, on ways of resolving the identified critical challenges that underlie our present state,” he stated.
(5) Buhari expressed his commitment to free and fair elections as he commended the recent governorship election in Edo State which his party lost. Excerpts concerning elections could be read below:
“I am a firm believer in transparent, free, fair and credible elections as has been demonstrated during my period as a democratically elected President. “The recent build-up and eventual outcome of the Edo State elections should encourage Nigerians that it is my commitment to bequeath to this country processes and procedures that would guarantee that the people’s votes count.
“The problems with our electoral process are mainly human-induced as the desperate desire for power leads to desperate attempts to gain power and office. “Democracy, the world over and as I am pursuing in Nigeria, recognizes the power of the people. However, if some constituencies choose to bargain off their power, they should be prepared for denial of their rights.
“This call is made more urgent if we realise that even after a transparent, free, fair and credible election, desperation leads to compromising the judiciary to upturn legitimate decisions of the people. It is necessary to, therefore support the enthronement of the rule of law by avoiding actions which compromise the judiciary.”