President elect, Maj. Gen. Mohammadu Buhari has said he is
getting nervous as the expectations of Nigerians from him are too high. Punch
Newspaper reports,
He asks there was therefore the need to sensitise all to set
realistic targets.Buhari said this at a meeting with the APC governors-elect at
Defence House, Abuja, on Monday.
He also lamented the poor state of the economy which has
made it difficult for both the federal and state governments to meet their
obligations to workers.
The President-elect was responding to pleas by the incoming
governors for him to prepare a sort of bail out for states to enable them pay
salaries.
Buhari said, "The expectation is too high and I have
started nervously to explain to people that Rome was not built in a day.
"According to him, it is sad that the nation is
grappling with security challenges while the economy is lying prostrate with
most states unable to pay salaries in spite of the revenue we earned from 1990
till date.
He also said, "For this to be corrected, please give
the incoming government a chance. Here, I will like to recall what happened
during the Abacha regime which led to the emergence of PTF.
"The former military ruler recalled that, "The
Abacha regime was a military regime and it thought that the only way was to
increase the prices of petroleum products, but they were not taking Nigerians
for a ride.
"They could have said if Nigerians decide too riot,
they have the guns and so they can have their way.
They decided to tell Nigerians that they were going to
increase prices of petroleum products and the money we get, we will put aside
for development.
That was how PTF came."Perhaps in a veiled reference to
what his administration is planning to do to mitigate the effects of the economic
down turn, Buhari hinted at embarking on public enlightenment to galvanise
public support for his economic policies.
The President-elect said, "This time around, under this
system, to bounce back with the issue especially with the backlog of salaries
which are of immediate concern to individuals and states, I think we should
look for a better way to address the issue and think of how to persuade people
to give us a chance to organise the economy immediately and get something to
pay salaries.
"He reaffirmed his determination to give priority to
securing the lives and property of Nigerians because according to him no
meaningful development can take place without security
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