Headline

2023: Buhari Govt A Colossal Failure, Nigerians Urged To Reject APC

Published

3 years ago

December 1, 2022

With the 2023 general elections less than three months away, many Nigerians are in displeasure against the current administration and ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

Some of the Nigerians, who spoke to DAILY POST on the streets of Abuja, made it clear that they do not have any personal issues with the APC presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu but feel betrayed by the party, President Buhari, and his administration

The APC and Muhammadu Buhari came into governance in 2015 with a lot of mouth-watering campaign promises to Nigerians. These promises made by Buhari and his party include: Public declaration of his assets and liabilities, state and community policing, revival of Ajaokuta steel company, creation of employment scheme to employ over 740,000 graduates, creation of three million jobs per year, 720,000 jobs by the states in the federation per annum, national gender policy implementation, ban on medical tourism for all government officials, payment of allowances to unemployed youths, among others.

Others are free education at primary, secondary and students of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, ECOWAS currency by 2020, eradication of state of origin, replacing that with state of residence to ensure Nigerians are Nigerians first, before anything else.

This administration also promised the establishment of Crime Squad to combat terrorism, kidnapping, armed robbery, militants, ethno-religious and communal clashes nationwide

They also said they were going to stop all political office holders from earning more than their salaries and emoluments determined and approved by the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission, RMFAC, among other huge campaign promises as contained in the party’s policy document.

However, the citizens feel that the last seven years have witnessed failed promises.

Under the APC’s administration controlled by Buhari, the citizens have found life very difficult as once very affordable commodities have turned gold and beyond the reach of the common man.

Crayfish, garri, cooking gas, vegetables and castor oil to bitter leaf, the prices are almost 100 per cent up; some are actually above 100 per cent over the last seven years.

Survey checks carried out by our correspondent showed that a kilogramme of chicken that sold for N1000 in 2015 is now sold at N2,200. A bag of pure water, formerly sold at between N80 to N100 is now N300.

Also, the price of a 50kg measure of white garri that went for N6,000 in 2015 has more than doubled to N17,000 to N20,000 in 2022.

A 50kg of rice sold for between N8000 to N10,000 in 2015, is now selling for N40,000 to N50,000, while a 50kg measure of beans that sold for N21,500 in 2015 is now selling for N45,000 to N50,000.

A litre of oil that could be purchased at N250 in 2015 now costs between N800 and N1200, while a big basket of fresh pepper, which sold at N11,000 in 2015 is now selling for N20,000.

Also, a big basket of tomatoes, which was sold for N10,000 in 2015, now costs N17,000.

Also up from N100 in 2015 to N220 in 2022 is 120 grams of noodles.

A crate of egg, which sold for N600 in 2015, now sells for between N2,200 to N2500, while a litre of vegetable oil which cost N300 in 2015 now goes for N1,700.

Automobiles, electrical appliances, transportation, motorparts, building materials and other household appliances are now beyond the reach of the ordinary people.

So, most Nigerians insist that the Buhari administration set the country backwards.

“For me, the only problem I have with the APC presidential candidate is that he was among the people that brought us into this mess. After all, we can see everything he did as the Governor of Lagos State. His human and physical structures. Had it been that this administration did well, he wouldn’t have had much problem taking over from Buhari. But now Nigerians are thinking ‘how do we travel this road again?’ Let’s not pretend, this administration has weakened the people, especially with hunger and starvation,” Joel Agbo told DAILY POST in Wuse, Abuja.

Another Abuja resident, Chigozie Onyekwere, said, “Things have become ten times harder than they were before Buhari took over government in 2015. No one needs to be told. It has affected everyone, even those who used to think they were rich. It’s a difficulty period for Nigerians and we can only pray for something better in 2023. Is it food, house, transport or what have you?

“People are suffering. From 2015 when Buhari became President, even our security has totally collapsed. Do you know the number of Nigerians that have died of hardship, hunger and insecurity? So if you ask me, my problem with Tinubu is that he is a member of APC and brought Buhari to power and APC has failed Nigerians. It’s left for him to convince Nigerians to still trust him despite the current situation of the country.”

“The APC has totally failed Nigerians in the past seven years. For me, there’s absolutely nothing good to point to in this government. Is it the constant fuel scarcity? These days Nigerians are beginning to see fuel scarcity as a way of life. No one complains or protests anymore. Abnormal things became normal under this administration.

“Now, let me ask you, when was the last time you heard from Buhari? We no longer know when he’s around or travelled out for medical tourism. The people are helpless, that’s why most Nigerians, those of us who like this country, want a change in 2023. Now to answer your question, I don’t have any issue with Tinubu. If a person says he’s strong and capable [health wise] to lead a country like Nigeria, I don’t think anyone has the right to question him. But we all know that APC has not helped him in any way.

“The current government wasn’t people-oriented. So Tinubu has to work. He has to convince Nigerians of his capabilities to drive the country out of this mud. As you can see, Buhari has conducted the worst government in the history of this country. Now, how are they succeeding in marketing themselves to Nigerians? I don’t know,” Yusuf Dankwairo asked.
DAILY POST

Headline

Four Places In The World Without Traffic Lights

Published

7 hours ago

August 29, 2025

Editor

In a world where traffic lights are an essential part of road management, a few countries and regions stand out for functioning without them. These places rely on alternative systems ranging from police officers and roundabouts to cultural driving habits to manage traffic. Here’s a closer look at the nations and areas where traffic lights are absent.

Bhutan

Bhutan is famously known as the only country in the world that operates entirely without traffic lights. Even in its capital city, Thimphu, which has witnessed growing traffic due to urbanisation, automated signals have never been adopted. Instead, traffic management is handled by police officers who stand at major intersections, directing vehicles with hand signals.

In 1995, when a set of traffic lights was briefly installed in Thimphu, public complaints led to their swift removal, as locals felt the system clashed with the country’s traditions and culture of cooperation. Bhutan’s reliance on human-directed traffic reflects both its small population and strong sense of civic responsibility.

Vatican City

Vatican City, the world’s smallest sovereign nation, also operates without any traffic lights. With an area of just 44 hectares and a population of around 800 people, the city-state does not require traffic signals to regulate movement. Roads inside the Vatican are short and few, and traffic is mostly managed by signage and the Vatican’s own police force. However, just outside the Vatican’s walls, in Rome, traffic lights are abundant, highlighting the contrast between the bustling Italian capital and the tranquil governance of the Holy See.

Niue

In the South Pacific, Niue, one of the world’s smallest island nations, also has no traffic lights. With a population of less than 2,000 people and very limited vehicle traffic, there is little need for automated signals. Roads are quiet, and driving is relaxed, with motorists often waving to one another as they pass.

The absence of traffic lights in Niue is less a necessity than a reflection of the island’s lifestyle, where community trust and minimal congestion make formal traffic control unnecessary.

Tekesi County, China

A unique example of urban planning without traffic lights can be found in Tekesi County, Xinjiang, China. The county town was designed based on the ancient Bagua (Eight Trigrams) symbol from Taoist philosophy. Its distinctive circular and radiating street layout relies on roundabouts to direct vehicles.

In 1996, authorities cancelled the installation of traffic lights in order to preserve the Bagua system, making Tekesi a rare modern settlement that manages traffic without signals. The design has since become both a cultural attraction and a point of pride for residents, who see it as a symbol of harmony and balance.

Headline

Nigerian Student Wins ‘Top In World’ Cambridge IGCSE English Award

Published

8 hours ago

August 29, 2025

Editor

A Nigerian student, Kenechukwu Oluwanifemi Uba, has emerged the “Top in World” candidate in the November 2024 Cambridge IGCSE English as a Second Language (Speaking Endorsement).

Uba, a pupil of Caleb International College, Magodo, Lagos, received the Outstanding Cambridge Learners Award for her performance, which was recognised by Cambridge University Press & Assessment.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Spokesperson to the Proprietor and Founder, Caleb Group of Schools and University, Prof. Elvis Otobo, and made available to The PUNCH on Friday.

The certificate, signed by the Group Managing Director of International Education at Cambridge, Rod Smith, was presented during a ceremony organised by the British Council and Cambridge University Press & Assessment at the Civic Centre, Lagos.

Speaking on the achievement, the Proprietor/CEO of Caleb Group of Schools and University, Dr. Oladega Adebogun, said the recognition reflected the school’s values of integrity, perseverance and innovation.

“We are overjoyed by Kenechukwu’s outstanding performance.

“Her success embodies our core values of integrity, perseverance, and innovation. We invest heavily in cutting-edge teaching methods—from flipped classrooms to AI-driven language labs—so that every student can discover their potential and lead with confidence,” Adebogun said.

Uba expressed gratitude to her teachers, classmates and family, noting that preparing in the school’s language lab helped build her confidence.

“From the moment I joined Caleb, I felt inspired by teachers who challenged me to think deeply and by peers who encouraged me to persevere. Preparing for the speaking endorsement in our state-of-the-art lab sharpened my confidence. This recognition belongs to everyone—my mentors, my classmates, and my family,” she said.

Caleb International College described the award as proof of its commitment to raising globally competitive students through advanced learning facilities and strong character development programmes.

Headline

Iran Has Executed At Least 841 People This Year — UN

Published

8 hours ago

August 29, 2025

Editor

At least 841 people have been executed in Iran since the start of the year, the UN said Friday, decrying “a systematic pattern of using the death penalty as a tool of state intimidation”.

The United Nations’ human rights office said there had been a “major increase in executions” by Tehran during the first half of 2025.

“Iranian authorities have executed at least 841 people since the beginning of the year,” spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva.

“The real situation might be different,” she added. “It might be worse, given the lack of transparency.”

In July alone, she said, Iran had executed at least 110 individuals — twice the number of people executed in July 2024.

“The high number of executions indicates a systematic pattern of using the death penalty as a tool of state intimidation, with disproportionate targeting of ethnic minorities and migrants,” Shamdasani added.

She cited the executions of Afghan nationals, and of Baluch, Kurdish, and Arab citizens.

In the first six months of the year, at least 289 people were executed for drug-related offences.

Shamdasani said the pattern witnessed across multiple countries showed that when their governments perceive threats to their grip on public order, they become increasingly repressive and less tolerant of dissent.

– Hangings before children –

The spokeswoman in particular criticised the staging of public executions in Iran. The rights office documented seven such cases since the beginning of the year — some reportedly in front of children.

“Public executions add an extra layer of outrage upon human dignity… not only on the dignity of the people concerned — the people who are executed — but also on all those who have to bear witness,” she said.

“The psychological trauma of bearing witness to somebody being hanged in public, particularly for children, is unacceptable.”

The UN human rights office said there were serious concerns over due process in capital punishment cases.

“What we are particularly worried about is that a lot of these death sentences are imposed based on vague laws,” the spokeswoman said, such as charges of enmity against God.

Shamdasani said that 11 individuals were currently facing “imminent execution” in Iran, including six charged with “armed rebellion” due to alleged membership of the exiled opposition People’s Mujahedeen Organization of Iran (MEK).

The other five had been sentenced to death over their participation in large-scale protests in 2022, she said. Iran’s supreme court last week confirmed the death sentence against workers’ rights activist Sharifeh Mohammadi, she added.

The UN rights office was urging Iran’s government “not to implement the death penalty against these and other individuals on death row”, Shamdasani said.

“The death penalty is incompatible with the right to life and irreconcilable with human dignity,” she added.

“It creates an unacceptable risk of executing innocent people. It should never be imposed for conduct that is protected under international human rights law.”

UN human rights chief Volker Turk is calling on Tehran to impose a moratorium on the application of capital punishment, as a step towards abolition.
AFP