In 1983, Chad invaded 19 Nigerian Islands in the Lake Chad Basin. The then Brigadier Muhammadu Buhari, GOC 3rd Armoured Corps recaptured the Nigerian territory. The Chadians were chased 50 kilometres into their own territory. That was a military Muhammadu Buhari.

But today is different. Nigerians agreed that the man Pres. Muhammadu Buhari is passionate about Nigeria and is acquainted with the issues that have plagued her. He is one of the few leaders in our nation who never stolen a from us. Creditably, he has served the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians in all the roles he has been called upon to play till date.

Over the last 16 years, Pres. Muhammadu Buhari, like many Nigerians, was irked by the wanton destruction of our national structures and institutions. Systems fell into decay with our values completely eroded. Religious and ethnic bigotry were institutionalised. They were the weapons of divide and rule, employed by those we now know as ineffectual buffoons, to hold unto power. Nationality made way for tribalism. Mediocrity and job for the boys replaced professionalism. In a nation where over 85% of people are either Christians or Moslems, the fear and respect for God were trampled upon by occultism and large scale corruption and insensitivity to the plight of the poor and the vulnerable in our society.

Over the same 16 years, Pres. Muhammadu Buhari swam against the tide, fighting, in a democratic manner, to CHANGE place those who made corruption, a way of life in our nation. That wasn’t going to happen till Nigerians have had enough of the rogues that ran their nation. This hunger and thirst for change peaked, under ex President Goodluck Jonathan when Nigeria completely came to a total collapse.

Under President Jonathan, crude oil sold at an average of $140 plus. We now know that no single new road was constructed under this poor excuse of a leader. Existing roads across the nation became death traps as repairs and reconstruction contracts, paid for partially, and some, in full, were abandoned. Our schools employed those who can barely write their names to teach our children. But at no other time did Nigerians witness such decay and looting as under Pres. Goodluck Jonathan.

Many of us were saddened to the point of depression at what our nation had become. So, using the Social Media, we mounted an unprecedented scale of campaign against those who benefitted from and thrived in the Nigerian system that essentially relegated over 25 million Nigerians to abject poverty.

Pres. Muhammadu Buhari was also saddened and continued with his push to democratically recover our nation from the grips of those who sold and bought Nigeria, wholesale. 2015 was different. Nigerians have had enough and backed the man they believe can rescue this nation from the edge of the precipice. Nigerians got an alert! They won.

10 months into the President Buhari administration a lot has in real terms, changed. We have evidence that our soldiers are winning the war on terror as Pres. Buhari promised the nation. Nigeria is a lot safer than it has been in many recent years. The war on corruption is also on course. Nigerians are thankful that Pres. Buhari has and is exercising the will power to hold to account those who looted our national treasury. The President is fighting and winning the Oil cabal that held us ransom for years. To the credit of that fight, Nigeria is poised to save over a trillion Naira through non payment of Fuel subsidies. The Treasury Single Account has put more money in the coffers of the Federal government.

We are gradually taking our rightful place among the comity of nations. We have re-assumed leadership in the West African Sub regions as well as the larger Africa. The rest of the world cannot have enough of our president and are pledging full support for his wars on terror, corruption, economic and social reforms. Etc.

But looking at the performance of the Pres. Buhari Administration, some Nigerians complain of the slow pace of the delivery of electoral promises made to Nigerians. It’s not for lack of focus nor lack of plans. No, it’s not for lack of preparedness. It’s not for lack of political will to confront issues that have ailed our nation for decades. It’s democracy!

Although funds are available to pump the much need stimulant into the Nigerian economy, President Buhari is constrained by the fact that he is a true democrat. He will not deliberately break the law as he is now being pushed to by the Senate. He believes in and stands on the rule of law, equity and justice. He will therefore, not spend our money without the passing and assenting of the 2016 Appropriation bill.

Now that the National Assembly has passed the bill that was sent to them since December, what is holding them from sending the details to the Presidency? What do they take President Buhari for? After the way some unscrupulous individuals padded and tainted the 2016 budget, do they expect the President to assent to a budget he has no knowledge of its content? Without knowing where additions and subtractions were made?

In a democratic setting, there are three independent arms of government that work as checks to the excesses of one another. It’s not different in Nigeria. The peculiar situation in this dispensation is that the National Assembly, particularly the Senate, is using some arm twisting tactics to frustrate the work of the executive arm of the Nigerian government. It’s an open secret that in the most recent past, sacks of dollar-filled Ghana-Must-Go were hauled at our legislators for speedy passage of “padded” budgets. President Buhari would not replicate this. Many new comers to the National Assembly are now regretting making the trip to Abuja as Lawmakers under a Buhari Presidency. “Pres. Buhari no dey drop”, one complained jokingly.

Again, with the on-going trial of the Senate President for False Declaration of Assets and the spirited effort shockingly being employed by Dr. Bukola Saraki to thwart that process, the budget is seen by many as being used as a bargaining chip to pave the way for the charges to be dropped.

But Nigerians are the ones who are suffering from the delay in the passing of the budget. The senate must know that President Buhari will not break the law in his desperation to give Nigerians a new lease of life. The Senate must not postpone any longer, the passing of the Budget as further delay, elongates the current pain and suffering of ordinary citizens of Nigeria who are looking up to President Buhari and his team to deliver them from the woes and hardship they have been passing through.

The Senate needs to know that they are postponing the release of funds needed to stimulate a suffering economy. They are pushing forward, the alleviation of the poverty of those Nigerians who live under the poverty line. They are holding to ransom, jobs for our teeming unemployed youth as well as welfare for our poor and vulnerable. They are undoing Nigerians, not the Presidency.

But if the Senate continues to play this game with the budget, no one knows what Nigerians may do. Nigerians of today know that in calling anyone to order, the President would not roll out the tanks against them. Nigerians are now more aware of their rights and privileges as citizens.

The constraints of democracy on the speedy and effective delivery of services to Nigerians is the main reason for those who are calling on the President to suspend our constitution for three months and deal with the issues ailing our nation. But the truth is that President Buhari is a democrat who has great regards for the rule law. Consequently, the garment of patience is what we all need to wear. President Buhari is wearing the same garment of patience with the Judiciary and the Legislature. We all must wear same. That’s what democracy demands.

Lauretta Onochie

@Laurestar

Editor: Opinion expressed in this article is solely that of the writer