Buhari and Jonathan
By Ifeanyi Abugu
An unbiased comparison of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s handling of the Nigerian economy and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s handling of the same when he held sway as the head of state has revealed that the president is a far better economy manager who has penchant for growing the economy with passion, So says a former director of the defunct Allied Bank of Nigeria Mr. Jerome Odita.
According to the comparison, Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was just $25.9 billion in 1985 when Buhari was the head of state but in 2014, under President Jonathan Nigerian economy was rebased and classified as the largest economy in Africa.
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) was a paltry $486,581,300 in 1985 under Buhari but under Jonathan FDI stood at $7.03 billion in 2014. With this, Nigeria retained her position as the favourite African destination for foreign investments.
Presently, Nigeria’s key sectors are working better causing the economy to record a growth average of seven per cent since 2010.
Economists have warned that as Nigerian economy is doing well now it must remain in the hands of people who have proven track record of sound economy management.
In 1984-85, when Buhari held sway, Nigeria’s economy was in deepening crisis of stagnation.
