 Very good morning to you and thanks for joining us on the run-up. My name is Nyamgul Agadji and I also have my colleague here with me, Mr. Bayo Oluwaki. Good morning and welcome to the program Bayo. Nyamgul Angul morning viewers. It's a very pleasant day and hopefully it remains that way. It's every day we wake up and we're like, we can't believe it. That is just like today it is only two days and a few hours to the general elections, the national elections as the president, the presidency and the national assembly elections. Presidential rather and the national assembly elections, just two days to there. In fact, what is it like where you are in your neck of the woods? How is preparations like? How are people taking it? How are people, are they expectant or some of them are just thinking it's going to be a public holiday for them to play ball on the streets? No, I mean people are taking this election very seriously. In many of the years today, we gathered together to talk more about all the time, but we do this from time to time. And it was a very lively discussion reviewing all the major candidates, reviewing their promises, looking at their campaigns. And yes, asking each of them who we're going to vote for. So I think people are very much interested. It's a defining moment. Interestingly, every election we had, even the one I covered in 1979 as a reporter, a very, very young reporter. That was a return to say, from the passenger military government to the presidency of Laji Shiv Shagari. Every election, Nigerians have always said this is a defining election, very important election. But I don't know which election will not be important because every election in Nigeria is always important. But I think most of this one is particularly going to be exciting. So let's see what happens. Yeah, even though everyone has been really an exciting moment for Nigerians, but there are some that are really, really more so because, okay, for instance, the one you're talking about in 1979, we're leaving the military era and coming back to civil rule and people were excited that democracy was returning. And then after we now went back to the military rule in 1999, we're returning to democracy. So the excitement was there, not even 1999, 1993, when we were supposed to have, when we had that election, everybody was very, very excited, maybe because of the people that were involved or the person that was involved. And then 1999, we're coming back to democracy after we thought that maybe we will not have democracy anymore. The excitement was high. And then somewhere along the line, a lot of people began to show some apathy. They didn't want to identify with the political class and the political process. And so on, it seems like new entrants have made it more exciting or have made it feel like there is something really special about this one. And everybody wants to go there. But it's unfortunate that in the days before the election, all these things are happening. There's violence everywhere. People looting in the name of cash scarcity or currency scarcity or Naira scarcity. These things are taking the opportunity to do a lot of bad things. I hear they've burnt a lot of banks somewhere and some people have lost their lives. And it's just very unfortunate. We thank God that at least, even though it's happening here in Lagos as well, the magnitude which people expected things like that to happen is not happening. And we thank God for small messes. Yes, absolutely. You know, the major worry had been the possible impact of the insurgency on this, on the security situation. And I was just remarking to someone yesterday that a measure of the success of the ant forces could be seen in the fact that campaigns have been conducted all over the country. In the nooks and crannies of the country. And things have gone relatively well. There have been very, very, very, very few security incidents. And I think that's a big commendation to the ant and security forces. Now, of course, we have had this COVID, sorry, I said COVID. We've had this cash crunch inspired violence which has been born out of frustration. And they're only hoping that the security agencies will be able to secure as many of those vulnerable locations as possible. I think as well that the excitement that you alluded to giving us a historiography of the elections we have had in the past and how the voting population had at one time or the other been quite excited. And then how there has been apathy, especially over the past couple of years. I think the apathy should largely be blamed on the two major political parties who could not have reinvented themselves to the point where they actually motivate the electorates to be enthusiastic about elections. But of course 2023 presidential election is turning out to be different. I think because first of all, we have a large Antiqua Mubaka who is a serial contender for the presidency. So he brings some sort of excitement into it. You also have a Shuwa Jubolak, who have long aspired to be presidents. So that aspiration of these and his picking up the ticket of his party, I think also contributed to generating excitement, especially on the side of his followers. And then you have the third force, what is now being regarded as the third force. The Labour Party phenomenon of Peter Wee and Dati Baba Ahmed and their followers that have enlivened the political terrain and space and has actually provided a platform, seemingly provided a platform for the younger population to crystallize their ambitions, so to speak. So I think these are the reasons why we are having this excitement and I think it is good for the country. Yeah, I agree with you. It's very good for the country. And we do hope that as everybody is saying that this is a defining moment, it really will be a defining moment. Interestingly, of all the people who are like the top contenders, even if you count from one to four, they've all been governors except for Tikua Bubaka, who was a vice president. So he served in the capacity of a deputy, no matter how high that was. But every other person has been a governor. We talk about... He was an elected governor. Yeah, but he did. He was an elected governor. He was elected, but he never... Yes, because he was picked after he had been elected as governor of Adamawa State. He was then picked back from a president of Asundow to be his running mate. Yes, and at that time I applauded his courage because the question was, what if they lose? And now you already had, like they say, a better hand is what a million in the bush. He had the governorship, but he let it go and he wanted to go and become president. And it was like, okay, this man has courage. This man has faith. I applauded him at that time, but let's see how it goes. I do hope that the best man will win. Maybe this time we may not be praying that let us get the leader we deserve. I don't even know how to put that because sometimes because of our own attitude, some people would say whoever we elect, we deserve that person. What if the bulk of the people who are really thinking good for Nigeria are doing their best, but the people who are greedy are the ones that will influence it so much so that we have the man that we do not deserve. And then we go through the circle of another four or eight years of agony. I do hope that whoever is going to be elected will know that the people have power enough and they are important enough for him to sit up and do what is right. Well, today we'll be talking about the manifestos of some of these political parties and we'll be having Alexa Wilcox, a public affairs analyst here in the House with us. We would have loved to take some numbers from the INEC, but let's just take a break. When we return, we do a little more on what INEC has said so far about the election, the numbers as it were, people that are going to vote, how many people are going to vote, how many polling units that are in the country, how many people are standing for the election in the first place and all that. And it's two days and a few hours to the election proper. Remember that on the 25th of February, elections will hold for the presidential elections and the National Assembly elections will hold on that day. And no matter what you might think, INEC has assured us and the security agencies have assured us that the elections will hold and it will be peaceful enough for Nigerians. So whoever you are, wherever you are, go out and vote so long as you can identify your polling unit. Let's take some numbers from INEC. We have 18 candidates so far vying for the presidency and analysts see three front-runners and some people who are liberal enough see four. We have a Tikwa Bu Baka who is 76 years old of the People's Democratic Party, the main opposition party. A former vice president of Tikwa Bu Baka ran in 2007 and 2009. He lost his party's primaries in 1993, 2011 and 2015. We also have 70-year-old Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress, a former legislator and two-time governor of Lagos State. Tinubu is nicknamed City Boy and the godfather of Lagos by supporters for his clout in Nigeria's economic capital. Then we have Peter Ubi who was the governor of Anambra State who also is contesting his followers know themselves as obedience and they are of the majority among the youths who are clamoring for a different kind of Nigeria, a better kind of Nigeria. But today we're trying to look at the manifestos of especially these three and if we may add another person we will also be talking about Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former governor as well. Now we'll be looking at these manifestos with our public analyst in the house here. We're being joined by Mr. Alexta Wilcox. Welcome to the program Mr. Wilcox. Thank you very much for having me. It's my pleasure. Thank you. Okay, so now we have just few days to the general elections and in fact the campaigns are going to stop. Will it be tomorrow or the day after? Because campaigns cannot be carried until the day of the election. Now we're trying to look at some key points in the manifestos of these frontline candidates. So far how would you rate their manifestos as regards the problems that Nigeria is facing and the solutions they are proffering for these problems? Well, in a nutshell, if you ask me, I have not had the opportunity of reading all of them back to back. I've only been able to read that of the APC President candidate which is standing in Ludhup. And if you look at that in Ludhup, it was patterned after Hoop 93, part of the agenda of Hoop 93, which was the SDP manifesto of Abiola. And so I know that the current candidate of the APC was a big, a major player at that time in drafting those. I'm sure you had a lot of input in those manifestos. So you have to pattern among a package of the main, reinvest the manifesto and bring it to reality, to current reality. So it's something that will give Nigeria a bit of comfort. The manifesto of the Labour Party is also a bit catchy, does not delve deeply into some of the prevailing issues that need to be run. I see it more as a manifesto that highlights most of the problems. You know, just keep alerting the problem, alerting the problem. I'm making most comparison with other countries. The PDP manifesto, I must be frank, have not read it, have not seen, have not read it. But from what their President candidate has been discussing in most fora, he talks more about, I mean, the investment enterprises. I mean, they have always been in that direction. For instance, the PDP has always been looking at the investment enterprises and all of them. The current campaign has not shy from that area. But apart from that, I do not see any, I just keep hearing less from Nigeria, less from Nigeria, less from Nigeria. I have not seen clearly any, except you point out something for me, for me to be able to analyse, any clear departure from what the PDP has always offered all these years. Okay, yeah. Well, even at that, whether you've read it or not, like one of the presidential candidates, I think that of Labour Party always says, before he brought out his manifesto, everybody was asking, bring your manifesto, let's see a document and all that. And he kept saying, it is not in the paper, it is not in the write-up because I can produce a voluminous document, but I may not be able to implement it or I will not have the will to implement it. So now our concern is even mostly about why sometimes we have a very beautiful manifesto and then we still see that things do not move the way they should move and they do not achieve whatever is in their manifesto. For instance, the present administration, I don't know, if the pillars on which they built this administration, security, economy, corruption and all that, if they did anything in that regard that will give us some solace that people follow their manifesto. So the question is, what is that thing that makes people who have given a document and taken a vow with the people a commitment to do something, what is it that prevents them from fulfilling the provisions of that document which is like a bond with the people that they are serving? What prevents our leaders from implementing provisions of their manifestos that people who are going to enter into government now should look out for and try to avoid? Well, first and foremost, what does manifesto serve? Manifesto serves as a kind of guide. Okay, so that was why when the obedient group was saying they don't need the manifesto, then the people were asking, so how do we assess you? Today, you can say, okay, this current government did not perform because they put out a document and you are holding that document and you are saying based on this document, you didn't do this, you didn't do that, that is why a manifesto is necessary. So anyone that comes up to say it is not, it doesn't need a manifesto, just put me in. So how do you assess him? So what is the assessment criteria? If the man did not give you a manifesto, you have not assessed him about it, he has not promised you anything. But when he gives you a manifesto, you can assess him and say, okay, the promise you gave me, you have fulfilled it, you have done it, or you have not done it, then there's a piece of assessment. So that's what manifesto does. Now, manifestos are not cast in stone. Nowhere in the world will everybody implement what's in the manifesto because number one, you are giving a manifesto when you are not on the driver's seat. You're just like somebody who takes a job as a marketer and you've promised the employer that you're going to deliver 10 billion naira worth of sales from your own calculation, sitting outside. And then by the time you get into the company, you discover that they don't have a structure. The company has no structure. The company has no material for you to... The company has no vehicle for you. The company has no... There are limiting factors within the system, within the organization. So what I would make you know to achieve that target that you've set for yourself is a target. So most of them are known. No position, no government that does not wish well for its people. Even the worst of government. No one does not want to make a name. But most times when you get there, it's either the things you met on ground and I will speak for this administration. I mean, when they had to bring the manifesto in 2014 during the election, of course the oil price there was $120 to $140 per barrel of oil and Nigeria was doing well in terms of sales of oil. Although even at that point it was not diving. And of course they made a lot of promises based on that. They talked about the 5,000 naira cash transfer. They talked about building of 30 number of roads in there. They talked of so many things. But you and I know that the moment they came to power, the narrative changed. Oil price was dying from $120 per barrel to sometimes less than $30 a day. It was sold at $27. Production reduced. And so they had to do all kinds of things. I say sincerely, I'm not a politician, I'm not a part of this government. But Nigerians sometimes don't understand the workings of government or performance of government. I mean they take one aspect of the issue. I mean when the government came in, some state, even when oil was being sold at $120 per barrel, states were owing salaries. The federal government was owing salaries. The federal government as at that time was borrowing money to pay salaries. That was the kind of economy this government inherited. So when this government came, they were able to, I don't know how they did it, sincerely I can't tell. They gave loans, grants to states to pay off salaries. They reformed, I mean they did a lot of things to without those workers. And then they began to implement certain things. Even the so-called, I mean people are accusing them. They did part of what they proposed. That is the empower scheme where people were employed on temporary jobs so that they can have income of $30,000 per month. They did that and they employed about $500,000 Nigerians over the period. So sometimes people don't appreciate some of this. And then you are seeing where there are no income. I mean the level of income reduced. It's just due to the social crisis that oil price went up. All through, they have been working on oil price far lower than what they make. And all that then, you now have the effect of other things like COVID that came in, some of that. So if Nigerians want to be fair in terms of assessing the government then it is not what Barbara Timbrety in the manifesto. You look at the manifesto, you look at what's available, you match them and they begin to give credit. So nobody, no government, even the United States will fulfill everything they manifesto. No, even in Britain, we fulfill everything they manifesto. The manifesto is a guide. It's like seeing a budget of a country. The budget is made. There hasn't been a time a budget is performed 100% because there have been competing factors. There have been limiting factors. The important thing about manifesto is it gives you a guide and it gives the public an assessment criteria to say, okay, based on your manifesto, you have done one, you have done two, you didn't do three, you didn't do four, you didn't do five. How do we move from there? Can we still trust you? Can we still renew your mandate? But if there's no manifesto, what am I going to judge you with? You just come and you do one road for me and you tell me, this is all I could do. I didn't promise you more than one road. I didn't even promise you anything. So that is what manifestos are. And that was why the big group was asked to give us a manifesto. And they went up and brought up something that they felt is a manifesto and to their supporters is a manifesto, to the critical injurians who want to see step by step as to how you want to achieve them. Okay, I leave you in the hands of Bayo. Bayo, your turn. Thank you, Yamgul. Mr. Wilcox, it's a pleasure having you again this morning. I enjoy talking with you. Now, let's interrogate something you've made, a point you made. And I would like to expatiate on it. And I agree with the assumption that from the basis that you gave that, it's one thing to have a manifesto. It's another thing when you get into office. You know, but the candidates we are having, almost all of them have been governors before. And the one who almost became a governor was vice president and was saddled with, at least in the first three years of the ambassador presidency, Atikwa Gubaka, his excellency Atikwa Gubaka was saddled with the task of running the economy. Now, they are all campaigning. And I am of the view. I am on the view that these guys will have absolutely no excuse not to know what they are talking about. Why? Number one, we know what we are producing. As of today, our oil production has gone up to 1.6 million barrels. It was really bad last year because of what they called crude oil thefts, which basically involves so many other things. But at least today, we are doing 1.6 million barrels a day. And this is an open source. Secondly, we know how much we are owing. Okay? And then we know how much we are earning from non-oil exports. Now, the almost all the parties, except for Labor Party, they have governors, especially PDP and APC. They have most of the governors of the 36 states. And if your party has some governors, you have an idea of what the situation in each of those states are. Even if you don't have information about anything else. So in my view, is Excellency a right to anti-Quaq ubaqa? Is Excellency Ashwajibola Akba Tlumbu? And even to a large extent, is Excellency Peter Ubi? They have been on the saddle. They understand what it is. And anti-Quaq ubaq was also governor of Kano. I think for two times, there was many stop-defense on that presenter, so they shouldn't have an excuse not to be able to give us a manifesto that is reasonably in tandem with the reality of a socioeconomic situation as of today. What's your reaction to that? I am in total agreement with your position. As a matter of fact, for the first time, we are fortunate to have, like you said, persons who have held sway in executive capacities in their various states. And like you said, Ubaqa, even though he was not he didn't make the final call as a president, as a chief executive. He was very influential. Like you said, the first three years a passenger was busy junketing the whole world, trying to establish his statemanship. And then he left the back end to Attiku. And Attiku really entrenched himself to the point that he wanted to challenge him in the 2003 election even though for some diplomacy and overtures and trust he knows how to conquer and all that. He still would have been different because Attiku Ubaqa had the momentum in his favor. The tide was swimming in his favor on the fact that the president allowed him to have food. So he understands the issues. They all understand the issues. So that is why this election, and I was thinking that Nigeria should have some of the some of the sentimental attachment to the candidacy and some of the picotry and sentimental attachment that characterized the campaign. I will look at Nigeria, because you are selecting from persons that have had executive positions. Let's call it now, if it is companies this achieve is a good of companies. And there should be a track record of what have this guy achieved in this company A. Now you are interviewing people for a job and you want somewhere to have a job and I come with my CV you are coming with your CV so what have you done? And that is what I think Nigeria should have been looking at. Okay, when I was going to Anambra State I tamed the erosion. Anambra erosion that was threatening the entire Anambra. Yes, I met it at X I tamed it to Y and then someone would tell me oh, in Kano, the pyramids came back we used to have the granite pyramids of Kano. The pyramids came back and I was able to build up I built a legacy that people others are following and this is where we are. Okay, in Lagos, I met Lagos at this and I have been able to tamed the garbage that was spending about 3 billion every year and I have put in structures that has brought people to this is where we are this is where we are and then people should look at this award so in drafts and manifesto it should be around these achievements and like you said, they all have governors in their states they all have governors in their in their as standards and these governors have data and so that is why your manifesto should have reflected those datas and that's why I said when I would be able to hurry his manifesto of saying that he doesn't need a manifesto and Nigerians were shouting they had to hurry and put something in place then I see it as something that you cannot pull somebody accountable because it does not have any in-depth analysis not that I am integrating the party it doesn't have any in-depth analysis like when you compare it to the you need to hope that there is somebody that has been wanting to be president okay so I am talking about say what you are talking about he relinquished his sometimes let me say his rights to want to run and proper for that and so he had something he wants to do I also give that article article also has been wanting to be president since 2008 so he has something he wants to do will be well wanted to be vice president who was vice president in 2019 tried to be president felt he had the momentum and then when he had to see that Bidip was going to give the ticket he ran to the Labour Party and the youth found him interesting so was he prepared or was he coming with the grip of the moment you know were you prepared for I've been sure that I want to be president as I want to know Kwakwansu has been prepared Kwakwansu stated he could have been president 2014 he ran for the APC primaries in 2014 in 2015 he ran in 2019 he ran for the PDP primaries so Kwakwansu has been wanting to be president even Shorwore has been wanting to be president I mean he has been he has wanted to be president so he would be just decided to be president in 2023 okay after serving as governor he went back to his business and Latiku asked him to be vice president running made to him and then so these are the things that Nigerians should look at and for me unfortunately we have left those basic things for the sentimentals can I can I look at tribe which are some of the things that does not build a nation as far as I'm concerned okay just can I follow up on that during the presidential debates we saw journalists interviewing I'm not even sure if they were interviewing or posing questions so I want your perspective did you think that those who uncalled the presidential debates sufficiently prepared to grill the candidates or do you think the candidates had an easy right so whether it's governorship or presidential debates it was just like they were just there and they just had time nobody really subjected them to but I mean let me not bias your thinking but how do you think those debates went and did we need their help in any way to challenge or to grill these candidates for Nigerians to understand their manifestos better you see the time of most I would say we do respect the media the time we had the media the real media is fast depleting and fast going like I said last time I was here we have a lot of AOPs that call them professionals and sometimes their editorials or what they do is influenced by their political beliefs and political leaning and so we lost the fact that we are supposed to project all debaters for me have never met an average threshold not talking of surpassing the threshold because sometimes it's mediocre it's a mediocre thing you ask questions like you said easy rights they choose to impress one candidate depending on the area that you want look I don't miss the US debates the presidential debates they always have three one you sit down the other you stand the other you ask yourself questions and you have full of opportunities and there are full of questions the questions are based on your past records the questions are based on your character character unfortunately in this convo we ask questions on character we say it is insult no you ask questions based on character based on your past activities and then subject your plan to economic and political realities and questions on those lines you don't ask somebody how many bills will you build where will you get the money as far as I'm concerned those are what local governments debate should be looking at you look even to look at the people with respect to this and this and this what are your plans on this and this you saw the kind of question that came out at Chatham House for all the candidates that went there there's a kind of question I expect people to ask but not to not to chire away the fact that I'm not trying to rubbish the media but sincerely speaking the media has the standard of the media has gone down a political line and sentiment as people are reading most of the activity and like like Clark said as the the Rinald lawyer in one of the programs he was so popular and he called the media all kinds of name which really ought not to be you don't treat national issues based on political sentiment even in US they have media organizations even in the UK media region have affiliate biases to candidate but they don't show it when they present their questions in terms of debates they make sure that they give the audience the best and to bring out the real characters of the candidates not the sentimental character not the real character of the candidates and the real plans the candidates have subject these plans now somebody is telling me I want to move from consumption to production I have not seen any media has interrogated PTOB I said please sir what is the consumption we are doing now and what is the production you are taking us to tell me the consumption and what is the process but everybody just fly to town I have consumption to production consumption that is that for me is too nonsensical and no media has interrogated those questions and that is what the youth are flying on the youth that are that are the main fulcrum of the of the video movement oh that is what they all fly on production to production to production we are the bigger consumer of we are talking about today consumption of electronics consumption of passion consumption of the things that are the place of our reserve the youth today are the biggest consumers of it and then you are not on the path that somebody say you want to move from consumption so are you going to stop using ipad iphone 13 plus pro max are you going to stop using brazilian hair are you going to stop using all those important what is the what is the forefront of that statement of consumption to production and we are interrogating it but you know we are flying with it that will be say it is not the gene from the production the media house the mainstream is not even interrogating that statement I guess we will grow as a democracy unfolds at least we are seeing more of the of the debates now and your observations are well noted I know there are areas in which we can improve as well and hopefully let's let's hope that as a democracy evolves and especially as sooner or later we will go to local government elections after this one in each state maybe we will begin to actually put these things into practice because that is where government is closest to the people and that interrogation of whoever wants to be a local government chairman will also be extremely important I close with a question do you think the ordinary Nigerians have well in a way you have alluded to that but you are using the labour party as an example but we look at all the political parties now do you think Nigerians actually understand the manifesto of these parties I mean in the second republic for instance with the UPN with the NPN you knew what you knew what the manager of the manifestos was and UPN's free education qualitative health free health care integrated rural development NPN was a qualitative education green revolution you could recite this off the top of your head do you think that parties this time around have sufficiently left a mark in the consciousness of the electorate that electorate can just relive what each one stands for in fact you just give me goosebumps right now I want to remember the four cardinal points of the UPN you just give me goosebumps no matter how young I was then I could recite the four cardinal of the points of the UPN and I could really connect with that of the NPN even that of the NPP you can really I mean that is when rationality plays a lot of role in our consciousness that is when the mainstream media you get yourselves from just the mainstream media all this noise on social media the social media has caused a lot of destruction of our psyche of our mental structure that people do not even bother to read that this is the first time I am appearing on a program to analyze manifesto of the parties this is the first time how many media houses has how many media even though the manifesto of the of the NNPP how many media houses have seen shiwures manifesto shiwures party I can't even remember the name of this party how many media has seen this manifesto so how did that connect to the people and today people are biased with a lot of things for instance like I said we bring we lead John people are saying muslim we lead John that has nothing to do with development not to do with with the price of the market or the cost of nothing to do with it and people are using that to run and not looking at the manifesto of what we are talking about so how many people are looking at that today Twitter was even far better because there was a manifesto and people who have been sold and who are looking at the manifesto because they wonder something different today a lot of you are saying they want something different have you read the manifesto of that different thing you are looking for I am talking about the youths now that say have you read the manifesto I asked some people what is the label party manifesto and construction to production how shall so if tomorrow and you happen to get your candidate elected and so what are you expecting him to do what are the deliverables yesterday someone was telling me the price of kong will come down someone was showing me that if we bring the price of kong will come down from 700 to 200 I said how don't worry you will do it and this are not kids I am talking about adults so you don't even connect to it what is the policy on education what is the policy on health what are we going through what is the policy on energy nobody connects to it and so we need the media the mainstream media to go above the social media to go above the noise and begin to highlight the Nigerians we have too many media houses 80% of them into socials music sports music all those films all those movies but the ones that are what's their source should come back to the mainstream of information informing the people not just entertaining them informing the people of what they should do last time I came and talked about the National Research Agency that has the responsibility unfortunately they are going to sleep they exist on paper they exist on budgets but not service to Nigerians not service to the country this needs to change and we need to look at people's manifesto we need to make informed political decisions yes there are sentiments nobody will rule that out there is biases nobody will rule that out but again in the midst of those confessions we are also entitled to have some element of responsibility as to what you can hold somebody accountable for and that is the biases manifesto if you don't have it if you don't understand it if you don't have any direct political decision based on that you have no choice you have no right to complain when the chips are done let me just comment in less than a minute let's just be fast about it the time is gone it appears that the people's function in implementation of this manifesto is really very key and a lot of people don't seem to know how to go about it holding this our elected representatives accountable to their actions and everything that they need or they have promised in the manifesto for instance in Lagos state we have someone who is contesting and saying that he moved Lagos state from from a low income state as it were comparatively to where they were earning 50 billion per month and we don't know how that was achieved we don't know how after achieving that that money was spent and all that so we are not taking enough responsibility what do we need to do to be able to tell the people that we understand what you have told us and the level you have reached but we need more what else can the people do Nigerians, the citizens who are electing these people to make sure they are more transparent than they are right now because whatever they want to give us is what they give us but whatever they don't want us to know we seem not to know how to go about finding out what do you think the electorates need to do to make sure the manifesto is not only implemented but we know how it is implemented and how whatever implementation whatever implementation it has achieved has changed the life of the people what do we need to do very short what changes the life of the people is relative it depends on your own perception of how your life has changed sincerely for instance if you can drive your car on the most horrible road without spot holes you go less to the mechanic if your life has changed if you can if you can if you can have your street having new buildings and new your life has changed sometimes we don't measure these areas we want to look at how much money is in our pocket but again citizens journalism is very keen sincerely citizens journalism is very keen and pressure groups are very very keen because you cannot on your own one-on-one go to Alawasa go to the governor, go to the president to say look I want to see how you have done this so that's why it has to do with citizen journalism and collective responsibility in appear pressure groups and the media the media is critical because it is them that the legislator the judicial executive that is helping to hold accountable but when the media is compromised and they can and they chicken out when they are supposed to stand then that's a problem if you cannot speak the truth to power if you cannot organize groups that can use your platform to express and to put government on their toes they will all fail because it's not what Alistar or yourself can walk up to Alawasa and say let me see the record let me see how you end this I can do that, we can do that but again we need to have citizen journalism, citizen pressure the media pressure the media provide their platforms for groups to use to put their messages, responsible messages and to follow up and above all avoid compromise most of them don't know we get compromised if we are not compromised but when you are compromised you have lost your balance and you can no longer do anything ok thank you so much Mr Alistar Wilcox for coming on the show each time you come it always gladdens us, we hope that we'll talk more with you it's a pleasure thank you God bless Nigeria as we go out of votes let us make it the wise choice God bless Nigeria and make God continue to protect our troops Amen to that ok we've been talking with Mr Alistar Wilcox a public affairs analyst and we were trying to look at manifesto its effects and how much we know about this manifesto and how it will affect us in the future more or less well we will return to rapid up bio with all the things that Alistar has raised but first of all we now go for a short break to enable us to bring you the news when we return we actually the things that we've heard already and the things that are yet to come stay with us