Nigeria's President-elect Muhammadu Buhari. Photo used with permission from Statecraft Inc.
Just a few hours after opposition candidate retired General Muhammadu Buhari defeated incumbent Goodluck Jonathan in Nigeria's elections, some of the country's voters were compiling a wish list of tasks for the president-elect on Twitter under the hashtag #ToDoListForBuhari [1].
The Twitter hashtag was started with a tweet from Sugabelly, a Nigerian manga artist and illustrator of epic comics:
Guys!!! Can we start a hashtag – #ToDoListForBuhari [1] ???? @bubusn [2] @FantaBender [3] @OoTheNigerian [4] @ChineEzeks [5] @QueenCleo_92 [6] @bimadew [7] @AfroVII [8]
— Sugabelly (@sugabelly) March 31, 2015 [9]
Nigerians have high expectations [10] for Buhari, who campaigned with the slogan “Change [11]“. Twitter users have so far asked for improved transportation systems, a tougher fight against corruption, practical solutions to youth unemployment, better security, access to Internet, solutions to maternal and mental health challenges and an enabling environment for investment.
To eliminate the threat posed by militant group Boko Haram, @kEsquire [12] suggested that the president-elect should:
#ToDoListForBuhari [1] Increase Military Funding
— What is your Truth? (@kEsquire) March 31, 2015 [13]
@iammagnetic6 [14] also emphasised the need to prioritize saving the lives of the young girls abducted by Boko Haram [15] in April 2014:
GodBlessBuhari,GodblessNigeria.#NigeriaDecided [16]. first things first.(1) #BringBackOurGirls [17] #ToDoListForBuhari [1] — ADAORAH (@iammagnetic6) March 31, 2015 [18]
Sandra, a TedxYouth speaker, advised Buhari how to motivate police officers:
#ToDoListForBuhari [1] Sanitise the Nigerian police force. Pay them better. Get them out of barracks and into communities to live.
— #WePledgePeace (@Sandra_coolfm) March 31, 2015 [19]
On the same topic of reforming the police force, Hassanool Basar suggested:
#ToDoListForBuhari [1] – Reform the Nigerian Police Force – Nigerians shd nt be policed by ignorant thugs with zero understanding of the law
— Hassanool_Basar (@Hassanool_basar) April 2, 2015 [20]
Sharia law, which is mostly practiced in the Muslim-majority north, has been heavily criticised as unfairly targeting women [21]. Sugarbelly advised the president-elect that the only law that should govern the country should be the constitution:
#ToDoListForBuhari [1] – Get rid of Sharia Law. The ONLY law governing Nigerians should be the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
— Sugabelly (@sugabelly) March 31, 2015 [22]
On fiscal discipline, netizens suggested that there should be a reduction in government expenditure:
Cutting government waste starts with politicians and political appointees. We demand a 70% reduction across the board #todolistforbuhari [23]
— Iyinoluwa Aboyeji (@iaboyeji) March 31, 2015 [24]
Recurrent expenditure has to be reduce. Capital expenditure to have larger share in the federal budget #ToDoListForBuhari [1]
— A B Inuwa (@Abba_bI) April 1, 2015 [25]
To tackle corruption in the civil service, @temisol [26] called for a restructuring process:
Restructure the civil service so that it isn't this gaping void sucking resources while producing sub-par results. #ToDoListForBuhari [1]
— TT (@temisol) March 31, 2015 [27]
The need for constant supply of electricity was high on the to-do list. Nigeria has been battling with inconsistent power supply. @sugabelly [28] again said:
#ToDoListForBuhari [1] – Get rid of the Generator Cartels. Nigerians need constant electricity to be productive. — Sugabelly (@sugabelly) March 31, 2015 [29]
Oil stability [30]was one of the main campaign messages of the president -elect. In achieving this goal, Abibba Princewill suggested a massive investment in the oil field:
#ToDoListForBuhari [1] continue massive investments in the Niger Delta + provide incentives for Nigerians 2 study STEM subjects.
— Abbiba Princewill (@Bibbs_A) April 2, 2015 [31]
@eldivyn [32] echoed the need for Buhari to focus on ensuring improvement in the health sector:
#ToDoListForBuhari [1] Maternal Health. Infant mortality. Health tech. Mental health. Everything that has to do with health. We're suffrin! — RBL (@eldivyn) March 31, 2015 [33]
And in terms of Nigera's educational challenges, Rio Deja Naija suggested:
Build better schools so that young kids won't be roaming the streets selling pure water & Gari. #ToDoListForBuhari [1] — Rio Deja Naija (@shangoshad) March 31, 2015 [34]