The All Progressives Congress (APC) has given a pass mark to Muhammadu Buhari, saying the President has delivered on his promises in his first year. But this view runs counter to the cries of hardship and pain being experienced by Nigerians under the Buhari government. A cross section of Nigerians spoken to by our correspondents  returned a verdict of disappointment.

Respondents said this was the worst moment of their lives as cost of living has skyrocketed beyond tolerable limits. “This is not the change we voted for, things are hard, life is a pain”, cried Tobechi Nwokoma, an unemployed graduate in Lagos who said even his siblings who are working in the public sector are finding it extremely difficult to cope.

However, the APC called on all Nigerians to put aside their differences and exercise patience with the administration in view of the hardships in the land which it said, was occasioned by mismanagement of the past administrations.

This was contained in the Democracy Day message of the party to Nigerians signed by National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun.

“The APC assures all Nigerians that the Party and the President hold as very sacred this collective trust, which the President has so creditably discharged this past one year,” the statement said.

According to the party: “President Buhari has, in the last year, worked hard to repair Nigeria’s previously tarnished image in the international community; restored the territorial integrity of our country by ensuring the containment of the erstwhile rampaging Boko Haram insurgency and has waged an unrelenting and vigorous war against corruption as he promised in his electioneering campaign.

“The President, being fully aware of the tough economic challenges facing Nigerians, has directed his focus on the salvaging of our battered and prostrate economy.

“The very parlous state of the economy inherited by this administration, which has been further battered by the collapse of the price of crude oil and the massive corruption by the past administration, does not need any further restating.

“However, the government has courageously faced these challenges by taking tough decisions necessary to bring our economy back to buoyancy and self-sustaining growth.

“One of such tough but inevitable decisions is the liberalization of the petroleum downstream sector and the consequent hike in petrol price which led to a call out of workers on an indefinite strike by Organised Labour.”

While thanking Nigerians for their understanding thus far, the party said “President Buhari holds your trust to be sacred and will do all that is humanly possible to ensure that these tough times do not last.

“The 2016 budget which includes N500 billion dedicated to social intervention will begin to have positive impact very soon.