Brave Dickson
An associate professor and lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, Steve Wordu has described the postponement of census by President Muhammadu Buhari as another failed promise.
The president had earlier this year postponed the proposed census, citing the 2023 general elections as reason and had in this month of May postponed the census again with reasons allegedly connected with the May 29 transition.
The varsity Don said the census postponement is appalling which nobody should be happy with and slammed the president for not being able to conduct census within the eight years of his administration.
His words: “The president’s postponement of census is an abdication of responsibility. So, it is not something that we should be happy with because within the past eight years of his tenure, he had ample time to conduct census. But he didn’t.
“And Nigeria has not had census for over 16 years. So, it is appalling.
“Postponing it means that his administration has failed to deliver on the promise which he made concerning national issues.
“He could not also implement his programme on fuel subsidy. He has spent 18 months on fuel subsidy, ending up doing nothing.
“Although one can concede that because of the controversy surrounding census, conducting census in the same month of transition will cause more conflict in the country.
“Historical evidence had shown that mismanagement of census can lead to conflict.
“In 1966, one of the reasons for the coup, was attributed to the crisis arising from the mismanagement of the 1962 census.”
