By Tunde IMOLEHIN
Since his assumption of office in May, last year, the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been facing a lot of criticisms. From the expected quarters, like the camps of both Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi to regular Nigerians, it does not appear that the critics are going to back down any time soon.
While some are direct personal attacks, others address the government’s economic reforms which, according to them are biting. Former vice president and runner up at the last presidential elections, Atiku Abubakar, accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of diverting public funds through undisclosed petrol subsidy payments. Atiku criticized the government’s inconsistent statements regarding the subsidy and challenged the transparency of President Tinubu’s administration. He also attacked the President of appointing critics to silence opposition. Responding, Presidential adviser on Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga, accused Abubakar as someone, who “is fast developing a reputation for distorting and manipulating facts for his self-serving objective of discrediting the current administration”.
In one of his own criticisms which have become like “once every week”, former Governor Peter Obi, who came a distant third in the last presidential elections, advised Tinubu to “stop enforcing policies that not only hurt the citizens financially but also undermine the country’s competitiveness in the economic environment”.
Joining the list of government critics is Mohammed Ali Ndume, a senator representing Borno South senatorial district since 2011 and until Wednesday the Chief Whip of the red chamber. He was a member of the House of Representatives of Nigeria from 2003 to 2011. Ndume has been making critical remarks about President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, the economic hardship, food scarcity and the concomitant security crisis. However, Sunday Karimi, from Kogi West senatorial district, has fired back at his colleague, Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) stating that his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration was driven by a ‘pull-down syndrome”. Karimi, in a statement on Saturday, cautioned Ndume, urging him to refrain from making derogatory statements against
Tinubu’s administration. According to Karimi, Ndume’s behaviour is “likened to that of a loose cannon” while he emphasised the need for constructive dialogue and criticism in governance. Few days after, the Senate stripped Ndume of his Chief Whip position and Vice Chairman of the committee on Appropriations. He was transferred to the Tourism desk.
Critics of the Bola Tinubu administration transcend individuals, there are groups who are not comfortable with the a-little-over one year administration of the APC-led government. The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) through its spokesperson, Professor Tukur Mohammed Baba was particularly critical of President Tinubu’s initial months in office, suggesting that his administration lacks direction and concrete plans to address Nigeria’s pressing issues. More disturbing is the fact that the assessment of the Tinubu administration has pitched two Northern groups, Arewa Progressive Forum (APF) and the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) against each other, a situation that led the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to call on all appointees of the Federal Government of northern extraction to either support President Bola Tinubu or step down from their positions.
While the critics are having a field day, political heavyweights like Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Chief Olabode George and the Afenifere Group have all risen to the defence of President Tinubu. In his submission, Oshiomhole said that Tinubu should not be blamed for Buhari’s “reckless” policies. “My first loyalty is to Nigeria. At some point, before the last President left office, I lamented loudly what I saw as reckless policies that were designed to dehumanise the population that was already in pain. I felt that it was not what the then-president promised. I dissociated myself from those policies and I’m happy that I was not the only one. There were governors who approached the court to denounce some of those policies. It is the long-term consequences of those policies that we are still grappling with now” , he opined.
For Bode George, “Everything promised before the 2015 general election was observed in breach by the Buhari administration. Despite that calamity, it is a pity that some Nigerians have come out to defend that administration, which ruled Nigeria for eight years. They are now blaming the Bola Tinubu administration, which has spent about one year in office. Governance is not a hundred-meter dash race. We will advise and condemn so that in a year’s time we can assess the methodology and performance of the government”.
But for Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, both past presidents should be spared. “Buhari did his best and Tinubu is currently doing his best to fix the economy and other challenges”, he said.From subsidy removal to economic reforms and minimum wage imbroglio, there is no doubt that President Bola Tinubu’s plate is full. His job is well cut out for him. The people are restless. Yes. Some are even calling for the Kenya treatment. Others call it “days of rage”. Whichever, I do not think protests, whether violent or peaceful, is the way out of the hullabaloo.
What we are witnessing in the country is strategic economic transformation. On his assumption of office, President Tinubu made it clear that:
We have endured hardships that would have made other societies crumble.Yet, we have shouldered the heavy burden to arrive at this SUBLIME moment where the prospect of a better future merges with our improved capacity to create that future.We shall remodel our economy to bring about growth and development through job creation, food security and an end of extreme poverty.We shall invest more in our security personnel, and this means more than an increase in number. We shall provide, better training, equipment, pay and firepower.
The President said much more but the ultimate goal is to work very hard and create a resilient economy. In fairness to him, much have been achieved, a lot still on the drawing table while not a few spaces are dotted with ongoing projects. But it won’t be the job of the President alone. The sub-nationals must be alive to their responsibilities. Public governance and leadership is a collective. Let us see beyond the short-term pain and work for the gains ahead. Let us believe and have faith in the process. As citizens, we have a role to play. There are some critics among us who are targeting performers in the present government to bring government down all because of 2027. There are others at the receiving end of the reforms who will do just anything to bring the government down. There are insiders in government who are working tirelessly against the interest of the country. Critics should be patriotic and proffer solutions. Wahab Shittu, SAN, even told Peter Obi to stop criticizing and congratulate President Tinubu.
Reform consists of changes and improvements to a law, social system, or institution. A reform is an instance of such a change or improvement. Reforms are not easy especially in a country that is so enmeshed in institutional and endemic corruption. Time, courage, focus and determination are required to bring our efforts to fruition. Successful change agents are not your regular leaders. They don’t usually get sympathy in the beginning of their adventure. Sometimes, they have to try so many times before hitting the target. Sacrifices have to be made at every step of the ladder. Everyone must partake. Let us help the President succeed. I also agree that President Tinubu should do everything to justify the mandate freely given to him by Nigerians.
At this stage, we may need to ask ourselves, what is the option to Tinubu? Military? I know we are so absorbed in democracy that military option still remains unfashionable. Revolution? By whom? Who will be the beneficiary? So, let Tinubu breathe. Don’t suffocate him. As they say in legal parlance, the litigants shall have their day in court. Let Tinubu be. Grant him the benefit of the doubt. He would have his day in court, sorry, on the ballot in 2027. What I know is that he is a visionary, dogged and a go-getter. I hold him to his words… “Nigeria will survive the current economic challenges. There is light at the end of the tunnel. I requested the job, and I am not complaining about it. I take full responsibility” The onus is on him to ensure that the country and people survive to return him in 2027 and that is if he desires a second term.
Tunde IMOLEHIN, versatile ARCHITECT and renowned Environmentalist and Sustainability Expert, is a FELLOW of the NIGERIAN INSTITUTE of ARCHITECTS (NIA), Council Member, ARCHITECTS REGISTRATION COUNCIL of NIGERIA (ARCON).
A PROGRESSIVE & CHIEFTAIN and FOUNDING MEMBER of the ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC), he is currently a doctoral candidate at the ABUJA LEADERSHIP CENTRE of the UNIVERSITY OF ABUJA, NIGERIA.
