Amid concerns over frequent suspension of some officials of key government agencies, some civil society organisations have expressed the need for President Bola Tinubu to step on toes in order to succeed in carrying out planned reforms so as to be able to achieve his agenda of ‘Renewed Hope’ for the country.
Speaking with LEADERSHIP Friday yesterday, the national secretary, Campaign for Democracy (CD), Olufemi Lawson said the recent actions of President Bola Tinubu shows the willingness of his administration to address the many wrongs that had put Nigerians under untold hardship over the past few months.
He said, “Irrespective of the public perception of the suspension of the CBN and EFCC chief executives, these are decisions that have impacted positively on the view of the citizens, in respect of the administration’s decision to address the various vices that characterised leadership of key government agencies under the immediate past administration.
‘’Moving forward, President Bola Tinubu must further demonstrate his commitment to the anti-corruption crusade, while at the same time unveiling his roadmap towards the actualisation of his campaign promises to Nigerians.”
According to him, Nigerians have a lot of expectations, and the president has a duty to begin to unveil his plans so Nigerians do not limit his administration’s policies to the interventions so far witnessed.
For Comrade Mark Adebayo, spokesperson of Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), President Bola Tinubu is on the right track by removing the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Godwin Emefiele.
“The former CBN governor shouldn’t have lasted a day in office after indicating his interest to run for the post of president of Nigeria while he was still in office as CBN governor.
‘’If President Muhammadu Buhari were proactive, he should have sacked Emefiele long ago. A CBN governor is supposed to be apolitical. He also came up with an economic policy that nearly ruined the economy of the country by coming up with the Naira swap which was aimed at frustrating the presidential ambitions of some politically exposed people.
‘’That move killed some businesses, and some individuals as well lost their lives out of frustration; they had money in the bank and they could not withdraw it because a limit was placed on the amount they could withdraw.’’
Concerning the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairman, Rasheed Bawa’s removal, he said, “I believe the President acted based on the report available to him. When Bawa was nominated to head the anti-graft commission, the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CALCOL) wrote a petition to the National Assembly not to confirm his appointment because he was corrupt, but the National Assembly ignored the petition and went ahead to confirm him.
‘’You will observe that some months ago, the coalition of anti- corruption agencies organised a rally calling for his removal based on some allegations against him. The failure of President Buhari to reshuffle his cabinet gave room for his ministers to behave anyhow.
‘’Look at the aviation minister who scammed the country with the Nigeria Airline he claimed to have set up; well Buhari has said it all – that every one of them will account for their misconduct.
‘’Tinubu may not probe Buhari regime but he needs to probe some individuals in the cabinet for their shortcomings.’’
Also commenting on the president’s leaning towards probing the activities of the last administration, a Lagos-based lawyer, Olusegun Oshinowo, said it was too early to start singing President Tinubu’s praise on his war against corruption because he may not be doing it for patriotic reasons.
He said, “We must be careful not to celebrate too early what seems as President Tinubu’s fight against the corruption of specific individuals in the last administration because such action should not be mistaken as his commitment to rid our country of corruption.
Similarly, CSOs), political parties and lawyers have called on Tinubu to concentrate on his mission of rescuing Nigeria.
Specifically, the CSOs and the political parties informed Tinubu he should not be distracted by what happened in the Buhari administration.
The CSOs who spoke to LEADERSHIP Friday are Transparency International (TI), the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), and the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG).
Speaking through their leader, Awwal Musa Rafsanjani, the CSOs said the government of Tinubu must handle the Nigerian issues with all sensitivity, adding that the president should not be distracted by probes.
The CSOs, however, said the president must seek explanation from people who have mismanaged the country, but that such should not distract the government.
“We want the president to focus on what he will do for Nigeria and also ensure that those who did wrong in the past are investigated.
“We need both. He should investigate Buhari’s administration and also focus on what he will do for Nigerians, because if he did not deal with people who undermined the previous government, his appointees will do the same thing. They must be investigated. That is what to do to stop or minimise corruption in Nigeria.
Some Nigerians are of the view that the president should hit the ground running because he has no excuse to fail.
Notably, in his over two weeks in office, he has sacked three high ranking officials of the immediate past administration.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Abdul Balogun, advised the president to quickly do what he needs to do for Nigerians to feel the impact of governance.
“In my view, the president should appoint his ministers quickly and get the work done. In less than three years from now, we will be talking about another round of general election.
“While I won’t condemn some of the steps he has taken so far, at the same time, I’ll advise him to do whatever he has to do so that Nigerians can feel his impact.”
Chief Paul Ohiza, SAN, agreed with the position of Balogun. To him, the president can only move forward if he looks back and sees what had been done so he could build on it.
“I give kudos to the president for the work done so far. I can say that I am impressed but he needs to do more. If he continues the way he has started, Nigerians can rest assured that they have made a good choice”, he said.
Barrister Dauda Adagba, on his part, said the steps the president has taken are in order.
“He need to look at the books and call those saddled with the responsibilities to give account; by doing that he will be in the right track to deliver the dividends of democracy,” he said.
No Excuse For Failure, President Declares
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has urged state governors to deliver good governance to the citizens.
He made this call yesterday when he inaugurated the National Economic Council (NEC) headed by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
He said the governors had no excuse for failure as they all campaigned to be elected.
“It is also evident that the task of growing our economy is quite enormous, but you and I asked for it, we campaigned for it, we even dance for it, we begged for it, so, we have no reason to complain,” he said.
Tinubu emphasised the importance of the NEC as a platform for constructive dialogue and collaboration in tackling Nigeria’s economic challenges.
He stated, “The monthly meetings of NEC have remained the official economic platform for robust dialogue among the federal government, the 36 state governors, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and other key stakeholders.”
Reflecting on his inaugural speech Tinubu reiterated his administration’s commitment to improve the lives of Nigerians through compassion, unity, and the resolution of social ills.
He reaffirmed his administration’s principles of impartiality, adherence to the rule of law, defending the nation against terror and criminality, promoting economic growth and development, and empowering women and youth.
Highlighting the key areas of focus for his administration, Tinubu stressed the importance of security, economy, jobs, agriculture, and infrastructure.
He noted the government’s recent significant steps in ending fuel subsidies and unifying the foreign exchange rate.
“This government will continue to transform our nation’s fortunes and bring about unprecedented development through good governance,” Tinubu affirmed.
He assured the audience of his administration’s commitment to sustainable initiatives and programmes that stimulate economic rejuvenation without causing inflation.
Tinubu Meets Yakasai, Akande, Sanusi
Also yesterday, Tinubu met with elder statesmen, Tanko Yakasai and Bisi Akande, separately at the Presidential Villa.
The president also met with the former Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi.
Speaking to State House correspondents after the meeting, Yakasai revealed that prior to Tinubu’s declaration of his intention to run for the presidency, the leader visited his home seeking his blessings.
Emphasising the importance of political leadership in transforming the country, Yakasai shared his belief that only politicians can effectively address the challenges facing Nigeria.
He pointed to success stories from other countries such as Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, and the Soviet Union, where political leaders played crucial roles in shaping their nations’ destinies.
Reflecting on the President’s accomplishments as the former governor of Lagos State, Yakasai marveled at the remarkable development and economic progress achieved under his leadership.
He noted that Lagos, with its thriving economy and infrastructure, now rivals many African countries in terms of revenue and development. He said visiting Lagos and witnessing the transformation firsthand further solidified his belief in the president’s ability to replicate this success on a national scale.
When asked about his assessment of the president’s performance so far, Alhaji Yakasai responded positively, asserting that the leader had already proven his worth.
He predicted that within the next six months to a year, every Nigerian would bear witness to the transformative impact of the President’s administration, which will distinguish it from all previous administrations.
On his part, Akande expressed his optimism for the future of Nigeria under the current administration, highlighting the importance of rejuvenating the All Progressives Congress (APC) and reestablishing good governance across the nation.
He emphasized the APC’s track record in delivering effective governance to Nigeria and the expectations people have for the party’s renewed efforts.
According to him, it is premature to offer counsel as the president’s actions had been widely appreciated, and Nigerians, in general, are satisfied with his performance.
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