In last weekend’s presidential and National Assembly poll, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) over his closest rivals Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) and Mister Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP)
Although, Atiku and Obi have vowed to challenge the outcome in court and until the courts decide, he is the President-elect with a mandate to govern the country for the next four years.
No doubt, the tasks before Tinubu is, indeed, daunting making it necessary, if not imperative, that he has to make some tough and unpopular decisions in the coming months. The newly elected President is an acknowledged grandmaster in political gamesmanship and, to that extent, can be said to have his job cut out for him. The state of the economy, insecurity in the country and the disquiet caused by the public perception of the conduct of the election that produced him seem to conspire to make the task before him a little more arduous. Yet, we are persuaded to posit that he has the experience and the political acumen to turn the tide in Nigeria’s favor.
There is no gainsaying the fact that the country was mildly put off, to say the least, by the altercations arising from the election, still, this newspaper has confidence in the political sagacity of the president elect that will enable him to hit the ground running and make efforts to calm frayed nerves.
In the considered opinion of this newspaper, the contentious issue of fuel subsidy is the elephant in the room. Recall that the federal government spent N2.91 trillion ($7 billion) on fuel subsidy between January and September 2022. During the campaigns, the president- elect vowed to remove fuel subsidy. But this is easier said than done if past experiences are anything to go by. We recall that Tinubu, then in opposition under the Jonathan administration. mobilised Nigerians against plans to remove fuel subsidy.
Another major issue is the ravaging insecurity in the country .The new leader will not need to be told to gird his loins and make Nigerians feel more secured. The country has been grappling with a myriad of security challenges, ranging from terrorism, banditry, kidnappings, and communal clashes. It’s time, in our opinion, for a reprieve.
A report by an international human rights organisation under the aegis of Centre for Democracy and Development claimed that at least 60,000 persons were killed in 18 Northern states of Nigeria in the last 10 years due to insecurity.
As the President, Tinubu is expected to provide strong and decisive leadership that would restore law and order in the country. He would need to work with the security agencies to equip them adequately and motivate them to perform their duties effectively. That, in our view, entails addressing the root causes of insecurity, which are poverty, unemployment, and social inequality.
Without stressing the point, Tinubu would need to tackle the issue of corruption. Every Nigerian president had vowed to fight corruption but it has always been the case of all motion and no movement.
Sadly, corruption has been a major problem in Nigeria, and it has impeded the country’s progress in various sectors. As the President, he will be motivated enough to demonstrate a commitment to fighting corruption by strengthening the anti-corruption agencies and ensuring that they operate independently. He would also need to lead by and ensure that his government is transparent and accountable. The president would need to work with other stakeholders to implement policies that would promote transparency and accountability in public office.
Education is another key challenge for Tinubu. He also needs to find a solution to the perennial strikes by tertiary institution lecturers.The quality of education in Nigeria is woefully inadequate and he will need to implement initiatives to improve the educational system.
Also, the federal government on his watch would need to address the issue of infrastructure development which is presently in a deplorable state, with the roads, airports, seaports, schools and hospitals in dire need of repair and maintenance.
The president would need to invest heavily in infrastructure development to improve the country’s transportation, communication, and energy sectors. This would require significant investments as well as partnerships with local and international investors.
With his vast experience in the private sector of the economy combined with his experience as the governor of the nation’s economic hub, he would need to address the issue of economic development. Nigeria’s economy has been struggling in recent years, with high levels of inflation, unemployment, and poverty. He would need to implement policies that would promote economic growth, job creation, and poverty reduction. This would require investments in various sectors of the economy, including agriculture, manufacturing, and services. Tinubu would also need to promote a conducive business environment that would attract local and international investors to the country.
He will also need to promote unity and national integration. Nigeria is a diverse country, with over 250 ethnic groups and various religious affiliations. As the President, Asiwaju as he is fondly called by his supporters would need to promote national unity and integration by promoting tolerance, mutual respect, and understanding among all Nigerians. He would need to implement policies that would promote social cohesion and ensure that all Nigerians have equal opportunities to succeed in life.
All in all, the new helmsman has a difficult task ahead of him. But he has the experience and the determination to succeed. With the support of the people of Nigeria, he can restore the country’s glory and help it to achieve its full potential.
