Chidoka Cautions Federal Govt Over International Policies

Former minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, has advised the federal government to be careful with international policies that will be thrown at it as a new government.

Speaking at a television programme yesterday night, the former minister said the international community will come with different policies, but that it is advisable for the President Bola Tinubu government to scrutinize them carefully before accepting and implementing them.

He said most policies from international organisations are targeted towards benefiting them more than Nigerians, hence the need to be careful in implementing them.

On the removal of fuel subsidy and the policy on forex market, Chidoka said, “All the policies the president has taken is part of the IMF article 4 policy suggestions for Nigeria to remove subsidy and float the naira.

“It is however important to note that while government implemented the article 4, they failed to provide palliative to cushion the effects of these policies.

“I support the actions taken so far but I am afraid of the effects on Nigerians.”

He further calls for increased production of crude oil in order to address the challenges facing the sector such as the $3 billion debt owed to oil marketers.

On Tinubu’s appointment so far, he said the APC government in the last eight years violated all the principles of federal character, but that it is too early for the President Tinubu’s government to be judged.

On the appointment of the service chiefs, he said the government has been fair in the appointment.

He, however, said the president should have focused on INEC and set up an inquiry into how the election was dented just like he focused on suspending the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria or the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

He said this would endear the president more to Nigerians especially as he didn’t get a majority of the votes.

He added that INEC has no capacity to reform the agency and the chairman should be removed immediately as the 2023 general elections brought bad name to Nigeria.

On the process of suspending EFCC and CBN governor and quizzing them by the DSS, he said the grandstanding method used is unnecessary.