RIGHT THINKING, WRONG ACTIONS AND CONCLUSIVE UNCERTAINTIES
By: Augustine Omilo
Putting the experience of the immediate past government of Nigeria led by General Muhammadu Buhari behind by citizens have not been easy. Some see the era as that of regression in nation building while others remain grateful to the head of the administrative structure for their individual accomplishments within the period under review.
For the avoidance of doubts, the inhabitants of the country are still wondering why the APC government failed to deliver on its promise to end insecurity in the country, return the economy to a state of flourish, provide employment for the teeming youths of the country, and drastically reduce the pomp price of premium motor spirit (petrol) amongst others. In justifying the performance of Buhari, his government found escape route in its propaganda machinery’s blame game.
It is however, hope-assuring to observe the courageous thinking steps already being pursued by the new government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with a view to correcting the ills of the past government. One may not thoroughly appreciate BAT’s positive thoughts without picking holes in the actions being deployed for the execution of his determined efforts. And these pitfalls have to be corrected in order to avoid uncertain conclusions.
SEE ALSO: THE LIMITS OF FINANCE SECTOR INSENSITIVITY By Omilo
As soon as the president was sworn-in, he declared the petroleum subsidy “gone”. Even though most Nigerians are in support of the move, they consider the president’s action in this direction as rather too hasty without adequate provisions for palliatives. Needless to state here that the hardship occasioned by this presidential pronouncement on the citizens have been such that reminds everybody of Tinubu’s campaign promise of starting from where Buhari stopped – variously interpreted by cynics to mean “continuing the pains arising from failed promises and bad governance”.
The federal republics’ commander-in-chief of the armed forces began making his political appointments early. It is a departure from PMB’s style wherein there were no lieutenants appointed to work with him for close to seven months after inauguration as president. But again, the list of appointees so far made by Tinubu show that the spirit of lopsided appointments is still hovering around Aso Rock Villa. The president’s Chief of staff (Hon Femi Gbajabiamila) is from his south-west geopolitical zone like his spoke’s person (Bayo Onanuga), the acting governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant-general of the federation and so on. With these, one can only imagine the tribal make-up of his ‘minor’ staff members like drivers, personal doctors, caterers, personal secretaries and wardrobe managers. The Chief of staff is functioning on that capacity along with his position as the house representative member representing Surulere Federal constituency of Lagos state.
Perhaps in fulfillment of his campaign promise, Tinubu has removed Mr. Godwin Emefiele from his seat as the governor of the Central bank of Nigeria, CBN. He has also ordered the rest of the Agbor-born economist by the men of the State Security Service (DSS). He did not end there. BAT chose a man that was third in command in CBN’s management cadre to succeed him as acting governor. The president’s choice, apart from not being the most senior deputy governor, is a mechanical engineer who has not worked in an economist-inclined position of any organization, especially in the banking sector.
Although the man, Mr. Folashodun Shonubi has an MBA degree from the University of Lagos, the banking or economics content of that, at best can be compared to a post-graduate diploma or conversion course for those with academic backgrounds different from business administration. So, he cannot in any way be better than the 4th leader, Dr. Kingsley Obiora who holds a Ph.D. in economics in addition to his experience as a senior staff of the International Monetary Fund, IMF and other global financial institutions. More so, Kingsley hails from Delta state like Godwin and was bred at Agbor. In short, he would have been a perfect replacement for the former governor if the president followed existing patterns of political office changes in place before Buhari came to power.
It is gratifying to note that BAT has signed the education loan scheme into law after its bill was passed by the 9th National Assembly in 2022. The modalities for accessing this facility are still sketchy. For example, what are the measures put in place to ensure that it will not be yet another in the series of programs put together by government to promote financial deceit by those saddled with the responsibilities to manage them? Will it not go the way of the school feeding scam?
Abdulrasheed Bawa, like Emefiele has just been removed as the Chairman of EFCC. His actual offences are yet to be stated. Nigerians feel that thorough investigations would been carried out before removal and arrest.
In as much as the president’s thinking is in line with what Nigerians also think should redirect the course of actions in leadership towards a positive end, adequate care must be taken to guarantee certainty at the end of Tinubu’s tenure as executive president.
NB: This essay was first published on the 17th of June, 2023. And not so much have changed.