President Bola Tinubu condoles with the family of Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, who has passed away at the age of 61.

The retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police was the pioneer Director of Operations and third substantive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from 2012 to 2015.

The President also commiserates with the associates of the former anti-graft czar, the EFCC, the Nigeria Police Force, as well as the government and people of Adamawa State.

President Tinubu prays to God Almighty to grant repose to the soul of the deceased and comfort for his family.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

Unfolding events in Kano following the reinstatement of His Royal Highness Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the 16th Emir of Kano on Thursday, May 23, 2024 by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf is, to say the least, very alarming. The way and manner politics is being played, is not only recklessly insensitive to the dangers being posed to human lives in Kano, but frighteningly disgraceful and inconsiderate to whatever could be the choices of people of Kano State. If anything, it is the kind of abrasive politics that can only be associated with military governments or leaders who come from military background. That it is being championed by an APC-led Federal Government is very shocking.

Given that APC is a party envisioned to be progressive, what could have been the objective of such a reckless show of power? To protect the traditional institution and returned the dethroned Alh. Aminu Ado Bayero back as Emir of Kano? How is that a progressive or even democratic mission worthy of risking the lives of thousands of citizens? That the Federal Government is using its might because of the control it exercises over security agencies in a partisan manner to trample on the constitutional authority of Kano State Government over traditional institutions highlight the crisis of impunity in the country. Why President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will approve such reckless mission, which is incompatible with both the founding vision of the APC and every principle of democracy is worrisome. If this had come from former President Olusegun Obasanjo or former President Muhammadu Buhari, given their military background, it will be understandable.

As a member of APC from the North-West, I am scandalised that my party has degenerated to a level below any democratic standard. The only rationale so far is to restore the old abrasive politics of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje in Kano State by undermining the Kano State Government led by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf. We must remind leaders, President Asiwaju Tinubu in particular, that the fundamental reason why APC lost Kano State to NNPP was the reckless way Dr. Ganduje managed politics in Kano State. The dethronement of Emir Sanusi in 2020 on account of the disagreement between Dr. Ganduje and the Emir was very unnecessary and unfortunate. For Dr. Ganduje to have descended on the Kano Emirate the way he did in 2020, only created the basis for politicising the Kano Emirate, which is now reducing the tenure of Emirs to correspond with the tenure of Governors.

Could the objective of the Federal Government’s intervention be to restore the revered status of Emirs? How is that possible given the reality that, however considered, the Kano State Government has the legitimate constitutional authority to manage affairs of traditional institutions? If as is being claimed that the directive of the Federal Government to security agencies is to enforce the court order stopping the reinstatement of Emir Sanusi, how is that going to be possible? Except if the mission is to create lawlessness based on which we return to the old garrison politics of former President Obasanjo era when cheap political excuses are used to impose state of emergencies and remove sitting Governors, it is very difficult to understand the possible mission of the Federal Government in Kano State with respect to the unfolding politics around the reinstatement of Emir Sanusi.

As things are, the action of the Federal Government in Kano State can only lead to further destruction of the APC in the State and by extension in the whole North. Let no one be deceived, already the APC has been weakened both in Kano and the whole North by several factors, the most important of them is the fact that we have not lived up to our campaign promises to Nigerians since 2015. Unfortunately, given the way we have rolled out policies that crashed standard of living of citizens under the current administration of President Asiwaju Tinubu, the support base of the APC in the North has further shrank. Perhaps, President Asiwaju Tinubu and all those behind the reckless attempt to trample on the constitutional authority of Kano State Government should be reminded about the fact of our poor electoral performance in Kano State and the North-West during the 2023 Presidential elections.

In 2015, APC won 89% of the votes in Kano State with 1,903,999 as compared with PDP’s 10% or 215,779 votes. In 2019, APC votes in Kano State reduced to 77.5% or 1,464,768, but PDP’s votes increased to 20.7% or 391,593. In 2023, APC’s votes in Kano State for the Presidential election reduced to 517,341, PDP got 131,716, while NNPP got 997,279 votes. For the seven states in the North-West, although President Asiwaju Tinubu won majority votes in the region with 2,652,235 across the seven states as compared to PDP’s vote of 2,329,540, this sharply contrasted with the votes the APC got in 2015 and 2019 of 7,115,199 and 5,995,651 respectively as compared with PDP’s votes of 1,339,709 and 2,280,465.

This means APC got less than 30% of the votes it had in 2015 and less than 50% of the votes it got in 2019 during the 2023 Presidential elections. With such reality, our leaders should be more interested in making amends by reorganising the party in the region and make it more attractive to citizens, if we want to return to the old electoral glory of enjoying the mass support of citizens from the North-West. From all indications, given the response of the Federal Government to the politics being played out in Kano State around the reinstatement of Emir Sanusi, the question of reorganising the APC to make it popular in the North-West is not being considered.

In fact, the mere fact that we are retaining Dr. Ganduje as National Chairman of the APC with all his baggage and poor record of performance since his assumption of office suggest that, as a party, we are in denial of all the challenges facing us. With such denial, President Asiwaju Tinubu risked being considered as a leader who may have already conceded his election for second term within one year of his first term tenure. Why should this be so? Many of us in APC who fought for the emergence and victory of President Asiwaju Tinubu with the firm belief that being a dedicated democrat and progressive politician who has demonstrated unwavering commitment to the growth and development of democracy in Nigeria, he will make a fundamental difference in terms of providing what could be estimated to be a more responsive and representative leadership, the last one year since his emergence as President of the Federal Republic is like a nightmare.

To be candid, it is depressing that both the APC as a political party and its governments, especially at Federal level, but also in many states controlled by the party have not lived up to the expectation of being responsive and representative governments. With party organs not meeting as provided by the APC constitution, capacity of leaders and members of the party to intervene and influence changes in the direction of returning the party to its founding vision of emerging as a progressive party has been weakened if not eroded. Given such circumstance, party leaders and members are reduced to being distant observers.

It is quite troubling that an elected government under the leadership of President Asiwaju Tinubu will be deaf and dumb and insulate itself from all the appeals of party members and leaders regarding the situation facing the party. This was exactly the kind of situation, which confronted late Chief M. K. O. Abiola after the annulment of June 12, 1993 election, that made him to lament about how his efforts to engage military leaders in dialogue to reclaim his mandate were ignored by the military regime of late Gen. Sani Abacha as the military leaders ‘remained like stones, neither stirred to show loyalty to the collective decision of the people of their own country, nor to observe Allah’s injunction that they should exhibit justice and fair play in all their dealings with their fellowmen.’

It is heartbreaking to admit that since the inauguration of President Asiwaju Tinubu, he ‘‘remained like stone, neither stirred to show loyalty to … the people …nor to observe Allah’s injunction …(to) exhibit justice and fair play.’ Some of us in APC who made our modest contributions towards the emergence of President Asiwaju Tinubu, both as the candidate of the party and as the President of the Federal Republic are being treated almost as offenders. The only justification for that could be our outspokenness. Is President Asiwaju Tinubu such a gullible leader to the extent that he only wants praise singers around him? Is that the way he wants to reproduce the Lagos success story? Did he surrounded himself with praise singers when he was Governor of Lagos State? The evidence suggests to the contrary. Why then is he handling the responsibility of serving as the President of the Federal Republic in ways that compromised his democratic and progressive credentials?

Is this not the same Asiwaju Tinubu who was in the frontline of the struggle for democracy in Nigeria in the 1990s on account of which his life was threatened and he had to go on exile? Was this not the same Asiwaju Tinubu who as Governor of Lagos State had to stand up to the Federal Government of former President Obasanjo when they attempted to trample on the constitutional right of the Lagos State Government? The inspiringly successful legal battles of the Lagos State government against the Federal Government between 2003 and 2007 are still very fresh in the memory of Nigerians. Why is President Asiwaju Tinubu undoing all his achievement as a committed democrat?

If allowed to continue, Nigeria is gradually moving back to the dark ages of garrison politics under an APC-led government, which is envisioned to be progressive with Asiwaju Tinubu as President who was undisputedly a fighter for democracy. With APC almost disbanded given that its organs are no longer functional and handed over to Dr. Ganduje who is everything but a progressive and acting more like someone with a mission to destroy the party, the prospect of reforming the APC and return it to its founding vision is more and more becoming unreal. All these combined, winning elections in Kano State, the North-West and by extension, the whole country for APC will almost be impossible. If care is not taken, very soon, we will start having incidences of elected APC leaders moving to other parties in preparations for 2027 elections.

In the specific case of Kano State, the damage is already done. Give or take, whatever is the outcome of the current power struggle around the Kano Emirate has the potential of negatively affecting the electoral fortune of the APC. Does all these then suggest that APC is lost? Even before the Kano State debacle, the APC is lost to the extent of its derailment from its founding vision of being a progressive party. The emerging scenario whereby APC-led Federal Government of President Asiwaju Tinubu is using garrison politics to trample on the constitutional powers of Kano State Government would have damaged the democratic credentials of both President Asiwaju Tinubu and the APC beyond repairs, not to talk of returning the APC to its founding vision of becoming a progressive party. The truth must be told that once the APC-led government of President Asiwaju Tinubu find garrison politics attractive as a means of resolving political disputes, its commitment to rule of law and respect for principles of federalism will prioritise the use of force. Democratic rudiments promoting negotiations and consultations aimed at contracting agreements around interests would be sacrificed and undermined.

What then should we do given such an ugly reality? There must be creative way to return to the struggle for democracy in Nigeria. Beyond elections, patriotic Nigerians must organise themselves and begin a new political initiative to build a strong political party, which must be functional with competent and credible leadership that should enjoy the confidence of Nigerians. Such leadership should have the skills to manage and reconcile internal disputes and regulate the conduct of elected representatives such that they are able to meet the expectations of Nigerians in lines with campaign promises as provided in the party’s manifesto.

As a member of APC, I must admit, I have lost hope about the prospect of reforming the APC to return it to its founding vision given the way President Asiwaju Tinubu and many APC leaders are conducting themselves. Unfortunately, given that all other political parties in the country are also not functional and only serve as special purpose vehicles for elections, the challenge of developing Nigerian democracy is beyond just changing political parties. To build Nigerian democracy, we need at least a political party, which will respect its own rules, guarantee that its organs as are meeting as enshrined in the party’s constitution, it has credible leadership that will be accountable to party members, and above all have the tolerance to accommodate divergent opinions and interests of party members.

Nigerian democracy must grow beyond just elections. Democracy is as good or bad as any dictatorship when it is incapable of regulating the conduct of elected representatives. The legal framework for the operations of political parties in Nigeria must be strengthened to compel strong compliance to internal rules of political parties. A situation whereby in the name of democracy we end up producing emperors who operate more as garrison commanders is unacceptable and all patriots and genuine democrats should be called upon to join the crusade to change it and build a truly strong democracy in Nigeria. The reality whereby democracy is reduced to a comedy of electoral circus must give way to one which promotes veritable consultations and negotiations driven by functional structures of political parties. And agreements or decisions of parties should be binding and enforceable based on compliance to internal rules of parties. That is the democracy Nigerians wanted and is the democracy we struggled and campaigned for, which we must return to!

The 16th Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II, on Sunday, presided over the first emirate council meeting of district heads and senior traditional council members at the Gidan Rumfa palace.

The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) finally assumed the superior responsibility of the emirate by presiding over the maiden edition of the expanded council meeting after his reinstatement on Friday by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

With no fewer than 40 district heads and significant figures among the senior council members renewing their allegiance to the new emir, the raging tension around the emirship in the state has finally fizzled out.

Upon taking up residence in the palace, 40 district heads and council members prostrated themselves before him, signifying their official endorsement of his position as the rightful Emir of Kano.

Notable among those that paid homage were the five kingmakers, including Madaki, Wali, Makama, Sarkin Bai, and Sarkin Dawaki Mai tuta.

Others included Waziri, Turaki, Sarkin Shanu, Danburan, Dan İsa, Dan Lawan Dan Amar Magajin Gari, Dan Majen, Dan Kade, Matawalle, Sarkin Fulanin Jaidanawa, Magajin Malam, Dokaji, and Dandarman Kano.

The remaining were Marafa, Dallatu, Magajin Rafi, Sarkin Fada, Bunun, Baura, Dan Madamin, Dan Galadima, Talba, San Turaki, Dangoriba, Dan Maliki, Falaki, Yarima, Baraya, Zanna, Yan Daka, Fagaci, Dan Masani, and Wakilin Barden Kano.

The emir subsequently met with several interest groups, including the vigilante, women organizations, private individuals and well-wishers who had gathered at the palace to show their respects and loyalty.

Prior to the council meeting, Emir Sanusi, who was greeted with admiration and jubilation, emerged in ground style on white royal horse from his inner palace in the famous Gidan Rumfa, acknowledging warm greetings from his subjects.

Emir Sunusi reclaimed his position as Emir on Thursday following the assent of the repealed law by Governor Yusuf.

The new law overruled the 2019 version, which divided the Kano emirate into five distinct regions and was used as the basis for removing Sanusi as Emir of Kano.

[Dailypost]

• It’s my day to brag as a happy man, says President

• Work to start from C’River, A’Ibom simultaneously with Lagos

• Sections one and two to be completed in 24 months

The construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal road will bring benefits that are “more than imaginable”, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said yesterday.

He spoke at the groundbreaking of the 700km highway at Ahmadu Bellow Way, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The President has also approved the simultaneous commencement of work from the Cross River and Akwa Ibom end of the highway.

Describing himself as a “happy man” and the day “as my day of bragging”, a boisterous Tinubu dispelled fears being expressed on the project, saying it rather brings hope to the people and a bright future for the country.

The President said: “During the period of construction, the road will provide direct employment to thousands of people and indirect employment to tens of thousands of artisans and more.

“Economic opportunities for millions are being opened. It will fast-track community development. It will bring development closer to the people and give 30 million people improved access to production and marketing centres.

“You can easily predict a journey vertically and go along the horizontal line and do the definition of your geometry.

“For free movement of people, geometry teaches us that the straight line is the shortest distance between two points. Go for it.

“The potential of the road is enormous. The spur to Sokoto is undergoing procurement.

“Let us speed up the financial details being worked out. Don’t be afraid, we will do this road.

“It will be a success for Nigeria and we will do more. I am a very happy man today. Share with me in the joy.”

He said the project will also complement the expansion of the country’s maritime industry in the wake of the recent decision by the UN to grant Nigeria an extension of its continental shelf by an additional 16,300 square kilometres.

“We must take advantage of it,” he said, adding that the establishment of more export processing zones along the coastal states must be a priority.

The President added: “We said we will do this road, we’re determined to do it. The way we’re going, we’ll have a road that will outlive all of us here. That is how to build the future.

“The project is more than just a mere road; it is a symbol of hope, unity and prosperity.

“It will connect communities and bring prosperity to people, create opportunities for millions. We’re at it…hold on to the right side, and you’ll have opportunities; hold on to the left side of it, you’ll have prosperity.

“For our nation to excel, we just have to be bold and courageous in our endeavours.

“Thanks to Hiteck (the contractor)  for believing in us and for believing in the country, Nigeria.

“Not just talking about Lekki Deep Seaport and all the economic opportunities along that coast, what is a 700km concrete paved road? What it will bring is just more than imaginable.”

He also applauded the Chairman of Hi-Tech Construction Company, Amb. Gilbert Chagoury, and Engr. Ronald Chagoury, whose company is handling the project, for being worthy stakeholders and believing in the Nigerian project.

“We worked to tame the Atlantic and turned a disaster into a great asset and value. We lost weight and took abuses, but we tamed the Atlantic. We achieved our goals,” the President said, recounting how the indigenous company successfully executed a project to prevent the Atlantic Ocean from encroaching on endangered sections of the Lagos shoreline.

He also applauded Aliko Dangote, who was present at the event, for his enduring capacity in business and commitment to continue investing in Nigeria, urging other industrialists to emulate Dangote’s commitment to investing in Nigeria.

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on behalf of the 10th National Assembly, declared his strong support for the coastal highway project.

He appealed for an executive bill to amend the Procurement Act to ensure speedy completion of projects.

“Nigerians are behind you, Mr. President. Do not be afraid.

“A few days ago, we were debating at the Senate and we concluded that we must amend the Procurement Act.

“A situation where you want to construct a road of N100million and you start by putting N2million this year means you will finish the job in 50 years.

“We must be in a position to budget in a way that we also look at the tenure of the presidency and the government,” he said.

He described the existing budgeting process as flawed and partly responsible for the abandonment of over 14,000 projects across the country.

Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, announced that the President has directed that sections 3 and 4 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project should commence from Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.

Emphasising that due process was followed in awarding the contract for this transformative project, the Minister described President Tinubu as an uncommon thinker and courageous leader.

Umahi said over 40 new projects are ongoing across the country, and all compensations up to kilometre 6 of the Lagos-Calabar project have been paid.

He assured that the routes of the project have been re-aligned based on the President’s instructions and environmental assessment reports, while the first section of the project will be inaugurated before the end of President Tinubu’s second year, and will be tolled.

The Oniru of Iruland in Lagos State, Oba Abdulwasiu Lawal, in whose domain the project is situated, assured the President that the community will ensure the removal of all bottlenecks.

He stated that his people had made painful sacrifices for the project to materialise and called for adequate compensation for his people.

In separate remarks, governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Abdulrahman Abdulrazak (Kwara), and Hope Uzodinma (Imo) described the wide-ranging support from sub-nationals as a vote of confidence in the national acceptance of the project.

At the coastal road flag-off were governors, deputy governors, Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; the Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Dr Umar Ganduje; ministers, members of the National Assembly, traditional rulers and dignitaries.

Most of them had earlier attended the inauguration of the reconstructed Apapa-Oworonshoki-Ojota Expressway and the rehabilitated Third Mainland Bridge.

[TheNation]

The Nigerian Army has denied any involvement in the Kano State emirate tussle.

The Director, Army Public Relations, Maj. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement on Sunday said the Army had no involvement in the tussle and its personnel were not involved in enforcing any court order.

He said contrary to insinuations by the Kano State chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association “troops of the Nigerian Army have not been involved in the Kano State emirate tussle and are not involved in enforcing any court order. ”

He noted that the service steps taken were to prevent the breakdown of law and order.

Onyema said, “They have only taken proactive steps to checkmate any possible breakdown or breach of the security that may be occasioned by the Kano Emirship tussle.

“The issue of paramount concern to the Nigerian Army and other security agencies is the prevention of the breakdown of law and order in the state, which could be taken advantage of by adversarial non-state actors.”

He noted that the military would wade into the matter when the police could no longer handle the security situation in the state.

“All the Army is doing at this stage is to monitor the situation as it unfolds and be on standby in the event of any escalation that could threaten the security of the state and the region in general,” he added.

The emirate tussle began when Aminu Ado-Bayero was dethroned on Thursday by the governor of the state, Abba Yusuf, and Muhammadu Sanusi II was reappointed as the 16th Emir of Kano on Friday.

Ado-Bayero was deposed following the passage of the Kano State Emirate Councils Amendment Bill by the House of Assembly which the governor accented to.

Also, the additional four emirate councils created under the immediate-past governor, Abdullahi Ganduje were abolished and the monarchs were dethroned.

As a result of the development,
Ado-Bayero’s whereabouts had been unknown since he was dethroned but the media was awash of the news of his return to the state on Saturday. His return was reported to have raised tension in the state.

Meanwhile, the Kano Branch of the NBA condemned the use of men of the Nigerian Army to enforce court orders involving the tussle.

Amid controversies that trailed the Kano Emirate tussle, security agencies in Kano State on Sunday night said it has uncovered plots to unleash terror and set the state ablaze.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Usaini Gumel who was flanked by other heads of security agencies, DSS, NSCDC among others disclosed this while briefing newsmen said it uncovered plots to launch an attack on the Kano State House of Assembly and other prominent locations in the state.

CP Gumel further said it will embark on a house-to-house search to fish out the miscreants plotting to cause unrest and destabilise the peace in the state.

According to him, “We have uncovered credible intelligence about some group of people who are considered as enemies of the state and miscreants who are trying to unleash terror in the state by embarking on targeted attacks at locations, particularly the House of Assembly and some prominent locations within the state capital. This intelligence has been verified by so many sources.

“We have perfected plans to embark on serious patrols as well as detections particularly areas where we were informed that the miscreants are hiding. No hiding place for them.

“Whoever, under whatever guise is found to be planning to disrupt the peace being enjoyed in the State or feel that he/she can jeopardize the existing security settings in the State will be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law.

“We are going to embark on a house-to-house search for anybody who they are above the law,” CP Gumel however stated.

Meanwhile, a reliable source revealed that the miscreants were mobilized and paid to destabilize and cause tension in the state.

The source also identified some of the targeted areas, the residence of the Majority leader of the assembly, Lawan Hussaini (a member who sponsored the repealed law) and a member representing Gwale among others.

[Vanguard]

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says the removal of petrol subsidy by the administration of President Bola Tinubu was necessary but “wrongly and thoughtlessly” implemented.

Obasanjo made the remark on Saturday while speaking virtually at a colloquium themed ‘Nigeria’s Development: Navigating the Way Out of the Current Economic Crisis and Insecurity’.

He said the federal government also got the implementation of the exchange rates unification wrong, hence impoverishing Nigerians.

“Today, the government has taken three decisions, two of which are necessary but wrongly and thoughtlessly implemented and have led to impoverisation of the economy and of Nigerians. These are removal of subsidy, closing the gap between black market and official rates of exchange and the third is dealing with a military coup in Niger Republic,” Obasanjo said.

On attracting foreign investments, the former president said the Tinubu-led government “has not found the right way to handle the economy to engender confidence and trust for investors to start trooping in”.

He said the government cannot attract investors when those in the country are leaving, adding that investors do not take Nigeria seriously.

Obasanjo said Total Energy chose Angola over Nigeria to invest $6 billion dollars because “they do not find steady and stable policy in Nigeria”.

“The way forward is production and productivity which belief and trust in government leadership will engender. No shortcut to economic progress but hard work and sweat,” he said.

“Economy does not obey orders, not even military orders. I know that. If we get it right, in two years, we will begin to see the light beyond the tunnel. It requires a change of characteristics, attributes and attitude by the leadership at all levels to gain the confidence and trust of investors who have alternatives.

“They know us more than we know ourselves. And now they are laughing at us, not taking us seriously. We have to present ourselves in such a way that we will be taken seriously.

“With change by us, the investors will give us the benefit of doubt, and security being taken care of on a sustainable long-term basis, they will start to test the water. With the right economic policies, attributes of integrity and honesty of purpose, all should be well with all hands on deck and the government becoming a catalyst for development, growth and progress.

“Tinkering with the exchange rate is not the answer. The answer is consistency and continuity in policy to ensure stability and predictability.”

As part of the solution to Nigeria’s economic woes, Obasanjo suggested a 25-year social economic development agenda “that will be generally agreed to by the nation, by all political parties and passed into law by the national assembly with state assemblies aspects also passed into law by the state houses of assembly”.

He listed some priorities in the agenda to include education for all, food and nutrition security through agribusiness, energy for all, health for all, industrialisation and manufacturing, and science, technology, innovation and artificial intelligence.

[TheCable]

Amidst the initial fanfare, good feelings, and high expectations, a new era began on May 29, 2023, as a new president, vice president, and governors took oaths of office. However, as we approach the one-year mark, it’s clear that for many Nigerians, the end of the Buhari era was not the relief they had hoped for. The Buhari administration appeared rudderless and in need of more vigour. This sentiment was echoed in various states, where citizens felt betrayed by the lacklustre performance of their then-outgoing governors. 

This column in a piece written in March 2023, captioned Governors: Right versus Wrong captured  the general feeling about the state governors thus: “it is utterly absurd that instead of elected governors to focus on making their states economically viable and developing their states from down to up, many governors have turned the states into fiefdoms and domains where they rule as absolute dictators controlling not just the resources of the state, but all the state institutions with impunity. We see governors who unashamedly use public funds as their private funds and use it anyhow they want, with little or no accountability whatsoever”.

There were high expectations and a renewed hope that the new administrations in the states would be different this time around and would use the state’s resources to develop the states. They made lots of promises to their people to tackle the myriad problems that have kept their states from developing. Some articulated visions and goals that are noble to the admiration of Nigerians living in these states. In many states, barring a few, these promises made on the inauguration day have become empty promises, the visions are largely blurred, and no overarching goals are pursued, much more being achieved. 

Sadly, many states are heading in the same direction of hopelessness and despair as in past dispensations. Leadership is lacking, and the status quo must be changed if Nigeria is to see meaningful development in the current dispensation. To address this, the governors must reflect on their performance in the last year and implement policies, structures and systems that will help them fulfil their responsibilities to the people.  

The state scorecards for the past year, as evidenced by dire and unpleasant statistics in aspects such as poverty, food insecurity, unemployment and underemployment, environmental degradation, poor business-friendly environment, and poor policy implementation, are, at best, suboptimal and, at worst, grim. Some states cannot demonstrate meaningful achievement in any one area and are not positioned to achieve anything in the future unless something drastic is done to redirect their leadership to the proper development direction. This lacklustre and self-defeating approach to growth and development occurs when the states enjoy unprecedented FAAC allocations and other internally generated revenues.  

Every month, according to the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), not less than a trillion naira is announced to have been generated and disbursed among the three tiers of government in Nigeria, at least since the removal of fuel subsidy, which has significantly improved the revenues of governments across the country. The statutory federal allocations to the coffers of the state governments alone are expected to increase by 69 per cent, from N3.3 trillion in 2023 to N5.54 trillion in 2024, based on the approved budget and revenue projection. Government fiscal statistics indicate that in the first four months of 2024, states have received approximately N1.548 trillion in disbursement. The internally generated revenue of many states has significantly increased in the past year, adding more funds to the state’s coffers for growth and development. This is besides the 13 per cent derivation revenue (for the benefitting states) and other funds accruing to states from different sources. 

The recent increase in state government revenue has not improved Nigerians’ quality of life. Revenue from FAAC has doubled, but living standards are getting worse. More money for the states has yet to translate to substantial improvements in infrastructure, healthcare services, education, job creation, or even security. 

Much has been written about the national government’s performance in the past year, and the verdict is nothing to cheer about. We frequently overlook that, in a federal system, the ways by which subnational governments create and implement development policies are essential to a functioning country. In Nigeria, many people are disappointed and dissatisfied with how subnational entities are run. This illustrates how deeply disappointed people are with the results of governance over the last 12 months.

Despite modest progress in a few states, there is a systemic breakdown of public healthcare and education facilities at the state level. The public’s confidence in sub-nationals’ capacity to deliver social services and look out for the welfare of the populace has been severely damaged as a result. According to statistics, endemic poverty has spread and is now present in 28 of the 36 states in the country. The World Bank Nigeria Development Update Report states that as of 2023, the poverty percentage had risen from 40% in 2018 to 46% in 2023. It is projected that a combination of subnational ill-managed administration and inflation will have caused the poverty rate to surpass 50% by the end of 2023.

State governments in Nigeria have failed to meet the task of ensuring food security by failing to invest appropriately and implement policies that would encourage agriculture. Several issues are to blame, including inadequate finance, insecurity, bad planning, and unfavourable policies that reduce farmers’ production. Few states have changed and turned farming into a commercial endeavour. A few more are promising.  This is true even though we have more arable land than the Netherlands—which has 29%—but the Netherlands exports ten times as much agricultural goods as Nigeria. Over the past year, there has been little substance but mostly talk about agriculture.

With the significant resources the states have received in the past year, it’s disheartening to see that many states cannot account for how they spent the money. While we acknowledge the impact of rising inflation and a decline in the value of the Naira, it’s inexcusable for states to not demonstrate significant achievements with those funds. This lack of transparency and accountability at the state level is a key factor contributing to the suboptimal performance in many states. It’s crucial for citizens to demand and ensure transparency and accountability in governance to drive meaningful change. 

Insecurity still festers. Almost all elected chief executives promised to prioritise security, but it seems the more they promised, the deeper we go into insecurity. A few states are examples of using local and internal security systems to support external security systems and form a cohesive security system that has reduced insecurity in those states. However, in many states today, insecurity is worse, and there is no hope of effectively tackling it soon. Security, though mainly a function of the federal government, needs sustained and coordinated efforts from the state government to effectively secure the lives and properties of Nigerians living in various states.  

Many state governments need something to show in terms of infrastructural development. The level of infrastructural decay is palpable. Few or no new roads are constructed . State governments have been empowered to regulate the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity yet only few states have taken advantage of this constitutional amendment. The availability of pipe-borne water and other water systems is still a mirage, and medical facilities need to be put in place to cater to the needs of the people. The newly sworn-in governors promised their people these things, but one year later, there is little or no evidence that many are fulfilling them. Most of them will stagger into the second year without a concrete plan. 

At all levels, I hope our political leaders recognise the importance of redeeming democracy’s reputation. The average person is beginning to question the capacity of democracy to deliver dividends that can improve his life. It will take more than impressive rhetoric to convince citizens that our political officeholders are working for our interests. Actions must follow words and beautiful promises. The few states where the governors are doing well shine like illuminators for others to emulate. It is not rocket science to provide quality leadership for the people. The next three years are enough time to correct this harmful and unfruitful leadership anomaly in some states. The people deserve more, and that is what they must get!

Dear Chief Wale Edun, 

About a month before President Bola  Tinubu’s swearing-in on May 29, 2023, as the president of Nigeria, a group of us got together to preview the state and project the future of the country. The group that got together comprised a loose union of public affairs analysts, media leaders, political economists and business leaders.

In that rendezvous, I expressed my reasoned hope around what would happen if the President announced his cabinet within 24 hours of his swearing-in and his nominated ministers went to parliament with portfolios attached to their names; I called such moves very low-hanging fruits that would be the first legacy of the city boy that became president.

My analysis of the path to the presidency led me to make specific predictions. I confidently foresaw Yemi Cardoso as the Central Bank Governor, you (Wale Edun) as the Minister for the Economy, Dele Alake in a high-level role related to communication and strategy, and Nasir El-Rufai in a prominent position in the cabinet.

Now, 13 months later, it is evident to any reader of this missive which of these expectations have been met, which have been disappointed, and which are yet to be realised.

Today’s epistle is directed to you, Chief Wale Edun, because you have ascended to the position of Minister of Finance and the Economy. Your official title is even more significant than I predicted: You are the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy. It is not said enough, and it is worth clarifying here that your position and title genuinely mean that you are the de facto head of fiscal policies for this administration.

Let us be clear: a cursory look at your academic and professional credentials and your public service profile would convince even the most skeptical and interested observer that you are worthy of being considered capable of filling the role for the job you have been given.

And therein lies the rub, dear Hon. Minister, to whom much is given, much is expected. Regardless of how people voted, many (reasonable and knowledgeable people) expected you to set the world on fire with achievements.

Those who voted for your party hoped for such; those who voted against your party dreaded your imagined performance.

Let us face it, and there is no other way to put it, dear Hon. Minister. So far, it’s not great.

For very understandable but not entirely acceptable reasons (at least not acceptable to me), monetary policies have stolen the show in this administration so far.

It is time to change that. Today, we play the drums for you, dear Hon. Minister, and say, Wale, put on your dancing shoes, come out and dance. The time for action is now; many still believe in your ability to make a difference. Dance for them.

It is easy to understand why the issue of forex can dominate the national discourse; after all, we import more than we produce, and many of those who make big money in Nigeria study, send their children abroad to study and seek medical attention abroad. Too many who can travel have seen and continue to crave to see more cities outside the country than in the country. Even those who try to produce must import many of their equipment and materials. All these put an incredible amount of pressure on the naira, and we have not yet included those in search of stability and would instead save their earned or looted bundle in dollars.

When the problem is forex, the office to deal with it is the central bank, seems to be the prevailing mindset in the country or at least from the look of things.

The pressure on the naira, coupled with the increase in the cost of production and distribution of goods and services, has also contributed negatively to worsening the situation. We now have a general rise in the price of goods and services. The official figures reported for inflation rates in the country are currently between 31 and 33%, but I doubt those figures.

A cursory look will show anyone who cares that we have an increase of close to 60% in the cost of goods and services in the streets and the mainstream market. So far, we seem to think that when the issue is inflation, it is the central bank that has to deal with the problem through monetary policies. I disagree, dear Hon. Minister.

My view is that in both cases of foreign exchange and inflation, fiscal policies can do more to help us than monetary policies.

Let us be clear: I am not saying “only fiscal policies”; I am saying “more of fiscal policies”.

Those who say the naira does need protection against the dollar and other foreign currencies are wrong. The best way to protect the naira, though, is to increase our reserves by increasing the amount of dollars and other foreign currencies we earn. To increase our inflow of dollars, we need to put in place unambiguous, deliberate, and noticeable fiscal policies aimed at attracting foreign direct investments into our system. The emphasis on loans is too much, not that that loan is itself bad; one borrows because one is broke; if used judiciously, I argue loans can be good to build infrastructure that will aid development and create jobs and wealth. Loans are not to be used to fund religious tourism like Hajj today, and who knows what will happen tomorrow? Others might want their own 90 billion Naira, too…

The path to raising needed funds for infrastructure and other government expenditures is to make sure the government prioritises capital expenditure; every kobo spent must be an investment that generates more money than what is spent.

You, dear Hon. Minister, must do your best to ensure that our new funding source is investment dominated in forex, not taxes in naira. My advice is that we go to the equity market for such funding. Let us go to the City of London and Wall Street to place some of our assets and offer a fraction of ownership for investment dominated in forex.

We need policies aimed at attracting investors who invest in dollars and other foreign currencies and who are looking for land, people, projects, and even the sun to build factories, refineries, roads, and hospitals.

Not foreign investors that come with little to look for for funds in Nigeria. There is to be a clear message that says, “Nigeria is open for business”. That is a slogan; actions must, however, match words.

Naturally, we need to start by keeping the investors currently in the country, not losing them.

To be continued…

President Bola Tinubu on Sunday inaugurated the newly reconstructed Apapa-Oworonshoki-Ojota-Oshodi Expressway, a 36.02km expressway connecting Nigeria's premier ports - Apapa and Tin Can Island - to larger parts of Lagos State.

President Tinubu, who performed the symbolic unveiling of the plaque of the concrete-paved road at the Gbagada stretch, also virtually inaugurated the recently rehabilitated Third Mainland Bridge.

Speaking at the inauguration of the projects, executed by the Federal Ministry of Works, the President, represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, said the Apapa-Oworonshoki-Ojota Expressway would enhance access to the ports, boost commercial activities, and spur economic development.

Originally constructed between 1975 and 1978, the road had deteriorated significantly over the years, causing severe delays in the evacuation of goods from Apapa Wharf.

The reconstruction of the road was executed in four sections, using Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP), by Dangote Industries Limited under the tax credit method of infrastructure funding, with Hitech Construction Nigeria Limited as the subcontractor.

The rehabilitated Third Mainland Bridge, the longest of three bridges connecting Lagos Island to the mainland, spans about 11.8km.

It was commissioned by President Shehu Shagari in 1980 and completed by General Ibrahim Babangida in 1990.

The bridge recently underwent significant rehabilitation to improve its structural integrity and extend its lifespan.

''This is a great feat by any standards, and it is all for Nigeria. I congratulate the Ministry of Works and the contractors for the great work.

''It is not only in Lagos that these good things are happening. From the Presidential Villa in Asokoro to the AYA Roundabout in the capital city (Abuja), you will notice a great deal of work and some of these projects will be commissioned this week,'' the Senate President said.

The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi explained the reason for the use of concrete technology in constructing the road, noting its durability, as well as the rising cost of bitumen used in making asphalt.

‘‘We want our contractors to migrate to the use of concrete technology for road construction,’’ the Minister said, while describing the inauguration of the road as another plus on the utility of tax credits in the country.

On the Third Mainland Bridge, the Minister explained that the project went beyond mere rehabilitation.

''We had to replace all the expansion joints, and we also noticed that over the years all the maintenance on the bridge was only for the surface and that created a lot of super elevation, pot holes, and increased the dead load on the bridge resulting in increased deflection,'' he said.

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works, Dr. Yakubu Kofarmata announced that President Tinubu had directed the ministry to complete Abuja-Kano Road within one year.

He assured Nigerians that Makurdi-Enugu Expressway was on the verge of completion and that other federal road projects across the country are receiving attention.

According to the Permanent Secretary, the Minister of Works, Engr. Umahi has saved Nigeria a total of N1.19 trillion through renegotiations of some ongoing road project costs across the country.

''What we are witnessing today is Nigeria working under the Renewed Hope Agenda of this administration, and the determination to have a better Nigeria where infrastructural facilities are functioning," the Permanent Secretary said.

The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Femi Hamzat expressed gratitude to the President and the Federal Ministry of Works for fixing the roads, thereby reducing travel time from 7 hours to 1 hour and 15 minutes.

''About two years ago, a lot of companies on the Apapa-Oworonshoki-Ojota Road moved from this axis because of the deplorable state of the road.

''We are grateful to Mr. President, the Ministry of Works, Dangote Group and Hitech Construction Limited for the current state of the road and also for the Third Mainland Bridge,'' the Deputy Governor said.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)