Feeling of success is a special one and this feeling becomes magical when someone achieved his lifetime ambition against all odds in life. For president-elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu becoming the President of the largest democracy in Africa is a rare case actualising lifetime ambition.
In 2003 election as a dogged politician Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu refused to support defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD) to form an alliance with then President Obasanjo PDP, for re-election in return for the AD holding on to its six South-West states. The AD governors actions cost them their gubernatorial seats .Tinubu’s refusal to be part of the deal turned out to be his saving grace as he remained a lone re-elected Governor of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) due to the incursion of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the South West.
As the lone AD governor Tinubu was in a regular collision with the PDP-controlled Federal Government, especially on his creation of additional 37 Local Council Development Areas for Lagos State. Despite Obasanjo’s administration deliberate withholding statutory allocation of the Lagos State Local Government funds for almost three years, Lagos state survived until Supreme Court ruled that Obasanjo’s administration should release the seized statutory allocation of the Lagos State Local Government funds.
As recourse to the decimated Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the south west, Jagaban actively involved in the creation of the Action Congress (AC) political party and was able to win back four of the states to AC control. In spite leaving office in 2007, Ahmad Bola Tinubu did not give up the struggle for forming formidable opposition party in the country especially during the 2011 general elections. After the parliamentary elections in 2011 it showed that the People’s Democratic Party would retain the presidency, members of the two parties met to discuss the prospect of forging an alliance that would have a realistic chance of defeating the PDP’s candidate, Goodluck Jonathan.
In the same year, president- elect looked for alliance talks between the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) which failed as the alliance talks failure has been blamed on Tunde Bakare, the CPC’s candidate for Vice-President for refusal to sign a predated resignation letter irked the leaders of the ACN who decided to opt out of a planned “grand coalition” and go it alone.
After collapsed of 2007 alliance unrelentingly with his immense political influence led to the merger of opposition parties in 2013, three major parties the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) have floated a mega platform, All Progressive Congress (APC).
This grand merger led to the wrestling of power from the then-ruling PDP in 2015 – a rarity in Nigeria where incumbents are not often defeated.
Without self- sacrifice and leadership of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, there would not be All Progressive Congress at the centre in 2015 and 2019.
He abandoned his desire to seek the country ‘s top job instead choose to support and contributed significantly toward emergence then of General Muhammadu Buhari as APC Presidential candidate.
Toward ruling governing party’s presidential primary election, President Buhari’s associates have tried to downplay the former governor’s influence in the 2015 election, aspirations were flagging, he reminded Nigerians that he was largely responsible for installing President Muhammadu Buhari.
Even though there seemed ganged up against his person before the APC convention , the president elect stood his ground, poured out his mind and fought to win the presidential ticket.On Picking a running-mate Tinubu, picked former Borno state governor Kashim Shettima .The action that also generated alot of controversy.This decision drew ire of many Christians who say it went against the tradition of mixed-faith tickets for the presidency. Going by his antecedents and political sagacity, Tinubu is not just the Jagaban of Borgu, but the Jagaban of contemporary Nigerian democracy and politics and he is an “outstanding politician who has contributed immensely to Nigeria’s democracy.
The incoming President won the election at the critical stage of our nation’s history. As Buhari administration poorly implemented economic policies have brought about unbearable hardship to the millions of families, difficulty to businesses, huge debt profile ,wide spread insecurity, unemployment and inflation .
The job of the president elect is not an easy job, due to daunting challenges. on nation’s debt burden at the last count, Nigeria is neck-deep in debts hovering around N44.06 trillion in September 2022. However, if the N23.7 trillion CBN loan is scrutinized, our debt stock could amount to about N77 trillion in June 2023 just some days after the swearing of President-Elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The incoming administration need to put all necessary policies to bar federal and states government from borrowing and in the case where the borrowing is needed, borrowing will be used to fund projects that generate revenue from which debt can be repaid. Another area of great concern budget underscores fiscal deficit expansion and the upward trajectory in public debt. Fiscal sustainability will remain a concern as government revenue will be eroded by personnel costs and high-interest payments on debt.
The incoming administration is to take over on the heels of unemployment which has been projected to hit 37 per cent in 2023.
Nigeria’s inflation rate reach its unprecedented in January 2023, hitting arecord high of 21.82%. This represents a 0.47% increase when compared to the 21.34% recorded in the previous month, Nigerians are languishing in extreme hardship; daily survival has become an uphill challenge and what people are going through now in the country is reaching the highest apogee since the late 80s.
All these happened under All Progressive Congress administration. Because those in power not feel for Nigerians in this kind of abject unfold hardship. Why in the 21st Century Nigerians are still talking about daily survival which in normal circumstances, there is no any reason for Nigerians talks or crying about food prices which are beyond affordability. In October, a report by Global Hunger Index jointly published by the German-based Welthungerhilfe and Dublin-based Concern Worldwide, Nigeria ranked 103 out of 121 countries in the 2022 Global Hunger Index, a position that signifies the nation “has a level of hunger stricken country which is serious. Inflation reached unprecedented heights; workers purchasing power declined precipitously.
Nigerians expect the new president elect to have a team of competent people by ensuring that round pegs are put in round holes, that he should immediately roll out his economic blueprint, which should be in line with the National Development Plan.
Urgent needs to tackle issues surrounding the fiscal and monetary policies to quickly arrest the dwindling economy of the country.
Another urgent matter for the incoming government to give accelerated attention is the currency redesign policy notes because it has disrupted both consumption and production, particularly in the informal sector. The disruption has to be addressed quickly to halt the economic decline and hardship on the nation. This economic situation, in itself, requires not just tinkering but massive reengineering.
The President-elect Ahmad Bola Tinubu should critically review agricultural policies because the current policy not achieved much success that can boost the economy and reduce poverty in the land. Let you and your team remain focused on the objective of birthing the Nigeria of our dreams. Nigerians pray that Almighty God will help you to fulfil the progressive mandate given to you by the Nigerians, as well as you and your Vice President elect plans to improve the security.
Finally May Allah, guide you to which is good for the country and good for us. make them a means for our safety, and make them a means for our wellbeing. Safeguard our country and bring ease to the Nigerians from that which they face from sufferings.
Abba Dukawa is a Public Affairs Commentator and Writes in from Kano.
