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 rare case actualising lifetime ambition.
Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu , a dogged politician; in 2003 election refused to support defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD) to formed 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 the 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 get was in a regular collision with the PDP-controlled Federal Government, especially on his creation of additional 37 Local Council Development Areas for Lagos States. 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 was able won 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 shows 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. The president- elect looked for alliance talks between the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) 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 float 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 to but choose to support and contributed significantly toward emergence then 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 is seemed ganged up against his person before the APC convention , 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.The buhari administration poorly implemented economic policies have brong bout unbearable hardship to 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 securitized, 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 put all necessary policies to bar federal and states government from borrowing and in the case where the borrowing is needs borrowing will be use 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 coming on the heels of unemployment which has been projected that the country’s unemployment rate will hit 37 per cent in 2023.Nigeria’s inflation rate resumed its uptrend in January 2023, hitting a record high of 21.82%. This represents a 0.47% increase when compared to the 21.34% recorded in the previous month.
Nigerians expect the new president to take is 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 the incoming government should 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 we have not achieved much success that can boost the economy and reduce poverty in the land,” he advocated.
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Dukawa write in from Kano.
