Tinubu’s Ascension To Power And His Expectations
Seventy-two (72) hours from now, the former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will be sworn in as president and commander in chief of armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
These titles including the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic will be bequeathed to Tinubu on Monday, May 29, 2023.
These aren’t just ordinary titles and honour bestowed on an individual but these are title deserved after years of hard work strategically to become the country’s number one man among the estimated 200 million in population.
It is not easy especially in a modern democracy of ours in this part of the world to be elected president of Nigeria because of the peculiarity of our nation. For you to be declared as president of Nigeria you must have fulfilled the constitutional requirements which Tinubu has passed.
Becoming the president of Nigeria, you must have appealed to the consciousness of the Nigerian people spread across the different ethnic groups, tribes, languages, traditions and religion and most importantly, in all these, your popularity must have been tested on the ballot.
Tinubu is not just a popular figure in the country, he is a political icon, over the past two decades, Tinubu has been making underground preparations for this important era of our country’s journey to greatness, he had dreamt that he would one day be at the helm of affairs of contributing his quota even as we journey and march on to the glorious destination intended by our founding fathers.
Tinubu has invested a lot to the growth and development of this country not only in Lagos where he served as Governor from 1999 to 2007, Asiwaju has contributed immensely to the lives of people in the West, South, East and Northern parts of the country that is why his presence is just undeniable.
It is believed that Tinubu is the strong man of south west politics, having influence in the five states in the west – Oyo, Lagos, Osun, Ekiti and Ogun States.
These are the states he started his tentacles from before spreading to other regions in the country.
Many say he is a political strategist, no doubt that despite the hatred on him particularly the youths who participated largely in the 2023 general election, Tinubu still emerged winner of the February 25 presidential election.
Tinubu has touched lives, groomed politicians and established connections both home and abroad which has made it easy for him to be first to be reckoned with politically in the west and it is spreading to other parts of the country.
Prior to his election, he made it clear to Nigerians that he was born to rule the country and he will rule and that it was his turn – the Emi Lo Kan phrase became an anthem in his party’s – the All Progressives Congress (APC) political rallies.
Tinubu’s antecedents during his eight-year tenure as Lagos Governor paved way for him to Aso Villa – the country’s seat of power.
He laid a foundation in the state that other states are emulating. One of the remarkable and revolutionary things he did was to ensure that the state was able to adequately cater for itself through the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) without depending on the centre for the monthly allocation.
Despite his questionable past which many have not been able to prove otherwise, Tinubu’s good deeds in Lagos outweighed his shortcomings despite the unconfirmed alleged criminal claims which no constituted authority has been able to get hold on.
Tinubu’s mantra in the 2023 presidential election was hinged on ‘Renewed Hope’ – a replica of what late business tycoon, Chief M.K.O Abiola had during his campaign in 1993. Abiola’s hope was short lived after the election was annulled.
Thirty years after Abiola’s dream of keeping the hope alive Tinubu perhaps might want to continue along the unfulfilled path of Abiola.
Based on his antecedents and passion for a new, better and prosperous Nigeria, the people are optimistic that the next four years of the country’s journey to greatness will be a wasted one as experienced in the eight years reign of the outgoing president, Muhammadu Buhari.
In peripheral, Tinubu has promised to revamped the economy – this is one of the country’s major challenge – Nigeria’s economy over the last eight years has been handicapped due to policy summersaults, lack of direction from economic mangers in the Buhari’s administration.
It is yet unknown what Tinubu has in store for the Nigerian people particularly in the economy but based on several interactions with industry players, entrepreneurs and investors during his campaign Nigerians can only be hopeful that would replicate the magic he performed while as governor of Lagos.
There are other areas begging for urgent attention – security, although, president Buhari has been able to minimise territorial aggression by Boko Haram but the current pockets of banditry and kidnapping in the north east, north west, north central and the south over the last 12 months has been overwhelming. Nigerians are waiting for urgent intervention from Tinubu as he assumes office on Monday.
There have been agitations from various ethnic groups in the country of marginalisation, particularly those in the South East are of the opinion that the Buhari’s administration has not been fair to the region in terms of political appointments. This is another key area that the lopsided appointment narrative needs to be addressed by the president-elect.
While policy makers, concerned Nigerians keep their fingers crossed anticipating for a better Nigeria the buck will always stop on the president’s desk, his decisions will determine the country’s progression, his appointments will tell if Tinubu was the Tinubu many knew while he was governor of Lagos because Nigerians cannot afford another wasted tenure.
His decisions from the first day in office would tell how the rest of his tenure will be.
