President Bola Tinubu has been urged to take drastic measures to arrest the near collapse of Nigerian state and restore the citizens’ confidence in both himself and his administration.
The League of Nigerian Columnists gave this charge in a press statement jointly signed by the National President, National Vice President and National Secretary, High Chief Tola Adeniyi, Mallam Yakubu Muhàmmed and Prof. Anthony Kila, respectively.
While aknowledging the fact that almost all the nations of the world are going through various and varied degrees of economic challenges, political turmoil, destabilizing insecurity and loss of faith in their leaders, the body stated that the leaderships of the same nations are doing their utmost to combat the challenges by seeking solutions and carrying their citizens along.
According to the League, “President Tinubu must urgently jettison the policy of political patronage over people’s welfare and come to terms with reality on ground. This is not the time to indulge in political trivialities and economic frivolities”.
In order to stem the tide of an imminent collapse of Nigeria, the body called on President Tinubu to consider the following steps which include, among others, declaration of State of Emergency on Insecurity of Life and Property, Food Insecurity and Cost of Governance, that people must be free to travel, safe in their homes and secure on their farms.
The League also advised that President Tinubu should reduce the size of his bloated Cabinet by abolishing the office of the so-called Minister of State or Junior Minister.
According to the statement, it is the need to satisfy the provision of one minister per state in the Constitution that would allow him to retain 36 Ministers plus a Minister for the Capital Territory, that no Minister should have more than 4 Aides.
The body also advised that President Tinubu should remove himself as the Minister of Petroleum Resources.
“Constituency Allowance for Senators and Members of the House of Representatives as well as State House of Assemblies should be scrapped immediately. Our National Assembly Members and state legislators were not elected to become contractors.
The League emphasized that no effort should be spared in ensuring that the country is secure and safe from the stranglehold of terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and blood-sucking ritualists. It is doable with a strong political will.
“The President and his advisers should know or ought to know that no policy can succeed if a leader, anywhere in the world, is not trusted or does not enjoy the confidence of the citizens.
“They should also know that no amount of palliatives or economic theories can save the Naira or reduce inflation if the country cannot improve on her production/productivity capacity.
“If electricity, insecurity and policy summersaults continue to drive away multinationals, hamper our skilled artisans from performing optimally, and drive away farmers nationwide, the value of Naira will continue its free-fall.
“If our President can close his eyes and allow his conscience and his vow to the voters to guide him, there is still hope for the country to breathe again. A stich in time saves nine” the statement concluded.
