Author: The Nation

Following his appointment as President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, the Speaker of the outgoing 9th House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, will not be returning to the House when it is inaugurated this month, although he had secured the mandate of his constituents to serve for a record sixth term. In this piece, his Chief Press Secretary, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, writes about some of the highlights of his stewardship in the Lower Chamber of the National Assembly

It is just like yesterday that Femi Gbajabiamila took over the mantle of leadership as the Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives. Four years down the line, Gbajabiamila is leaving office fulfilled.

He was returning to the House for his 5th term back in 2019, and after an unsuccessful attempt to become the Speaker four years earlier, in 2015, he clinched the position in an unprecedented manner by polling 281 votes to defeat his opponent back then, Mohammed Umar Bago, who is now the governor of Niger State.

June 11, 2019, was a day to remember in Nigeria’s history because that was the day that the Nigerian Parliament, for the first time, got someone who had occupied both the Minority and Majority leadership positions in our history elected as Speaker. Having garnered experience from both sides of the divide, Gbajabiamila was truly prepared for the job ahead of him.

In his inaugural speech, Gbajabiamila promised to do things differently and “shake the table” a little. True to his words, he did things differently as Speaker. Soon after the assumption of office, Gbajabiamila appointed a committee of distinguished members of the House headed by Prof. Julius Ihonvbere to come up with a legislative agenda for the House. When the document was ready, top on the list were health, education, and other legislative interventions.

The House barely commenced the implementation of the legislative agenda when the world was taken by storm. The COVID-19 pandemic struck like a whirlwind, and activities around the globe were grounded. During that difficult period, Gbajabiamila was up and doing. He provided decisive leadership.

He sponsored the Emergency Economic Stimulus Bill of 2020, to cushion the effects of the pandemic on the citizens. The bill sought to provide tax relief, the suspension of import duty on selected medical goods, and the deferral of residential mortgage obligations.

He came up with the Control of Infectious Diseases Bill. But as is the case in Nigeria, there were media campaigns and outright lies against the bill. However, Gbajabiamila was vindicated when everyone, including our leaders, queued up to take the COVID-19 vaccine several months after he advocated for it in his bill.

Gbajabiamila spearheaded several other interventions and met with senior government officials day-by-day to ensure that the government’s palliatives during the lockdown period got to the targeted citizens.

Perhaps, the biggest intervention Gbajabiamila provided during those perilous times was that which averted the planned industrial action by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD). Members of the association had been at loggerheads with the Executive arm since 2019, and in the middle of COVID-19, they threatened to embark on a strike. If not for Gbajabiamila’s intervention, only God knows what would have become of Nigeria had they embarked on the strike.

After the nationwide lockdown necessitated by COVID-19, the House had to review its legislative agenda to accommodate certain things. The document was christened ‘Our Contract with Nigerians.’

It was also Gbajabiamila who insisted on having the national budget run from January to December, as envisaged by the constitution. He had been an advocate of the January-December budget cycle long before he became Speaker. For the first time in our history, the 2020 budget was passed in December 2019 and signed into law the same month. The country’s subsequent budgets under him also followed the same trajectory.

One thing that had been close to Gbajabiamila’s heart was a befitting legislative library for the Nigerian Parliament. Soon after he assumed office, he created a committee known as the Legislative Library, Research, and Documentation Committee. He made sure that budgetary allocations were made in the 2020 and subsequent budgets for the building of a world-class library for the National Assembly. Today, that gigantic project, located behind the House of Representatives New Building, is almost complete, and it is expected that the incoming leaders of the National Assembly will carry on with it.

Nigerians will not forget in a hurry Gbajabiamila’s role in persuading members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in October 2022 to call off their 8-month strike, which they embarked on in February 2022. ASUU and the Federal Government went back and forth for several months, and there had been deadlocks on many occasions. But Gbajabiamila, in his usual leadership style, personally intervened and presided over several meetings between ASUU and top officials of the executive arm, including ministers.

His intervention yielded good results when ASUU called off the strike on October 14, 2022. The universities’ teachers association also commended Gbajabiamila for his role in the resolution of the issue.

It was also under Gbajabiamila’s leadership as Speaker that key some legislations were passed. The then Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which took almost two decades at the National Assembly, was passed and signed into law. The Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), and the Deep Offshore Sharing Agreement law, among several others, were also passed and signed into law under Gbajabiamila’s watch.

But, one bill that may have defined the 9th House was the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, which the House passed alongside the Senate. What the Green Chamber did became a game changer in the history of elections in Nigeria as the new law gave the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the room to introduce more technology into the electoral process, which saw the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) during the 2023 general elections.

As busy as Gbajabiamila has been as Speaker, he still found the time to sponsor bills. Before occupying that position, he was one of the top sponsors of bills in the House, so he did not want the position of Speaker to stop him from bill sponsorship. Within his 4-year term, Gbajabiamila sponsored over 20 bills as a sitting Speaker.

Some of the bills Gbajabiamila sponsored include Electric Power Sector Reform Act (Amendment) Bill, 2019; Physically-challenged (Empowerment) Bill, 2019; Presidential (Transition) Bill, 2019; Economic Stimulus Bill, 2019; Labour Act (Amendment) Bill, 2019; Students Loans (Access to Higher Education) Bill, 2019; Employees (Unpaid Wages Prohibition) Bill, 2019, and Federal Highways Act (Amendment) Bill, 2019.

On February 25 2023, Gbajabiamila won his 6th term to return to the House to represent Surulere 1 Federal Constituency of Lagos State. As plans were underway for the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly on June 13, his mentor, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had other plans for him.

On Friday, June 2, President Tinubu appointed Gbajabiamila as his Chief of Staff, which will take effect from June 14, 2023, a day after the inauguration of the 10th Assembly. The Speaker would have taken the oath of office as a 6th term lawmaker before joining the president’s team.

In accepting the appointment, Gbajabiamila thanked the president for finding him worthy of being the Chief of Staff and noted that “Having spent the last 20 years in the Nigerian Parliament, and after winning my 6th term election into the National Assembly, I shall work with Mr President in discharging the enormous task ahead of him for the peace and progress of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

For Gbajabiamila, he is bowing out in style. It is the end of an era, and the beginning of a new one for a man variously described as a legislative czar, an encyclopedia and a lawmaker par excellence. Here is wishing the Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives the very best in his new role as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Enugu East Senatorial District in the just concluded election, Princess Adaku Ogbu-Aguocha, has hailed the newly sworn-in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kassim Shettima, saying they are well prepared for the challenges ahead. 

Princess Ogbu-Aguocha who made the remark while speaking to reporters in Abuja recently urged Nigerians to support the new administration because “President Tinubu has what it takes to achieve success in driving the nation forward into progress and prosperity”.

Her words: “Our new President is a man who has been preparing for this job for over a decade, so why won’t he succeed? President Tinubu has shown what he is capable of when he became the governor of Lagos State and was able to propel the state to glorious heights within eight years.

“We are indeed looking forward eagerly to a prosperous government across the board while hoping that President Tinubu will apply his administrative acumen at ensuring that the country is united for a common purpose despite ethnic, cultural and religious differences. He is capable, and he is set for the job from Day One!

“I urge all Nigerians to join me in giving maximum support to the new Tinubu/Shettima administration as they work towards prosperity for all.”

Also commending Mr. President’s promise in his inaugural speech to give special attention to the role of women and youths in his administration, Ogbu-Aguocha argued that women, youths and children are the hallmark of the human society and as such, a leader who cares about them indeed is out to work for everybody.

“May your government succeed! God bless Mr. President and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!”, she added.

Ahead of the recent May 29 inauguration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, experts predicted that there will be no honeymoon for the new administration because of the challenges facing the country. They also gave suggestions on how the administration can tackle the challenges and hit the ground running. Deputy Political Editor RAYMOND MORDI and Assistant Editor EMMANUEL BADEJO report

A minimum of 100-day honeymoon for a new president is the norm all over the world. But, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was sworn in last week Monday, is already feeling the heat of presiding over Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation. Tinubu, who contested the recent election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), set the ball rolling for a series of activities when he indicated in his inaugural address that the subsisting subsidy on the premium motor spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, can no longer be sustained in the wake of the country’s dwindling resources and that his administration intends to re-channel the funds into better investment in public infrastructure, education, health care and jobs that will materially improve the lives of millions. The Federal Government has been spending about N400 billion monthly or N4.8 trillion yearly on petroleum subsidies, a gesture that has been widely described as unstainable.

But, President Tinubu’s statement on the subsidy has thrown the country into confusion, as the development has led to the announcement of an upward review of the price of PMS to as much as N520 per litre in some parts of the country, from about N195 before the May 29 inauguration of Tinubu, by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) last Wednesday. The ripple effect in the short term, according to experts, is that Nigerians will face hardship because the price of the commodity affects the cost of transportation and indirectly the price of other commodities transported by road.

The challenges facing the country have been mounting since the era of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), which was voted out of power in 2015. It was precisely for this reason that the former ruling party, now the main opposition party, was kicked out of office; because it failed to plan adequately and effectively. Eight years after, the country is not yet out of the woods, socio-economically and the newly inaugurated President Tinubu has vowed in his address to rejig the policies of his predecessor in office to improve the living conditions of Nigerians.

Aside from the removal of the subsidy because it has become a drainpipe on the coffers of the government, other challenges facing the country are massive unemployment, poverty, insecurity and corruption in high places. Besides, the country is more divided than it ever was and many young Nigerians have lost hope that things would ever get better and are leaving the country in droves. These are some of the tons of challenges the Tinubu-led administration has inherited from the immediate past one led by Buhari. The new administration, according to observers, must also find a solution to the unresolved negotiation with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the rising debt profile, the power issue, healthcare and the economy generally.

Austin Aigbe, a political analyst, predicted before the inauguration that there will be no honeymoon for the incoming administration, as a myriad of challenges in all sectors of the economy is waiting to be sorted out. Aigbe made the assertion on a Raypower current affairs programme, ‘Fact File’, recently when he spoke about some of the challenges the new administration will inherit from the Buhari-led government.

His words: “There is a hurricane of challenges in all sectors of the Nigerian economy — in governance, in education, in infrastructure development and practically everywhere — there seems to be a myriad of challenges; insecurity has taken a frightening dimension; the educational system is almost on the verge of collapse, today we are in Sudan trying to ferry Nigerians back home — many of them went there to acquire education because patronising our numerous universities have become a challenge.

“Similarly, when Russia attacked Ukraine, many Nigerians, including students were displaced and could not complete their educational programmes in that country. In many countries in the world, you will find Nigerians trying to pursue one educational programme or the other because of the challenges of pursuing their desired goals at home. It is almost a total system breakdown, which has thrown up the buzzword, ‘japa’ that epitomises the exodus of Nigerians abroad in whatever guise. If we zero in on the challenges of insecurity, economy and corruption alone, we will realise how complicated the challenges have become. Take insecurity for instance; from the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast when former President Buhari took over, insecurity is now a national phenomenon and no part of the country is at peace today.

“If you look at the Southeast today, the region is a shadow of what it used to be. Before President Buhari took over in 2015, the Southeast was a haven and you could move around any time of the day. Today, you can’t move even Imo State, not to talk of travelling from that state to another state. Travelling from Imo to Enugu or Abia is a big challenge. If you are travelling to Abia, for instance, you have to encounter about 20 military checkpoints along the way. Even the Southwest is not an exception. In a single day, armed men went into a church in Owo, Ondo State and slaughtered scores of people.

On what the Tinubu-led administration can do to tackle these challenges, Aigbe said it is important to understand the nature of challenges confronting the nation before offering a solution to them. He said: “First of all, I will assume that the new administration understands the challenge. But, principally, what is the challenge? The problem in the Northeast emanated from some marginalisation. If the issue had been dealt with, what we are seeing in the Southeast will not have arisen. So, the new administration must prioritise a system of administration that is fair and truly owned by the people. I know that not all Nigerians voted for him, but he should see himself as a president of only those that voted for him.

“Unlike what President Buhari said at the beginning of his administration in 2015, Tinubu should see himself as a president of all Nigerians, irrespective of the region that gave the bulk votes that brought him into power. From an economic perspective, if the Tinubu administration addresses the economic challenges squarely, it would pull out an army of unemployed youths who are now on the other side into productivity. As it is often said, the idle mind is the devil’s workshop. When we engage people in productive endeavours, they are likely not going to have time to engage in destructive activities.

“The new administration must focus on rebuilding our economy, to strengthen the value of the naira. We should desist from being a country that depends on the importation of goods for survival; we must convert the energy of our youths into production. All over the world, diversity is a strength; ours should not be an exception. We must not be a consuming nation where every Tom, Dick and Harry comes to dump all manner of goods. We can change this ugly narrative. Look at Benue State for instance; it has virtually become a slaughterhouse because of insecurity. But, it can truly become the food basket of the nation, rather than a haven of insecurity. If we solve the insecurity problem, that of the economy and corruption would be automatically solved.

Johnson Chukwu, an economist, is not comfortable with the idea of removing the controversial petroleum subsidy. He said: “There is nothing like petroleum subsidy. Any time government wants to raise internal revenue, you will start hearing about the removal of petroleum subsidies. This is a ploy usually adopted by the political elite to hoodwink the common man into making sacrifices for the nation. They are not ready to cut their jumbo salaries and allowances that make up a large chunk of the country’s revenue. Rather, they usually want the poor masses to pay for the privileges that they are enjoying.

“To be able to succeed where the Buhari administration failed, the Tinubu administration must tackle the perennial issue of power generation to ensure the availability of power. The major problem facing the country has to do with revenue because while the cost of governance is growing, the revenue to fund the growing expenditure has been shrinking. This is why the immediate past administration relied heavily on borrowing to survive. Between January and November last year, Federal Government’s total revenue was about N6.5 trillion, while expenditure for the same period was about N12.8 trillion. Out of the amount, N5.24 trillion was for debt servicing.

“The reason why our debt servicing obligation has been increasing is because of the increasing resort to borrowing to cushion the shortfall in revenue. The issue of dwindling revenue has to do with the drop in crude oil output in the Niger Delta. The country’s crude oil production has been hovering between 1.2 million to 1.5 million barrels per day, which is far below the 2.2 million barrels per day that the country used to churn out. The new administration has to deal with the revenue issue.

“The Tinubu administration has to deal with the issue of the revenue accruing to the country, as well as that of the reduction in expenditure. That’s the elephant in the room. The administration has to look seriously at the issue of the drop in revenue generation and the increasing recurrent expenditure. So, it is imperative to start looking at other sectors that can generate huge revenue for the country. Sadly, every government in the last couple of decades has paid lip service to the idea of the diversification of the economy. I don’t expect this new administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu to be different.

“But, since we are currently in dire straits, the new administration should start with the low-hanging fruits, which is optimising crude oil production by producing as much as we used to do in the last.  Ordinarily, oil-producing countries like ours are not having revenue challenges at the moment. Nigeria has a huge reserve of gas but unfortunately, we have not built liquified natural gas (LNG) streams to supply gas to other parts of the world. With the outbreak of war between Ukraine and Russia, Europe and other parts of the world are struggling to get a gas supply. So, we ought to be reaping bountifully from our natural endowment.

“As a result, one of the things the new administration should work on is attracting investment in the oil and gas sector, especially in the area of exploiting our abundant natural gas deposit. The next stage should be to ensure that we add more value to the primary commodities we produce before they are exported. For instance, refining our crude oil before they are exported will earn us more foreign exchange and create more jobs for our teeming youths that are currently roaming the streets.

“But, to achieve this objective, we must also sort out the challenges of power supply, transport infrastructure and logistic infrastructure. This should be our medium-term goal. In the short term, let us optimise production of crude oil for export, as well as build gas exporting terminals and gas treatment plants so that we can earn revenue from exporting gas to the world market.”

On his expectation from the promise of the new administration on power, he said had over the years learned to take with a pinch of salt promises made by politicians because they hardly materialise. He said: “This is because I have been disappointed over time in my adult life when I had huge expectations that such promises will materialise. For now, I deal with what is on the ground. When Nigerians clamour for light, they are right; we cannot develop our economy without enough energy supply. Nigerians are very resourceful and entrepreneurial. If we have enough energy supply, I believe the level of productivity will be huge. So, I share the sentiment of the average Nigerian because what we need to increase our productivity is sufficient energy supply.”

Richard Elesho, a public affairs analyst, is also advising the new administration to do things differently to achieve success in sectors where the Buhari administration failed. He said Tinubu is inheriting a divided country and that the biggest problem in the land is insecurity. He said: “A two-decade-old insurgency in the Northeast blending into amorphous banditry in other parts of the North and organized criminal groups in the South are signs that the largest concentration of black people is on life support.

“The Centre for Democracy and Development in a report says not less than some 30,000 strong, gunmen split into 80 groups are operating as bandits, dispensing fear, tears and death to an already traumatized population. Gunmen regularly kill, maim and abduct people on the highways and sometimes from their houses or offices. Students, the clergy and personnel of the security agencies are prime targets in many parts of the country.”

Elesho advised the new administration to introduce unorthodox measures to defeat insecurity and restore the dignity of man. He added: “The number one focus of any government should be the security of lives and property. Safety has taken flight. We can no longer sleep with our two eyes or travel freely without fear of gunmen. The new government must work hard to restore peace and security. Things were not like that before now.”

Elesho said Nigerians are hungry and are crying for help because agriculture or food production has suffered as a result of the worsening security situation. Farmers, he added, can no longer visit their farms for fear of Ak-47 carrying herdsmen.

He said: “Prices of food and other items have gone up exponentially, making life very difficult for people. The trend must be reversed by the next government.”

On the challenge posed by the recurring issue of petroleum subsidy, Elesho advised President Tinubu to try and fix the refineries before ending the subsidy regime to guarantee a regular supply of the products. Quoting a report by Musa Ohiare, an energy expert, the public affairs analyst charged Tinubu to pay attention to gas and solid minerals.

He said: “Our country is blessed with vast mineral deposits. We have more than 32 of them, which are either not being explored at all, or under-developed. The same goes for gas. We have more gas than oil. Why can’t we convert these to wealth?

“The moribund steel complexes in Aladja, Delta State and Ajaokuta, Kogi State need to be brought back to life as a matter of urgency. This will partly create thousands of jobs and take idle hands away from the streets.”

Jide Ojo, a political analyst, is optimistic that the Tinubu administration will hit the ground running. He believes that given Tinubu’s antecedents as a career politician and master strategist, he can survive the political intrigues that will surface in the course of governance, “since he was able to survive those that confronted him during the electioneering period”.

He said: “Political intrigues happen in two phases: in the electioneering period and during the period of governance. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu happens to be a veteran politician and a political strategist. When you look at his track record, he has a survival instinct. He was able to survive the onslaught of former President Olusegun Obasanjo by being the only politician that was able to win his governorship election in 2003 when the Obasanjo factor swept all other politicians in the Southwest region off their feet.”

On how Tinubu will be able to cope in office, given the barrage of challenges facing him as Buhari’s successor, Ojo said the good thing is that the incoming president is well prepared for the task ahead, unlike some of his predecessors in office. He said: “The good thing is that he has the prerequisite experience as a former federal legislator and state chief executive. He also has a running Vice President that is also well prepared for the challenges ahead. So, they have their jobs well cut out for them. First of all, they have a good manifesto, which is well documented and so they can be held to account if they renege on their promises. They also have their party manifesto, which is the manifesto of the APC. When it comes to the brass tacks, the bottom line is that Transition Committee was set up even before the February 25 election. Now, it is the same APC that is transiting to another APC government. So, it will be a seamless transition; in terms of documentation and information, he will not be lacking in that direction.

“In terms of political will, the incoming President Bola Tinubu has acquired enough exposure and experience to face whatever challenges that will confront him as the number one citizen. The Transition Committee would have documented what needs to be done, in the ongoing projects in the power sector, for instance. All he has to do is to look for competent people to work with, as he alluded that he is going to form a government of national competence, rather than that of national unity. A government of national competence is the key word here; not that of political jobbers. All he has to do now is to look for competent Nigerians in the country or the diaspora, within the ruling party or on the opposition who can add value to his government.”

To tackle some of the above problems, Ondo State’s Rotimi Akeredolu said President Tinubu must take the issue of power devolution seriously. Akeredolu, also the Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum, reaffirmed the need to transfer authority to the states since it was too excessively concentrated at the federal level.

The governor who made the remarks at the 59th Founders’ Day Anniversary Lecture, Award and Endowment of the Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo, said one of the challenges facing the country’s growth is over-concentration of power at the centre.

Akeredolu who was represented by his Special Adviser on Union Matters and Special Duties, Mr Dare Aragbaiye, objected to the country’s current constitution, which gave the Federal Government a great deal of power, and insisted that the federating units must be able to direct local development.

He also suggested that Tinubu should ban the importation of all items, which could be produced in the country, adding that luxury items should be taxed heavily for the country to bounce back economically. He said: “The Federal Government must divest itself of the overwhelming but self-imposed duties for the country to breathe.

“The states must be encouraged to explore their domains and be creative. The Federal Government must ban the importation of all items which the country is capable of producing. The taxation on luxury goods must be heavy.”

He stated that every state should be free to explore its areas of strength for the benefit of the indigenes and inhabitants, and states should not be reduced to pathetic beggars in a federation, as the situation is at the moment.

He said: “The new administration has its job clearly defined. It is inheriting not only a heavy backlog of disaffection and complaints from the citizenry from all parts of the country, and it has sold its campaign on the promise of renewed hope.

“This points to its readiness to address existential issues, which bedevil the country at the moment. The expectations are high but the obstacles which have been erected to militate against progress are enormous. The tasks are going to be arduous but not insurmountable. The president and his team, as well as the governors in the states, must be courageous to confront the problems headlong.

“The states must be allowed to operate fully without hindrance as is the case from federal agencies which encroach steadily on their sphere of influence. The states should control their resources and pay taxes to the Federal Government. Proceeds from sales tax and value-added tax must be distributed according to contributions.

“Any state, which feels incapable of proceeding as a socioeconomic cum political entity, may seek to join others. The states must be allowed to assume their full identities. They are no junior partners to the Federal Government. They enjoy coordinate powers.”

The immediate past Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom believes the country’s insecurity challenge is surmountable if President Tinubu can avoid sacred cow treatment in confronting the menace that has uncountable losses to the nation and her people.

Ortom said former President Buhari would have done much better in tackling insecurity but for his selective approach to tackling the issue.

He said such a strategy made some individuals and groups of people a threat to the country’s peaceful co-existence.

Ortom, who made the revelation recently on Arise TV Morning Show, said the past administration would have achieved much more if Buhari had listened to him.

He lamented several security breaches in Benue State that led to the avoidable loss of lives and properties of Nigerians.

The immediate past Benue governor, nevertheless, expressed optimism about the capacity of the Tinubu administration to curb the insecurity in the country.

A former Sokoto State Deputy Governor Mukhtar Shagari is also in agreement that President Tinubu has what it takes to transform the country. The PDP chieftain, however, urged Tinubu to engage the right people to tackle the challenges facing the country.

Shagari said no matter how lofty the ideas of a leader might be, without the right set of people it would be difficult to implement those good visions.

He advised Tinubu to initiate a government of national unity and bring on board those that have what it takes to understand and interpret the issues and who have the integrity to implement the visions of the president-elect for the country.

He said: “In 2003, former President Olusegun Obasanjo brought in many who were not part of his party and that helped him a lot.

“Politics aside, I believe Tinubu can choose the right people because he has demonstrated that. He has to because the issue is about Nigeria.  The issue is about our peace and inclusiveness.  The issue is about peace and progress for our country.

“The issue is doing the right thing. If the president does the right thing, then the development of the country will be faster. A lot of people were discussing the newly commissioned Dangote Refinery in Lekki. Many said that the project was able to come to the limelight because of the plan Tinubu had made and left behind in Lagos.

“So, one can easily say without fear of contradiction, Tinubu has that ability. With the right team, Tinubu will do a lot for this country.  It is the right people and team that will help him to achieve so much. He can still do what he did in Lagos in Nigeria.”

Shagari, however, warned Tinubu to be wary of sycophants in the government.

His words: “Tinubu should be careful of sycophants. He must take the issue of security very seriously.  He must look at the economy and wage war against poverty in Nigeria. He has to look at the unity of this country. He must find another source of information about what is going around.”

Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji has been tendering his stewardship every 100 days as part of moves to foster accountability, transparency and get feedback from residents on his performance. Deputy Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines how the helmsman has been grappling with the challenges of governing the ‘Fountain of Knowledge.’

The starting point was unifying the seemingly divided state that arose from the inevitable, but shortlived political bickering that characterised the hotly contested governorship poll, which he  resoundingly won.

Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji appreciated the import of unity and harmony. Therefore, after assuming political control, he initiated reconciliation, and the strategy paid off for the homogeneous state. Today, Ekiti is peaceful and BAO, as the governor is fondly called by his teeming admirers, has no enemy, either in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) or opposition parties-the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Social Democratic Party (PDP).

Apart from personal humility and inclusive style, what has really accounted for Oyebanji’s popularity is his track record of achievements in less than 300 days in office. With meagre resources, he has rekindled hope for good governance and a brighter future for the far-flung, hilly state.

However, there is a lot more to accomplish in Ekiti. It can be argued that the agrarian state is constrained by location. It has not yet become a strong industrial or business hub, although the potentials are there, in terms of its viability for agricultural innovation and development, agri-processing and natural endowment. Beside, the revenue base is small. It has to be creatively expanded. Although Ekiti has produced many eminent Nigerians in all fields, it has remained a largely rural state.

 The state appears to have been neglected by the distant Federal Government. For example, federal roads in the state, particularly Ado-Ikere Road and Itawure(Efon-Alaaye)-Erio-Aramoko-Igede-Iyin Road, have been abandoned.

Early in the year, the Erio/Aramoko portion broke down completely. It became a nightmare for commuters. As the road was largely deserted, there were reports of invasion of some suspected criminals and kidnappers.

Also, as the bridge linking Ado with Ilawe-Ekiti got damaged, movement of people and goods along the route ceased. Motorists agonised. It was a big relief when Oyebanji fixed the dangerous portions. Simultaneously, the roads, which link Osun to Ekiti, were rehabilitated.

Reality has now dawned on Ekiti people, led by Oyebanji, that they need to make special request to the Federal Government to urgently address federal infrastructural deficits in the state as President Bola Tinubu settles down for governance.

However, Ekiti’s destiny is in the hands of its people. Having hit the ground running on assumption of office, the governor is mobilising the indigenes for the tasks of development. According to observers, he is poised to build on the achievements of his successor.

Oyebanji has set a standard for himself by rendering accounts every 100 days. The implication is that he has to gird his loins, work hard and achieve breakthroughs worthy of report before the gathering of indigenes-traditional rulers, community leaders, representatives of labour unions, politicians, clergy, retirees, and other leading lights.

Indeed, there is no serious Ekiti man who perceives the Government House,  Oke Bareke,  as a relaxation centre. The challenges are enormous. Education, which is Ekiti’s pride, health and power sectors call for attention. There is dearth of infrastructure across the over 120 towns and villages. Youths clamour for a new lease of life through job opportunities. Workers cannot tolerate delay in salary payment, Ekiti largely being a civil service state. Old men and women in retirement do not joke with their pensions. Rural dwellers are pressing for local amenities from council chairmen at the grassroots.

An experienced administrator, Oyebanji, who is conscious of the rising public demand for improved welfare, unfolded a six-point development agenda. It encompasses youth development and job creation, human capital development, agriculture, infrastructure and industrialisation, arts, culture and tourism.

After a realistic assessment of the challenges and mapping out solutions, Oyebanji sought for help from the appropriate quarter. The governor visited Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to meet with heads of strategic Ministries, Departments and Agencies, and other development partners to seek their intervention.

A teacher at the Ekiti State University,  ‘Yemi Ayodele, said Oyebanji has deployed his intellect and wisdom in governing the state. Another resident of the capital town said: “Ado is a lively capital now; there are even street lights,” referring to how the impassable city roads have been fixed.

He also applauded him for restoring security through the task force,  pointing out that armed robbery, kidnapping and molestation have drastically reduced.

“So far, he has surprised many,” added Ayodele, who teaches at the Social Science Faculty, urging him to sustain the tempo.

Civil servants have also showered encomiun on the governor for paying the backlog of salaries and bonuses, barely six months in the saddle. The sustenance of welfare package had enhanced industrial relations.

The Oyebanji administration was confronted by two major political crises. The first was the leadership crisis that hit the House of Assembly, following the demise of the Speaker, Funminiyi Afuye. The second was the dispute between the state government and the 16 monarchs called ‘Pelupelu.’

There was conflict as two lawmakers claimed that they had been chosen as Speaker. Oyebanji calmly resolved the logjam without injuring the sensibilities of parties to the dispute. “He demonstrated leadership and tact,” recalled an outgoing lawmaker, who added:”Due to the cordial executive/legislative relationship, the budget and other bills were passed without uproar and tension.”

A told civil servant in Ado, who reflected on the protest by a section of the Council of Traditional Rulers against the state government in the past said: “The royal fathers are at peace with our governor; there is no ill-feeling. I think he has made himself accessible and he has a way of tackling questions like that with his humble and simple approach.”

Oyebanji’s opponent at the poll, Otunba Bisi Kolawole, who recently visited the governor, praised him for what he described as his impressive performance. Instructively, the governor had in the process of fence mending visited Kolawole in his native Efon-Alaaye after the election.

The PDP chieftain, whose colleague in Southest zonal chapter, Sanya Atofarati, had criticised Oyebanji for shoddy performance, differed. Kolawole, a former Environment Commissioner, said the governor has demonstrated visionary and purposeful leadership to the admiration of the people.

Stressing that Oyebanji was well prepared for the task, he added:”He is one of the pioneer people that spearheaded the creation of Ekiti State. If I am not mistaken, he was the secretary to the committee. So, doing well now is part of the project, long ago. So, there is no strange thing about performance because I would not have expected anything short of that.”

In the opinion of Otunba Niyi Adebayo,  one-time governor of the state and former Trade and Investment Minister, the job of governor in Ekiti is stressful. After reviewing Oyebanji’s achievements,  he said God is with him. “God will continue to give you strength, courage and wisdom to lead Ekiti to the desired land,” he prayed.

Oyebanji, who had served as Adebayo’s Special Assistant and Chief of Staff, thanked his former boss for mentorship, for polishing the rough engine in him and for correcting him with love when he was under his tutelage.

The deputy governor, Monisola Afuye, gave insight into why the goernor was able to warm himself into the people within a short time. She explained that her boss has a listening ear, adding that there is no gap between him and the masses. “The strong ties he has with the people remains the magic wand,” she stressed.

The deputy governor maintained that since Oyebanji enjoys acceptability, he is also able to get enough information to act on how to get rid of crime perpetrators in the state.

It was a day of accountability in Ido-Ekiti, where the governor tendered his score card in the last 200 days. It trailed the initial 100-day review in Ado-Ekiti. Obviously, the governor bore the burden of history; he is always inspired by his involvement in the memorable spade work that led to the creation of the state in 1996.

Reminiscing on that historic past, he said:“I don’t have any excuse for Ekiti people not to perform. For this reason, at 26, I was part of the people that fought for the creation of the state. I worked with two governors, Otunba Niyi Adebayo and Dr. Kayode Fayemi. That is why, in terms of intense pressure, I am taking my time to see that we do the right thing for Ekiti people.”

Oyebanji said Ekiti deserved a government of the people, for the people and by the people through the active involvement of the people in governance. Thus, as attested to by dignitaries , his policies and programmes have been dictated by need analysis.

The administration attempted to convert the state into a huge construction site. Among the roads that were tarred or rehabilitated are Ado-Ilawe-Erijinyan-Ikogosi, Ado-Ijan-Ikere, Oke-Ila, Oke Oniyo, Ilumoba-Ijesa-Isu, Ado-Ekiti, Ise. To curtail flooding,  Ureje and Elemi Rivers were dredged.

“We have done 7,949 metres of channelisation and dredging to prevent flooding in Ado and Ikere. All roads we are going to construct are ones that will bring prosperity, boost trading, farming and ease movement of farm products to the market. We will be strategic by targeting our agric belt,” Oyebanji said.

The Independent Power Project initiated by Fayemi is not abandoned. Oyebanji said the initiative will be pursued because the amount spent on diesel for generators is “unsustainable.”

On assumption of office, the governor, in defence of the core legacy of the founding fathers of Western Region, and consistent with the vision of his immediate predecessor, declared free education at both primary and secondary school levels. The state now has one of the highest school enrollment. In addition, the state embraced the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGGILE) programme of the World Bank. Apart from regular payment of teachers’ salaries, necessary deductions are paid to their cooperative societies, which guarantee loans to workers.

In addition, the administration has embarked on the recruitment of 1,000 primary school teachers to fill existing vacancies. No fewer than 650 secondary school teachers were recruited by the Ekiti State Teaching Service Commission. The move, apart from resolving dearth of teaching personnel, also reduced graduate unemployment.

Oyebanji said he had injected N31 billion to the.  state’s economy in terms of salary, gratuity and pension in the last 200 days. He has paid N6.2 billion as subvention to the State’s tertiary institutions, approved N700 as gratuity for retired state workers, N200m, N200m for local government retirees as at that time, and N1.2 billion to the Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board for capital projects.

Governmdnt has paid N300 million for the 2023 West African Examinations Council (WAEC) fees for students and N600 million counterpart fund to State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) for local contractors to be paid in the state.

In terms of salary, N11.28b was paid to workers, N11.42b to local government, N4.2b for state pension, N3.70b for local government pension, N200m for state gratuity and N235m for local government gratuity. “Retirees should enjoy their money while still alive,” Oyebanji said.

The governor said $80m from the African Development Bank (AfDB) was injected into the local economy to create jobs through the Ekiti Knowledge Zone recently granted a free trade status by the Federal Government. The move was commended by the Secretary of Ekiti State chapter of National Council of Muslim Youth Organisation, Musa Tijani, who said the government was on the right course.

To boost job creation, Oyebanji said his administration will focus on agriculture, tourism, digital economy, entertainment and sports development. On agriculture, he said his government will support farmers with fertilisers, seedlings and farm implements.

Currently, 500 Ekiti youths are undergoing training under the Ekiti Digital Economic Initiative. Also, through a strong collaboration with the private sector, there is a move to re-invest on the popular Ikogosi Warm Spring Resort Centre.

To stem brain drain, outstanding allowances for doctors and medical personnel are being settled. “We also distributed N70m to help the poor and N76m as business support grant,” the governor said.

Collaborating, the deputy governor explained that at a time, N28m was distributed to poor indigenes for medical treatment  while the governor personally footed bills for some indigent persons. Through the governor’s wife, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, new tricycles were given to many women in Ado.

Oyebanji has also tried to fund the 16 pre-existing local governments and the area councils. The local governments enjoy autonomy. Today, local government chairmen are flagging off and commissioning projects.

To attract, retain and sustain investors in Ekiti, the governor promised to provide security, social facilities, and guarantee flexible tax policy.

Two challenges are before the governor now. The first is that he cannot delay the composition of a full state executive council again. Also, as the state prepares for local government polls, his party has to nominate competent and loyal party men and women who will fly its flag as chairmanship and counclorship candidates. The right people at the grassroots will drive his vision and succeed in bringing dividends of democracy to people in the local areas.