On May 29, 2023, Bola Tinubu began his four-year journey of leading Nigeria as the 16th and current president of Africa’s largest economy. Before becoming president, Tinubu served as the governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007, and senator for Lagos West in the Third Republic.

Though Tinubu is said to be a master strategist capable of turning Nigeria’s economy into a vibrant reality, his statement on his inauguration day threw many Nigerians into extreme poverty, as he announced removal of fuel subsidies. Before Tinubu’s announcement, many families were preparing the soups they liked. They were able to afford the ingredients for their favourite meals. Suddenly, the price of petrol moved from ₦194 ($0.25) to over ₦600 ($0.76) and now it’s being sold for almost a thousand naira. 

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There have been a series of #Endhunger protests since he became president but his appointees and party members continue to defend the policies of the current government. During the first year anniversary of the current administration, ministers organised sectoral media briefings, highlighting their achievements, in various sectors. 

However, the second year anniversary took a new turn, as the President and his ministers are loudly celebrating the administration’s achievements. In fact,  Tinubu flew into Lagos on Tuesday, to inaugurate the first section of the Lagos–Calabar coastal highway, spanning 48 kilometres, alongside the Lekki Deep Sea Port Tax Credit Concrete Road. 

Achievements

Before then, the president, his cabinet members and loyalists held a gathering in Abuja where they threw a party, as they spoke glowingly about Tinubu’s leadership achievements. While the country now enjoys a good supply of petroleum products, crude oil production has been ramped up to about 1.8 million barrels per day due to sustained oil pipeline surveillance, and military operations in the Niger Delta. Many have had to abandon their vehicles due to high cost. 

The introduction of the students’ loan scheme should be applauded. Similarly, seizure of 753 duplexes belonging to a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria by the EFCC and reduction of a foreign debt service burden from 96 per cent to 67 per cent are laudable.

Under Tinubu, the country now directs payments of the statutory monthly allocations to the 774 local government areas in the country following the July 2024 Supreme Court judgement granting financial autonomy to the local government, a step that will strengthen grassroots development and hinder state governments from hijacking the funds like they usually did in the previous administrations. 

Though workers now get over 70 thousand naira as minimum wage, many still struggle to survive with it due to inflation and high cost of living as the amount is much less in value than the old wage once was.

Controversial policies 

The removal of fuel subsidies and floating of the naira triggered a severe high cost-of-living crisis. The naira which was N700/$1 in May 2023 is now around N1,600/$1. Many offices have shut their operations in Nigeria due to high operational costs. Notably, #Endbadgovernance and #Hungerprotest in Nigeria were met with police resistance and arrest of civilians expressing their civic responsibilities. In northern Nigeria, 76 people, including 32 minors, were arrested, detained for three months, and then charged with treasonable felony and terrorism.

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While Nigerians battle hunger, Tinubu administration splashed a whooping 15 billion naira on the vice president’s official residence, alongside another 5 billion naira spent on his official residence in Lagos, which is hardly in use. Federal lawmakers got 57 billion naira for SUVs and many other ridiculous expenses. 

This is despite the World Bank warning that more Nigerians would fall into poverty by 2027. It underlined that about 75.5 per cent of rural dwellers live below the poverty line, stressing the mountain to climb. 

Others

Though the military has worked very hard to tackle terrorism, Boko Haram and ISWAP have stepped up their game, killing and displacing hundreds of people. In the Plateau and Benue states, there have been renewed attacks between farmers and herders. 

Recently, over 100 citizens were massacred in the Bokkos and Bassa areas of Plateau State by gunmen who are yet to be arrested. To renew the hope of Nigerians, everyone must benefit from the dividend of democracy. 

Section 14 (2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, states that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government. President Tinubu must step up to address the needs of his people. 

As for the series of arrests of opposing voices, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Tinubu should understand that democracy is when the government is scared of the people and not when people are scared of the government. Otherwise, it would be fascism.