League of Northern Democrats Urges Tinubu to Lead by Example on Cost of Governance

The League of Northern Democrats has called on President Tinubu to demonstrate leadership by addressing the cost of governance in Nigeria. Discover their recommendations and the implications for fiscal responsibility.

The League of Northern Democrats has urged President Bola Tinubu to set a precedent by taking the lead in the Federal Government’s initiative to reduce governance expenses.

President Tinubu encountered significant criticism regarding what many perceived as the extravagant lifestyle of officeholders, especially considering the challenging economic conditions exacerbated by both the removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira.

To cut down on governance expenses, Tinubu limited ministerial convoys to three vehicles on Thursday.

Despite this measure, the League of Northern Democrats, a political movement, asserts that the Nigerian leader needs to take further action.

“Leadership is fundamentally about inspiration,” stated Ladan Salihu, the group’s spokesman, on Friday’s episode of Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily. “It’s not an inverted pyramid; you need to lead by example through your actions and behavior.”

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Purchasing a presidential jet for 170 billion and a yacht for five billion doesn’t amount to cost-saving measures. Together, these expenses make up almost half of the total expenditure, rendering any supposed savings merely symbolic.

Tinubu’s directive to the ministers has sparked ongoing debates among Nigerians. The presidency views it as an effort to lead by example.

Nonetheless, Salihu remains skeptical about the measure and has expressed worries regarding its implementation.

“When you claim to have reduced the number of ministerial vehicles to three, I’d like to pose a question as someone in journalism—if I may use that term loosely: ‘What happened to the remaining vehicles?’” he remarked.

“Where will they be stored? Are they going to remain in the garage? The vehicles have already been purchased. This means that if I am a minister and own 10 vehicles, I’ll retain seven.”

“In my opinion, it’s unlikely that we’ll see a significant change in the convoy arrangements for ministers,” said the group’s spokesman.

He emphasized, “Don’t anticipate a minister’s convoy consisting of three vehicles. It’s simply not going to happen. If anyone suggests otherwise, they’re only deceiving us.”