The Supreme Court has finally put an end to the legal fireworks that surrounded President Bola Tinubu’s victory in the presidential election on February 25, 2023, after months of controversy.
Recall that on Thursday, October 26, the Supreme Court upheld President Tinubu’s victory in the presidential election held on February 25. This ruling followed challenges to the election brought before the highest court by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Mr. Peter Obi, the candidate for the Labour Party (LP).
Now that the Supreme Court has rendered its decision, President Tinubu can focus entirely on governing. Additionally, it’s thought that there won’t be any interruptions going forward, so he has no excuse for underperforming.
Ever since Tinubu and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), were proclaimed the election winners by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigerians, as well as their supporters, have been eagerly awaiting the resolution of the legal actions contesting his victory.
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Many APC supporters and some political observers believe that the government’s tardiness in tackling the numerous socio-economic, political, and security issues is mostly due to this development.
Nigerians anticipated that Tinubu’s administration would be very different from Muhammdu Buhari’s last one, which was marked by a great deal of insecurity, severe economic hardship, and racial and religious split inside the country.
However, the expectations were not fulfilled. Nigerians’ economic situation is becoming increasingly hazardous as the country’s frighteningly high inflation rate and rising costs for basic necessities like food are beyond the means of the average person.
After winning his electoral appeal at the Supreme Court, President Tinubu is expected to take some concrete action to solve the numerous issues facing the nation, some of which have made life extremely difficult for a great number of Nigerians.
Dr. Pogu Bitrus, president of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), told the Daily Post that the president ought to act swiftly to stabilise the naira. He began by focusing on the economy by eliminating fuel subsidies, and ever since then, he has been fighting to find a solution to Nigeria’s problems.
“I believe that he must now act decisively to stabilise the naira, put an end to these palliatives, and stop sharing money.”
“Instead of giving people money, the impact will be felt positively right away if he announces today that we will have at least three conversion centres in each state capital for a start to convert petrol engines to be able to use the LPG. Thousands of cars will be changed to run on LPG in less than a month or two if he starts that and pays for the conversion, including the cost of the tanks and the kicks.
“The impact will be so great that people will start to believe that this man is sincere and that cutting the subsidy was a wise decision.” That one has to do with the economics,” he remarked.
Regarding security, he added the President might also summon all of the service chiefs and deliver a warning, such as, “Look, I’m giving you about a month to destroy all of the bandits’ hideouts.” It is up to each individual bandit to decide to stay a bandit, thus by January, all internally displaced people (IDPs) will be allowed to return to their ancestral homes.
“I’m telling you, Nigerians will start to hail him and say, ‘Yes, this is the real president,’ if he does that.”
In response to the remarks made on nepotism and following Buhari’s lead, Dr. Pogu stated that the President needs to take a step back and address it.
“The problem is that, although I am a native of the Middle Belt, the Yoruba man is not my enemy since he will not invade and conquer my territory. He will not extend an invitation to someone in Togo or Lome to invade and conquer the Middle Belt.
“The Fulani have always been our issue. While we do not oppose the Fulani, it is unacceptable for them to enter our country with their brothers and employ deceit to seize our territory. Thus, our ancestral territory holds great significance for us, and I think this holds true for everyone of the country, not just the South East, South-South, or South West.
“Mr. President, please take up the task of quickly having the military drive these people out and return the internally displaced people to their ancestral lands. To be honest, the entire nation will applaud him for that.
Then, there are a plethora of sectors that fall under the revenue-generating umbrella, like Customs and the NNPCL. People from one region of the nation have gained control of the NNPCL. You may go ahead and begin naming every position, starting with the Group Managing Director and going all the way down to the smallest one, and you will discover that a certain group of people hold every position. Allow him to investigate.
“Yes, he needs to thoroughly research that location, but he also needs to have a Nigerian perspective because we are losing a lot of money in that area and something needs to be done. For us to address some of the issues that have arisen during the last eight years of Buhari’s administration, he must take it seriously.
“He needs to investigate the NNPCL and the Central Bank of Nigeria thoroughly. Naturally, I think Godwin Emefiele has enough information now that he’s been arrested to be able to advise him on how to handle the CBN issue and the thefts connected to those areas. These, in my opinion, will deal with our economic predicament; the military and security issues will deal with other issues to put this nation on a strong footing.
“We don’t expect miracles to happen right away because we are so indebted.” However, if he takes action, Nigerians would soon come to the conclusion that God is in charge and the man is now on the right route, regardless of what he does.
We are grateful to God for appointing Nyesom Wike as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister in Abuja; we need more individuals like Wike. Recall that the FCT has been inert since Nasir El Rufai left; Wike is the one giving the area the appearance of an FCT. The President ought to support him and allow us to complete the task at hand in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling and the presence of such a dynamic individual,” he declared.
He counselled the President to give infrastructure a serious consideration.
Pogu is also adamant that if the President really wishes to address many of the issues confronting Nigeria, reorganising Nigeria ought to be his top priority.
“We wish President Tinubu the bravery to confront the restructuring issue head-on. The 2014 National Conference report, which attempted to address many of Nigeria’s issues, was pushed aside and games were played for sectional reasons.
“Give him the audacity to address this nation’s issues so that he can be remembered as the person who brought about its success,” he said.
Maxi Okwu, the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), concurs that immediate action is necessary to revive the economy, which is in shambles and is bleeding.
He said, “If care is not taken, the economy is in such a state that we will go comatose.”
He desires that President Tinubu take immediate action to address the problem of national unity.
There is division in the country, Okwu said to OBSANJO NEWS24. People aren’t content. Tinubu used to be or was a progressive when we were in the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) and Alliance for Democracy (AD). He shouldn’t halt the 2014 National Confab’s work. Restructuring Nigeria is necessary; if not, we will undoubtedly meet with destiny.
“The national question needs to be critically and promptly addressed. The people are not satisfied, and the country lacks cohesion. Therefore, it needs to be addressed in order for us to work hard to rebuild the country after Buhari’s destruction if the spirit of patriotism is revived.
He added that the President should address the economy to at least temporarily stop the downward trend, emphasising that long-term goals must be founded on national unity and the willingness of the populace to contribute to the process of forging a nation.
“That needs to be done by confab when we decide how to live together; otherwise, as a nation, we will keep bleeding,” he said.
According to Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) president Alhaji Yerima Shettima, Tinubu has to take quick action on two important problems.
“First of all, he must realise that individuals are no longer able to fend for themselves. People today sleep with no assurance that they would eat the following day due to the extreme poverty levels. That needs to be addressed right away.
“He can’t just say it out loud; he has to devise a workable plan to lessen the suffering of the people. That is crucial because Nigeria cannot tackle the security crisis without it. He must be aware that people are in pain.
“People have given up everything and cast their votes for him because they think he is the only one who can free them from the chains of desperation and poverty that the previous government had placed them in.
“Secondly, since we are more divided now than we were in 2015, he needs to develop policies that will bring the nation together.” As the father of the country, he must bring everyone together and bring the country together, regardless of political party, ethnicity, or religion. In an interview with OBASANJO NEWS24, he stated, “Those are the important things I want him to look into as soon as possible and find answers to them.”
Additionally, he thinks President Tinubu ought to sufficiently confront the accusation of nepotism, which he claimed was demonstrated by the important appointments made thus far.
“I am pleased that there are appointments other than ministerial appointments that are still pending,” he stated. To dispel any doubt that he is also an ethnic champion, he should act morally by keeping balance in the remaining important appointments.
“He needs to reorganise the appointments so that everyone feels like they belong, and he needs to be perceived as leading the entire nation; otherwise, if he goes in one direction, I don’t think it will be easy for him.
“In order to make sure that every aspect of this nation is taken into account, he needs to search for the brightest minds and not merely appoint individuals based on his desire to uphold the federal character or balance concept.
“There are brilliant minds in every region of this nation; they ought to be supported so that it doesn’t appear like Lagos is the only place with the best minds. This will advance the nation and provide everyone with a feeling of belonging. May God forbid it, anything that cannot be even remotely better than the previous government will spell disaster for Nigeria.
Hon. Shehu Yusuf, a former member of the Katsina State House of Assembly, stated that President Tinubu is now accountable for using all available channels to interact with the opposition and make sure Nigeria is developed and united.
He noted that despite their political disagreements, the opposition included talented individuals who could advise and collaborate with the President, making this a crucial development.
“I’m also pleading with the opposition to try to offer counsel for everyone’s progress if they are sincerely asked to offer advice or take part in the Nigeria project.
“One individual must prevail in the game of numbers that is politics. Nigerians require unity, economic growth, peace, and stability now that the legal struggle is finished and Tinubu’s four-year term is underway.
“The opposition fought with great skill, but politics is a numbers game, and Nigerians have spoken, and the APC has prevailed.” They adhered to the legal procedure, and Tinubu’s election has also been upheld by the highest court. We hope the best for them all. He told OBASANJO NEWS24, “They should work together to bring stability to Nigeria because they are all well-meaning Nigerians.”
In response to accusations of nepotism in Tinubu’s administration, he also suggested that the President work to unite all segments of the nation in order to further national development.
“The current government has not given due consideration to the South East and has favoured the South West in its appointments thus far.
Although it is incredibly unbalanced, I am recommending cooperation between the opposition and the administration now that the legal procedures have concluded. If approached, the Igbo people have to reply honestly, make an effort to set aside their disagreements, and join forces with Nigeria to advance, he stated.
