With his 2027 reelection bid a distinct possibility, the president of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, will do his second coming a world of good if he can address the corruption and insecurity banana peels on his path, analysts have put forward.
The analysts have also nudged the president to be wary of having a strong showing in the economy only as that would be rubbished if corruption were festering and terrorists, as well as kidnappers, were running amok in the country.
While such a position may hold true, Tinubu, to his credit, has been relentless in consolidating his party, the All Progressives Congress’ position as the party to beat in 2027.
In several key sectors, including the economy, he has a lot on his plate because of his undertaking to help desperate Nigerians improve their lot. Tinubu is accomplishing this by embarking on a programme of economic reform.
And though many Nigerians say that the former Governor of Lagos State is making considerable headway with the work done so far, they caution that the twin evils of corruption and insecurity may be the president’s Achilles heel in the opposition’s pursuit of watering down the gains of his Renewed Hope agenda.
Being the proverbial democrat the Nigerian electorate had given the highly sought-after mandate to superintend the affairs of the country; Tinubu knows that much will be required from him as he navigates the country to El Dorado, with his future reelection bid in tow.
Indeed, Tinubu has left no one in doubt about his desire to chart the right course for sustainable development in Nigeria. But the president’s efforts, like those of his predecessors, will come under intense scrutiny as well as be the focal point of criticisms likely to be used by those he would jostle against for the right to be called president in 2027.
A public affairs analyst, Kunle Banjoke, commended Tinubu’s economic reforms but said he could not “express the same optimism” for the president’s fight against corruption and his approach to overcoming growing insecurity in Nigeria.
“I would like to believe that Tinubu is doing exceptionally well as president. For instance, take a look at the economy. We are gradually getting positive signs and ratings there.
“The economy will eventually rebound and Tinubu will be celebrated for it…what I am saying is not rocket science.
“Unfortunately, I cannot express the same optimism for now about his willingness to address insecurity in the country and I still have doubts about his fight against corruption. So, if you ask me, I would say the president has a lot of work to do in those areas
“Remember that they (insecurity and corruption) pulled (Goodluck) Jonathan down in 2015 and almost ruined (Muhammadu) Buhari’s reelection bid in 2019,” Banjoko concluded.
Former president Goodluck Jonathan, like Tinubu is doing, had actually implemented his own blueprint for economic reform and during his tenure, Nigeria’s economy became the largest in Africa. The country also had one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
Unfortunately for Jonathan, it was during his tenure, too, that members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect were ravaging northern Nigeria and the perilous situation eventually reached a disturbing crescendo to mainly the distressed people of the North East who bore the brunt of the insurgents’ assault.
Jonathan was helpless as the insurgents overran whole communities and subjected peace loving Nigerians to their whims and caprices.
During the period under consideration, the Nigerian Army, touted to be one of the most formidable fighting forces in Africa, was in disarray and getting ambushed and pummeled by the insurgents who cut short the lives of military personnel in their prime.
The Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, was constantly on high alert but even at that, the terrorists group was able to recruit young Nigerians whom they brainwashed into carrying out atrocious suicide bombings there.
The sect also infamously kidnapped 276 Chibok girls from their school in Borno State in 2014, which led to an international outcry with the hashtag #bringbackourgirls trending worldwide.
Corruption was also an eyesore during Jonathan’s presidency. Ministers were known to have pictured themselves in private jets, wining and dining as they displayed brazen ostentatious lifestyle.
By the time Jonathan was humbled out of office in 2015, no less than 25 individuals who served under him as Ministers or advisers were being either investigated or prosecuted by anti-graft agencies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
Though Buhari’s All Progressives Congress-led government which took over from the People’s Democratic Party had alleged “grand corruption” perpetuated during Jonathan’s administration, they themselves were not spared of corruption accusations.
While he was at the helm of affairs and even after he bowed out of office, many notable Nigerians openly said that corruption festered unchallenged under Buhari’s watch. They also accused the former Army General of shielding many of his ministers accused of graft.
The stakeholders also claimed that Nigeria’s immediate past president had a knack for assigning work to his subordinates but did not supervise them well enough and this had emboldened ministers and aides who, consequently, looted the treasury to stupor.
“Unfortunately, I cannot express the same optimism for now about his willingness to address insecurity in the country and I still have doubts about his fight against corruption. So, if you ask me, I would say the president has a lot of work to do in those areas”
Despite receiving a lot of criticism, there were some arrests made during Buhari’s presidency. The case of the former Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, readily comes to mind. Idris was indicted by the EFCC on a 14-count charge of stealing and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N109.5 billion.
The alleged financial escapades of the sacked former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, are another pointer to the corruption that eroded the system under Buhari.
Emefiele sat atop Nigeria’s apex bank for a little over nine years but at the last count, the special investigator probing the CBN, disclosed that the former CBN Governor had allegedly embezzled $1.3m and committed other financial offences.
Various social welfare schemes like the school feeding programme of the Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development minister under Sadiya Umar Farouq, who was recently invited by the EFCC to give account of her stewardship, were also alleged to have been conduit pipes used by public servants to line their pockets.
Under Buhari, the Boko Haram menace and kidnappings made resurgence and for some time, many wondered why Buhari, a supposed retired General in the Army, could not dispatch his men to crush the recalcitrant outlaws.
Cultism, Fulani herdsmen who were perennially clashing with farmers and the unknown gunmen who rode roughshod on the people in the South East, as well as other vices, made Nigeria one of the unsafest places in the world.
What likely saved Buhari when he sought reelection in 2019 was the compelling fact that he enjoyed a huge support from the Northern majority. He was also preferred above his then-rival in the 2019 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP.
With the situation existing now in his administration, Tinubu has shown that he would not overlook any erring minister who runs afoul of the law. He proved that much with the suspension of Betta Edu, his Poverty Alleviation Minister who was accused of misappropriating public funds.
The president has nevertheless been urged to find a lasting solution to the many kidnappings taking place across the country so as to give credence to his administration’s seriousness to fighting insecurity.
Sharing his thoughts on the significance of Tinubu dealing with insecurity and corruption before the 2027 general elections take place, a legal practitioner, Clement Iloh, said, “It is true that Buhari survived in 2019 despite the corruption and insecurity mess his administration found itself in.
“Even so, I cannot say for sure that Tinubu will also survive in 2027 if he allows corruption and insecurity to continue unabated.
“And yes, I agree that insecurity and corruption may be the banana peels that could cause him to slip in 2027.
“The two issues are what Nigerians want solutions to. Nigerians want to know that Tinubu is capable of fixing the problems. They also want to know that their president knows what he is doing and that he is a promise-keeper,” Iloh said.
Another Nigerian, Stanley Chigozie, said, “I understand that Tinubu has been going ahead with his economic reform.
“But the truth is that economic reforms are like experiments carried out in the laboratory where you work under a controlled environment.
“But you see insecurity and corruption, factors that contribute to them are almost impossible to control and this is why I think that Tinubu might find it difficult addressing insecurity and corruption,” Chigozie opined.
