If Either Obi Or Osinbanjo Were Presently The Nigerian President, Could They Have Been Performing Better Than Tinubu? -By Isaac Asabor

It is not an exaggeration to say that not a few supporters of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly ahead of the February 25, 2023 presidential election brimmed with hope as they campaigned for him amidst claims that he would perform better than his predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari, even as they further buttressed their facts that his capacity to resuscitate Nigeria’s economy from the doldrums was farfetched as they arrogantly claimed that he performed very well as the governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007.

In a similar vein, some of his supporters for the umpteenth times even made reference to how he became the “destiny helper” of not a few political juggernauts in the western region of Nigeria, and even in other geo-political zones, boasting that it was his magnanimity that earned him the chieftaincy title, ‘Jagaban’ conferred on him by the Emir of Borgu.

But barely 6 months after the acclaimed destiny helper became the president of Nigeria, and who his ardent followers say he is a politician that is gifted with the ability to turn anything he touches into gold, life has not only become worse under him for many Nigerians, but it has become unbearable to not a few of them.

Without resorting to campaign of calumny in this context, it is expedient to recall that Tinubu came to power casting himself as a champion for the downtrodden, vowing to create jobs and tackle a cost-of-living crisis even as he assured Nigerians of bettering the economy in no time. His renewed hope on the economy was necessitated by the stark realities so much that prior to his declaration to become Nigeria’s president, not a few Nigerians were struggling to put food on the table under his predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Since he became Nigeria’s number 1 citizen on May 29, 2023, the unarguably ambitious politician who literarily rode to power on the wing of the campaign slang, “Emilokan” has been on a publicity overdrive, travelling across the country, and beyond, while touting Nigeria’s economic potential in speeches.

However, as far as many Nigerians are concerned at the moment, Tinubu has done far too little to improve the lot of ordinary Nigerians in a country where the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) asserted in December 2022 that 133 million Nigerians were multidimensionally poor.

It will be recalled that Tinubu had promised to restructure the economy, but his first act even while he was being inaugurated on May 29 in the absence of a constituted cabinet was to announce the abolition of fuel subsidies causing petrol, transport and food prices to soar. As it is proverbially said, “It is the fart that gives insight to how nauseating and unpleasant the odor of faeces”.

As if that was not enough, Tinubu criticized the management of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in his inaugural speech on 29 May, saying that monetary policy requires a “thorough house-cleaning”. And indeed on 14 June the CBN announced the unification of all segments of the foreign exchange (FX) market, replacing the old regime of multiple exchange rate “windows” for different purposes with, in effect, a market rate, thereby immediately triggering the fall of the naira to 36% against the dollar on the official market.

Given the backdrop of the foregoing views, it is expedient to ask, “If either Obi or Osinbanjo were presently the Nigerian president, could they have been performing better than Tinubu?

Without categorically answering the foregoing salient question, particularly as not a few Nigerians are groaning under an unprecedented economic hardship, it is expedient to opine that Yemi Osinbajo, a former vice president who is reputed to be articulate, professorial, and a lawyer who knows his onions could have been doing better as a president. Against the backdrop of this preceding view, not a few readers of this piece will ask, “Was he not the vice president to former President Muhammadu Buhari, who unarguably messed up the economy?”

In response to the foregoing question, it is germane to recall that on January 19, 2017 when the former president departed for London, in a trip that was initially announced as annual vacation but which later turned out to be an extended medical vacation that he handed over to Mr. Osinbajo, who acted in the capacity of a president for 50 days. And within the period, which was less than 2 months, the former vice president was applauded by not a few Nigerians, including the former president, for demonstrating the sterling leadership qualities that saw him swear in a new Chief Justice of Nigeria, sign seven bills into law, crisscross the restive Niger-Delta to appease the oil-producing communities, amongst other critical national assignments. Even within the period, the “Naira appreciated from ₦520 to $1 to ₦455 to $1. And that was not the first time the economy improved under his acting capacity as president.

In fact, the former vice president’s pace of action was commended by several Nigerians, prompting many to suggest that he should continue playing the major roles in the government.

Concerning Mr. Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the last election, it is not an exaggeration to say that he literarily wrestled with political cabals to become Anambra state governor, and thereafter ran the state for eight years.

Without any scintilla of amplification, his down to earth and judicious disposition to governance left Anambra state the better for it. As governor he went out of his way to show that a politician does not need to use state resources to show that he is powerful.

Against the backdrop of his personality, not a few political observers were of the view that where he to be the president today that he wouldn’t have been under criticism for reckless spending and patronage appointments as been witnessed today.

It is also been argued that both political heavy weights have decent political and social profiles in a country where the politician next door is a study in crass corruption. Osinbajo has had little scandal both in the Ivory Tower and Lagos state.

Even as Vice President, he comes across as a decent human being. In a similar vein, Mr. Peter Obi, is a pragmatic businessman, street smart, educated, and reputed to have come into politics from a business empire, and ran one of the best state administrations in Nigeria in the past as governor of Anambra state.

Despite the fact that the electorates, during elections in Nigeria, are usually swayed or misled from voting for candidates that are unarguably trustworthy and competent, not a few Nigerians in their lifetime want to see either Peter Obi or Yemi Osinbajo lead Nigeria as President.

Be that as it may, let’s not be primordially sentimental in answering the following question: “If either Obi or Osinbanjo were presently the Nigerian president, could they have been performing better than Tinubu? As crucial as the foregoing question is, it is expected that your answer is as good as mine, and that it will be a guide when voting in the next election.