Letter to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu -By Binzak Azeez

I write this open letter with the highest sense of profound reverence for your exalted office. I feel obligated to write to you being a patriotic citizen with a deep sense of having a stake and responsibility in the Nigerian project. I sincerely hope that you pay utmost heed to my concerns which are devoid of malicious intent and political colouration.

Your Excellency, no amount of justifications could suffice the removal of fuel subsidy. The price of petroleum products has been the major driver of the cost of living in Nigeria. It is not rocket science that fuel subsidy removal would have an
inflationary effect due to the crucial role which petroleum products play on Nigeria’s economy. The lead world economic powers such as China, the USA, Russia and Saudi Arabia, amongst others still pay fuel subsidies to make the cost of fuel products affordable to their citizens.

The diversion of funds usually alloted to fuel subsidy for the improvement of the education sector, healthcare system, agricultural and infrastructural sectors, security architecture, amongst others as enumerated in your administrative blueprints seem impracticable. Going by the recent astronomical tuition hike across tertiary institutions, the Nigerian masses have no hope in sight for possible long term benefits from the other sectors.

Asiwaju, the poverty alleviation intervention programmes and proposed pay rise for public officers which your administration has in store can’t cushion the unbearable financial burden placed on the Nigerian masses’ shoulders. However, there is need for palliatives and increment in workers’ salary and wages but the restoration of fuel subsidy has become more compelling. The ripple effect of skyrocketed pump prices has continued to cause an unprecedented wave of hardship across the length and breadth of our dear nation. The growing economic hardship is therefore capable of fuelling political instability, national chaos and upsurge in grave criminal activities.

Fuel subsidy is both obtainable and sustainable in numerous economic giant nations. It is neither an economic deficit nor a fiscal constraint on Nigeria’s fiscal balance. An overhaul reform of fuel subsidy regime which was riddled with corruption and manipulation ought to have been resorted to rather than fuel subsidy removal. The regime of inflated fuel consumption figures, inaccurate account of revenue figures derived from the petroleum products coupled with the massive looting of the national treasury by the political elite and the high cost of governance which are clogs in the wheel of Nigerian economy progress should have been tackled and declared as bygone.

Mr President, there is no better time for restructuring than the moment. Over the years, the demand for restructuring has become a song on the lips of patriotic Nigerians as your predecessors were guilty of mere leap service to the agitation. It is high time some recommendations set up in the 2014 “CONFAB” national conference got implemented in synergy with the National Assembly. The formulation and implementation of state policing, cutting cost of governance, state legislature’s autonomy, removal of immunity clause, proposed resource control formula, revenue allocation, derivation principle and the creation of one additional state for the South East Zone in the spirit of reconciliation, equity and justice.

Asiwaju, the Department of State Services (DSS) habitual impunity, gestapo style and fascist operating system may put an abrupt end to Nigeria’s democracy. The security agency doesn’t have any regards for democratic principles, institutions and officials. For years, the successive presidents have transformed the DSS to a repressive apparatus that intimidates the opposition parties, dissenting voices, lawmakers, judges, lawyers and journalists from discharging their constitutional and conventional onuses. Nigeria’s polity deserves a breath of fresh air as all the vestiges of the dictatorial dark days should be erased through total compliance with the rule of law.

I hope you use your position and sagacity to bring back justice, peace and comfort to our home country. In the spirit of patriotism, please accept my best wishes.

Binzak Azeez writes from Newworth LLP (Legal Practitioners), Onikan, Lagos