Tinubu’s Presidency And The Mounting Signs Of Eventual Failure -By Ifeanyichukwu George

The signs that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government may eventually fail like those of his predecessor – General Muhammadu Buhari – are mounting on a daily basis except we decided to ignore it. I woke up this Thursday morning and the first news item that hit me was: ASARI DOKUBO STORMS ABUJA WITH HIS BOYS TO COUNTER NLC PROTEST. And so, I thought to myself: Is that it?

Is this what Nigerians will see this time? After all, the bandits, kidnappers, tax collectors and scavengers/Fulani militia openly worked with and for the previous failure to help him achieve his colossal mess of an administration? Ok. Asari and the boys are up this time to work with and for this one right? Tinubu has just turned in to the lane of failure! Dear compatriots, the geologists – of which I’m one – believe that the present is key to the past.

But the analysts – of which I’m one – do also have their own kinds of belief namely; the past is key to the present. Now, many are yet to forget Buhari and his time as presidential apprentice. In fact, I have heard many who said that administratively and sometimes intellectually; leaders of the core north cannot compare to those of the south.I must confess that I have fallen for that sentiment too.

But let’s start from the first sign of failure namely; the inauguration speech of this government and, then see why I believe that failure will be harvested eventually just like in Buhari’s time. President Tinubu was inaugurated on the 29th of May, 2023. That very day, a visibly shaking man who couldn’t still himself – perhaps due to old age – delivered his speech like a roaring lion! For me, it was contradicting.

I saw the stage-management that perhaps many never saw but decided to wait until now to share it. And he said “Fuel subsidy is gone!” That was a strong statement that should have come from a physically strong and energetic president rather than from the visibly feeble-looking President Tinubu. The reason is because it is only a physically and mentally strong president that can fight these oil subsidy thieves.

Having removed subsidy, my expectation was that 7 days from May 29th; most major cities of this great country will be flooded with a vehicular system of transportation that is powered by CNG (compressed natural gas) to douse the reaction that was sure to come. Thankfully, our dear brother and great industrialist Dr. innocent Chukwuma of the Innoson Motors conglomerate has these vehicles in their hundreds for sale!

Unfortunately, that did not happen and from the look of things; may never happen. Why? A feeble-looking President Tinubu like the one before him CANNOT think fast! Listen, every age comes with its benefits. Nigeria, as of today needed a mentally strong president! I have listened to analysts who heap the blame of the chaotic situation created already by this subsidy removal on corruption as if corruption just started last Thursday!

Have corruption not existed here since the 1950s? The right place to blame for this mess, is fairly and squarely absence of a fast-thinking presidency. They knew quite well that the oil thieves will react and; never reasoned that by bringing in a vehicular system as suggested above, they will effectively have put the thieves in between the devil and the deep blue sea such that it would be impossible for them to hike their prices arbitrarily.

Already injured by his first blow, which has led to a drastic drop in the volume of daily fuel consumption; this presidency should have taken the blow further by putting in place this system of transport that will no doubt have helped the citizens because it runs on CNG and is cheap; thereby, courting the masses to their side! Incidentally, only a strong and mentally fast president could’ve taken that bold step. This is the first sign of failure.

The second is like it. There is no Nigerian that wouldn’t wonder how and why the Nigerian intelligence circle did not and could not see a coup d’état coming in neighboring Niger Republic! If the US CIA can detect a coup in a far-away country like Mali; was the Nigeria government in slumber to not know that a coup was brewing in Niger? Interestingly, we have seen how the juntas have dared President Tinubu’s ECOWAS.

The joint statement by the governments of Mali and co. in support of the holders of power in Niger goes to show how weak, corrupt and ineffective that ECOWAS and all her respective member leadership are. It more than exposed the weakness in its current chairman who incidentally is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. When you couldn’t detect a coup; you’re coming to warn the junta to relinquish power, who listens to such nonsense!

Thirdly and finally, the rumored approval of an 8,000.00 naira monthly stipend for palliative to 2 million Nigerians is the clincher! For an average family of 3 in a Nigerian economy of today; 8,000.00 naira is surely not enough to feed for a week let alone for a month. If the youths on mandatory NYSC earned above 20,000.00 naira can we not see the ministry of massive corruption started by Hajia Sadiya Farouq being resurrected?

As the NLC rises to nip this about-to-happen tragedy in the bud; President Tinubu’s government like the government before him are striking back with Asari Dokubu and his boys (just like Buhari struck back with Miyetti Allah and the bandits) instead of with CNG vehicles that will (1) Cushion the hardship and (2) Remove the yoke of the oil thieves off the Nigerian masses’ neck!

The Nigerian masses are supposed to be President Tinubu’s family. The question is: does the president even know his family now?

Amb. Ifeanyichukwu George; an emotional intelligence advocate writes from Abuja. WhatsApp response only: +2348062577718.