From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
A Kaduna-based management consultant and former lecturer with Kaduna Polytechnic, Mallam Muhammad Garba, has said that it appeared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was not ready for good governance, but was just interested in grabbing power, considering the hardship Nigerians are going through over fuel subsidy removal.
In a chat with Daily Sun on his reaction to Tinubu’s recent comments that fuel subsidy has gone forever, and following the resultant impact of that remarks across the country, Garba noted that there are other national issues that needed urgent attention than the removal of fuel subsidy.
“Immediately Tinubu made that comments on fuel subsidy removal, marketers started hoarding the fuel, and where it is available, the price went up beyond imagination”. Garba noted.
The former lecturer said Tinubu has goofed on his comments about subsidy, adding that it appeared he was not prepared to deliver good governance to the people.
He urged the President to make a nationwide broadcast and explain to Nigerians the actual position and timing of the subsidy removal.
“I thought that Tinubu will be careful not to make certain statements that will create fear in the people. But the moment he said fuel subsidy is gone forever, he created fear in the people, and it is like there are certain things he did not know about this issue.
“It would have been better for him to have waited without commenting on the subsidy because Nigerians know that this subsidy was already going, so why mention it again in his inaugural speech?
“It means he is not knowledgeable about the oil industry because the moment you mentioned the removal of subsidy, the marketers will increase the fuel pump prices and any other prices will skyrocket.
“The problem here is that Tinubu said the subsidy removal was not going to be immediate, if so, why then did he mention it to Nigerians?
“It is my candid advice that he should make a nationwide broadcast to let Nigerians know that he goofed by mentioning that the subsidy is gone since the implementation is not immediate so that we can know when exactly the subsidy will be removed. By explaining to Nigerians there will be no hoarding of the fuel or hiking the price.
“There shouldn’t be a problem of this nature when APC government is handing over to APC government, unlike when in 2015 it was PDP that handed over to APC. I am talking about President Goodluck Jonathan handing over to President Muhammadu Buhari.
“And at that time Buhari threatened to reveal many unpalatable things about the PDP government. It shouldn’t be the case now.
“We have electricity issue which is more than that of fuel subsidy, but Tinubu did mention it in his speech. For me, the fuel issue is half solved because of the Dangote refinery which we were told will start supplying fuel in August or thereabouts.
“I know that when the fuel subsidy is removed there will be more money accruing to the federal government to work with it. But remember that the National Assembly had summoned 265 MDAs for refusing to submit their audited accounts, and since they refused to submit their audited accounts, it means they have stolen the money. He did not talk about this. And there was an existing bill that was already passed by the National Assembly that on the account that any MDA Executive does not submit its audited accounts, he is going to jail for five years. Tinubu did not talk about this. It appears he does not even know. And his wife is there as a Senator, she didn’t tell him?
“So the issue is that Tinubu appears not to be ready for governance. He is just like Buhari, he is only willing to get the power. Tinubu only had an ambition to be president of Nigeria, just willing to grab power. Can he manage Nigeria? That is the issue.
“By the way, Aso Rock, though called a Villa is in practical terms not a holiday resort, but a workshop of governance that include speaking up because what is not uttered and explained fully is dubious.
“Or is Tinubu another Baba go-slow? Or when he mentioned the subsidy issue he was angling towards appointing himself as Petroleum Minister?
“Or when the inaugural speech was written for him he did not go through it thoroughly or he did not know the implications of some of the wordings and did not consult others as he said he will do contained in the speech?
“I think late Obafemi Awolowo or Moshood Abiola would have acted more responsibly or more knowledgeably.
“However, I could see that Tinubu tried to be careful, but he has goofed, and he must have learnt a terrible lesson. He was supposed to address the nation immediately because fuel subsidy is a very big issue. We are in serious crisis and our new President is now enjoying Aso Rock.
“We cannot actually blame him for making a mistake, but after making the mistake, he should come out and speak to us because while he was campaigning he talked to every Nigerian, but now that he is the president he doesn’t want to talk to us on serious like this. What kind of leadership is that,” Garba stated.