By Ihechukwu Sunday
The Candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2023 presidential election, Prince Adewole Adebayo has attributed the hardship currently faced by Nigerians to President Bola Tinubu’s failure to squarely face governance.
He lamented that part of the President’s failures is his refusal to speak to Nigerians or even consult before taking a major policy decision that affects Nigerians. This, he said, has led to the president appointing ministers that don’t add any value to his administration.
“The only thing many of the ministers know about is the route to their offices; to engage an issue on their mandate is difficult. Apart from going to the weekly executive council meeting and somebody is asked to address the media, try to track decisions they make in the federal executive council, and you will see that the majority of it are mere approvals, not policy. They are like a tender’s board. They have turned themselves into a tender’s board, where contracts are taken to them,” he said.
He pointedly stated that the government has failed to secure lives and property of Nigerians, making lives difficult for Nigerians.
Insisting that there is no governance in Nigeria at present, he said: “When life and property are safe, governance is taking place even if the president doesn’t talk. If the civil servants are delivering on services and they are meeting their targets; if people have better electricity and better healthcare; if the rule of law is working through the judiciary; if the industry is working, and industry this time, is in two branches – professionals like lawyers, nurses, and productive industry like manufacturing, agriculture, and extractive industry; if those ones are working, whether people like your face or not, the evidence will be clear that governance is taking place. But, these are not there at present.”
On the recent comment by former president Obasajo about the current government, he noted that even though Obasanjo did not get most of the things right during his time, he acknowledged that he was not afraid to bring in talented Nigerians into his government.
“The difference is that Obasanjo had efficiency but he knew how to govern even when he had bad policy. He had the presence of mind to govern, compared to those who are there now who don’t have the presence of mind to govern. Obasanjo has the time to consult, he has the ability to explain; he was not too afraid of bringing talents to his government.
“That doesn’t mean you will agree with him on all his policies. After all, if he was successful, many of the problems the subsequent administrations met on ground wouldn’t have been met. But, that doesn’t disqualify him from pointing out what is wrong. More so, he has been in that office a number of times. Even if you are doing what he has done before, that is not an excuse,” he submitted.
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Obi prays for God to grant Soludo greater heights Chuks Eze The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Mr Peter Obi, has called on the Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo to show humility, gratitude and compassion, following what he described as an ‘unfortunate and bitter’ outburst by the governor. Speaking to journalists at the just-concluded Nigeria Guild of Editors meeting at the NAF Conference Center, Abuja, Obi congratulated Soludo for securing a second tenure and urged him to appreciate God’s mercies by responding to victory with grace rather than resentment. Obi’s remarks came after Soludo provoked controversy during his certificate-of-return ceremony, where he mocked his critics by calling Obi a ‘frustrated politician without a club’ and accused him of damaging the education system in Anambra. “I feel compelled to respond because if I do not, I will be accused of dodging the question,” Obi said, expressing surprise at Soludo’s remarks. “On an occasion meant to celebrate his certificate of return, instead of thanking Almighty God for granting him a second tenure; a moment to demonstrate love and magnanimity, he chose to show bitterness and resentment. It was deeply unfortunate.” Obi clarified his involvement in the recent Anambra election, saying, “I only attended three public events with the Labour Party candidate, strictly where I was invited. At none of these events did I mention anyone by name or meet with traditional rulers, market leaders or any other group to discuss candidates. There was nothing I said to warrant controversy or speculation,” he stressed. Reflecting on the Election Day, Obi recounted how he quietly fulfilled his civic duty, conscious of the weight of responsibility that comes with leadership. “I witnessed irregularities and disruptions that could have easily escalated into chaos,” he said. “When outsiders attempted to cast votes in our community, I stepped in and urged my people to remain calm and allow them to act peacefully. In that moment, I was reminded that integrity must always take precedence over politics. True leadership is measured, not by the contest for power, but by the courage to uphold fairness, restraint and the dignity of our people, even in the most trying circumstances.” Addressing Soludo’s mocking remarks, he used a vivid metaphor from football to clarify his perspective: “On the day of the election, journalists approached me as if I were on the ballot. I reminded them that I served as governor 13 years ago and have since moved on to a higher level in national politics. In football terms, if gubernatorial candidates are in the first division, I am in the Champions League. I ran for Vice President in 2019 and for President in 2023, winning 11 states and Abuja. I play well at that level, and my record speaks for itself.” He also reflected on his age and historic achievements in Anambra State. “In both the old and new Anambra, only Jim Nwobodo and I became governors in our 40s. I was the first to serve a second tenure. I have no personal issue with Governor Soludo. I pray that God grants him even greater heights, if that will inspire him to show humility, compassion and a genuine concern for the people,” he said. He concluded with an appeal, saying, “We must recognise the mercies God grants us. Leadership is not about resentment or bitterness; it is about service, gratitude, and love for our people.”
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