50 days without ministers, what happened to hitting the ground running? [Editor's Opinion]
It took the former president six months to select and announce his ministerial appointees in 2015, and we all know how that turned out.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was sworn in on Monday, May 29, 2023. [Presidency]
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Over the years, Tinubu’s political history has convincingly presented and promoted him as a teacher, whose school of politics produced many politicians across the country.
This belief supports the narrative peddled by his supporters that he is the most prepared candidate for the number one political office in the country.
As a matter of fact, becoming Nigeria’s president is Tinubu’s lifelong ambition. He’s been in the game since the 1980s and has been plotting his way to the presidency since his days as the Governor of Lagos State between 1999 and 2007.
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With his perceived level of preparedness, many Nigerians believe the president would have no problem setting up his cabinet because going by one of the narratives that drove his presidential campaign, he is a discoverer of talents.
![L-R Former Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode; Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; President Bola Tinubu; and another former Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola. [LASG]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20width%3D'790'%20height%3D'504'%20data-ring-placeholder%3D'1'%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E "L-R Former Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode; Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; President Bola Tinubu; and another former Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola. [LASG]")
L-R Former Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode; Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; President Bola Tinubu; and another former Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola. [LASG]
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Interestingly, on his assumption of office, President Tinubu made some moves that seemed to cement the sentiment that he has really hit the ground.
He had a series of meetings with service chiefs appointed by his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari and other appointees including the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele as well as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa.
His policy decisions on the removal of subsidy of petroleum and naira devaluation earned him nationwide applause despite the attendant economic hardship that followed the policies.
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Being the new Sherriff in town, the President further made some ruthless decisions that again got many Nigerians singing his praises.
In fulfilling his renewed hope promises, President Tinubu suspended the CBN Governor, who recklessly subjected Nigerians to hardship and agony with his obnoxious monetary policies.
It’s therefore not surprising that many Nigerians gleefully supported the ‘humiliation’ of Emefiele because looking back at his policies during the build-up to the 2023 general election, it is safe to conclude that the suspended CBN Governor intentionally dealt with Nigerians.
Six days after sacking Emefiele, the President went on to suspend Bawa over allegations of abuse of office levelled against him. Again, Nigerians clapped for the President for taking the right steps.
On Monday, June 19, 2023, he approved the immediate retirement of all Service Chiefs, including the Inspector-General of Police and replaced them with new appointees immediately.
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![President Bola Tinubu. [Presidency]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20width%3D'790'%20height%3D'527'%20data-ring-placeholder%3D'1'%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E "President Bola Tinubu. [Presidency]")
President Bola Tinubu. [Presidency]
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All these attest to his plan to hit the ground running, but it appears the President is catching his breath while Nigerians wait eagerly to hear him announce his cabinet members.
It’s been 50 days of Tinubu’s administration but the key sectors of the country’s economy such as agriculture, trade, information and communication and manufacturing are currently in limbo with their supervising ministries running rudderless.
For a government that promised to hit the ground running, it is ironic it’s taking so long to identify capable hands to set up its cabinet and unveil those brilliant minds to make up his cabinet.
It took the former President six months to select and announce his ministerial appointees in 2015, and we all know how that turned out.
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Nigerians do not want a repeat of that. The country needs a quick fix and Mr President needs to speed up efforts to solve the problems for which he was elected.
*Pulse Editor's Opinion is the viewpoint of an editor at Pulse. It does not represent the opinion of the organisation Pulse.
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![President Bola Tinubu said he made difficult decisions to improve Nigeria's economy. [Guardian]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20width%3D'300'%20height%3D'172'%20data-ring-placeholder%3D'1'%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E "President Bola Tinubu said he made difficult decisions to improve Nigeria's economy. [Guardian]")