A group, The IdentifytheRightLeader (ITRL) Initiative, has asked Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to join the 2023 presidential race.
In a report, Princess Temi Okesanjo, National Coordinator of ITRL, said leadership is key in solving the Nigerian problem.
She said rather than stay in the trenches and throw blames, it would assist Nigerians in deciding on quality leaders by illuminating their achievements and impact while in public service.
“All the names that have been tipped as potential presidential aspirants, Professor Yemi Osinbajo based on the impact of his actions in government have most affected the common man positively, hence, the group chose to conduct her first impact report on him.”
“The tales of godfatherism, personal ambitions, greed, “who’s turn is next”, and similar vices have been some of the biggest roadblocks to Nigeria’s socio-economic and political development since Independence. Unfortunately, these have always been at the detriment of a nation with a population of over 200 million people – most of whom strive daily to make ends meet. If Nigerians must start to reap the benefit of democracy, they must pay utmost attention to who they select as leaders and why,” the report read.
The ITRL report is divided into several sections, first, the introductory section. Second, Osinbajo’s impact as Attorney-General, as Vice-President and Acting President. Comments about Osinbajo from leaders, opposition leaders, famous quotes from Osinbajo and Osinbajo through the lens of some notable young Nigerians. The next section examines some of Osinbajo’s policies and analyzed the impacts. Finally, the report ends with a conclusion and recommendations.
“As Attorney-General of Lagos state (1999 – 2007), Osinbajo is credited with undertaking far-reaching significant judicial reforms in the state covering areas including judges’ recruitment, remuneration, training, and discipline. These reforms have profound impacts which include: reducing man-hours and the average time for the dispensation of justice, improved access to justice for the masses, restoring people’s confidence and belief in the judiciary and more importantly, reducing instances of corruption and inefficiency in the Lagos Judiciary.”
“During this time. Osinbajo took the Federal Government to court 12 times, including to the Supreme Court, on matters of States’ rights, federalism, and restructuring. One of such instances was when Osinbajo approached the Supreme Court over the illegal and unconstitutional withholding of funds belonging to the Lagos State Government in 2002.
“As Vice President, Osinbajo’s impacts were felt in the Niger Delta region. Most Nigerians recall that before 2016, insecurity in the oil-rich Niger-Delta region reached unprecedented dimensions leading to a significant reduction of the nation’s oil production in the span of just three months.”
The report also captures how Osinbajo was able to solve seemingly complicated and endless bloodletting in the Niger Delta effortlessly through his ability to communicate clearly and solve problems. Osinbajo, in 2017, designed the Niger-Delta New Vision (NDNV) which brought about productive partnerships between oil-producing communities, the government and oil companies. In a region that accounts for over 80 per cent of Nigeria’s resources, achieving stability in the Niger-Delta had serious economic advantages for the nation’s revenues. Having a message and knowing when and how to pass it can prove decisive in bringing about peace and development.
As Acting President, the report maintains that Osinbajo authorised a comprehensive construction of the insurgency-affected North-East in 2017. By then, policy analysts started calling for changes in the nation’s counter-insurgency measures. Some of the policy recommendations include development programmes. This was after the military option had shown little results. As part of reconstruction efforts in the North East, Osinbajo established the North East Children’s Trust (NECT) to provide educational and extensive-care support to thousands of children orphaned by the Boko Haram insurgency in the region in 2017.
Also, Acting President Osinbajo’s order to the Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Air Staff to relocate to Maiduguri increased and sustained the tempo of the Army in its fight against insurgency in 2017. This increased tempo on the part of the Nigerian military provided psychological boosts for officers in the field and their morale to fight the dreaded insurgents.
Professor Osinbajo has done so much with so little executive power. One cannot but wonder what he will do with the full executive power that the Office of the President would avail him. In this report, efforts were made to provide insights into the impacts of some of his policies during his time in government, first as Attorney General of Lagos State, then as Vice President and Acting President.
The report by ITRL points out that Professor Yemi Osinbajo performed more as Attorney-General and Acting President but did more advocacy as Vice-President, owing to the constitutional restraints surrounding the office. It was identified that Professor Yemi Osinbajo has strong work ethic with unblemished integrity and character. Also, Osinbajo is youthful at heart and youth centred. The report shows that Osinbajo is committed to made in Nigeria goods and services. It was identified that Osinbajo is a pan-Nigerian, cosmopolitan leader with high emotional intelligence. He is a great orator and a peacebuilder. All these and more are the reasons Osinbajo is tipped above all other candidates who are rumoured to be interested in the office of the President of Nigeria.
In all, the ITRL has invested enormous time and resources in putting this report together and will leave Nigerians to make up their minds on who should steer the ship of state forward.
