Tinubu’s first steps and the return of the prodigals

As the famous comedian Macaroni would say, Bola Tinubu is doing well. Although his minders kept that promise away from view and debate, during the campaign season, Tinubu did promise to withdraw the age-long subsidy. He has done just that and the clip once hidden reappeared to justify that he had promised to do it, like his fellow presidential frontrunners. Life has since returned to normal as all initial gra-gra has cooled off.

In the heat of the campaign season, Tinubu showed his displeasure at Emefiele’s naira recolouration. He believed that it was done to limit his chances. He has now wielded the big stick on Emefiele in a way that some pundits opined might send the wrong signals to an ailing naira. The naira has not fully resuscitated, but it appears to be responding to treatment in the ICU even as Emefiele cools his heels in detention. 

With these initial actions, the day is still young to say that the world has endorsed Tinubu. That is expected to happen when he names his full cabinet, hopefully in the coming weeks. For now, the universe has had a sneak peek into what to expect as the president has picked two known brooms to help him sweep the floor of governance. 

He has named Femi Gbajabiamila as his chief of staff and George Akume as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). Gbajabiamila was the Speaker of the last House of Representatives to where he graduated after serving Tinubu in Lagos State. As history goes, he’s not only a thorough establishment man; he is also a tested and trusted Tinubu loyalist. 

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Tinubu’s first steps and the return of the prodigals

Even after serving his state twice as chief executive and more times at the Senate, Akume had his fair share of critics over the way he handled governance. Fortunately for him, there has been no substance to the allegations and Akume continues to walk free.

Neither of these appointees could be described as vacuum cleaner that rekindles hope for a new Nigeria. However, miracles do happen and heaven is very familiar, indeed some say is tired of the voice of supplication of Nigerians. It records pleas from the muezzin and the loud prayers of citizens hoping that things get better even when they do nothing different.

And there goes Tinubu’s first couple of weeks with the exception of signing bills omitted by Buhari. If morning predicts the night, nobody should raise high hopes except they’re prepared to swim in the vast ocean of disappointment. 

This president is not a saint and heaven is not about to loan him angels for staff. Those calling for the head of Hadi Sirika, the last aviation minister who played the nation with his fake Air Nigeria should calm down. At no time during the campaign season did Sirika prevent the president’s private jet from taking off or landing, unlike Emefiele whose policies almost derailed Tinubu’s race to meet history. Emefiele ensured that no bullion van missed its way to Bourdillon Road prior to or during the election season. At one time, he even threw his own hat into the ring before surreptitiously withdrawing it. For these offences and for more, he deserves his date with the law until his case hits the usual cul-de-sac.

For all the renovations of Aso Villa, there have been no dull moments. As is customary to every new occupant of the rock, Tinubu has been receiving guests some of them absolutely curious. One party included the disgraced one-time Delta State governor, James Onanefe Ibori. Ibori is an ex-convict who served term for corruption in England.

During the tortuous campaigns, five PDP governors declined to endorse Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate except Iyorchia Ayu resigned as chairman. Ayu stayed glued to his seat and the governors formed a G-5 group refusing to back Atiku. 

Last week, Seyi Abiodun Makinde led Nyesom Wike, Samuel Ortom, Ifeanyi Ugwanyi and Okezie Ikpeazu all former governors to pay homage to Tinubu. The five spoilers, as their party tagged them, have now become apparent lobbyists for relevance with the new man in Aso Rock. Tinubu has refused to be drawn into any controversy with them. Their dilly-dallying during the campaigns helped his case at the polls. 

With the exception of Makinde, who won his re-election as governor of Oyo State, three of the other four members – Akume, Ikpeazu and Ugwanyi failed in their bids to get into the Nigerian Senate. Wike, who was a frontrunner of his party before the primaries did not vie for any other elective post. Ortom fought two battles, with his party at the centre even though the embattled chairman is from his state. He was equally at loggerheads with Muhammadu Buhari whom he blames for not acting fast to prevent the wanton killings in his state, a crises he attributed to herders. He had vowed to return to his farm if he failed to go to the Senate like his predecessors.  

After the elections, Wike invited Tinubu to commission some projects in Port Harcourt where he demanded a promise from Tinubu to refund the money he spent on federal projects in the state. Tinubu blandly refused to bite the bait. 

Not wanting to end up in political Siberia, the now-baptized G-String tagged along with Makinde, like repentant prodigals to Aso Rock. It is the classic case of – ẹnu tí igbin fi bù òrìsà, ìyẹpẹ ni ó fi jẹ – the snail bites the dust with the same mouth it uses to insult the Orisa. In their classic photo-op with the new man in the saddle, loquacious Wike suffered a wardrobe malfunction that would later become the butt of jokes on social media. 

It would not be surprising if any of these rejects end up in government at the federal level.  Tinubu would have to determine whether a garrulous Wike is an asset or a liability.

As far as visits and lobbying go, all eyes were on Amobi Ogah of Abia State who ‘discovered’ an eloquent and intelligent Tinubu after a visit to Aso Rock. This must be a record discovery akin to Mango Park’s discovery of the River Niger.

Elected under the Labour Party from Abia to the House of Representatives, Ogah exclaimed that he has seen the stimulus for a new Nigeria under Tinubu, a euphemism that could be interpreted to mean a potential decamp to the APC before the end of the 10th Assembly. If he makes it into Tinubu’s cabinet, it would be a loss to his party that is challenging Tinubu’s win in court.

Not to be left out, Nasir El-Rufai former Kaduna governor says it was a deliberate ploy to introduce a Muslim-Muslim ticket at the presidency to show Christians that without their votes, Muslims could form government at the state and federal level. Tinubu’s actions henceforth would confirm or deny whether religious balance still plays a role in nation building.