Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has expressed the hope that the new government in Nigeria under the leadership of Bola Tinubu would herald a new lease of life in the country.
Afenifere also set an agenda for the new government, and appealed to separatist agitators to give the new government a chance to deliver on its electoral promises.
The affirmation was contained in a statement Sunday issued by National Publicity Secretary of the organisation, Comrade Jare Ajayi.
According to Afenifere, Tinubu, by his antecedents, has what it takes to take Nigeria to a greater height.
The group stated, “We are confident that he will assemble a goals-getting team that will enable him to translate his dreams for new and better Nigeria into reality. These dreams include calming the frayed nerves among various sections of the country, restoring security and safety of lives and property.”
Afenifere also said Tinubu needed to, “Shore up the economy, revamp our collapsed educational system, overhaul the dilapidated infrastructure, create jobs and restore the dashed hopes of youths in the country.”
That was in addition to “setting Nigeria on the path of industrialisation and bringing her into the comity of most advanced countries in the world in social, economic and political terms within the shortest time possible,” Afenifere said.
Afenifere submitted that for the above to be achieved, the new president needed to consider some key areas, which deserved urgent and critical attention. It listed the areas to include insecurity, economy, rekindling a sense of unity and patriotism among Nigerians, revamping agriculture, power, health and infrastructure.
According to the group, “Cutting down the cost of governance is one of the ways to start with. Doing so, without favouritism will make resources available for critical sectors, block cesspools for corruption and make public officials more productive.
“Incidentally, both Asiwaju and his vice, Senator Kashim Shettima, are well-suited in this respect going by their experiences as former governors, former senators and equally importantly, their educational backgrounds.
“Asiwaju studied Accountancy at Chicago State University in America, while Senator Shettima studied Agricultural Economics at the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria.”
Afenifere observed that the suggestions might not be easy in view of the tradition in which many looked for patronage or “reward” from political office-holders, especially after a hotly contested election like that of February 25, 2023. Bit it said it was not impossible.
According to Afenifere, “Yet, it is possible. And we are hopeful that Asiwaju will be able to do it, especially going by his knack to scout for round pegs to be put in round holes, as he did when he called the shots as governor in Lagos State. There is a way to balance political exigencies with the dire needs of the country, such as smoothing the ethnic, political and religious divides and getting every hand to be on deck for the purpose of moving the nation forward.”
He added that Tinubu seemed to be conscious of this when he asserted, “Our nation’s progress rests on the inclusivity, unity and not leaving any citizen behind and ensuring every citizen enjoys the dividends of good governance.”
Afenifere asked the incoming president to live up to his words of dedicating his “entire being to the service of our great nation and the African continent.”
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