By Tunde Oladunjoye
In politics, as in many human vocations, emotions and sentiments do play roles in convincing or confusing people.
However, there comes a time when the stark reality stares people in the face and a decision that will help us find workable solution to escape a quagmire would have to be taken not for selfish or ulterior expectations, but for the overall interest of all or, at least, for the interest of the vast majority of the people.
Yes, this is exactly where Nigeria, the most populous black nation in the world, stands today in terms of the prevalent socio-economic fiasco that has been imposed on the citizenry by debatable, half-thought-out economic policies, spurred by the ruling class cabals, that have placed the country on the cliff-edge of mass uprising.
I will want us to critically and dispassionately examine the two main issues alongside confronting Nigeria alongside the credentials of the three leading presidential candidates of the three major political parties gunning for the presidency.
The two main issues that have confronted the nation, almost bringing it to the slowest socio-economic pace in its annals, are the scarcity of petrol and the misguided currency redesign policy that have, in alarming proportions, confused not only the policy makers and marketers, but also the enforcers and the intended buyers – the populace.
FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC POLICY IMBROGLIO : THE NEW NAIRA MESS
The fallouts of the poorly designed and badly executed naira swap politics of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, stare us all in the face with attendant loss of lives, properties and man-hours estimated at hundreds of billions of Naira.
Out of the three presidential candidates, by professional training, qualification and practice, who is better qualified to solve the Emefiele Gate?
One, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a certified chartered accountant and revenue consultant.
Two, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, whose entire career life was spent in the Nigerian Customs Service, apart from the border trades he claimed to have made his money from.
Three, Peter Obi, who is well known as a trader with specialization in importing all sorts of items into the country.
FUEL SCARCITY
Nigeria is a country well endowed with crude oil, gas, bitumen and the likes; making it a strategic member of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). However, non-functional refineries, lack of transparency, profiteering, meddlesomeness and endemic compromises have been the lot of the sector and the country at large , with extremely negative effects on the oil-dependent economy. There is no doubt that fuel is life! And the perennial scarcity has affected lives and living in Nigeria.
Out of the three presidential candidates, by professional training, qualification and practice, who is better qualified?
One, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu , a certified chartered accountant and revenue consultant was once a top management staff of a multi-national oil company. He was a Treasurer at Mobil Producing Unlimited for several years.
Two, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, whose entire career life was spent in the Nigerian Customs Service, apart from the border trades he claimed to have made his money from.
Three, Peter Obi is well known as a trader with specialization in importing all sorts of items into the country.
From the foregoing, it is beyond any reasonable doubt that Asiwaju Tinubu is Nigeria’s best bet in the prevailing circumstances.
-Tunde Oladunjoye m
Oladunjoyelo@gmail.com
Abeokuta, Ogun State
February 19, 2023.
