…insist excuses would not put food on the table of Nigerians
Former Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), Dr Salihu Lukman has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to stop giving excuses over the excruciating pains and hardship being experienced by Nigerians.
Lukman in a piece titled: “Travesty of Nigerian Democracy” called on President Tinubu led administration to do something urgently to ameliorate the suffering of Nigerians before it is too late.
Lukman who was the immediate past National Vice Chairman North West of the APC contended that rather than giving excuses, the government should be telling Nigerians what it is doing to address their problems.
Saying President Tinubu cannot distance himself from the mistakes committed by his predecessor, Mohammadu Buhari, he stressed that excuses being offered would only confirm that the government is living in denial of the multifaceted challenges besetting the country.
He noted: “Nigerians are truly going through hard times. No excuses will pacify our citizens. In fact, excuses will not put food on the table of Nigerians.
“Beyond all the short terms measures initiated by government such as conditional cash transfers to 15 million Nigerians and N35,000 monthly award to federal employees, what is the economic plan to increase local production of goods and services domestically?
“What are the specific targets, especially in terms of employment, reducing inflation and other economic indices impacting on living conditions of citizens.
“Speaking both as loyal APC member and ordinary citizen, part of our challenge as Nigerians is that we always trust our leaders, which is why it is very traumatic when our leaders fail us.
“As much as citizens have high confidence in the capacity and competence of President Asiwaju Tinubu to turn the Nigerian economy around for the better, our leaders and our party must earn the trust of citizens.”
Continuing, he argued: “Excuses cannot be currency of earning the trust of citizens. Rather, concrete achievements should be the currency. When in 2015 we undertook to change Nigeria, it wasn’t just former President Buhari that made the promise, it was all our leaders including President Asiwaju Tinubu.
“If, as is being alleged, former President Buhari’s government handed over a bankrupt or comatose nation to President Asiwaju Tinubu, for President Asiwaju Tinubu to earn the trust of Nigerians, he must first and foremost accept that as APC leader he is equally responsible for the failure of former President Buhari. With the claim of being progressive politicians, we must not allow the travesty that characterise our democracy, which makes politicians and elected representatives to imagine that they can earn the trust of citizens by giving excuses to define the administration of President Asiwaju Tinubu.
“Once we are in denial, it also suggests that we are going to grandstand when we initiate actions that worsen the situation or fail to initiate actions to resolve the problem. This will simply mean being dishonest, which will narrow our responses to making excuses for our failure or inability to meet expectations of Nigerians. This must be avoided.
“It is quite worrisome that coming from a party envisioned to be progressive we are giving excuses. How can we Renew the Hope of Nigerians by giving excuses. We must appeal to our leaders to stop giving excuses and take responsibility.
“If we are to be responsible, we should admit that the current hardship facing Nigerians is largely a product of two critical decisions taken by the government of President Asiwaju Tinubu. The two decisions are withdrawal of fuel subsidy and floating the Naira against other major currencies.
” No doubt, these are very necessary decisions and President Asiwaju Tinubu deserved every commendation for those bold decisions. Part of what is very glaring is that the decisions were taken by the government without proper planning.”
