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The 2023 presidential elections in Nigeria will be a significant event in the country’s political landscape, as the winner will become the President of Nigeria for the next four years whose actions or inactions will have a significant impact on the country’s fortunes.
The outcome of the 2023 presidential elections will have a significant impact on Nigeria’s future, particularly in areas such as economic development, security, and governance. The next president will have the opportunity to shape policies and programs that will affect the lives of millions of Nigerians and will have the potential to address some of the country’s most pressing challenges such as poverty, unemployment and insecurity.
The future of Nigeria will depend on the outcomes of the 2023 presidential elections, as the new president will have the mandate to implement policies and programs that will shape the direction of the country for the next four years. Thus, It’s important for the electorate to be well informed and to make an informed decision in this election.
It is important that we focus on the antecedents of the front runners and jettison innuendos, conjectures and rabble rousing. It is important that we focus on the track records of the front-runners in the presidential race in order to make an informed decision. The track record of a candidate can provide insight into their qualifications, experience, and what to expect.
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We should examine the candidates’ previous experiences in government, such as their tenure as governor, senator, minister or any other political office they held, as well as their private sector experience, if any. This will provide insight into their leadership abilities, decision-making skills, and their ability to implement policies and programs.
It is important that we examine the candidates’ policy positions and campaign promises and compare them to their track record. This will provide insight into the candidate’s priorities and their ability to follow through on their commitments.
Nigeria’s next President needs to be someone who can continue to build on the achievements of President Muhammad Buhari in order to ensure sustainable development and progress for the country.
Posterity will be kind to President Buhari following his stint a second time in office, in that, the government he heads has been able to do more with less in different sectors despite two recessions, a once in a lifetime pandemic and drop in oil prices ( as a mono economy).
His administration made significant strides in improving security in Nigeria, particularly in the fight against Boko Haram, the terrorist group. Although new problems have sprang up in the form of banditry and kidnappings, this government acknowledges that fact and is doing its best to curb them. Fact is, no government has supported the military with hardware and otherwise more than this government has.
Steps were also made to diversify the by improvements in the agricultural sector, which has the potential to create jobs and increase food security.
Significant investments have been made in infrastructure, such as constructing new roads, bridges and power plants, ports, as well as improving transportation-these efforts have helped to improve connectivity and reflate the economy.
There was also implementation of social welfare programs aimed at reducing poverty, such as the National Social Investment Program (NSIP)- a program that has helped to improve the lives of millions of Nigerians by providing support for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, disabled, and children.
It is not yet Uhuru as it could have been better, but we are on the road to re-discovery. It’s important to consider that change does not happen overnight, and it takes time to see the results of implemented policies and thus, it is important that whoever takes over from President Buhari consolidates on his efforts.
I believe that Man is Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu has a long history in Nigerian politics, having served as governor of Lagos State from 199 to 2007. During his tenure as governor, he was credited for implementing several policies and programs that helped to improve infrastructure, increase economic growth, and reduce poverty in Lagos state. He is also credited for laying the foundation for the state’s economic success which made Lagos one of the most economically developed states in the country. Today, Lagos is the economic and social nucleus of Nigeria
In addition to his political experience, Tinubu is also known for his strong leadership skills and his ability to build political alliances. He played a key role in the formation of the APC, which brought together several opposition parties to defeat the ruling party in 2015.
Tinubu’s achievements as governor of Lagos state contributed to the State’s current status as one of the most economically developed states in Nigeria. His policies and programs have had a significant impact on the development of the state and have improved the lives of so many Lagosians.
His VERIFIABLE achievements cut across;
Economic development: The Tinubu administration is credited with laying the foundation for Lagos state’s economic success. He implemented policies to attract private investment, create jobs, and promote small and medium-sized enterprises. He also initiated the establishment of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) to provide small business loans and the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) to increase tax collection among others. His administration performed magic by improving the state’s IGR from 600 million to over 8 billion Naira, a month.
Infrastructure development: The Tinubu administration embarked on several large infrastructure projects including the construction of new roads, bridges, and flyovers. He also initiated the development of the Lagos State Transport Master Plan, which is aimed at improving public transportation in the state. This has been the core guideline for development of Public transportation in Lagos
Education: The Tinubu administration implemented a free education policy for primary and secondary schools in the state, which helped to increase enrolment and improve the quality of education. He also initiated the establishment of several new primary and secondary schools across the state.
Health: The Tinubu administration established a number of new hospitals and primary healthcare centres across the state, as well as initiated a number of programs to improve health outcomes, including the Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme (LSHIS), LASAMBUS-Ambulance service. Primary health care centres and general hospitals sprang up in almost all LGAs. The administration created the health service commission whose duty it was to take care of personnel as well as operational running of hospitals.
Remember JIGIBOLA? This was the blindness prevention programme to mitigate occurrence of blindness amongst residents of Lagos.
Environmental development: The Tinubu administration implemented several policies and programs to improve the environment in Lagos state, such as the Lagos State Environmental Protection Law, which aimed at controlling pollution, and the Lagos state green initiative aimed at promoting sustainable development.
Under Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Lagos state became the first and only state to break the monopoly of power generation and distribution in Nigeria through the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, Yinka Folawiyo Power Limited and Enron Corporation Independent Power Project. This project is still supplying close to 230megawatts to the Egbin Thermal Station, from where the power is fed into the National Grid today.
The civil service reform under Bola Ahmed Tinubu is next to none- Reducing waste and curbing financial mis-management through incentives for civil servants as well as increase in salary. His payroll system reforms removed thousands of ghost workers from the service. These were achieved by applying principles he learnt from the corporate world.
I believe that Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s political experience, leadership skills, and track record of success make him a strong candidate for the presidency. His focus on economic development and his ability to build political alliances will be key assets in addressing Nigeria’s challenges
I believe he can replicate his genius in Lagos, nationwide.
I believe his antecedents, verifiable track records and visionary leadership will benefit Nigeria today.
Chiechefulam Ikebuiro
