•Inside Tinubu’s Presidential Villa
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
Reuters asked rhetorically in a report on Thursday if President Bola Tinubu is “Baba Go-fast” in apparent reference to the quick reforms his two weeks old administration is undertaking in the economic sphere.
The well respected news agency wrote: “Nigeria’s new President, in office for less than a month, is pushing to put Africa’s largest economy on a reform track that investors have eyed for decades, fuelling excitement that money could flow to a nation that many had deemed uninvestible.
“President Bola Tinubu’s bold actions, including removing restrictions on the naira currency that allowed it to hit a record 790 to the dollar and subsidy removals that tripled petrol prices, could take stress off the battered finances of Africa’s largest economy.”
But it is not only in the economic sphere that Tinubu appears to be standing strong and creating excitement.
Since he assumed office on May 29, Tinubu has also shocked critics who had argued before the election that he looked frail and may not be able to withstand the stress and the demands of the office of President.
The agility he has displayed in the past two weeks seems to have proven critics wrong. In fact, staff members of the State House appear to be struggling to adjust to the changes the President is making in the seat of power so that they can stay in office beyond what they are used to in the past eight years.
Before Tinubu’s assumption of office on May 29, partial sit-at-home was observed on Mondays though not in support of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and in protest to his continued incarceration, but as a result of little or no activities on that day in the Presidential Villa. The State House, especially the wing of the President’s office, has since witnessed beehive of activities because of the new Sheriff in town.
The President’s close associates have told those who want to hear to tighten their seat belt and be ready to work extra hours, hinting that Mr. President is used to working late nights. This has already started to manifest as Tinubu has shown the ability and capacity and that he means business.
Even as new faces, dress code and greeting mantra have all changed, the ambience is becoming electrifying and some level of civility returning to the seat of power as it used to be under the administrations of Umaru Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan. In fact, sources said the President is not comfortable with a militarized environment within the precinct of Aso Rock that does not allow him to be free with his subjects and live his normal life as a democrat. The idea of caging the media that covers his activities is strange to him being a media friendly person. He always wants the people around him, especially the media, to be free and not being restricted from giving adequate publicity to his activities. After the Jonathan’s administration, members of the fourth estate of the realm covering the State House faced challenges from security operatives who did not allow them to perform optimally in the course of reporting the day-to-day happenings in the Presidential Villa. But there is the euphoria that that era of unnecessary restriction and perhaps intimidation and harassment appears to be over, bearing in mind the democratic credentials of the President.
Consultations
As new faces across party lines continue to visit the Villa, some have wondered why the President has been unable to submit the list of the ministerial nominees to the National Assembly for screening.
However, a school of thought is of the view that the delay in forwarding the ministerial list alongside some other key positions that require screening and confirmation from the federal lawmakers was because the leadership of the 10th National Assembly was yet to be inaugurated. But with its inauguration on June 13 and the emergence of the presiding officers of the two chambers, it’s expected that the ministerial list will be forwarded to the Senate.
Meanwhile, consultations and lobbying for positions increase daily. Although, the President has kept to himself the possible candidates for appointment into various positions, the question in some quarters is, will he make his choice of cabinet members based on political affinity and loyalty as a reward system where party members will be rewarded for their votes or will the selection be purely by merit devoid of religious consideration and ethnic or political affiliation?
However, there is the expression of optimism in some quarters and the belief that the President is in a hurry to stamp his footprints, hence, he will go for technocrats that would help him achieve his aims. Days ahead will determine what he wants and the kind of legacy he will like to leave behind.
One thing that is clear from his body language is that he appears to be prepared for the job he applied for and since his inauguration on May 29 as the 16th President of Nigeria alongside his deputy, Senator Kashim Shettima, and a new phase and new chapter has started at the seat of power in Aso Rock.
Aides
Tinubu is surrounded by aides, associates, and technocrats who are expected to help him in his new assignment which is to deliver the dividends of democracy to Nigerians and he has taken some tough and decisive decisions aimed at bringing sanity in the polity.
Among the tough decisions so far taken are the termination of payment of subsidy, the indefinite suspension of the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, and the Chairman of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa.
The actions have been interpreted in many quarters that there is not going to be any sacred cow. The bold steps have given him accolades and many are of the view that he should extend the same measure to the military and paramilitary and security agencies as well as the oil and gas sector so as to make sure that people who occupy high offices give account of their stewardship.
Key appointments the President has made include Lt. Colonel Nurudeen Yusuf, Aide de Camp, ADC, and Lukeman Fasasi, Chief Security Officer, CSO, while Ifeanyi Onwubuya is the Security Officer, SO, to Vice President Shettima.
The President’s State Chief of Protocol, SCOP, is Mr. Adekunle, while Director of Protocol, DOP, is Mr. Issah Niniola.
On Thursday, he announced the appointments of eight Special Advisers with Mr. Dele Alake leading his media team as Special Adviser, Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, while a former Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Nuhu Ribadu, is his Special Adviser on Security although it’s not yet clear whether Ribadu, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, is the National Security Adviser, NSA.
Other appointments he made on Thursday are Mr. Yau Darazo, Special Adviser, Political and Intergovernmental Affairs, Mr. Wale Edun, Special Adviser, Monetary Policies, Mrs. Olu Verheijen, Special Adviser, Energy, Mr. Zachaeus Adedeji, Special Adviser, Revenu, Mr. John Ugochukwu Uwajumogu, Special Adviser, Industry, Trade and Investment and Dr (Mrs.) Salma Ibrahim Anas, Special Adviser, Health.
Before the formal announcement, Alake had been visible in the State House alongside his other media colleagues who have been around the President before his presidential election victory in February. The media professionals include Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Mr Tunde Rahman and Abdullazeez Abdullazeez.
Of interest is the fact that, last week, the President also appointed one of his allies and former governor of Benue State and immediate past Minister of Special Duties, Senator George Akume, as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, and the immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, as the Chief of Staff.
Akume has since assumed office after his inauguration, while Gbajabiamila will be inaugurated on Wednesday.
A member of House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. James Faleke, who has been one of the loyalists of Tinubu, is among the faces that are seen frequently in the State House and it’s insinuated in some quarters that the Kogi born politician will be among the members of his kitchen cabinet.
Regular faces
Some other regular faces that are seen around the President are former Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.
In fact, in about two weeks, Wike has visited State House about three times. The last time he visited was penultimate Thursday when he came alongside members of the defunct G5 (Group of Integrity) Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The other four are former governors Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and the current governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde. The five PDP members worked against the presidential candidate of their party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in the February 25 election.
Also seen regularly in the State House is a former governor of Ebonyi State, who is now a senator, Dave Umahi. Some have insinuated that Umahi may be considered for a cabinet portfolio, while some have also claimed that the Ebonyi strongman is interested in becoming the Chief Whip of the Senate.
Other former governors seen frequently in the Presidential Villa are Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) and Mohammed Badaru (Jigawa). The two played prominent roles in the emergence of Tinubu as the presidential flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and also campaigned vigorously for his victory on February 25. Former Governor Simon Lalong, who was the APC Director General for the February 25 presidential election campaign, has also visited about two times, likewise the immediate governor of Kano State, Alhaji Umar Ganduje. A former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Timi Alaibe, and a former NIMASA DG were the President guests on Wednesday.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar and the former Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, separately visited Tinubu on Thursday.
Baba Go-fast?: Inside Tinubu’s Presidential Villa - Vanguard
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