INTERVIEW: Tinubu’s policies gradually actualising fiscal restructuring, says Kehinde Olaosebikan

Kehinde Olaosebikan is a seasoned journalist, public relations expert, and politician.

In this interview with TheCable’s YEKEEN AKINWALE, Olaosebikan, who is also a former chairman of Oluyole LGA in Oyo state, says President Bola Tinubu has demonstrated strong leadership in his two years in office and has taken bold steps that are already yielding results for the good of the country.

TheCable: President Bola Tinubu will be two years in office on May 29. Can you give a candid assessment of his administration?

Olaosebikan: Candidly, in my assessment, the president has done well. The most crucial obligation in any position of authority is leadership, and the president has shown leadership, a strong and visionary leadership, for that matter. Next to leadership is the formulation and implementation of good policies that would guide the government, and on this, too, I rate him very high. He has come up with robust and audacious policies capable of turning things around and making Nigeria really great.

TheCable: What do you mean by strong leadership?

Olaosebikan: Strong leadership encompasses qualities that inspire, motivate, and guide towards the progress or the movement of a nation.

For President Tinubu, I give it to him that he has exhibited vision, integrity, and most importantly, decisiveness in running Nigeria. He has taken bold steps, and they are already yielding results.

TheCable: Many Nigerians have complained about the impacts of the administration’s policies on the cost of living. Do you think the president has taken these decisions in the interest of the masses?

Olaosebikan: If you consider where we were coming from, you will agree with me that the policies were taken in the best interest of the Nigerian masses. The policies are being strategically executed to strengthen and prosper Nigeria. They are mostly targeted at restructuring the country. If you assess properly, you will see that we are gradually actualising fiscal restructuring, which is the kernel of the much-sought-after devolution of powers.

The state governments now have more funds for development. They have been empowered to generate power and achieve a lot of other things for their states. This is a remarkable progress, which would lead to massive development in the long run.

Just yesterday, we read that the president has approved all the necessary licenses for the commencement of the Kolmani Integrated Development Project, an oil exploration and industrial hub located in Gombe and Bauchi states.

This would definitely reshape Nigeria’s oil and gas landscape. It would drive real growth in that part of the country; the entire north-east and Nigeria would be more prosperous for it.

Though I can feel the pains of the masses, the class I belong to, voodoo or quick-fix policies where you just see things changed overnight would not work with the long years of rot in our systems.

What we need are policies and steps that would permanently clear the rot, redirect the economy towards production, and balance the inequalities in our tax administration. Thank God these are the steps being taken by the present government, and we must commend the president for having the courage to take us through this tough but necessary route.

As he strengthens our economy, agriculture, trade, and industry, costs of living would come down, and we would achieve stability in all aspects. I am very certain that there would be great improvement as we enter the second half of the administration. There is hope for a better and greater Nigeria. Prices would come down and stabilise.

TheCable: 2027 is about two years away, and there are already moves underground, or if you like, an open campaign for the president’s re-election; critics believe it is too early. What’s your take on this?

Olaosebikan: In perception management, the general principle is that people move or associate with leaders with value, those who can better their lots.

So, at all times, a leader with quality assets would always attract people from different and even from unexpected quarters. That is exactly what is happening in the case of our president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. That governors, senators, house of representatives members and others are defecting to his party is for the betterment of those decampees and their constituencies, and nobody should blame them for that. It is the best form of power of influence.

Before becoming our president, he had proved beyond any reasonable doubt that he is a great and dependable leader. Talking about governance, economic, political, and social development, he is nonpareil in Nigeria, with the clear evidence of Lagos state.

Now, with a deliberate policy of spreading development to the grassroots with enhanced allocations to the states and the autonomy granted to the local governments, it became obvious that President Bola Tinubu means really well for the country.

As I said earlier, what is going for President Tinubu is the strength of his leadership. His leadership is strong, and this is drawn from his years of toiling, deft political activities, education, exposure, and uncanny ability to summon obstacles and difficult situations.

For instance, you, my dear brother, if you were to make a choice between President Tinubu and the others aspiring to be president, former Vice-President Atiku, Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwakwanso, and Mallam El-Rufai, who would you follow?

I know you will go for the person who knows the road. This explains why the governors and others who have decamped and are already campaigning for his second term are doing so.

Why procrastinate when the difference is so clear, when the best choice is so obvious, and when the gap is so wide? What else are you waiting for?

To answer your question, it is not early at all. It is a case of doing the right thing at the best time. President Tinubu has no mate among those aspiring to take his place in 2027.

TheCable: Analysts argue that this is moving the country towards a one-party nation, which will not do well for democracy. Is this not true?

Olaosebikan: It is not true. Nigeria cannot be a one-party state. Having a strong party does not translate to having a one-party state. It all boils down to leadership, again. It is like a football tournament; if your team is strong and well-managed, it can dominate the scene for years.

You remember we had PDP dominating; the party dominated for 16 years. They were even aiming at being in control for 60 years. It is all a matter of leadership. If you have a strong, great leader, you will have a strong and great party where everybody wants to belong. The same is true with a weak leader, which was the case with the PDP; it was weakened, and members started finding their ways out of it.

TheCable: So, APC is strong and attracting governors and other bigwigs because of President Tinubu?

Olaosebikan: Yes! Tinubu is APC, and APC is Tinubu. I am sure you remember how it was formed. You remember what the immediate past president, Muhammadu Buhari, went through before he eventually realised his ambition of becoming the president through the APC and Tinubu. Do you also remember how Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu went through turbulence before emerging victorious as the 16^th president of Nigeria?

Over time, President Tinubu has shown vigour, strength, brilliance, stellar performances, and excellence in governance. He has always put his best foot forward. He has consistently proved to be a winner. So, who would not want to follow a winner?

TheCable: Hakeem Baba Ahmed, who recently resigned from the government, advised Tinubu to hand over to a younger person in 2027. Do you subscribe to that idea?

Olaosebikan: Hakeem Baba Ahmed is someone I have a lot of respect for. But I consider his recent actions lacking in deep self-reflection.

First, the reason he gave for quitting the government was not strong enough. That was his choice anyway. What I found contemptible was the attack on the government after he quit.

Just like the former governor of Kaduna state, Mallam El-Rufai, another person I respect so much, he didn’t need to embark on damaging or condemning the government and the president at all.

It is even un-Islamic to start pulling down a government or an organisation you belonged to just because they did not give you a role or take your advice. This is what is preached against at the Jumat service every Friday.

And for Baba Ahmed to be advising the president to hand over power to a younger person in 2027 because of age, it was uncalled for. It is cheap advice. What is the premise? This is a president who is improving in all aspects — physical appearance, speeches, and deportment — tremendously every day.

Check out his outfit and gait in Rome. Sumptuous! We are all seeing him doing great, and we are very proud of him. Why would you now ask that person to hand over because of age after you had failed to destroy his government using ethnic and baseless accusations? I can see elements of hatred in the actions of these persons.

And as Muslims, this is another iniquity that is forbidden, which we are constantly reminded of every Friday.

TheCable: Finally, it appears the federal government has not been able to tackle the growing insecurity across the country. What’s your advice for the president and security agencies?

Olaosebikan: The government and the military are doing their best, but for any level of achievement, there are windows for improvement. The government and the military have to do more. We need to seek and get the best technology to effectively protect our extensive borders. The military appears to have been overstretched, too.

There is an urgent need to enhance the military numerically. The logistics, too, have to be upgraded. I think the approval of the forest guards, which experts see as the missing link in Nigeria’s security architecture, would also go a long way in the battle against insecurity. We shall conquer by the special grace of God.