The Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government was massively voted in the February 25, 2023 presidential election on the strength of the Renewed Hope manifesto. Sadly, since the government came into office, it has been confronted with murky politics of election litigations. With the dismissal of the appeals filed by presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and that of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, by the presidential election petition court (PEPC) and subsequently Supreme Court, the president can now breathe and see clearly to navigate Nigeria towards economic prosperity.
From his body language, the president has demonstrated that it is time to concentrate on the execution of the mandate freely bestowed on him by Nigerians. One of such highs was at last week’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting where he read the riot act that Aso Rock will no longer tolerate any distractions during FEC meetings.
For the benefit of hindsight, this is the first time it is happening that a president would be telling his family to stay away from the council chamber during Monday FEC meetings. By calling out his son, Seyi Tinubu, Asiwaju has demonstrated in resolute terms that there is no sacred cow in his era, contrary to what we were used to.
Similarly, at the opening session of a three-day 2023 Cabinet Retreat with the theme, “Delivering on the Renewed Hope Agenda,” at the presidential villa in Abuja, the president didn’t mince words in asking his minister and other cabinet members to perform or quit his government.
This time around, Nigerians should be rejoicing because Tinubu is over rewarding them with queer approach to governance. For instance, the president will any moment from now sign a performance bond with all top government functionaries on all the things his administration has set out to achieve for the country and its people. In line with the foregoing, he has set up a Result-delivery Unit headed by his Special Adviser on Policy and Coordination, Ms Hadiza Bala Usman, to coordinate and review the performance of cabinet members. He told them pointblank: “Perform or you’ll be shown the way out.” This is a new dawn for Nigeria.
One of the most significant impacts of Tinubu tinkering with the FEC meeting has been the increased responsiveness of the cabinet to the needs of the country. By holding the meetings every Monday and making it more result-oriented, the president has made it possible for the cabinet to make decisions more quickly and efficiently. This is especially important in today’s rapidly changing world where governments need to be able to adapt quickly to new challenges and opportunities.
So, it was quite shocking to well-meaning Nigerians when the barrage of campaign of calumny recently unleashed against the president’s chief of staff (CoS), Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, started making the rounds in the country’s media space. It is so sad that fifth columnists are using every means possible to soil the seamless working relationship between the president and his CoS, which the allegations of job racketeering in the presidency is meant to achieve. In this desperation, no tactic is spared in their attempt to rope in Gbajabiamila. That, of course, includes willing tools among members of the fourth estate of the realm.
Let me place on record that these undesirable elements fanning the embers of discord have one primary motive: to destabilise the presidency, thereby impeding the smooth implementation of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Suffice to mention also that these lies are being peddled at this time because earlier plans to truncate Tinubu’s policies and programmes through unfavourable judgements from the tribunal or Supreme Court crumbled on their faces like packs of cards.
If you ask me, these spurious allegations are certainly the last kicks of a dying horse. If not, why are these distractions coming now that post-election litigation is off the president’s neck and he is begging to settle down to serious work? They failed at PEPC and the Supreme Court; in this too failure awaits them. They should go and lick their wounds.
Why the office of the chief of staff to the president is their target this time is that these mischief makers know very well that the office of the CoS is central to the realisation of the Renewed Hope Agenda. Hence, if they’re able to cause bad blood in that office, it will adversely affect the president and whatever Agenda he thinks he is pursuing.
I have identified a few tips that I’m sure, if meticulously implemented, will go a long way in stabilising and fast-tracking the achievement of the Renewed Hope Agenda. The chief of staff should organise a conference of all Nigeria’s chief of staff to analyse and share ideas for good leadership and governance. Needless to emphasise that chief of staffs are closer to the people and receive all the ‘bullets’ on behalf of their boss.
To make the office of chief of staff more efficient, it is my advice that there should be a national headquarters, with a directorate headed by sound technocrats as director-general for critical analysis, economic development and security as obtainable in the United States of America.
The chief of staff needs to deliver and determine a close assessment of the possible policies for delivering the Renewed Hope Agenda and addressing the urgent challenges to heal Nigeria. He needs to proactively reach out and provide credible intelligence reassurance, not just with conforming words but through concrete, principled deeds.
Permit me to reiterate again that the chief of staff is responsible for delivering and assessing the progress of policies and initiatives; providing credible intelligence and reassurance to the president; advising the president on a wide range of issues; managing the president’s staff and resources; communicating effectively with the president, the cabinet, and the Nigerian people.
The chief of staff to President Tinubu plays a vital role in the success of the Renewed Hope Agenda. By effectively managing the president’s staff and resources, communicating effectively, as well as developing and implementing policies that promote economic development, security and compliance, the chief of staff helps the president to achieve his goals for Nigeria.
The president’s chief of staff is expected to present strategic public reports on economic, security and compliance issues to the commander-in-chief for prompt management response.
In prioritising the strength of work force arguments, it is necessary to acknowledge that diversity and differences are not the problem. The only problem is in two categories: one, the mismanagement of diversity, and two, the twinning of identities with opportunities.
It is also important to expand our conception of exclusion beyond just ethnic, religious, political, and regional differences. The chief of staff to the president, Gbajabiamila, I know will not allow any incompetence or third-party espionage against the commander-in-chief, as was the case in the last administration.
In engendering this mindset in other CoS in the country, the president’s chief of staff should organise a conference of All Nigerian chiefs of staff: This would provide an opportunity for them to learn from the experiences of other chiefs of staff and to share ideas for good leadership, governance and the implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
I believe that these recommendations would help to make the chief of staff to President Tinubu an even more effective leader and a key figure in the success of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
As I conclude, let me restate that Tinubu’s tinkering with FEC meetings has been a positive development. It has made the cabinet more responsive, transparent and inclusive. These changes are sure to have a positive impact on the governance of Nigeria.
Moreover, mischief makers are warned to give the Tinubu administration some space to implement its agenda for Nigeria. And if they refuse to heed to this warning, let it be known to them that the gentle movement of a lion is never a sign of timidity. They will soon be served what they are looking for within the ambit of the law.
As the Renewed Hope Agenda achieves its aim of frantically moving the nation forward in terms of economic growth and the fight against corruption, we are hoping to see the name of Rt Hon Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to President Tinubu, written in gold at the international silver awards of World Conference of Chiefs of Staff.
– Ibrahim is director, Communications and Strategic Planning, of the Presidential Support Committee (PSC).
