Don’t hurt people while reviving the economy, Tinubu tells FG

Bola Tinubu, national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has advised the federal government to avoid hurting the people in its bid to restructure the economy in light of the sharp decline in global oil prices.

He asked the government to adopt creativity in addressing the challenges, saying the time had come to implement the diversification of the economy, which previous administrations never took seriously.

Tinubu urged Nigerians to exercise patience with President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, expressing confidence that the current administration would turn the fortunes of the country around for better.

He was speaking on Sunday when he paid a condolence visit to the family of Samuel Odugade, the late Olubadan of Ibadan.

“We are not the only country that is affected by the effect of this oil crisis. We have to be more creative in a way that will not hurt the welfare of the people,” he said.

“We need to look inwards. There are so many ways and we are blessed to really create local demand, improve our disposable income and manage our own economy.

“There are so many ways to create and revitalise this economy; it is not as bad into the future as people make it appear. The diversification of the nation’s economy was always on the drawing board but had never been implemented. We keep talking about diversification of the economy. It is always in the drawing board. We never implemented it.

“The past is nauseating, terrible. There has never been any principle of good governance in the past. It has been cesspool of corruption.

“We face the challenge. We accept the need for the diversification of the nation’s economy. There are a lot of variables in the oil sector, which we have to look at critically. We have the resources, people and the blessing of both weather and mineral resources but it will take time.

“There is a gestation, rearrangement and re-engineering necessary for the economy to be beneficial to the people. We must be patient, we must persevere and the leadership must be creative in order to rejuvenate the economy. Just bear with us.”

Speaking on the influx of defectors into the APC, he said there was the freedom principle which allow citizens to associate with any organisation or political party they want.

Tinubu said the builders of APC must be tolerant and understand the need to check intrusion of corruption and injustice into the party.

“You can’t stop that. You cannot discriminate against that. There is nothing we can do about that. We cannot prevent people from coming in, the more the merrier, the better, the competitiveness,” he said.

The former Lagos state governor described the late monarch as fearless and incorruptible, saying he would be remembered for his Spartan lifestyle.

He expressed the wish for politicians to learn from the succession plan of the kingdom but regretted that the nature of politics would hardly make that possible.

The Ibadan Obaship succession is rotated between two lines –’Otun Olubadan’ and ‘Balogun Olubadan’. The system operates on hierarchy that allows for elevation on every available vacancy.

“Our late Baba lived an exemplary life worthy of emulation by our traditional institution. He was fearless, courageous and incorruptible. We are proud of his Spartan lifestyle and discipline, including that of his children,” he said.

“Olubadan of Ibadanland succession process is very impressive and unique. When one Olubadan joins his ancestors, the city already knows the successor through the hierarchy. How I wish we politicians can adopt this model of succession.

“But this can hardly be possible because of some people’s belief in do-or-die politics and because some politicians are in politics for reasons other than service to the people.”

Tinubu was accompanied by party leaders such as Abiola Ajimobi, governor of the state; Michael Adeyemo, speaker of the state house of assembly; Bisi Akande, former interim national chairman of the APC; Osun state and Pius Akinyelure, national vice-chairman, south-west of the party.