Now that Tinubu has accepted responsibility…

In the past few weeks, government appointees and party faithful have been falling over themselves blaming the past administration for the economic woes the country is currently experiencing.

It’s ironic that the past administration was also the All Progressives Congress (APC) and most people blaming the past administration are party stalwarts and appointees.

I also remember during the last administration, members of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration blamed the 16 years of rule by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the economic troubles of the country. Even former PDP members who were governors and defected to the APC blamed the PDP. The blame game continued, and before you knew it, President Buhari’s eight years in office elapsed.

Now Tinubu’s men have started on the same trajectory, blaming the past administration for the present troubles in the country. So I was excited when in Akure, President Tinubu took responsibility for the present challenges in the country.

He acknowledged the understanding and support of all Nigerians in the face of the tough but temporary economic conditions, assuring them that their patience and perseverance will not be fruitless.

The president stated: “The economic challenges we have endured since assuming office are not new to me. As the former governor of Lagos state, I faced similar calls for my resignation. But, through perseverance, Lagos emerged as the fifth-largest economy in the entire continent of Africa. We must manage this moment with wisdom and grow Nigeria responsibly.

“I campaigned for this office to serve Nigeria’s interests, and I was elected. Some said I would not last in the tribunal and came up with all sorts of predictions, but even when in court, I remained focused. We cannot allow Nigeria’s economy to be exploited. We cannot abandon our economy to marauders. I am determined to re-engineer our finances and curb selfish interests permanently.”

Now that the president has accepted responsibility, we hope to see an end to the blame game by government officials. President Tinubu has said repeatedly that he campaigned for the job and has no excuses not to perform. So his supporters who see blaming the past administration for the current woes should desist.

I think the president should also direct that all government or party officials be banned from blaming past administrations for anything.

Nigerians want and need simple things. They want to see improvement in their daily lives. They want constant power supply to run businesses and homes. They want to travel and return safely without fear of kidnapping. They want to farm without fear of violence. They want to afford school fees and basic amenities. They are not asking for too much.

Presidents and governors worldwide are elected to fix problems, not lament and look helpless. Enough of the blame game. Take responsibility and take action. That is the only path forward.

The president’s acceptance of responsibility is commendable, but actions must follow words. The problems facing Nigeria are deep-rooted and complex, built up over decades of mismanagement and corruption. Turning the economy around will require difficult policy decisions and trade-offs.

Tough reforms will likely meet resistance from entrenched interests who benefit from the status quo. The president will need political courage to confront them.

He should appeal directly to citizens and explain how reforms, though requiring sacrifices in the short term, will bring gains in the long run. The citizens also want to see sacrifices on the part of the government. As things stand now, it’s only the citizens that are sacrificing. The political class are still living in splendour.

It’s like it is written in the constitution that sacrifices are meant for the citizens and not the elected officials.

Once again, appointees and party stalwarts should know the blame game does not create jobs or growth. The time for excuses is over. The time for action and results is now.