How Tinubu stopped Nigeria from bleeding to d£ath – Onanuga

As President Bola Tinubu turns one year in office, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga, shares his thoughts with STEPHEN ANGBULU on the journey so far and what Nigerians should expect in the next one year

What type of economy did the President meet when he assumed office on May 29, 2023?

So, Labour needs to be reasonable. And try to understand what the government can pay. If the Federal Government says it would pay N100,000. I’m sure only very few states will be able to pay. They should be looking at wages that are reasonable and sustainable so that they won’t pay for one month and say, ‘Sorry, we can’t continue. We need to retrench.’ That will be another problem for this country.

What will the President tell Nigerians on May 29? Is there any assurance that things won’t be harder for Nigerians by this time next year?

Let me, on his behalf, assure Nigerians that things are going to be much better in the next 12 months. In the past year, this President has been busy laying the foundation for growth. In power, more plants are being built. The government is investing in solar energy, taking universities and hospitals out of the grid. We are working to increase the strength of our transmission. Kano just flagged off a mass housing plan in Kano. By next week, the President will flag off 12 centers for the treatment of cancer. These are just a few examples. By next week, we are going to see some CNG buses, and tricycles being made available. People are going to receive dividends of the government’s efforts in the last 12 months.

Are we expecting a cabinet reshuffle as Nigerians are yearning for the injection of fresh minds into the federal cabinet?

I’m not going to speculate on that. The president has not said he is going to reshuffle. Let me explain something. None of those ministers have spent one year in office. They came in last August. The president wants them to be accountable. That’s why he told them to come out and give their scorecards, to talk about what they have done in the last eight months. When you see what they have done, you cannot but give this Tinubu government, in its first year, a 7/10 for the various achievements that his ministers and, by extension, his government have achieved. I’m sure the president is giving them some time to either perform or ship out.

Does the president interact with his ministers and if he does, through what means?

Of course. This is a president whose ministers have access to him. They request to see him and they see him. That is why they do the Federal Executive Council meeting and bring their projects there. He listens to them and knows what everyone is doing through some other informal means. He has various sources. He keeps tabs on them. He knows what everybody is doing.

Even Nigerians are monitoring the ministers. Hadiza Bala-Usman, who handles Policy and Coordination has launched an app where Nigerians can monitor their ministers.

What will happen to those considered not doing well in the cabinet? Will they be kept, repeat the class, or be asked to leave?

President Tinubu has already told them they will go if they can’t perform. He told them at the retreat last year that the government has an eight-point agenda and expects the minister to deliver on it. So those who are found wanting would have to go. But as of today, the President has not made any decision on that