Follow Us on Google
By Henry Uche
Senator Rilwan Adesoji Akanbi, is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC and founder, Coalition Movement for Àsiwaju Bola Ahmed Tiñúbu (COMBAT). Under the auspices of South West Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA), he was one of the most vocal officers that canvassed vigorously for the election of President Bola Tinubu in the last general election. Akanbi represented Oyo State, south, senatorial district at the 8th National Assembly.
He spoke with a select group of journalists including Daily Sun, on the Tinubu presidency, strike by the organized labour, insecurity among other sensitive issues.
You were part of those that fervently canvassed for votes for President Tinubu in 2023. How would you assess the state of the nation so far, given the hardship in the land?
Obviously, things are quite difficult. Nigerians, no doubt are passing through hard times but I still believe that Tinubu is building a strong foundation and we cannot continue to do it the way we used to do it because we have not achieved any good result. You cannot continue to do something the same way and expect a change for the better. Of course, the truth is that nothing good comes easy, so there may be prizes to pay and that is part of what we are suffering now. Where President Tinubu met Nigeria was not an admiring condition, you and I know it, so it requires some sacrifices from each and every one of us if a better Nigeria of renewed hope will emerge. To navigate Nigeria out of where President Tinubu met it will not be an easy task and given happenings in the global economy, it’s a fact that it’s not going to be easy unless we want to tell ourselves lies. But I know that Tinubu is on the right track. The basic things of life are falling under luxurious items. The prices of food items have skyrocketed but there is hope on the way. The reforms may be painful now but the fruits it will soon bear will be for the benefit of all Nigerians and for the building of a stronger economy. Honestly, I feel for Nigerians and don’t forget that I am feeling the heat too, but my consolation is that better days are ahead when this present pain will bring joy. That day will come, I am optimistic. Nation building, genuine nation building is not a tea party, painful sacrifices are usually made. I have followed the Tinubu leadership over the years and I have come to the knowledge that he can dare to achieve something good for the general good. He is experienced as far as providing leadership is concerned and he knows what to do to turn things around for the better. He is not a novice but knows the problem of this country. He has the capacity to fix it and I can tell you that very soon you will see the positive results of the present reforms that some people tend to be criticizing. An angry man is a very unhappy man, we know but when you know that you are doing the right thing as a leader, you can only appeal to those angry to understand the situation. You appeal to them for a better understanding and I think President Tinubu has also been appealing to Nigerians for a better understanding of the reality on the ground. The truth that all of us know is that: No pain, no gain. It is not that I am protecting the Tinubu-led government but having critically seen the reality on ground, the rot that must be tackled, I know it’s not going to be easy but its not insurmountable because the leader at the driver’s seat knows the way and has what it takes to navigate Nigeria to where all of us will be proud of our country.
What is your take on the strike that was just suspended by the organized labour?
Well, strike is one of the legal weapons used by workers in a democracy to drive home their demands from the government but as I noted in a statement I sent to the press, it must be done in good faith taking cognizance of the reality on ground. As I argued in the press release, it should be noted that while crude oil price per barrel was $124 as of June, 2023, it is now $90 per barrel. No one is sure how price will fluctuate in the near future, judging by the withdrawal of Angola from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) due to limitation of supply placed on the country. OPEC limited Angola’s supply to one million barrels per day while the country believes it needs up to 1.2 million barrels per day.
For the federal and state governments, it is important for both the executive and legislative arms at both levels to cut down the cost of governance and political office holders and officials to shun flamboyant lifestyle so as to convince labour unions that governance reflects the reality of shortage of funds which necessitates sacrifice for a better future by all stakeholders.
I also advise private sector employers to embrace agreeable positions so that workers will see that their welfare and well-being are of great interest to their employers.
Once all parties approach the negotiation with realistic intentions and emphasis is on workers’ well-being, agreements will be easier to reach, and Nigerians will be able to create wealth through the opportunities that a new minimum wage regime brings.
My position is that all parties should put the interest of the survival and prosperity of Nigeria as their overall top priority as this will help Nigeria a great deal and facilitate our shared desire for a prosperous country.
My prayer is for President Bola Tinubu to succeed in his efforts to build a safe and prosperous Nigeria.
You worked assiduously in the emergence of President Tinubu under the platform of the South West Agenda for Àsiwaju (SWAGA), but so far, none of the arrowheads of SWAGA as we learnt has been ‘compensated’ so to speak, through any political appointment. What is the perception of your SWAGA members at this government’s position?
They may be feeling neglected and that is natural. I am sure they or most of them may be feeling bad. As I have always noted, I am a founding member and co-chairman of SWAGA. SWAGA came up after the EndSARS which targeted President Bola Tinubu. After the EndSARS, the rating of President Tinubu went low. I do not still know why SWAGA is being neglected this way. Secondly, I, singlehandedly came up with another group known as COMBAT ( Coalition Movement for Àsiwaju Bola Ahmed Tiñúbu) in Oyo State. And Oyo State gave Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu the highest surplus in Nigeria, that is 265,000 surplus. The irony is that the people that are benefitting from Oyo State, some never worked for the victory of Àsiwaju.
That notwithstanding, we gave Asiwaju 265,000 surplus which is the highest surplus delivered to Asiwaju in all 36 states, that is 14.7 percent of the winning surplus. I do not know what we have done in Oyo State to deserve the way we are being treated. Oyo State gave the highest surplus of 265,000; the surplus made the winning possible. Every vote counts but surplus is the winning point; surplus is the winning figures and Oyo State gave the highest surplus followed by Ondo that gave 260,000. He is still the man in charge and, we believe in his capacity and capability that he will do what is right, by his time. We believe he will put things right. He is a man of his words. I don’t want to believe or think that he has forgotten the SWAGA team.
What should the government be doing?
The government is already putting policies together. There is the need to address the economy and insecurity. The cost of production in the manufacturing industry has gone up by over 40 percent. Manufacturing industries are not working to full capacity. No manufacturing company can function effectively without constant supply of electricity. You can’t solve multi-dimensional problems with one solution. It is so unfortunate. Constant electricity supply will create jobs, reduce the cost of production; artisans will be better off. If they can turn it around, it will ease a lot of things, as it will create employment. Most artisans rely on electricity as the cost of powering their equipment with generating sets and it is becoming unbearable. Constant supply of electricity can help turn around the economy. I also expect the government to re-examine the hike in electricity tariff. Also, insurgency is not disappearing quickly as expected; farmers still abandon their farms; cost of production is increasing. Insecurity is a major factor and it has a chain effect on food production. Farmers are abandoning their farms and the population is growing higher by the day. But despite what is happening, the government is still making frantic efforts to address and arrest insecurity. As I said, I am quite optimistic that with time, it can only be better.
