Farounbi criticises Tinubu’s leadership, calls for policy consistency

Nigeria’s former Ambassador to The Philippines, Dr. Yemi Farounbi, has said that President Bola Tinubu of today differs significantly from the leader he knew during their activism in the pro-democracy group, the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO).

Farounbi raised concerns about the frequent policy changes under the Tinubu administration, which he believes hinder businesses and ordinary Nigerians from making economic plans.

Speaking on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political programme aired on Channels Television on Friday, the former ambassador, who recently turned 80, remarked that Tinubu appears to be “ideologically somersaulting” by not adhering to the principles he championed before taking office on May 29, 2023.

Farounbi stated, “If I have that opportunity, I am going to ask him (Tinubu) to look back at what he was. I am going to ask him to look at the letter he wrote to (former President Goodluck) Jonathan in 2012. I am going to ask him to look at the cases he took to the Supreme Court on local governments. I am going to ask him why is he ideologically somersaulting.

“Why is he not appearing as the Tinubu that we knew? Why is he not the Tinubu that was committed to the restructuring of this country, a Tinubu that was interested in a sovereign national conference, a Tinubu that was committed to true federalism? Can he be true to himself? Let him be himself as he was in the past, and I think that a lot of these problems will not be there.”

Farounbi questioned Tinubu’s vision for his government, asking, “Of course, I am going to tell him that he promised us a government of national competence and ask him that in the name of all that is good, does he think that he has a government of national competence? Does he think that the people that he has assembled are the best in this country?”

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He also challenged Tinubu to evaluate his media portrayal and address the contradictions in his statements, saying, “What is happening that there are so frequent policy changes? That doesn’t seem like the Tinubu that I know. It has become even more difficult for anybody to even plan because you are not even sure of when he is going to somersault.”

Farounbi urged the president to assemble a capable team, remarking, “People have been praising him for identifying the best of brains. I will ask him to go into that mould and identify the better brains that are scattered all over Nigeria and help us restructure the economy.”

He lamented the current state of Nigeria’s political system, asserting that it has devolved into one of convenience rather than ideology since 1999. “We must demonetise the political system here in Nigeria. We must look at our political recruitment system from councillors to the top in terms of what they are bringing to the table in terms of intellect and competence,” he said.

Farounbi said that Nigeria needs a mental rebirth for states to become effective federating units, stating, “We must strengthen our federating units; they are not just Lilliputs in the hands of giants.” He concluded by reiterating that the essence of progressive governance is to provide for the welfare of the people, including food and jobs.