Politics
With Asiwaju’s Renewed Hope 2023, The Debate Now Begins By Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim
With Asiwaju’s Renewed Hope 2023, The Debate Now Begins By Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim
Just when a number of patriotic Nigerians were begining to express concerns about the ethno-religious nuances of the messaging in the 2023 campaigns, the Presidential candidate of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, launched the eighty five page document envisioning the road map for governance if he and his running mate Kashim Shettima are elected.
The document should help to fundamentally refocus discuss on the real issues about the future of Nigeria- economic prosperity, national security, infrastructural and social development.
This for me is a welcome relief from the inane, emotive and the ephemeral, which the discussions surrounding 2023 Presidential Election has been, especially in the social media.
Immediately the document was released, I tried to get a feedback from some of my younger friends, one, a Deputy director in a Federal agency, another, a music artiste. Their reactions were the same. The one who is a public servant summarised the perspective of both of them, “Oga, eighty pages that is theory, let us talk practical things.”
The reactions of these my friends who are both graduates summarizes the prevailing anti intellectual culture in Nigeria among young people. I understand most young people do not want to read. I am usually counselled by my online advisors that any post longer than eight or ten lines runs the risk of not been read. Short hilarious or items suggesting sex or portraying nudity do better.
I picked up issues with these my friends immediately, asking “what is wrong with theory?”
I am yet to see any country in the world where the leaders promised a new society without laying a bold plan and a road map. Sometimes leaders exceed the target in the implementation of their plans and sometimes they underperform.
When we talk about the French revolution, we talk about the several Writings of French philosophers like Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Montesquieu. We talk about the Federalist papers of leaders of the American revolution apart from inspirational works of writers like Thomas Paine. In Russia, we talk about V.I Lenin’s New Economic Plan (NEP), that transformed Tsarist Russia uncompetitiveness in Europe into a modern state between (1918-1922). The nation on that foundation became a Super power.
In Nigeria, our Independence leaders such as Dr Nnamdi Azikwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Ahmadu Bello laid down several thousands of pages of documents on their dream for a great Nigeria, and they delivered on their plans with Nigeria becoming one of the leading countries of the third world, a step ahead in the club of Malaysia and Thailand. The superlative performance of the Nigerian independence leaders between the period of limited independence and early independence (1955 -1966), had boldly written programmes as guide to action.
It was this culture on anchoring a political vision on a solid boldly written plan, programme, and action that Kingsley Moghalu and I in our intervention in the 2019 Presidential campaigns tried to re-awaken.
Documenting a vision is a priceless practice in the scripture. “And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.” (Habakkuk 2:2).
What Candidate Ahmed Tinubu has done is to plainly lay down his vision.
Now to the document itself, I will only limit myself to a quick review of Tinubu’s Economic plans, some comments on National Security and my expectation on the management of Nigeria’s diversity, due to space constraints. I would be more detailed on the Economy, because whatever promises anybody is making, if you do not have a plan of how to find the money, everything else is a Joke!
Here I have seen Tinubu’s profound grasp of Political Economy in a way equal or deeper than the late sage, Obafemi Awolowo. That should be expected as the Asiwaju lives in an era of more information.
I start with his position on budgeting. Hear him: “Budgeting custom bases our annual budget and fiscal policies largely on the dollar value of projected oil receipts, not only does this practice artificially restricts the Federal Government’s fiscal latitude, it also attracts the Nation’s attention towards a single source of fiscal receipt to the detriment of others”
Continuing, candidate Tinubu offers his solution “To achieve optimal growth in the long term we must wean ourselves from this limitation. A more efficient fiscal methodology would be to base our budgeting on the projected level of government spending which optimises growth and jobs without causing unacceptable inflation.”
I cannot agree more. This is a radical departure from the Bretton woods orthodoxy that has constrained growth since 1986 when IMF and World Bank succeeded in Hijacking Economic planning in Nigeria or better put, when Nigeria stopped Economic planning.
The proposed 10% Economic growth target is achievable, and if the accompanying fiscal and monetary measures are vigorously implemented, it is supassable given the country’s current massive infrastructural deficit of 20-25 % to GDP stock has compared to infrastructural stocks of middle income economies in the range of 70% stock of GDP as well as the Nation’s high unemployment rate.
The economic plan correctly singles out the digital economy as one low hanging fruit for foreign exchange earnings as well as job creation. Nigeria potential in this regard is even underestimated in the document. Nigeria is a latent cyber power, the 7th largest Internet user country in the world with over 104.4m users, the Global outsourcing market in the digital space is over 500billion dollars. Nigeria has a big advantage, having a young, huge, fluent English speaking and writing population that is enthusiastic about coding and software development.
To be added to the digital sector as low hanging fruit for the economy will be a programme of optimization of Nigeria’s competitiveness, and efficiency in oil and gas as one of the sources of immediate cash for a growth focused economic plan.
The oil and gas sector was mentioned in passing in the Renewed Hope 2023 document because of an understandable bias for the next new economy. We just needed a few tweaking in structure and personnel as well as applicable fiscal regime in the oil and gas sector to harvest our natural advantages in the few remaining life of fossil fuel as an energy source.
Candidate Tinubu’s Tax plan is superb, that is his turf. His industrial and manufacturing agenda are inspiring. His planned return of Commodity boards is bold and welcomed. The commodities boards where technically Agric insurance platforms, their absence in the past thirty something years as a result of the pressure of the IMF for them to be scrapped has seen Nigeria lost its competitive advantage in crops like cocoa, groundnuts, oil palm, cotton etc.
In summary, the Tinubu Economic plan is core progressive policy platform that will return Nigeria to economic development, a path we traveled before in the first Republic and achieved phenomenal development.
It is the path Malaysia, China, India, have walked recording outstanding results. It is the path Samir Amin calls the path of Autocentric National development, away from the path of arrested development of the past four decades.
On the section on National Security, I have only seen basic and routine recommendations apart from the promise of an integrated database. I understand that you cannot be detailed in a published document on Security Plans, but I would have loved to see some real meat.
I have not also seen serious position on how Asiwaju intends to manage the diversity of the country at a time of great division.
Renewed Hope 2023 did not show as much depth and detail as we saw in the management of the economy in this equally important area. Perhaps this is a tactics to avoid difficult questions from his North West supporters that his campaign appears to be seriously cultivating for their potentially huge votes. I hope this will not define his government even if he wins.
He needs to pay better attention to matter of inclusiveness and political balancing. Mobilising for Economic growth will be a huge challenge in the absence of National cohesion, unity and peace.
Aside from the salient issue of not been convincing on the question of politcal balancing, key question of devolution of powers and inclusivity, the Renewed Hope 2023 document is a welcome relief in a campaign season that has been clouded by inanities and the mundane.
The former Vice President and candidate of the PDP, Waziri Abubakar Atiku(GCON), now has to show the nation his own document. In fairness to him, he presented something fairly robust in 2019 whether this will suffice now is a different matter.
Mr Obi, a major third candidate on the platform of the Labour Party whose supporters have brought energy and enthusiasm which has seen an increase in youth participation in voters registration must now step forward. The nation will like to see and scrutinise his vision for a New Nigeria.
The nation will like to see more depth from him than the short snippets from his very energetic and creative “obidients”.
The bar has been raised by the launching of ‘Renewed Hope 2023’.
Dwelling on APC candidate’s health risks, a challenge faced by the PDP candidate, will not be of any value to Obi, Sowore and the other younger candidates.
Most Nigerians will rather follow frail looking older men that are demonstrating grasp of issues and capacity rather than the younger candidates if all they can show is their physical fitness, emotive phrases, shallow monologues, a few unconvincing record of achievements and young enthusiastic followers with no coherent body of ideas.
The real debate has started, let it continue
Obasa Appointed to CPA African Executive Committee
The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, has been appointed as a Sub-National Representative to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) African Executive Committee.
The announcement was formally conveyed through a letter from the CPA Africa Region, which was read on the floor of the Assembly by the Clerk, Mr. Olalekan Onafeko, on Tuesday, March 10. The appointment confirms Speaker Obasa’s three-year tenure, spanning 2026 to 2029.
Lawmakers took turns to congratulate Speaker Obasa, praising his devotion to parliamentary service and his consistent efforts to strengthen legislative practice. They described his appointment as a recognition of his hard work and a reflection of Lagos State’s growing influence within the Commonwealth. Members noted that his achievements continue to bring pride not only to Lagos but to Nigeria as a whole.
In his remarks, Speaker Obasa expressed gratitude to his colleagues for their support, urging them to remain steadfast in prioritizing the progress of the Assembly and to continue working collectively to advance the legislature. He further directed the Clerk to send a formal letter of appreciation to the CPA African Region for the honour bestowed upon him. “Let us always put the House of Assembly first and never relent in our efforts to move the legislature forward, ” Obasa concluded.
The CPA African Region plays a pivotal role in advancing the interests of African parliaments within the Commonwealth. It is widely recognized for promoting gender equality, women’s empowerment, respect for human rights, democracy, and good governance across member nations.
TINUBU RENEWS TENURE OF THREE PERMANENT SECRETARIES
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the renewal of tenure for three Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service, in line with existing public service regulations.
The approval was disclosed in a statement issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, indicating that the renewed appointments will take effect from April 27, 2026.
The affected officials include Kachallom Shangti Daju, Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare; Beatrice Jedy‑Agba, Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Justice; and Mary Ada Ogbe, Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Regional Development.
According to the statement, the renewal represents a second and final four-year tenure for the officials, in accordance with the provisions of Public Service Rule 020909, which allows Permanent Secretaries an initial four-year term with the possibility of a second term based on satisfactory performance.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson‑Jack, congratulated the Permanent Secretaries on their reappointment and urged them to see the renewed mandate as a call to greater dedication and excellence in service delivery.
She further encouraged them to deploy their experience and professional expertise toward strengthening governance and advancing national development.
The statement was signed by Eno Olotu, Director of Press and Public Relations in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, and dated March 6, 2026.
Politics
Governor Dauda Lawal’s Prompt Action Against Insecurity in Zamfara State Yielding Positive Result’ – GDL Media Force Fires Back at Critics
‘Governor Dauda Lawal’s Prompt Action Against Insecurity in Zamfara State Yielding Positive Result’ – GDL Media Force Fires Back at Critics
The attention of GDL Media Force and other well-meaning supporters of the Dauda Lawal-led administration has been drawn to a recent statement syndicated on social media by influencers from a group calling itself the Zamfara Good Governance Forum, which ludicrously attempted to portray the Governor’s security efforts as a “total failure.” This characterisation is not only divorced from reality. Still, it represents a desperate attempt by political opponents to rewrite history and undermine a Governor whose growing influence and performance clearly terrify them. It should be on record that in the whole of the North West region, Governor Dauda Lawal has tackled insecurity head-on with verifiable evidence that even those in the opposition have commended him for his huge investment in equipment that will further give security and armed forces an edge over those fueling insecurity in the country.
Since his assumption as Governor of Zamfara State, Dr Lawal has vowed that as the Chief Security Officer of the state, as well as the chief rescuer, an unprecedented commitment to tackling the security challenges that have plagued Zamfara for over a decade is his top priority and he is engaging it with much gusto. Unlike previous administrations, that engaged in shadowy deals with non-state actors, this Governor has chosen the path of transparency, capacity building, and decisive action. He was one of the Governors who openly declared that His administration would not negotiate with bandit rather his administration with fight them to a standstill and ensure they are cleared out.
In a bid to address the issues of insecurity with a well-planned arrival plan, he procured heavy Security Assets that even the Federal Government commended, him for. The recently procured and unveiled 25 units of Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and an 80-meter endurance surveillance drone capable of covering 50 kilometres and operating continuously for eight hours. This represents the single largest state-government investment in security hardware in the history of Zamfara State.
The Defence Minister, during the inauguration ceremony, praised what he described as a clear demonstration of the Governor’s commitment to protecting lives and property, making the striking projection that “if we continue like this in the second term, Zamfara will look like Dubai”. This is not praise from a partisan source it is professional acknowledgement from the highest level of Nigeria’s defence establishment that Governor Lawal is doing something right.
Beyond heavy military hardware, the Governor has operationalised the Community Protection Guards in accordance with the law, providing them with 60 brand-new, well-equipped Hilux operational vehicles and specialised motorcycles to ensure swift response and effective first-responder services in difficult terrains. This is complemented by the distribution of 150 Hilux vehicles to mainstream security agencies including the Nigeria Police, DSS, and NSCDC, plus 20 Toyota Buffalo vehicles (both armoured and soft-body).
Perhaps most significantly, Governor Lawal established the Zamfara State Security Trust Fund, which provides a predictable, structured framework for logistical support to security forces. This moves the state away from the era of fragmented, reactive responses to a professional, sustainable security architecture.
When recent attacks occurred including the unfortunate February 19 incident in Anka LGA, Governor Lawal did not go into hiding or issue condolence statements from his office in Gusau. He immediately convened and personally presided over an emergency security meeting with all heads of security agencies at the Government House in Gusau, tasking them to urgently review the current security framework and implement coordinated countermeasures.
The Governor charged security chiefs to maintain “heightened vigilance, strengthened intelligence, and immediate, coordinated countermeasures” to ensure that criminal elements do not gain further ground. He also commiserated with affected communities and assured them of his administration’s full support both logistical and institutional. This is not the behaviour of a detached leader. This is the conduct of a Governor who understands that his primary constitutional responsibility is the protection of lives and property.
The public needs to understand the pedigree of those behind these allegations. The so-called “Zamfara Good Governance Forum” has a well-documented history of partisan attacks against Governor Lawal. A simple review of their previous statements reveals a pattern they have consistently attacked the Governor while remaining conspicuously silent during the administrations that presided over the worst years of banditry in the state. Interestingly, these attacks often coincide with political manoeuvres by the immediate past governor, Bello Matawalle, now Minister of State for Defence. The Zamfara State Government has previously accused Matawalle of using federal security apparatus to intimidate opposition figures in the state. The current criticism fits a familiar pattern, when you cannot defeat a Governor politically or at the ballot box, you attempt to undermine him through sponsored propaganda spreading sheer falsehood to ensure the public turns their back on a performing Governor who is rebuilding the rot the Matawale-led administration caused.
These same critics who now demand a “security roadmap” conveniently ignore that Governor Lawal inherited a state that was virtually a failed entity where farmers could not access their lands, where markets were paralysed, and where government had lost all credibility through failed negotiations and ransom payments to bandits.
Critics also conveniently ignore a fundamental reality Governor Lawal is the only opposition governor in the entire North-West geopolitical zone. Since taking office in 2023, his administration has received no federal intervention funds beyond statutory allocations no special palliatives, and no enhanced security support that flows to states with ruling-party governors. Yet despite this political isolation, he has managed to fund security without resorting to new borrowing, while monthly servicing N1.2 billion in inherited debts from the Bello Matawalle-led administration. This is governance under siege fiscally constrained, politically isolated, yet still delivering.
Governor Dauda Lawal has never claimed that the battle against banditry is easy or that success will come overnight. What he has demonstrated is sincerity of purpose, strategic vision, and relentless commitment. From the Security Trust Fund to community protection guards, from armoured personnel carriers to surveillance drones, these are not the actions of a leader who has failed. The growing influence of Governor Lawal across the North-West clearly frightens those who benefited from the old order of insecurity. When banditry thrives, politicians who negotiate with criminals remain relevant. But when peace is restored through genuine security architecture, such elements become obsolete.
Zamfara State is on the path to lasting peace. The detractors may continue their campaign of falsehood, but the facts on the ground speak louder than their sponsored propaganda. Governor Dauda Lawal remains focused, undeterred, and absolutely committed to restoring full normalcy to every inch of Zamfara State. The people of Zamfara see the progress. The Federal Government acknowledges the investment. And history will remember who truly fought for the state’s liberation.
Signed: GDL Media Force Support Group
March 4, 2026
Abuja, Nigeria
-
society6 months agoReligion: Africa’s Oldest Weapon of Enslavement and the Forgotten Truth
-
news3 months agoWHO REALLY OWNS MONIEPOINT? The $290 Million Deal That Sold Nigeria’s Top Fintech to Foreign Interests
-
society6 months ago“You Are Never Without Help” – Pastor Gebhardt Berndt Inspires Hope Through Empower Church (Video)
-
Business7 months agoGTCO increases GTBank’s Paid-Up Capital to ₦504 Billion