FORMER Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Adamawa State, Ahmad I. Sajoh, speaks to KUNLE ODEREMI on the administration of President Bola Tinubu, the major challenges facing the country and issues relating to the ongoing efforts of the National Assembly to amend the 1999 Constitution:
What are your expectations from the authorities for the new year, especially in the context of the serious economic challenges that Nigerians went through in 2024?
Honestly, things had been really difficult for everyone in the country, both the government and the citizens. It is the first full year of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu government. It was the entire year that witnessed the gestation period of some of the reforms outlined when the president assumed leadership of the country. Economically, the country went through a painful adjustment that created many difficulties. At the government level, the president tried hard to institute reforms related to reducing the cost of governance, but a political class accustomed to having rights did not seem to adapt adequately. Members of the National Assembly and governors of subnational entities prefer to continue as usual, knowing that everyone blames any adverse situation solely on the president. However, even when the president strives to provide some positive dividends, citizens would rather see the bad than the good. The granting of the new minimum wage, the autonomy of local government and the provision of CNG buses are some of the president's very laudable achievements that are often overlooked. And since these advances are not adequately addressed in the public space, citizens have not exploited all their values.
Safety remains a major concern, but as in many other areas, improvements are not fully celebrated. The year also witnessed the total deregulation of the downstream sector of the oil industry. Unfortunately, those who vehemently called for the implementation of the PIA Petroleum Industry Act found it difficult to accept the outcome of such full implementation. Two refineries came online during the year and, for the first time in Nigerian history, Christmas was celebrated without fuel queues across the country. Politically, there were some off-season elections, these electoral processes did not increase confidence in the conduct of our elections or the impartiality of the INEC electoral empire. Debate on tax reform bills is the most positive public discourse to engage the nation. It shows that Nigerians are willing to talk about issues when the need arises. Unfortunately, most of those who oppose tax bills do so out of ignorance or, as in the case of some governors, selfishness. But overall, it is a healthy debate that indicates a vibrant democracy where citizens debate their future. If this continues with respect to other aspects, such as budgetary provisions, then our democracy will improve greatly.
Two things had been negatively affecting the political organization all year. One of them is inflation; It is a big concern. The rising costs of goods and services have almost eliminated all gains brought about by citizens' disposable income. Perhaps that is why President Tinubu made it a focal point of the budget targets for 2025. The second problem is the audible noise about inequality in appointments at the federal level. Even if it is related to perception, it is of great concern to close the trust deficit between the government and citizens. In times like these, perception is often the same as reality because difficulties erode deep thinking.
Would you like all those issues that came to the fore in 2024 to shape policy direction in the new year, 2025, especially official thinking?
The toughest challenge facing the country is rising food costs. It is a great concern for both leaders and citizens. A nation is like an army: it marches upside down. The president has taken several measures to stop the upward spiral in food prices, but it has been Herculean. No government is comfortable having hungry people as citizens. Thus, the most difficult period has been felt almost throughout the year. All other challenges pale in comparison to hunger-induced poverty.
Indeed, there are prospects for a new dawn. The government's policies witnessed a gestation period in the year 2024. The next year will witness the maturity of these policies. Perhaps that is why the president predicted a reduction in inflation to 20%. The new tax bills will also reorganize the government's revenue-generating workforce, resulting in greater efficiency in tax collection and utilization. Once inflation comes down, incomes rise and service delivery improves, the nation will witness positive growth. That is what the new dawn will herald for the country. Other prospects for a new dawn include greater local refining of petroleum products, a greater boost to Agriculture and the plans of the new Ministry of Livestock Development. Overall, the outlook looks good for 2025.
What do you think is wrong with the much criticized 1999 Constitution? Many Nigerians still blame the military for not allowing them to design a workable and acceptable constitutional framework that should have placed the civilian government on a firmer footing.
The entire document represents a major loophole in ineffective governance. As long as the second part, which talks about fundamental objectives and guiding principles of state policy, is not justiciable, we will not have a constitution that seeks to serve the people of Nigeria. Why does the Constitution grant certain rights to citizens, such as the right to education, for example, but make the provision of these rights discretionary on the part of leaders? That is the biggest loophole in the Constitution.
Another important discrepancy is the existence of local governments as provided for in the Constitution. It took the bold initiative of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, 24 years later, to use the Supreme Court to begin the process of freeing the LGAs from the control of the governors. Why would the Constitution allow such a significant loophole to exist for all these years? This constitution gives leadership more rights than responsibilities. In fact, it provides little accountability, but an enormous amount of rights and discretionary powers to leaders at all levels. That is why leadership, even at the institutional level, seems to operate outside the aspirations of citizens. That is also the reason why it cannot be part of the nationhood for Nigeria as a country. A nation is a group of people with shared aspirations and values. This constitution only confers shared aspirations on the leaders and, certainly, not on the citizens.
Regarding the question of amending the Constitution, first of all, I do not think it is necessary to amend it. What we need is a total overhaul. Secondly, I do not believe that the beneficiaries of the privileges and rights conferred by this constitution will ever change it to return those rights to the citizens. What they will do as they always have is make cosmetic changes that increase your control over the power levers.
Will they make changes that confer rights to the provision of services to citizens? No. Will they make changes that reduce the cost of governance? No. Will they make changes that impose transparency and accountability in public spending? No. Will they make changes that improve the credibility of our electoral system? No! Will they make changes that eliminate transactional politics that gives leadership to the highest bidder? No!
Will the country be restructured to provide for greater responsibility on the part of the federal entities? No! These are some of the main changes necessary to make the 1999 Constitution a document that serves the best interests of citizens, and why all previous amendments did not address these issues. I have my doubts whether the current attempt will address any of these issues.
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