Protest: State of Emergency Won’t Solve Nigeria’s Problems, Dele Momodu Advises President Tinubu
The CEO and publisher of Ovation International, Mr. Dele Momodu has advised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that declaring state of emergency amidst the nationwide protest will be irrelevant to the country’s challenges.
Mr. Momodu urged President Tinubu to instead make ‘huge sacrifice’ by reducing the cost of governance ‘drastically’, which include sacking of most political appointees, merging of ministries amongst other things.
He gave the advise in a letter addressed to the President on Friday, August 2, stressing that his motive is “absolutely pure”.
The letter reads in part: “Dear Mr President, ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU, I’m writing my third letter to you in weeks, on the first day of what might turn out to be a long and torturous protest in the history of Nigeria. This is what I owe you. Be rest assured that I’m a man of modest income who is happy to live within his means and not looking for anything from you, other than good governance.
“You and I have a chequered history spanning decades and I have never lobbied you for appointments after we returned from exile in 1998, and you were Governor of Lagos State for eight years, and you’ve been in absolute control in the last 25 years. Sir, it has become pertinent to state this lest the deluge of blackmailers swarming all over you might think I’m one of them. My motive in writing you is absolutely pure. Now to the meat of this epistle…
“DID WE NOT ALERT THE GOVERNMENT ENOUGH? We were abused for advising the President of our country. Some power drunk leaders even threatened and boasted on television that ABUJA was a no-no for the protesters.
“But, today, the people marched majestically on the streets of FCT and the Emperors and their acolytes were nowhere to be found… I’m sure you saw what happened nationwide. It is a lesson of history that you and yours must learn. No leader should provoke the suffering people, flagrantly.”
He noted that he will continue to join other peace-loving Nigerians in appealing to the protesters to maintain peace at all costs, however, he urged the President to improve his communication strategies, describing it as “terrible”.
The Presidential aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election opined that for whatever it’s worth, President Tinubu should have come out to address Nigerians, emphasising that the feeling out there is that he has changed from the pro-democracy leader “we used to know”.
The veteran journalist added: “A State of emergency won’t solve the problems…The way forward would entail a huge sacrifice: the Federal government should downsize drastically, by sacking most of the deadwoods imported to Abuja from Lagos in the name of political appointments.
“Ministries should be merged for cheaper and more efficient operations. The outlandish profligacy of governments at all levels must stop. The States must replicate too. LET’S ALL AVERT WHAT MAY BECOME A REVOLUTION. I salute the doggedness of Nigerians.”
