Tinubu Not A Magician – Oshiomhole Cautions Nigerians, Critics

• Insists APC never promised miracles

BY EDMOND ODOK – With the bitting hardship trailing the fuel subsidy removal and other policy decisions by the current administration, former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Adams Oshiomhole, has defended President Bola Tinubu, saying at no point did he promise Nigerians magical solutions to the country’s myriad of challenges.

According to the lawmaker, who represents Edo North Senatorial district in the 10th National Assembly (NASS), Nigerians should not expect any magic because Tinubu and the ruling APC did not promise to fix Nigeria in 24 hours all through the electioneering campaign period.

Comrade Oshiomhole, who spoke on the Channels Television’s programme, ‘Politics Today’ pointedly maintained; “They know they were not electing a magician. And nobody promised a magical solution. Don’t bother giving me an example. I know what we (APC) promised more than you. Whatever is reported, we are the source.

“We did not promise anyone a 24-hour solution and we did not promise an overnight solution. Can you show me any document where we said in 24 hours, this will be done?”

“I think you are the ones who have the illusion that once a promise is made, automatically once he (Tinubu) gets into office, either spiritually or by miracles, solutions will emerge. What Nigerians need is what the president has demonstrated – the courage to take the decision, humility to admit some of the unintended consequences of those decisions, and, of course, the will to deal with those consequences”.

Further defending the Tinubu-led APC administration, Comrade Oshiomhole said efforts at tackling the current fuel price hike, Naira devaluation, rising unemployment, and other challenges would not yield the expected results happen in a day, cautioning against oppositions’ unwarranted attacks on the government in response to the fuel price hike from N540 to N617 per litre.

The former Edo State Governor maintained that President Tinubu deserves applause for hitting the ground running since assuming office, adding; “To be fair, the fact that the doctor is committed to treating the patient and claims to know the nature of the disease afflicting the patient doesn’t mean that as soon as you wheel the patient to the theatre, a solution emerges.

“I think President Bola Tinubu has shown commitment. He withdrew the subsidy and admitted that one of the things we have to do is adjust wages in the formal sector. The other one is to appropriate some funds to be given to vulnerable people.”

According to him, what Nigeria needs is a courageous leader and Tinubu is that person. The former governor said since the removal of the subsidy on petrol, the president has taken steps to address the impacts of the decision.

Also describing the current N30,000 minimum wage in the country as a “criminal wage”, the former Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) president said; “What we call minimum wage is a criminal wage. If you exchange N30,000 at N800 or N700 to the dollar, what does that translate to? So, the value of that minimum wage when it was N125 – when it was first introduced under, I think, (Shehu) Shagari’s government – is about two times or three times the value many years later, even in the public service.”