Dissecting Tinubu's framework for power, energy reform

• Published date: 21 January 2023
• Publication title: Nigeria - The Nation

Ihave challenged people to ask themselves if they can remember anything the main opposition committed to, when they were elected in 1999 and for the 16 years they allowed Nigeria to drift without any clear policy direction or articulation.

Other than slogans like 'Transformation Agenda' whose details were undisclosed, during a period of prolific earnings from very elevated international crude oil prices, to a 'Seven Point Agenda,' which later became a 'Five Point Agenda' I am yet to receive a response.

Unless it remains hidden under their unreliable umbrella, it must be taken that we surrendered 16 years of our lives to a party from 1999 to 2015, that made no credible promises and no recognisable commitment.

To those who may wonder why I choose to start my intervention this way, it is my answer to those who erroneously assert that politics in Nigeria is not about issues. They are wrong.

APC came into office by identifying the major issues confronting Nigeria before the 2015 general elections and the National survey conducted showed that the issues at the top of mind of voters were security, corruption and the economy.

The APC made clear commitments about how to deal with those issues and got elected.

As far as the economy is concerned, one of its necessary drivers is infrastructure to which the APC has vigorously committed herself.

The results are manifesting with thousands of kilometres of roads and bridges, expanded airport runways and terminal buildings in 5 international airports, a new seaport in Lekki, the Ajaokuta, Kaduna, Kano Gas Pipeline, train seven of the NLNG, investment in the Dangote Refinery to support private sector initiative for local production of petroleum products as well as the upgrade of four (4) existing refineries.

Why are these important you might ask? Our opponents reluctantly acknowledge these giant strides but are unable to connect them to the economic opportunities they offer now to workers, construction companies and suppliers who operate in this economy; and they are unable to see what this means for Nigeria's economy in the future.

On one hand they talk about stimulating the economy by 'production,' but their home economics model does not address how anyone can expect to produce without roads, ports and bridges or gas.

They are unable to relate cost push inflation to travel time, the cost of haulage or delays at the port or indeed to how continued importation of petroleum products that they could not reverse in 16 years impacts the...