Tinubu Presidency: How Far, So Far?

Today marks the second anniversary of  Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In this report, Deji Elumoye assesses the mid-term scorecard of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President.

President Bola Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023 after taking the oath of office at the Eagle Square, Abuja. While campaigning for the nation’s number one seat, he had boasted that he had what it takes to turn the nation’s fortune around for the better.

His campaign manifesto evolved around the Renewed Hope Agenda which he laid bare before Nigerians wherever he went as campaign intensified ahead of the 2023 general election.

The President’s Renewed Hope Agenda is a transformative policy thrust aimed at repositioning Nigeria as a prime global investment destination. It focuses on four core pillars vis Democracy: Promoting democratic values and good governance;

Development: Driving economic growth and development through strategic partnerships and investments;

Demographics: Harnessing Nigeria’s demographic potential to drive economic growth;

Diaspora Engagement: Engaging with the Nigerian diaspora community to foster economic development and partnerships.

Two years on, the President’s scorecard include big reforms and successes in the Security Sector. This much was alluded to by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who at a recent function in Abuja disclosed that over 13,543 terrorists and other criminal elements have been neutralised across Nigeria in the last two years.

The NSA said the military and intelligence agencies had made gains in ongoing counter-terrorism efforts, noting that 13,543 insurgents and criminals were killed during various operations nationwide over the past two years of President Bola Tinubu in office.

Ribadu also said that no fewer than 124,408 fighters of Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State in West Africa Province, along with their family members, have surrendered to Nigerian forces and are undergoing rehabilitation through the government’s de-radicalisation and reintegration programme.

His words: “We have so far recovered and destroyed 252,596 rounds of assorted ammunition. Our troops have neutralised 13,543 terrorists.”

Ribadu’s disclosure came amid Nigeria’s ongoing battle with insurgents, bandits, and separatist groups across multiple theatres of violence, from the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast to banditry in the Northwest and North Central, and criminal violence in the South.

The insurgency in the Northeast, which began in 2009, has led to the deaths of over 350,000 people—both directly and indirectly—according to United Nations estimates, and displaced over two million.

Despite repeated claims of degrading Boko Haram, security agencies continue to grapple with attacks, ambushes and bombings, particularly in Borno and Yobe states.

The past two months have seen a resurgence of violence, including the killing of locals in Plateau, Benue and Borno states.

The NSA also attributed the improved security situation to enhanced inter-agency collaboration, increased investment in intelligence gathering, and political will.

In the economic sector, President Tinubu on his first day in office announced the immediate removal of fuel subsidy which had since saved billions of Naira into government coffers. Although the move brought untold hardship to the citizenry, government at the centre took some steps including increase in salaries of civil servants to assuage the pains of the subsidy removal.

Other economic reforms of the Tinubu Presidency include significant tax reforms aimed at widening the tax base and improving compliance. Although there were initial objections by the public to the four tax reform bills sent to the National Assembly by the Executive, stakeholders including governors, traditional rulers were made to see reason why the tax reform bills are necessary. The four bills had since been passed by the two chambers of the National Assembly while the President is waiting for the bills to be forwarded to him for presidential assent.

Also under the period under review, the government under its foreign policy adopted the “4Ds” approach namely Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora. The foreign policy indicator also include increased engagement with the diaspora through initiatives like the Diaspora Mortgage Scheme and $10 billion Diaspora Fund as well as Nigeria’s leadership role in ECOWAS, particularly in addressing regional security challenges.

Overall, President Tinubu’s mid-term scorecard has shown both progress and challenges. The administration has made notable progress in implementing its agenda and engaging with international partners.

While it has made notable strides in security, however, the nation’s security architecture may require rejigging moreso with recurring security skirmishes in some states like Benue, Zamfara and Borno.