The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress,
Bola Tinubu, has said it will be difficult to replicate his transformative
agenda in Lagos across Nigeria owing to the complexity of the country.
The former governor of Lagos State also stated that he would
allow for power devolution to ensure the smooth operation of government.
Tinubu made this known in an opinion piece that he published
in The Economist on Wednesday.
“We cannot simply replicate Lagos’ transformation
nationwide. Nigeria is complex and variegated. Recognising the strengths of
each section of the country and providing the foundations on which they can all
thrive is the path to economic growth. I know what can be achieved when the
Federal Government allows adequate space for regional differences, so I want to
devolve more powers to the states. They should have greater authority to
provide services and infrastructure projects, as well as more control over law
enforcement,” Tinubu stated, while recounting his achievements as a two-term
governor of Lagos.
Speaking further, Tinubu said the country’s over-dependence
on oil had distorted its development.
“Over-reliance on oil
has distorted Nigeria’s development. A country of over 200 million people
cannot hinge its development on a single commodity. We must focus on
industrialisation and technological innovation, especially since Nigeria is
already the top African destination for startup funding,” he said.
The APC candidate also reiterated his stance for the removal
of fuel subsidy, which, according to him, is “harmful.”
He further stated, “We will end the harmful fuel subsidy,
estimated to have cost $7.5bn in the first half of 2023. The funds will be more
productively used in joint investments with the private sector to create jobs
in infrastructure, health care, education, and agriculture.
“Nigeria has one of the world’s lowest tax to GDP ratios. We
need not increase rates, but improve compliance by overhauling the system and
deploying information technology to boost efficiency. Tied with effective
delivery of public services and infrastructure, a virtuous cycle of buy-in from
businesses and citizens will strengthen the social contract and place federal
revenues on a more sustainable footing.”
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