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.”