By: Nwakaji Peace Martins
One year into his presidency, President Bola Tinubu has expressed his intention to dismiss any cabinet members who fail to perform adequately.
“I wish to express my gratitude to all members of the cabinet for their hard work,” stated Mr. Tinubu on Thursday. “However, I will not hesitate to relieve any of them of their duties if I believe they are not meeting the expectations of the Nigerian people.”
Mr. Tinubu made this announcement during a gathering with members of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday.
On May 29, Mr. Tinubu celebrated his first year in office. This decision to potentially remove underperforming ministers comes in the wake of criticism from Nigerians, who have labeled his administration a failure over the past year, with the hashtag #TinubuOneYearOfFailure circulating. They have expressed concerns about economic struggles, including hunger, soaring food prices, and insecurity during Mr. Tinubu’s tenure.
Although the economic challenges existed before Mr. Tinubu took office, his policies of eliminating fuel subsidies and allowing the naira to fluctuate have resulted in a significant increase in pump prices, rising from N145 to N710. Additionally, the naira has experienced a sharp decline against the dollar, now trading at approximately N1,500 to one dollar.
While economic experts and the International Monetary Fund have praised Mr. Tinubu’s policy decisions as bold, the skyrocketing food prices during his presidency have led to various protests in Niger, Osun, Ibadan, and Lagos States, the latter being Mr. Tinubu’s home state, where citizens have voiced their concerns about the prevailing hardships in the country.
Multiple market surveys conducted by Peoples Gazette have indicated that food prices have surged nationwide by more than 100% since Mr. Tinubu took office on May 29, 2024.
In March, a government-owned warehouse in Abuja was looted by residents, and incidents of attacks on trucks carrying food supplies occurred in Suleja and Zaria, highlighting the widespread hunger crisis gripping the nation.
In a statement released on Wednesday, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar criticized Mr. Tinubu for exacerbating the economic challenges, poverty, misery, and unemployment that were prevalent during the tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to Mr. Abubakar, who competed against Mr. Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election, under Mr. Tinubu’s leadership, all the economic difficulties, including unemployment, poverty, and misery, that characterized the Buhari administration have worsened.
