By Precious Oham
The Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, Most Rev. Felix Ajakaye has called on the President-Elect, Bola Tinubu to initiate people-oriented policies and cut the cost of governance in his administration.
Bishop Ajakaye said this in Ado-Ekiti, in a message to Nigerians titled “A New Us Is Possible In Nigeria”.
He also charged Nigerians to think and act positively as the incoming government is expected to takeover on May 29th.
While calling on Tinubu to practise an inclusive government irrespective of the political platform, he urged the political parties to practice internal democracy for the growth of the country.
In his words, “We need to continue to emphasize internal democracy in all the political parties for real democracy to be an avenue of good governance in Nigeria. Independent Candidacy is needed now more than ever before. I encourage the incoming administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to promote politics of engagement, not politics of intimidation.
“Asiwaju Tinubu is to pray to God to guide him to be able to appoint the right people in the right places, and for him to do the right things at the right time. His own ‘Renewed Hope’ has to be meaningful, positive and concrete, but not like the outgoing President Buhari’s ‘Change’ mantra.
“The in-coming administration of Asiwaju Tinubu should engage in people-oriented policies and it should not abandon the necessary on-going projects of the out-going Buhari government. In looking for the right path to good governance, Asiwaju Tinubu needs to choose and decide to do things right for things to be right with him and his administration.
“His must not be ‘business as usual’. His must be business unusual where the rule of law will be upheld for the benefit of all. I equally appeal to him not to allow The Presidency to be more powerful than the President. Nigerians would like to be hearing and seeing their President more than those he has appointed at the Presidency.
“After the Inauguration on Monday, 29 May, 2023, Asiwaju Tinubu should remember that he will no more be the National Leader of the All Progressives Party, APC, but the President and the Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I humbly urge him to reduce the high cost of governance at the federal level.
“Let us start to put an end to the culture of waste in governance in Nigeria. For instance, what is the essence of having Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity and another person as Special Assistant on Media and Publicity? This old way must stop.
“A New Us Is Possible In Nigeria. A new me is possible. A new you is possible. This is my submission as a stubborn optimist, stubborn positivist, stubborn builder, stubborn encourager. Let us be optimists against all odds. Let us value ourselves and our Nigeria for us to be valued and for country to be valued. Always remember that you cannot give what you do not have. Value has a value only if its value is valued.”