- Begins Nonpartisan Distribution Of Succour In Kwara
By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The leading support group for the election of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, the South West Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA), has reiterated that post subsidy removal requires a calm and patient approach from Nigerians given that the country’s economy had suffered huge battery in the last four decades.
The group made this declaration in Ilorin on Tuesday during the flag off of palliative distribution to cushion the effect of removal of fuel subsidy.
According to the group, the distribution of bags of rice in Ilorin to Kwarans captured is just the beginning of other supports and succour already designed by SWAGA which only coincided with the national plan by the federal government.
“But most importantly, we urge Nigerians to be calm at this time. No amount of money, material benefits can assuage in totality what we are giving out.
“However, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is well aware of all these and also realises that Nigeria’s economy has to be in firmer footing given what the economy had suffered in the last forty years.
“The President is not ready to play any blame game because our situation does not require such. We, at SWAGA, understand that we have to go beyond partisanship and bring in all Nigerians.
“President Tinubu is not the President of APC or SWAGA but Nigeria’s president. So our outreach in terms of palliative distribution must be non partisan,” said Hon Oyetunde Ojo, former House of Reps member and convener of SWAGA.
Stating that SWAGA would monitor full implementation of palliatives disbursements to states, he added: “President Tinubu has consistently reiterated that Nigerians should ask their respective governors for details of proceeds from subsidy removal sent to all states.
“We move around a lot and we report back to the presidency what we see.”
Also speaking, Kwara state Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said he was confident that President Bola Tinubu would turn around Nigeria’s economy in the next four years, adding that the president needs the prayers of all Nigerians.
Represented by his deputy, Mr. Kayode Alabi, the Governor said: “By the grace of God in the next eight years Asiwaju Tinubu would have turned around the economy of the country, but we need to support him with prayers. He cannot do it alone. I know he is a good administrator and a team player. In politics, some people will smile and laugh with you but behind they will plot your down fall.
“There is time for everybody. This is Tinubu’s time. That is why the enemies could not bring him down. They tried with the change in Naira, caused fuel scarcity and did every hang-up, but could not bring him down.
“I have never seen a politician like President Bola Tinubu. Any day I meet him one on one I will tell him to write a book about his political journey so that future politicians will draw a lesson from his experience.
“For a man that moved from the private sector into politics against all odds, Tinubu fought a sitting government to a standstill. It is very difficult to fight a sitting government anywhere in the world. A president can turn the richest man in the world to a poor man under three months.
“All the apparatuses of government fought against Asiwaju Tinubu not to get the ticket and rose against him, he still won. You know why? His heart is richer than his pocket. Tinubu has uplifted a lot of people. That is why I am not surprised he is the Nigerian president today.”
Chairman of SWAGA, Senator Dayo Adeyeye, who was also at the event, said that the palliative distribution showed that the organisation of SWAGA goes beyond just election winning.
“Have you seen any other party do the things we have been doing in terms of reaching out to ordinary Nigerians?” he asked rhetorically.
Reacting in a similar vein, Raji Ibrahim, coordinator, NCAA/SWAGA, said that the work of giving succour to ordinary Nigerians in the light of the removal of fuel subsidy resulting in economic challenges must not be left to Federal, and state governments alone, adding that the rice Palliative is just the beginning of more packages from SWAGA.
“We will initiate monetary packages, food stuffs and employment opportunities to be distributed in a nonpartisan model for all Nigerians,” he added.
End