On Thursday, Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu inaugurated the National Economic Council (NEC), expressing his commitment to sustaining the revitalization of the nation’s economy.
In his address to the council, Tinubu urged its members, the governors of the federation, to collaborate and support his administration’s efforts in transforming the country’s economy. He reminded them of the eight priority areas outlined in his inaugural speech, which include security, economy, job creation, agriculture, and infrastructure, among others.
Tinubu acknowledged the enormity of the task of growing the economy but emphasized that he and the governors should not complain, instead highlighting the importance of harnessing the nation’s potential to drive substantial growth. The NEC’s inauguration took place one week after President Tinubu directed the council to convene and devise interventions to mitigate the impact of petroleum subsidies.
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Concluding his remarks, the president reiterated that collaboration among NEC members is essential and should not be seen as a crime. The meeting began with the presence of several governors from various states, including Kwara, Osun, Kogi, Ekiti, Nasarawa, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Cross River, Plateau, Kebbi, Katsina, and Benue, among others.
Additionally, key figures in attendance included the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Chief of Staff, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Acting Accountant General of the Federation, the Acting Governor of the Central Bank, and Permanent Secretaries from the Budget and National Planning and Federal Capital Territory Administration departments.
The president also approved on Thursday, the appointment of the following as Special Advisers:
Mr. Dele Alake Special Adviser, Special Duties, Communications and Strategy
Mr. Yau Darazo Special Adviser, Political and Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Wale Edun Special Adviser, Monetary Policies
Mrs. Olu Verheijen Special Adviser, Energy
Mr. Zachaeus Adedeji Special Adviser, Revenue
Mr. Nuhu Ribadu Special Adviser, Security
Mr. John Ugochukwu Uwajumogu Special Adviser, Industry, Trade and Investment.
Dr (Mrs.) Salma Ibrahim Anas Special Adviser, Health.
The Ribadu’s surprise
However, the appointment of Ribadu has raised eyebrows. In 2007, Ribadu as the Chairman of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), declared before the Senate that Tinubu, the then Lagos State governor, was among the top five stealing governors.
Other governors mentioned by Ribadu included Orji Uzor Kalu, Ahmed Sani yerima, George Akume, and Abudulahi Adamu. He told the Senate that Tinubu’s corruption was so deep that it had an international dimension to it.
Thus, it’s surprising to see Ribadu, who was revered as an anticorruption czar during his time as the head of Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, support, and work for Tinubu, who he indicted and declared “not fit to hold public positions.”