Nigeria's Future Under Tinubu's Govt + More | Inside Sources

Added: 2026-05-08

[00:00:00][music] [music] >> Hello out there. My name is Laolu Akande and you are on Inside Sources.

[00:00:18]>> [music] >> Our first is my take for today. I'm looking at two issues with titles.

[00:00:27]The first one yet again lawlessness in uniform. And the second one is raising the bar in Lagos. Let's start with the first one. Yet again, lawlessness in uniform. Nigeria is once again gripped by a horrendous spectacle of extrajudicial murder at the hands of its own police.

[00:00:52]In Eforon, Delta State, 28-year-old dispatch rider citizen Monday Ogie was executed in broad daylight at point-blank range while he was restrained and pleading for his dear life.

[00:01:14]He was assassinated by ASP Nuhu Usman who pulled the trigger and the other cops with him who were watching offering no restraints.

[00:01:27]Circulating footage that is all over the place lays bare the facts.

[00:01:32]Officers discovered a firearm in a sealed consignment that this guy was carrying.

[00:01:39]He professed ignorance of its content and offered to lead the police to the origin.

[00:01:46]Yet he was shot.

[00:01:49]His dear life meant so little, if any at all, to those assassins wearing police uniforms.

[00:01:57]Now in a constitutional democracy that we are in the state's monopoly of force is bounded by law tempered by rules.

[00:02:09]I'm talking about rules of engagement.

[00:02:11]And answerable to the citizens.

[00:02:16]When that covenant fractures, what remains is not policing but despicable impunity draped in police uniforms.

[00:02:26]The [clears throat] Nigerian Police Force Order 237, specifically, is unambiguous. Neither force against a subdued suspect is indefensible.

[00:02:39]This killing then signals a collapse of discipline and a staggering reminder of one of the major problems we have failed to confront over the years as a people and as a government.

[00:02:55]There are two disquieting possibilities of what happened at Eforon.

[00:03:00]It's either this is another familiar pathology of power abused by the police, perhaps inflamed by intoxicants or the police officers themselves had something to conceal in the circumstances of the execution of that citizen.

[00:03:21]Who dispatched the weapon?

[00:03:23]Why did the colleagues of Nuhu stand in act as the trigger was pulled?

[00:03:32]These are the questions that demand immediate independent inquiry.

[00:03:37]My second point.

[00:03:39]Raising the bar in Lagos with Hamzat.

[00:03:43]Here on Inside Sources, we have always been concerned about the fate and the future of Nigeria.

[00:03:49]We share the belief, like many Nigerians, that our country's destiny is one of stupendous greatness.

[00:03:57]One of the greatest impediments to that greatness evolving in good time is the way and manner our political leaders are chosen, the selection process.

[00:04:09]Specifically, we have seen over the years and the decades the emergence of poorly prepared individuals, sometimes with significantly questionable pedigree. We have seen people with no experience taking on key positions, whether elected or appointed. Quite a lot that we have seen. But I'll give just one example that I observed when I was serving as a media head in the presidency.

[00:04:36]The social investment program of the Buhari administration was doing so well in the first time that it was the number one unique selling point of that administration, especially during the electionary campaigns of 2019.

[00:04:51]Nigerians were quite enthused about the program.

[00:04:54]With the different schemes of the programs, about four. And the president was then persuaded to move towards institutionalizing the social safety net with the program was all about.

[00:05:07]And he did that in the second time by having a new federal ministry of humanitarian affairs and other secondary responsibilities. But guess what happened?

[00:05:19]Instead of finding someone who has been prepared, who has cognate experience and somebody with competence to head that new powerful ministry, the Buhari cabal named a candidate as minister who had no understanding of what was going on and had very little, if any, worldwide public interest and who has proven to be a corruption controversy disaster eventually.

[00:05:50]Since that time in 2019 the laudable program, which held national and global accolades has been enmeshed in all kinds of controversies and corruption. And the enthusiasm that Nigerians saw about those programs between 2016 and 2019 virtually gone.

[00:06:12]This is why when we see the likely emergence of someone that is so well prepared and who comes with significant public record of distinction and worthy impact such as Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat one should warm up very enthusiastically to such an idea.

[00:06:33]The man Hamzat is simply exemplary in his public service.

[00:06:38]It was Hamzat who was at the driving seat as commissioner for works and infrastructure in Lagos in the Fashola cabinet when the now iconic Lekki Ikoyi Bridge was built.

[00:06:52]Not only has the bridge solved a critical traffic challenge with Lagosians now enjoying significant relief, especially in the time of the distance of travel between Ikoyi and Lekki the image of the bridge is on virtually every notable Nollywood movie that has been produced since the bridge was built.

[00:07:16]That infrastructure has therefore become an image booster for all Nigerians, especially out of this country where Nigerian movies are often a hit.

[00:07:28]Besides, Hamzat was also the first state-level commissioner of science and technology who, in the Tinubu cabinet as a commissioner in the early 2000s, ensured that Lagos State Government implemented the Oracle Enterprise Resource Planning, a digital backbone which aided automation in government operations ranging from finances, human resources, procurement and budgeting.

[00:07:57]It was also Hamzat who facilitated critical automation systems in healthcare, payroll, pension and land registry, among others, in Lagos, delivering public goods on a significant scale in that state.

[00:08:13]Now, one interesting thing about the Oracle deployment was that Lagos State was even ahead of New York State in the deployment of Oracle ERP in the early 2000s.

[00:08:26]What all of this means is that if APC goes ahead and picks someone like Hamzat at its next primaries next month the chances of raising the bar even higher in Lagos State, often described as the center of excellence, and deepening the chances of far-reaching transformation of the lives of Lagosians is very high. So, we must, on this call, commend the key stakeholders in Lagos starting from the president himself, the influential governor's advisory council, and leading political figures in the state such as the speaker of the House of Assembly, and many others, for endorsing someone like Hamzat.

[00:09:10]And also for doing it in such a way that it doesn't disallow other candidates who feel that they also should compete for the ticket of APC in the state. It's a good example of internal party democracy. And we must say kudos to all of the people in Lagos as we look forward to a transparent democratic process in the primaries.

[00:09:36]Let other states copy this Lagos model.

[00:09:41]And there you have it. Inside Sources, we'll be right back after the >> [music] >> Welcome back to Inside Sources. Today, I'm leading the show with a conversation with Nigeria's former Minister for Youth and Sports Development, who is also uh a lawyer and I dare say a comrade of the people. I'd like to welcome back to Inside Sources Mr. Solomon Dalung. My brother, good to see you again.

[00:10:08]Thank you very much for this opportunity, my brother, >> [laughter] >> and the good works you're doing for Nigeria. Thank you. Thank you so much.

[00:10:13]Thank you so much. I was watching the video of uh uh of the Badagry summit and also the last world press conference that ADC addressed and I saw how enthusiastic you were, you know, uh I think you've taken this opposition thing as a very serious uh serious battle that has to be fought.

[00:10:34]And I was reading your comments uh in the recent interview that you had with the Whistler newspaper when you said that the opposition is ready for a fight. Please tell us a little bit about the level of resolve and determination of the opposition uh parties to ensure that there is an election a a free and fair election this year. Let's start from there. If you If you look at the opposition party summit in Ibadan, which was organized barely within 4 days, Mhm.

[00:11:04]because when the idea came up that look, the opposition parties has not given Tinubu the the deserved vaccine Mhm. he needed at this point in time because he has done the same to his predecessors in office.

[00:11:22]So, we immediately sent informations around and there were meetings of leaders of the political party across board.

[00:11:30]And within just 4 days, we were in Ibadan.

[00:11:34]If you look at the expectation, we were expecting only five five delegates from each The the the coalition uh the summit was planned in 4 days. We just within 4 days. Wow. And um we were expecting five five delegates from each political parties, but we ended up with a mammoth crowd, Mhm.

[00:11:51]which even overwhelmed the capacity of the organizers. We had to deal with that.

[00:11:57]Now, if you look at how enthusiastic the opposition is and their commitment, you will know that the opposition is ready to ensure that democracy survive.

[00:12:12]What even amazes me most is the decision by the opposition um to feel a candidate against Yes, against Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

[00:12:24]That decision was debated and almost all the the the frontline aspirants were there and none of them contested the decision.

[00:12:37]Except everybody who came up will affirm uh his commitment that look, this struggle is about Nigeria, not about individual interest. So, we are prepared for a fight. We are even ahead of the Supreme Court. Let me ahead of the Supreme Court.

[00:12:57]Either way it goes, Mhm.

[00:13:00]Tinubu will have to contend with us.

[00:13:03]This, I want to assure you. So, nobody should assume that oh, the decision from the Supreme Court if it doesn't favor us, then there should be celebration in the camps of the opposition. No, not at all. No celebration in the camp of the of APC.

[00:13:18]APC. But but but you see their behavior, how they monitored Ibadan summit.

[00:13:26]To the extent that immediately Seyi mounted the rostrum, That's the governor of the the governor of Oyo State. Before he could step down, they were already crying and shouting on top of their voices, "Oh, he's calling for anarchy. Oh, he's calling for this. He's calling for that." That is the level to how threatened they are. With all 31 governors, with all the monies from electricity tariff, with all the revenues from withdrawal of fuel subsidy, with all the trillions of borrowings, both external and internal, Mhm.

[00:14:03]Tinubu is still not secure. He confirmed this when he said, "Oh, I'm a very stubborn politician. They turn to use security."

[00:14:13]Anybody who uses strength to intimidate is a very weak person and is a coward. Okay. So, I I I like the energy clearly, you know, but I wanted to follow up, you know, since you're also a chieftain of the ADC uh how do you respond to the some of the reports from the ruling party that that you guys in ADC didn't do your due diligence, you know, uh there were a lot of uh crises and court cases, you know, and that you guys knew all about this. How do you respond to that?

[00:14:50]Everything you see happening, we anticipated it.

[00:14:53]You see the the coalition took 18 months of um uh internal consultation meetings, even nocturnal meetings, before we finally uh birthed into the ADC. There were three political parties considered and and when they fired um uh their missiles to the two of the political parties, we behaved as if we had surrendered, then took ADC. But everything that is happening, we anticipated it because before we even concluded on the issue of this coalition, mhm, we commissioned a research of experts Mhm. to do a diligent [clears throat] job as to the best way we can tackle Tinubu and they submitted their report and their recommendations.

[00:15:45]And their recommendations included some of the the things they are now doing.

[00:15:49]The issue of sponsoring people to try to disrupt the coalition like what is happening.

[00:15:58]And then the issue of this, "Oh, it's an internal fight. They cannot manage affairs." No, we did due diligence in terms of the acquisition of ADC because everything was subjected, I mean, to the test of legal experts and politicians.

[00:16:18]We we even had to commission uh ICT experts Mhm.

[00:16:25]to help us analyze elections in Nigeria from 1960 to 2023. How were the elections won? How were they lost? How were they rigged?

[00:16:37]And we had a recommendation from the expert as to what >> No, you said ICT expert. You don't mean information Information and information technology experts. Why why did you choose them for the issue of >> Yes, because you see the the the experience of 2023 had to Okay, in terms of the Yeah. greatest Yes, okay. So, so that we don't deal with something strange.

[00:16:59]So, we have mapped out that environment effectively. Whatever they anticipate as a trump card they are going to play, we have already gotten hint of it. So, we are ahead of them. We are very honest. Interesting. Okay. Now, um I I wanted to bring a bit of your own personal assessment of uh President Bola Ahmed Tinubu because you were also uh in the same party with him in 2015.

[00:17:24]You know, I'm sure that you you you you played a role in the campaign that led to 2015. What's your read of him uh as as in in terms of the views that he expressed, you know, when he was in the opposition compared to uh what is happening now. He says, you know, and the APC says that look, they don't owe you opposition people any help, you know, but I wanted you to tell us your own personal observation of who the president is that you knew him to be, you know, uh when you were together in APC and who is now.

[00:17:58]Do you see any kind of evolution or difference?

[00:18:02]I think my opinion is that of um complete disappointment.

[00:18:06]The Tinubu I knew is completely an opposite of what I am seeing today and what is playing out.

[00:18:17]Of course, I had the misconception that uh the president was a democrat, was somebody who loved young people, was somebody who even loved the country. Because looking at the type of energy he invested in 2015, I was I was convinced that look, we now have parents who will midwife I mean, a better future for us.

[00:18:44]But disappointingly, this was the same person who was a governor. I mean, he recruited the best brains around him. Mhm.

[00:18:53]And this was what misled Nigerians, deceived Nigerians to believe that if he is elected, he will replicate the same.

[00:19:00]Sadly, he now formed a government an over bloated the cabinet of people who are predominantly incompetent. Mhm. They have little or no knowledge about the country.

[00:19:16]They are people who avoid Nigerians.

[00:19:22]Most of these ministers have never been to their state except if they are sent on assignment.

[00:19:31]Mhm. This wasn't the case with the Buhari government.

[00:19:35]We were always in our state every weekend because we knew that we owed the people a responsibility, having been been supported, funded even, by the poor because Buhari's campaign was funded by the poor.

[00:19:50]They they scratched cards, sent in monies, liquidated their investment. And I even remember this old woman who was 90 in Kevin who gave us 1 million naira and said if I do not live to see a better Nigeria I've made a contribution for better Nigeria. So so here we are. So for Bola Ahmed Tinubu completely is that of disappointment. I knew him earlier than them because I'm Adeko. Mhm. We were young people Okay.

[00:20:16]>> who were sleeping under the bridges taking in social >> from leaders and students such as uh Yes.

[00:20:24]Uh Bola Ahmed Tinubu but he he too was not more was not so uh pronounced among our leaders. The great people you you identify with me and this even Fela himself.

[00:20:37]So uh uh sadly we now have somebody who had completely presented his real colors that look he's a tyrant.

[00:20:50]Secondly, I mean he doesn't believe in anybody except himself because if you look at Tinubu's achievement he's the only person who had transformed and his family.

[00:21:02]Mhm.

[00:21:04]When he was campaigning it's like he will not survive. Today he's a very strong person. Sometimes aided by the president of the Turkey and the king of England.

[00:21:13]Today his family are going around the country cooking food and sharing to Nigerians. Today they have formed a political enterprise called the city boys movement all revolving around them.

[00:21:32]And this is the same person who said if I do not give you electricity >> electricity on on metered electricity uh within 4 years don't elect me again.

[00:21:48]He's the same person that went to Jos to hide in an airport.

[00:21:52]And then ferried victims of terrorist attack to meet him and he was insulting them saying I just have 10 minutes. I mean do somebody who is grieving you go to tell him that I have 10 minutes to see you.

[00:22:06]Mhm. So it's it's it's a complete disappointment for me and this has created sort of an an apprehension in me about this this sort of easy judgment I form about personalities.

[00:22:18]>> Okay. Um I I I want to follow up on the reference that you made to the Plateau State issue but I wanted to ask first you know because you're also spoken about some members of the cabinet of of the president. How about you make of of the removal of Mr. Wale Edu who is a long time ally of of the president?

[00:22:38]Recently removed from finance. Wale Edu Edu was a misfit in Tinubu's government. Mhm. How? He's a friend I know him very well.

[00:22:49]He's a very good ally who can manage Tinubu's personal accounts. But Wale Edu is not somebody who could work with Tinubu in government. Because he cannot tolerate the excesses and overreaching Mhm. of Tinubu's tendencies.

[00:23:09]And so he pretended to accommodate it which and it got to a point where he could no more pretend. His real person has to manifest. And of course we have details of what transpired that led to whether his resignation or his removal.

[00:23:29]But we do know as a fact that everybody appointed by Tinubu must sign postdated resignation letter before he will be appointed. All of them have the same thing. So when you want to misbehave it is removed and shown to you just like what was done to dynamic chairman and he had to behave himself to go and register uh ADC. So all of them are having that in the cupboard. So Wale Edu I know him is a gentleman.

[00:23:57]I mean he's somebody who is also very humble. Mhm. He keep good relationships and company because when I was I was a minister he visits me regularly. I see.

[00:24:06]As as a friend because we worked with him in the transition committee. Okay.

[00:24:11]>> Yes so he couldn't make the cabinet.

[00:24:13]So I I I knew him because you were on the transition committee.

[00:24:16]>> Very good. I knew him very well. But the irony of power is that since his appointment I tried to reach him calling and he never picked my call. So I I warned myself that look I will have to suspend this relationship until when he leaves the cabinet.

[00:24:34]It's unfortunate that great Nigerians like Wale Edu had to serve in this cabinet. I believe if he had served under Buhari he would have met different uh he would have not ended up like this.

[00:24:47]Mhm. It's it's interesting you know uh hopefully if we have time we will we would like you to also talk about the difference between the Buhari cabinet and the Tinubu cabinet. But let's let's talk about Plateau State.

[00:24:59]Uh few days ago the president hosted quite a number of uh former governors and dignitaries from Plateau State you know and he even said that they're going to make about 2 billion naira available to help the victims and asked those leaders to solve the problem. What's your take of [clears throat] the whole uh handling of the Plateau crisis by the president? How do you view it? And and that meeting that I had uh earlier this week in the villa? He once again politicized security.

[00:25:30]Those stakeholders he brought are highly reputable and respected leaders of Plateau. Mhm. But the stakeholders of Plateau are not limited only to members of APC.

[00:25:43]Mhm.

[00:25:46]When you talk of stakeholders dealing with an issue like insecurity you need to bring everybody on board. I didn't see young people there.

[00:25:56]I didn't see young people there. And without young people they had behaved like the way the Europeans behaved in 1885. They discussed the future of Africa without Africans.

[00:26:09]If they go there now to discuss a security blueprint all of them are at at the advanced ages. So those who are going to implement this blueprint were not there. Mhm. So they have not been taken along. So how will they implement it?

[00:26:27]Secondly they did not even I didn't see quite a good number of Plateau women.

[00:26:34]We are blessed state with I mean uh prominent women who are very active I mean in the in the even in politics and social life community life. Such people who we also need them.

[00:26:49]I didn't see the civil society there.

[00:26:53]Because the civil society had been at the forefront of the Plateau crisis. I mean they have contributed enormously because once there is attack they usually are the first Mhm.

[00:27:08]to respond Yes to respond. I didn't see their representation there.

[00:27:14]I I I didn't even see the representation of communities like Fulani who are on the Plateau.

[00:27:24]Because we have Fulani indigenous Fulani that have been living on the Plateau for very long time. We are looking for peace.

[00:27:31]We needed them because if we are having problems with some of their people we needed those who are not involved to come and help us contribute. How do we solve this problem? We did this as young people in 2014. We have our generation that we grew up together and we maintained that compact relationship. So in 2010 rather sorry when there was serious crisis and people so many people were killed blood was flowing like water we called ourselves and said look we should come together. What's happening?

[00:28:07]And then we called a meeting.

[00:28:09]And those who organized the meeting did not call uh Muslims members of our generation.

[00:28:16]Okay. So we got there I told them I said no. And they started leveling allegations and I said no we all grew up together. We are doing in the struggle for a better Plateau together with them.

[00:28:26]If there are changes now and things are happening that we do not understand don't you think we should bring them and ask question?

[00:28:33]So the meeting now we should do. We held another meeting and held it even in the bush. We invited and they came.

[00:28:40]All of them came. Wow.

[00:28:41]>> They took the risk of coming. We gathered in the bush inside the in a valley in a mountain and asked ourselves question.

[00:28:49]Why are you people conspiring against us now? Mhm. What >> And when they gave their answers That was 2010. 2010. We looked stupid.

[00:28:58]They said yes if you are raising allegations of mercenaries it is true there are mercenaries.

[00:29:05]But if we report the mercenaries to who do we go? And when we give the report where do we go thereafter?

[00:29:14]Mhm. Which is evidence that the good people are also now captives among them >> among these people. So even if they give you intelligence Yes if they give intelligence >> They may be exposed. Very good. And they won't get protection.

[00:29:28]>> So so if you hold such a meeting and you did not invite them what type of peace are you looking for?

[00:29:36]They are looking for genuine peace.

[00:29:39]But with due respect most most of those people invited are highly respected elders in Plateau. But, we needed a more uh inclusive >> Inclusive, inclusive.

[00:29:52]>> Yes, across to be able to discuss the issue. And the time given to it was even not enough. It looks like the uh government is even not serious. Such a thing could have lasted Mhm. for a day or two.

[00:30:08]Mhm.

[00:30:08]>> Because the Plateau issue is older than every other crisis in this country.

[00:30:14]>> Yeah. It started in 2001, after Kaduna.

[00:30:18]And had been lingering and changing dimensionally from uh crisis in the city to now uh the killings of uh it went to herder-farmers conflict. From there, it now metamorphosed into a non-government. From the non-government government now, we are dealing with uh another dimension of terrorism Mhm.

[00:30:45]that has changed in the last few months because the attacks now are no more in the rural areas, Mhm. but the terrorists drove with uh impunity into the city of Jos >> Jos. and killed people and left.

[00:31:01]Interesting. Well, so so in your own view, I mean, it's a good thing that you you yourself have served in the federal cabinet uh 2015 to 2019. What Why do you think this problem of insecurity is so persistent generally in the country, especially in Plateau?

[00:31:16]Is it that of There is nothing more more than two things, impunity and lack of political will.

[00:31:25]In Plateau, when it started, government used to set up commission of inquiry.

[00:31:32]Mhm. We have about four to five reports. Yeah, even much more. Yeah.

[00:31:38]>> Yes, of those commissions.

[00:31:40]With recommendation and indictment, no single person has been punished. No single person has been prosecuted. I had even advised this governor that look, now that some of these things have been abandoned over time, you need symbolic justice. Mhm.

[00:32:02]Revisit all these reports. Mhm.

[00:32:05]All those people indicted should also be prosecuted and then you grant them amnesty and drop the case. I said, "Okay, No more. This is no more.

[00:32:18]We are not going to tolerate this from anybody again."

[00:32:22]But, how do you explain this where somebody who killed my relations, who burned my village, a commission of inquiry indicted them, they are still moving freely.

[00:32:35]>> Freely.

[00:32:36]And you expect me to be happy and live confidently in that type of society. It's one of the reasons. Secondly, the government had not addressed some of the um root causes of this crisis. Government has not addressed it.

[00:32:57]There is communal component of the crisis, which government needed to have frontally tackled it.

[00:33:07]That has not been addressed. It has just been whitewashed.

[00:33:11]There is also the issue of poverty, hunger, and unemployment. Mhm. Where young people who are now uh unemployed for a very long time, graduates for so many years, Mhm.

[00:33:27]now find uh criminality looking more appealing.

[00:33:33]Mhm. Even when ordinarily, I mean, culture of the Plateau would uh frown at such things. But, because of the adverse effect of hunger, young people in there now go into it.

[00:33:46]So, when you look at the if you review the the criminal pattern Mhm. of what is happening in the Plateau, just like the the the the last week in Langtang, five uh four young men went and killed a traditional ruler and took his motorcycle. Mhm.

[00:34:05]They were later arrested and the people administered substantive justice, even though some people call it jungle, but to me it's substantive. They were administered substantive justice. They were interrogated popularly and they admitted, "Oh, we we killed including a a cousin of the traditional ruler. He led the people. These are not Fulani. To to attack the Yes, to kill the traditional ruler. These are not Fulani.

[00:34:34]Interesting. So >> So you can see the dimension it is now taking. And they used arms.

[00:34:39]If they were not arrested, would have tempted to think that it was Fulani.

[00:34:44]Mhm.

[00:34:45]And and and the substantive justice, quote unquote, which you speak of is to is to do what? They kill them or what?

[00:34:51]>> Well, no, the people there, you see, in fact, they were taking the traditional ruler. When they arrested them, they were taken to the paramount ruler. So, the paramount ruler, after listening to them with the police, said the police should take them.

[00:35:04]So, police were on their way. Suddenly, the Supreme Court of the people of instant justice Mhm. sat immediately there. They just overwhelmed the police and told them, "This your process is going to last for a very long time. This type of crime deserves instant justice.

[00:35:25]So, we are conducting investigation here, a trial, conviction, and execution of the judgment." Which is uh which is part of the problem that we have when impunity persists for for for Very good because people have lost confidence in the judicial system. Wow.

[00:35:41]>> So, they they they overwhelmed the police and the police were running for their dear lives because the crowd that enveloped from nowhere was more than even the entire police in the division. Kai.

[00:35:56]From nowhere.

[00:35:57]They just And this was recently? Last week.

[00:36:00]In uh In Langtang. Langtang. It has It has been trending. So, you can see how we are moving gradually. Very soon, indigenous elements will be involved in terrorism.

[00:36:15]They will be involved in kidnapping because they are now going to kill because of motorcycle.

[00:36:19]Mhm. So, government has to deal with the issue of hunger, poverty, and unemployment. The youth, if not given attention, I assure you one day this country will go in flames. It is a very serious problem, Honorable Minister, because, you know, I'm sure I mean, even the passion with which you reported and, of course, anybody that has a milk of human kindness, these things are very troubling, which is why I want to ask you this question. And it's a question that I I keep on asking myself. Many of us joined the change movement in 2015, 2014 because we believed that Buhari can solve the security problem. How do you feel that that problem was left after 8 years significantly in my view. How do you How do you feel, Honorable Minister? I I've been living with uh the ghost of my contribution in bringing Buhari's government because I had the conviction that by now Nigeria would have been competing with Dubai.

[00:37:19]Mhm. So, I invested almost every effort in it.

[00:37:24]But, I realized that integrity alone Mhm. is not enough.

[00:37:34]>> It's not enough to transform a society. Buhari has the integrity, which was what we went for. Mhm. A personal integrity >> Personal integrity >> of himself.

[00:37:44]>> himself. Because but in some of the people around him No, no, no, no, no.

[00:37:48]Himself alone cannot run a country. And majority of those who were around him, whom he depended on even to convey his instruction, were not people who believe in him. Mhm. So, Buhari's government was hijacked immediately after the declaration because I used >> After the victory, you mean? Yes, after he was declared the winner, winner, the government was hijacked immediately because on the day he was declared winner, I was together with him in his office when President Jonathan called him. Called him. And we were together.

[00:38:24]>> You were there? Yes. So, and I usually see him 12:00 midnight then.

[00:38:29]So, I went that day by 12:00 to see him and I was blocked from entering the house.

[00:38:36]A house which I've always been there in the distance for years. So, who were the people that blocked you? Do they Were they new faces? You didn't know you before? I I don't know if it's changed.

[00:38:46]I don't know whether they were new faces, but there were also old faces around. Around. They reinforced the blockage.

[00:38:54]So, I respected myself and warned myself that look, Wow.

[00:38:59]>> something fundamental has happened. So, I walked away. And as I was walking away, I called somebody in Kaduna. And then that person because I called the president, he couldn't pick.

[00:39:09]>> Yeah. So, I called somebody in Kaduna and he called one of the people. And this happened in Abuja?

[00:39:15]>> In Abuja.

[00:39:16]I said on that day he was declared in the night. Mhm. So, You called somebody in Kaduna, you are saying.

[00:39:23]>> I called somebody in Kaduna and that person in Kaduna now called one of the aides.

[00:39:29]So, that one would rush and told the president what has happened.

[00:39:33]So, Buhari now yelled at them and asked the police they should look for me. I I already on my way Leaving.

[00:39:41]>> Leaving. So, they now called me and I came back. I saw him. And he apologized.

[00:39:45]So from that day That day. I knew something fundamentally had happened and it continued sequentially to when we even came to government and it now reflect itself at a larger proportion where even we that were very close to him Mhm.

[00:40:05]we are now seen as the people over whom he did the favor to.

[00:40:10]Go ahead. Meanwhile, I had a personal relationship with him. I had a personal covenant with Buhari. Mhm. I didn't I didn't look for Buhari. It was Buhari who picked his phone and called me and said, "Come."

[00:40:23]And I joined him. He said, "Come, let's do politics together. We think alike."

[00:40:27]And he said, "I know you very well.

[00:40:29]You have a very toxic mouth and you don't spare anybody. Please don't spare me."

[00:40:34]I will not spare Buhari even in death.

[00:40:37]Mhm. Because he didn't we didn't the covenant before he died. He never died.

[00:40:40]Interesting, you know, I'll give a narration that supports what you just said and then I'll ask you a final question.

[00:40:49]So I have also heard a story. This also happened the day was declared. As a matter of fact, the Secretary of State of the United States government, Senator John Kerry wanted to put a call through to congratulate the newly announced president.

[00:41:05]And the the the person who picked his phone You know, this must have happened the same day you went there.

[00:41:12]The person who picked his phone was one of the people who later became the cabal from Benue Borno State whose name I will mention just to And this person did not support the campaign. This person was actually reported several times as in that the man cannot win.

[00:41:29]But when John Kerry called to say congratulations, this was the person that picked the phone and like I said, eventually became a top notch member of of of the cabal. So I wanted to ask you in your comparison of what you experienced of the Buhari cabinet and what we are seeing of Tinubu cabinet do you think there is a difference because Yes, you know, I I had your view about the removal of of of Edu.

[00:42:02]But if he he fired a minister Buhari didn't fire anybody really except I think Maman the second time.

[00:42:11]What is your assessment of the difference especially because I know that you yourself you had issues with the cabal.

[00:42:19]Well, I think Buhari should be canonized as a political saint. Mhm. Because Buhari is very very tolerant.

[00:42:30]In Buhari's first cabinet we were five.

[00:42:34]We could engage with the president Mhm.

[00:42:37]>> confront him and also do remind him that look, this was not what we promised Nigeria. And he would listen.

[00:42:46]And at the end of the day, if we have superior arguments, he would go with us.

[00:42:51]Mhm. Yes, that was Buhari.

[00:42:54]Shittu Keyamo Yeah, [snorts] that's Adebayo Shittu Adebayo Shittu who was the minister Keyamo Ngige, Solomon Dalung, >> [clears throat] >> Audu Ogbeh These were people that never gave Buhari a breathing space Mhm. when issues are at stake.

[00:43:13]I remember one day Shittu Adebayo took the president through memory lane.

[00:43:20]Mhm. Reminded him of how many times we contested election and lost. Reminded him of the investment of the poor and concluded with the question whether the poor were happy with us. Was this uh the cabinet meeting or an informal meeting?

[00:43:35]Entire cabinet meeting. All of us were sitting cabinet.

[00:43:39]So Buhari could talk. If it was Tinubu, many of us would have BEEN SACKED.

[00:43:44]>> [laughter] >> OKAY, I SEE. So for Buhari I think Buhari meant well.

[00:43:50]But unfortunately, meaning well is not enough. Mhm. I cannot exonerate him because he campaigned to change this country.

[00:44:00]Mhm. He might have done his best but I mean the expectation and the impression he created to Nigerians is what is the problem. But Buhari is far far far better than Tinubu.

[00:44:14]Mhm. Buhari can engage you and make a decision. It is implementation that the cabal will hijack.

[00:44:21]Mhm.

[00:44:22]Buhari you you can meet Buhari with an issue. You would even listen to it. If it's a proposal, he will approve. If he wants you to come and help him, he will say, "This your idea, can you come in and help me?"

[00:44:36]He will say yes. He will approve your appointment.

[00:44:40]But the cabal will change your name and put another person's name.

[00:44:47]How they do this is they always type such letters.

[00:44:52]If it's two pages Mhm. the first page is where your name will be. Yeah. The second page is where the president will sign. So they would type page one into two copies.

[00:45:04]Two different copies.

[00:45:05]>> Two different copies. One containing the name of their own interest. So they would take it to president. The president will sign.

[00:45:13]After signing, they will come back and attach their original interest. But that's criminal.

[00:45:19]They have committed treason even. Mhm.

[00:45:22]Treasonable offenses.

[00:45:23]>> Why did you think Buhari tolerated all of that?

[00:45:26]You see, Buhari realized that he was a captive. Mhm.

[00:45:31]One of the the last time I saw him we held a heart-to-heart discussion. At the end of the day, we were all in tears. Oh.

[00:45:41]That was the last time I saw him. All in tears because we had left government.

[00:45:44]No. Buhari was still He was still in president.

[00:45:48]We were all in tears because we all agreed that we had failed Nigerians.

[00:45:52]And I told him I said, "Look, sir, you need to do something. If you don't do anything, if you continue like this, the day you will leave office, when they call your name, Nigerians will start crying. Things are not well." When I analyzed insecurity to him.

[00:46:09]He said, "Was it as bad as that?" I said, "Don't believe me. Mobilize brigade of guards tomorrow.

[00:46:16]I will follow you. Let's go to Dauran by road. I assured you bandits will open fire on us."

[00:46:21]Wow. Six months later he went to Dauran and immediately he arrived in his house in Dauran, 1 hour later, they kidnapped 300 students behind in the in the his neighborhood local government. When his convoy was returning, they opened fire on on the convoy. Yes, so Buhari is somebody who is a very good person but his goodness can only be determined by the environment around him. He is like water. If you pour in a calabash, it take the form of a calabash. If you pour in a cup, it take the form of a cup. So he was unfortunate to have a very >> around him.

[00:46:57]>> ambitious cabal that even look block everybody. Buhari loved his vice president very very well. Yeah. But Osinbajo an an excellent gentleman. I think maybe but And there you have it a segment Inside Sources. We'll be right back.

[00:47:16]>> [music] >> Welcome back. In this segment, I'm going to have a quick conversation with the national youth leader of the Young Progressive Party as we're going to be looking at the role the party intends to play in 2027 especially because of its youth base.

[00:47:36]I'd like to welcome for the first time to Inside Sources Mr. Oluyombo Bimga Solomon. My brother, welcome to Inside Sources. Thank you very much, I'm happy to be here on Inside Sources.

[00:47:47]Excellent. Um so if I ask you where do you think Nigeria is going where is our future?

[00:47:56]If you look at it today, what what would be your view?

[00:47:59]Well, um as of today, Nigeria doesn't look like a country that has a future because of the people at the helm of affairs. The leaders at the helm of affairs as of today uh make it very difficult for us to be able to project.

[00:48:12]And look back then, when they used to have Vision 2020 and Vision 2010 and all of that. Right now, no one has any vision for any time. Wow. Because I mean, the things is not looking like a trial and error government where you just try new things and if it doesn't work, you run back to the old. That is not that's that's not how you build a country. There must be systemic growth and there must be plan to how you want to grow a nation. And currently, this current government doesn't look like a government that's leading us to the future. So for now, there is no future up until the right hands begins coming to government. That's when we begin to think of a future for the country. So so so if if if if you were to be asked that what do you think is the worst thing that is affecting the future of the country especially as far as this administration is concerned? Planning.

[00:48:58]The bad planning. So one of the reasons why I said the bad planning is you see, we are trying to grow a country and we know that on paper, we are not said to be one of the richest countries. But in in reality, following the natural resources we have, we are supposed to be one of the richest countries in the world. Mhm. So yes, we are an African nation. We are not yet developed and all that. Only a few of us are geniuses that can actually develop a nation. Now, we have the wrong people at the helm of affairs like I said, they are putting round holes in square pegs and square pegs in round holes. So it will never fit. It will never match. Now, imagine that the president if I was the president, what I would have done specially is to drive in foreign investment, to drive in foreign partners to come and help build our natural resources. Because all we just need to do is refine those natural resources, actually process them, and make Nigeria work every for everybody. First thing I'm supposed to do is I heard and it's on paper now that the president of in his three year over 79 trillion naira. If I were the president, I know that the electrical power to do electrical solution is power. And one of the major things to drive economic growth in the country is power. Two things I'll focus on, electricity and security. In for electricity, I'm going to make sure that I make a total overhaul of the whole electrical situation in Nigeria. I'm going to actually make a broadcast to the public and tell them, "Please, I need just say two three months to work on this." So, it means I'll have a total blackout for close to two three months. But after then, there'll be light at the end of the tunnel. You cannot keep telling the country to wait that you're working on something that you don't see working. The country is growing slim.

[00:50:34]In fact. So, for the electrical No, good. The the major thing I'll first focus on is electrical power. I know that yes, there's always been sabotage.

[00:50:43]There's been People have always gone to vandalize those products. So, two things I'll focus on, like I said, concurrently that will work hand in hand, electrical problem and equally security.

[00:50:52]The security I'll declare state of emergency. It's not declaring state of emergency on governors that will delay the people. This is something affecting the nation. No No insurgency is bigger than the nation if the government is ready to take it out. So, if I am If it means me going to sign major deals to get ammunitions, going to sign deals to close the up to borders, and make sure those that are in, you flush them out, and nobody comes in. And if you are coming in, make sure your borders are very strict.

[00:51:18]That way, you cannot begin to bring the confidence of um foreign investors. I have I mean, I know a lot of um foreign investors who used to used to be in Nigeria. They left in this short space of time. And the reason they left is because their people are not secure.

[00:51:30]Look at place like United like the American Embassy leaving Abuja.

[00:51:34]And one of the one of the one of the reasons why why they said that is insecurity, the security problem, and all that. So, if you can bring in investors' confidence by fixing the security and power, that way, the country will grow. You see all this fixing of the coastal highway, doing elephant projects, and all that.

[00:51:52]It will come as CSR from businesses that have come to stay. Because it will equally help their own business, too.

[00:51:58]So, it's just about planning right. And that's why I said they're very bad at planning. That's all. Yeah, but but when you said that you can solve the that your party can solve the power problem in three months, you shut down the whole country. What will happen in those three months? So, what we're going to do is we're going to overhaul the whole system. First things first, if you notice our power bill is on this I don't think you can do it in three months. Yes, okay. So, I will beg the country because right now it has to be a thing of negotiation, and we all have to take sacrifices. So, in the space of three to six months, max one year, we are going to make sure we focus fully on this electrical problem. And the reason for it is simple. Everything we do as a nation, as a people, is all turned around electricity. We also say producing green energy and all that. So, if we're still going the old way, it is better we go the old way in mass. Well, imagine Nigeria is generating about maybe 2,000 3,000 megawatts for the whole nation. This is what some states use for. Some countries were states.

[00:52:51]So, it will not work that way. So, imagine Nigeria as a as a nation generating up to like 30,000 megawatts.

[00:52:58]We will be smiling. And that way, cost of production is going to reduce drastically. And that is why for me, I believe so much in people like because you know, when people like um ex-Senator Peter Obi talks, he talks about production. And you know you can produce is when you have power. When you have security.

[00:53:17]Yeah, you so for me, Peter Obi currently is an IDP, displaced politician. Yeah, because we've seen that the ADC is a no-go area.

[00:53:25]And I am very sure, using my head in politics to know to judge, that they will not give them back the ADC.

[00:53:32]We already know there's a police cordon that will under the ADC.

[00:53:35]Because look at Nuhu Ribadu. He's organizing a congress or whatever you're organizing, and you're the only person at the podium. Nobody there at the podium. So, it means there's a police cordon that will for the ADC not to work. Now, which other party is likely for people like Peter Obi to go? Then I feel Nigerians are going to listen to him. This is above my bias, but it's just because I believe the Young Progressives Party in 2023, if you had followed through, you would have seen that the people who gave ex-Senator Peter Obi the votes that he has today are the young people.

[00:54:05]When he visited Kano, the people that were shouting Obi Kwankwaso were young people.

[00:54:09]So, and there's a party that carries the young ideology. If I were him, I'll quietly go, sit down with the leaders of the party, and then find solution.

[00:54:19]Yes, because if you look at it, even before he came, or even before his emergence as Peter Obi, we had won elections in 2019, 2023, and I'm not going to in 2023 Oh, of course we won senatorial seats to send to Abuja. We won In Anambra. In Anambra, we won numerous House of Reps, numerous of assemblies.

[00:54:40]We won assembly, and we won reps number reps seats in a We came second out of too many Don't forget that our election was election where they almost had to do a a rerun of a whole two about two local governments in Akwa Ibom. In the 2023. Yes, in 2023 that just passed. So, we are not relatively a new party. And we have widespread You're basically offering your platform to Mr. Peter Obi. 100%. Is that the decision of your party or your whole idea? As a national working committee member of the party, I have sampled the opinion of a lot of NWC members, too. And I know that we are all thinking in the because sir, let me tell you, if we do not put our hands together to fix Nigeria now, this is the last I believe that this is the last shot at fixing Nigeria.

[00:55:26]If after now, Nigeria is not fixed, trust me.

[00:55:31]Don't forget that almost a generation is wasted. So, let me give you an instance.

[00:55:34]Imagine a 40-year-old man the year Buhari became president. That's eight years.

[00:55:39]And we allow another eight years of bad governance. That will be already 16 years. 16 years added to a 40-year-old man 56 His whole life is wasted.

[00:55:51]Mhm. So, if we do not put our feet on the ground and make sure this works for the country, we are gone.

[00:55:58]Why I can say someone like Osinbajo, yes, it was under a failed government because left to me, for all that I care, the Buhari government was a failed government. But people like Osinbajo, it's simple.

[00:56:07]We saw what he did in six months when Buhari was not around.

[00:56:10]And those are the things we must look out for. What I'm very particular about Peter Obi, he's talking production. We saw what he did in the education sector in Anambra. We saw what Kwankwaso has done. So, we must begin to learn to pick our leaders from now. Else, there will be big problem for the future. Okay.

[00:56:25]Very very interesting one. Last question, does that mean that the Labour Party will not have a presidential candidate in 2027? I'm not No, I mean, I'm not the national chairman of the party. I'm not the president Yes, I'm waiting for him to come because that's the platform that fits him.

[00:56:41]I I am not going to hold brief for the whole NWC.

[00:56:46]But of course, people will come. We allow them. I mean, because we allow people like Kingsley Moghalu, is why Nigerians could actually say, "Oh, there's a Moghalu somewhere that is actually brilliant, that is smart, that can give Nigerians solution." So, of course, Labour Party is open to people to come. But I personally am offering the Labour Party to someone like ex-Senator Peter Obi. Just imagine, sir.

[00:57:04]Can you Can you imagine someone like Peter Obi who got over 6 million votes of young people coming to the Young Progressives Party. You see that we're now beginning to fix squares in squares and ovals in ovals.

[00:57:15]Excellent conversation.

[00:57:17]I'm sure that we're going to be having more opportunities to talk about this.

[00:57:20]And we're going to see what the Labour Party is going to do.

[00:57:24]If Mr. Peter Obi will actually take the offer, depending on what happens to ADC.

[00:57:29]I mean, we all know the ADC won't stand a chance. All right.

[00:57:31]Thank you so much, Mr. William Bo Bring Us Home Solomon. Thank you. Thank you for the vibrancy of of of the youth.

[00:57:38]And thank you for for for your very clear views about the future of the country and how best to get there. And thank you for coming to Inside Sources.

[00:57:45]Thank you very much, sir. All right. And there you have it on another edition of Inside Sources. Like we always say, Nigeria will prevail. It means Nigeria will win. Probably because we will keep pushing at the major issues. Thank you for watching. My name is Laolu Akonde.

[00:57:57]And by the grace of God, I'll see you at the next edition.

[00:58:02]>> [music]