Kazeem Owoseni
The former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, has appealed to Nigerians, to be patient with President Bola Tinubu.
Ishiomhole made this call while speaking on the current situation in Nigeria, during a Channels Television programme “Sunday Politics.”
While urging the people to take it easy with Tinubu’s government, the former NLC boss noted that “Tinubu is not a magician,” he said, adding that he can not do everything overnight.
“They know they were not electing a magician. And nobody promised a magical solution.”
“You don’t need to give me an example. I know what we (APC) promised more than you who was reporting it.
“Whatever you reported, we were the source. We did not promise a 24-hour solution. We did not promise miracles. We did not promise an overnight solution.
“You show me any document that says in 48 hours, this will be done. In 14 days, this should be done. In 21 days, this should be done,” Oshiomhole said.
He added that, “I think you are the one who has the illusion that once a promise is made, automatically once you get into office, either spiritually or by miracles, solutions will emerge.”
While commending Tinubu on his ability to take some strategic steps since the inception of his government, Oshiomhole said what Nigeria needs is a courageous leader and Tinubu is that person.
The Senator said since the removal of subsidy on petrol, the president has taken steps to address the impacts of the decision.
“What Nigeria needs is what President Tinubu has demonstrated – the courage to make decisions and to be humble to admit some of the unintended consequences of those decisions, and, the will to deal with those consequences, and he has put in place instruments to deal with them,” he stated.
Faulting the N30,000 minimum wage in the country, Oshiomhole said it as a “criminal wage”.
“What we call minimum wage is a criminal wage,” he said. “If you exchange N30,000 at N800 or N700 to the dollar, what does that translate to? So, the value of that minimum wage when it was N125 – when it was first introduced under, I think, (Shehu) Shagari’s government – is about two times or three times the value many years later, even in the public service,” he maintained.
