Tunji Bello, the Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), has explained that governing Nigeria poses different challenges compared to managing Lagos State.
Bello made this statement during an interview on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, which aired on Channels Television on Friday.
Reflecting on Tinubu’s tenure as Lagos State governor from 1999 to 2007, where Bello also served during his second term, he noted that while Tinubu had an “excellent performance” in Lagos, the federal level presents far more complex issues.
“What I know is that he [Tinubu] is somebody who fights for the interest of Nigerians at any point in time, just like he did when he was in Lagos,” Bello said.
However, he cautioned that replicating Lagos’ success nationwide would be difficult due to the unique nature of federal governance in Nigeria.
“Nigeria is a different thing entirely. So, we should not expect that what he did in Lagos, he should come and do the same thing [at the federal level],” Bello explained.
He pointed to the constraints of the federal system, including the Federal Character Principle, which ensures equitable distribution of government appointments and resources across different regions.
“There is nothing like Federal Character in Lagos. That itself is one of the things he has to surmount,” he added.
Bello also emphasised that Tinubu inherited “gargantuan problems,” citing issues related to infrastructure, petrol, insecurity, and labour.
Despite these obstacles, Bello expressed confidence in the president’s leadership. “If you ask me, I will say he has done very well, but we need to look at some areas and see how we can recalibrate.”
Looking ahead, Bello assured Nigerians that improvements would come in the next few years.
“He [Tinubu] just spent one year; only God can perform excellently well. In the next two, three years, I believe that we will see a lot of changes as we move on,” he said.
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