Nigerians Should Be Patient With Tinubu, Says Abiodun

Following the on-going #EndBadGovernanceProtests across the country, Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, in this interview on Channels Television, monitored by BIYI ADEGOROYE, itemises efforts being taken by President Bola Tinubu and state governors to reduce hunger in the country

Your Excellency you were one of the governors who led the private sector to meet with President Bola Tinubu after fuel subsidy removal last year, where the President spoke about the introduction of the CNG alternative. On Wednesday, we saw you riding on a CNG bike. Was that for pleasure or that the CNG thing is here with us?
Yes, you saw me riding the CNG bike, but let us take some steps back. Sometime last year, we launched our CNG Mass Transit Programme, which was basically the conversion of some of our state-owned buses to become CNG powered. This was because we knew that the President was going to deregulate and this was the posture of all the presidential candidates before the elections. Hence the state government as a responsible one had to move in that direction, hence we started that programme, knowing fully well that as soon as the vision becomes reality, it would affect the cost of transportation of people, goods and services.
So, what we did last October was to actualise and domesticate the Renewed Hope Initiative to begin to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal. That was our Phase One and Wednesday was Phase II which was our E-Mobility Launch which showcased electric motorbikes, electric tricycles and CNG tricycles and electric vehicles.
Yes, you saw me and I rode a bike, I used to ride one back in the day when I was probably your age, but more importantly, what we are trying to achieve is to reduce drastically, the cost of transportation, because when you deregulate, and particularly at this period in time when our people are agitating about food prices, one of the major elements that contribute to inflation is cost of transportation.
I recall today, Thursday, somebody called that he bought yam in Lagos at a particular price which was quite higher than what it was at Ikire. And you find out that the difference between the price in Lagos and that of Ikire was because of the cost of transportation. So, this is what we set out to achieve and I can see that we have been very successful in that objective. When we launched our CNG buses, it crashed the cost of transportation of our people, within Abeokuta and between Ogun State and Lagos, and actually forced down fare from that Mowe-Ibafo corridor to Lagos.
No, let me give you a practical example so you can properly understand the impact. On Wednesday, we launched the e-bike, and those e-bikes have no engines. All they have is a battery that makes it practically noiseless. The emission is zero, and it means that we are not polluting the environment in terms of environmental impact.
Now, we are now going to reduce the cost of transportation by around 45 per cent. All these e-bikes need is to have their batteries charged. Once they are charged, they will power the bikes for about 75 kilometres in a single charge. And we have charging stations located around the state where they can charge within two to three minutes, thereby creating another small economy for those at the sub-stations. In one breath, we are reducing the cost of transportation, and in another breath, we are reducing pollution and we are also building a small economy for those who would be managing the substations.
Let me give you another example. We also launched on Wednesday, a particular CNG-powered tricycle which hitherto travelled about 120 kilometre on fuel that would cost about N14,000. The one we launched will travel the same distance on CNG that will cost about N2,000 to power it. Like I said, all we do in Ogun State is to domesticate the Asiwaju solution, which means that regardless of the level of inflation, this will provide the cushion effect that will reduce cost of transportation.

Why is it that it is only Ogun State that is doing this? It is supposed to be done by all the 36 governors and the FCT, in order to ameliorate the effect of the subsidy removal?
Well, for us, we occupy a strategic position in the country. We are the closest to the financial capital of Nigeria. I also enjoy an advantage. I enjoy a large amount of gas stations in my state. The gas pipeline that goes all the way to Obajana in Kogi State passes through my state, and that has led to proliferation of industries in Ogun State because of access to power. So, for me, I took advantage of that.
It is not because of any special funding because we have not been given any special funding by the Federal Government. It is just because of the strategic location of my state and the proximity to Lagos, I realised that it was important for me to immediately cash in on this initiative and provide an alternative means of transportation that will cushion the effect of the deregulation brought to stop the muster that consumes N500 billion to N6 billion in a month in fuel subsidy as of then.

Governor Abiodun, as far back as about two months ago, there was a report that the Federal Government was going to give N10 billion to each state for CNG mass transit in order to reduce transportation costs. Are you saying that the money has not been disbursed?
You see, the problem with an average Nigerian is that we are very inpatient. From the announcement of a policy to its implementation, it takes a period of time. But they are working assiduously to ensure that what we are doing in the state is replicated across the country. But let me tell you something, the CNG case is not like the COVID case, like one size fits all. It takes some time to identify the type, make and model of vehicles, so it is taking that much time to put a system in place and I know they are working on it, such that they log on their site and indicate model of vehicle and where you are and at appropriate time, they will allocate a time to you, you will bring your vehicle for conversion to CNG. So, as time goes by, it will be commonplace in Nigeria,
So be rest assured that even though I am not trying to speak for them, but because I have the knowledge of what they are working on, and you can imagine what we have done in Ogun State which is a state of about 5, 000,000 people, as against the whole Nigeria where we have a population of about 190 million to 200 million people. I am sure that in another few months we will begin to appreciate the progress in many states. They are working on this CNG conversion thing and the President is particularly keen on ensuring that this scheme is successful.
Apart from the CNG buses, we understand that some transport organisations and unions are supposed to get some subsidy also with some CNG-enabled vehicles to help them with their transport businesses, and about three million households are supposed to get about N50,000 each, what are you doing to reduce the pressure on private people? Give us the sense what is going on, especially with this hunger and the protest today?
What I will say to Nigerians today boldly is that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has only been in office for a year and perhaps, three months. It takes more than 15 months to reverse a trend that permeated for a few years before his assumption of office. He has declared his principles and policies and as soon as he was inaugurated and assumed office, he began to implement these audacious policies. These are policies that previous administrations, perhaps were not bold to implement.
These policies have been applauded by development banks and organisations all over the world. It will take time for their impacts to begin to be felt by the common man. And he has promised, and on Wednesday, the Minister (of Finance and Cor-Ordinating Minister of the Economy) told all Nigerians that the President is aware of the current realities and he is working assiduously to make sure that he lived up to the expectations of our people.
When he assumed office and said that there was no going back to deregulation, he immediately began to give wage awards to all public servants. Only recently, he signed the Minimum Wage Act. That is a serious commitment. He has begun to implement the Students’ Loan Scheme. When last in the history of Nigeria had we seen the disbursement of students’ loans to students of tertiary institutions? They are also implementing schemes for the elderly across the entire country and wards, and these schemes are ongoing. He is giving out food palliatives through us governors, knowing that impacts of the policies are being felt, he is also giving our palliatives. Now they are removing import restrictions on certain food items, and as of this week, rice should begin to be sold to people at N40,000 per bag. He has provided agricultural input, fertilisers, maize, corn, sorghum, all within one year! What more do we expect from a man who we know has a proven track record? He was governor of Lagos State for eight years. Lagos is the size of many African countries put together.
You will agree that the current issue of inflation is not applicable to Nigeria alone. Yesterday there was a protest in Ghana, a protest in the UK and not long ago, in Kenya. Inflation is rising all over the world. As much as I appreciate that elected officials must look out for the wellbeing and welfare of our people, our President is doing his very best and he is committed, and I believe that what we must do is to allow him time so that we can see the impact of these policies.
The Naira has stabilised and with the recent intervention of Mr. President in the Dangote/NNPC issue which was made to appear like a controversy, that crude must be sold to Dangote Refinery and other refineries in Naira, you will see the reduction of pressure on Naira and Dollar and I am sure that you will see instant relief. That will reduce the exchange rate and over time you will see the multiplier effect on the economy.
The truth is that what we are going through now is like the pain of a woman who is trying to give birth. She will go through a lot of pain and at the end of the day when she gives birth, everyone is happy. So, I want to plead with Nigerians to give Mr. President and all of us time as well. He is doing everything he can, knowing that his number one role is to put food on our table. They are the one that brought him into office and he has said it so many times, that ‘Look, don’t pity me. I asked for this job. I campaigned for it. I invested to be President and this is the only job I have.’

There are those who would be asking that the cost of governance is one of the areas where the people would know that the government is listening to the agitation of the poor. There is this belief that we spend far too much of the lives of those who are in power while poverty is high in the country. Is there anything the government of the day will be doing in that respect?
Well, without a doubt, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration is a considerate one. This is the first time, and I am glad that my brother, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, who spoke with you earlier, alluded to such things, even though I do not agree with everything he said, that this government is a responsive one.
This is the first time there would be protest or civil disobedience and government would go all out to ensure that they engage with diverse groups, explain to them what government is doing, what government has done and what government intends to do, and by so doing, giving moral suasion, and different groups came out, dissociating themselves from the protest. That clearly indicated that this administration is one that is responsive to the needs of the people. So, I don’t think I need to say anything other than that.
Everything, the voices and cries of our people are being heard from the local government to the state governments, all to the Federal Government, and we are all working together. Last week, we met Mr. President; we hold the National Economic Council meeting once a month and we discuss the economy of the country and review our activities. I can tell you that the Nigeria of our dreams is just on the horizon. So, on the cost of governance, we have heard that you and Mr. President have directed that public servants should buy locally made vehicles, and such vehicles must be powered by CNG. Look, this is the first time we have a President who has his fingers on the button.