RIPPLES NIGERIA
Veteran journalist and publisher of Ovation International magazine, Dele Momodu, has criticized President Bola Tinubu for allegedly surrounding himself with aides who are afraid to tell him the truth about the real situation in Nigeria.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain who made the assertion during an interview with Arise TV on Thursday night, said Tinubu is “surrounded by liars who fail to admit to him the poor state of governance in the country.”
In a video of the interview he posted on his X handle, the one time presidential aspirant lamented that Nigeria has never been this bad and that the cause of the government’s failure is due to its constant waste of resources.
Commenting on the reason behind the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests across the country, Momodu said:
“To ask a question ‘is there bad governance in Nigeria?’ I don’t think that is in doubt. Every Nigerian agrees on that.”
Continuing further, he said: “And I say it including the aides of Mr. President who cannot say it in his presence but they grumble behind him. I say it everywhere. He is my friend, he is my big brother and if anybody will deceive him, I will remain the only one who will continue to tell him that you’re surrounded by liars.
“Nigeria has never been this bad. The reason why I would say this government is failing is because number one, they’ve not been able to check the profligacy that goes on in government in Nigeria.
“What I would expect President Tinubu to do and for him to be able to assure the nation that he means well for the nation, it’s not about throwing money around.
“I expect him to say today, I am merging some of the ministries. As long as you meet the constitutionally required number of ministries, then cut off the rest.
“Number two, all these excesses. Everyday, they are awarding appointments like popcorn. You can’t run Nigeria the way you ran Lagos state. In Lagos, it’s just a state and because it’s a state and a very wealthy one at that, you can afford that.
“But nationally, the level of poverty in Nigeria does not allow that. Then, all this living large, outlandish lifestyle, you want to buy a presidential jet, you want to build multi-billion naira homes, stop it now.
