‘These things don’t work’ – Atiku’s aide dismisses Tinubu’s plan to establish Infrastructure Support Fund for 36 states

Demola Olarewaju, the Special Assistant, Digital Media Strategy to Atiku Abubakar, has dismissed the plan by President Bola Tinubu to establish an infrastructure Support Fund for the 36 states of the federation.

Olarewaju stated that the plan is yet another instance of public wastage arising from the skewed political structure of Nigeria.

According to him, Nigeria needs total restructuring, not plans for the country by the government at the centre.

He said policies from Abuja are watered down, distorted, and corrupted by sub-national governments and, ultimately, have zero effect on Nigerians.

His words:

I’m at the same time in my greatest feeling of both cynicism and resolve about the future of Nigeria with this announcement that Tinubu wants to establish an Infrastructure Support Fund (ISF) for the 36 States.

Cynicism that these things don’t work and resolve that the system must be changed.

Yet another instance of public wastage arising from the skewed political structure of Nigeria, and my cynicism about this same old approach is as strong as my resolve that only total restructuring of this order can change the country.

He noted that even with the military, previous ruthless decrees failed to work with the centre-to-state approach.

He added:

“If military leaders with all their brawn and extra-constitutional powers could not fix Nigeria from the centre, civilians will not.

“Atiku’s ideal remains the ruthless conviction of any true patriot – Nigeria should be restructured and regions or states should be given more powers to manage their affairs and develop at their own pace, as it was in the period when Nigeria enjoyed its most speedy and consistent growth.

“So I am cynical about anything coming from Abuja as a “solution”.

“Before it moves through Lokoja or Minna to the South or through Kaduna or Keffi to the North, it is watered down, distorted, corrupted, accidented and of zero effect to the ultimate beneficiaries – the suffering masses of Nigeria.”