ASO ROCK WATCH: As presidency knocks Atiku again. Two other talking points

The Presidency recently knocked the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, for allegedly misrepresenting facts on the ongoing Lagos-Calabar highway project.

Two other stories from the National Assembly (NASS), were also tracked for your reading pleasure.

1. Another presidential knock on Atiku

On April 8, the Presidency faulted Atiku’s claim that the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project was bereft of transparency in the contract award.

“Seeking to be a killjoy, Atiku Abubakar engaged in red-herring by raising ill-thought-out allegations that only exposed his inadequacies and those of his team in getting the basic facts on an issue he badly seeks to nail the government,” a statement from the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, read in part.

The constant exchange between Atiku and the Presidency speaks to the beauty of democracy, as holding government accountable through interrogation of policies and programmes is a key ingredient in building sustainable societies.

While Atiku’s moves might be seen as the stuff of opposition politics, and his intentions far from altruistic, the quest for transparency must be appreciated as an invaluable contribution to the search for transparency in our national live.

On the hand, it shows that Tinubu’s spin-doctors are yet to adopt the principle of addressing the ‘message’ rather than attacking the ‘messenger’.

Two other talking points

2. Tinubu’s call for unity

Tinubu, on April 12, tasked the Federal Government, State Governors, and members of the National Assembly to unify and collaborate more in order to achieve national development goals.

READ ALSO:ASO ROCK WATCH: On Nigeria’s ‘leadership elephantiasis’, and one other talking point

Speaking on Tinubu’s behalf, Vice President Kashim Shettima, who received state governors and the leadership of the National Assembly in Lagos, said: “Let us unite, rally around our leader, and catapult this nation to a greater pedestal. By December, I hope we will have cause to celebrate. Let us coalesce to take the nation to a greater pedestal.”

The President’s call reignites the search for unity, and cohesion in addressing national challenges.

Indeed, it elevates the discourse on why leaders at all levels must shelve divisions along ethnic, party, and religious lines, and channel their energies to the issues of governance and national building drawing from the strength of each other.

It is, however, incumbent on Tinubu to lead from the front by ensuring that all his administrative policies, and programmes are laced with fairness, justice, and equity.

3. Have faith in my government, remain patriotic – Tinubu

On April 10, Tinubu urged Nigerians to have faith in his government and protect Nigeria’s integrity.
“We must continue to protect the integrity of our government and leadership,” he said when he joined the Muslim faithful to observe Eid-el-Fitr prayers in Lagos.

Tinubu’s charge serves as a reminder to Nigerians that building a nation of their dreams does not demand the sole effort of the government, but theirs as well.

His charge, no doubt, may serve to restore hope to many countrymen who have had to endure hardship that has characterised the administration.

What Tinubu continues to do or fails to do will determine, if the masses will completely write off his administration like some hardcore critics have already done.

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