Promises made by Yemi Osinbajo in his declaration speech are not new. The current administration, which he serves as the Vice President, said most of these things during the election campaigns in 2015 and 2019.
After months of speculation, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo finally declared his intention to run for the Office of the President in the 2023 general elections.
Mr Osinbajo made his intention public in a 6 minutes 56 seconds video posted on his official social media platforms this morning.
“I am today, with utmost humility, formally declaring my intention to run for the Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the platform of the All Progressive Congress,” he said.
He then highlighted the functions he has performed in his capacity as the Vice President for the past 7 years and the many places he has visited.
He stated he has interacted with people from different sectors – techpreneurs, those in the entertainment industries, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) owners, Nigeria’s gallant troops, and displaced persons, among others.
According to him, his experiences, insights, and opportunities would be put to use for the country and its great people.
Dataphyte has compiled some key areas that the Vice President noted he will focus on if given the opportunity to lead.
Security and Intelligence
First, he mentioned he will “radically transform the security and intelligence architecture”. Considering the current state of insecurity in the country, more than ever, security is paramount to Nigerians, and the Vice President has highlighted this in his speech. Last year, Nkasi Wodu, a peacebuilding practitioner, noted that Nigeria’s security forces are ill-equipped to tackle the frequent clashes between non-state actors. In recent times, there have been a lot of concerns from citizens about the increasing insecurity in the country, ranging from terrorism to armed banditry, kidnapping for ransom, and random violent attacks across the country. So, it remains to be seen what different approach Vice President Osinbajo will take to end the many crises that have worsened in the last 7 years of President Buhari and his principal’s administration.
Justice Reform
The Vice President also spoke on “completing the reform of the justice system and focusing on adequate remuneration and welfare of judicial personnel, and [also] ensuring that there is justice for all and there is the observance of rule of law”. In 2020, while speaking at a webinar, the Vice President advocated for new reforms in the judicial process, particularly as it pertains to the appointment of judges to the Bench. There have also been calls to separate the Office of the Attorney General from that of the Minister of Justice. It is probable that this consideration resurfaces under Osinbajo’s judicial reforms.
Infrastructure
Third, Osinbajo mentioned his plans for the country’s infrastructure. According to him, he will rapidly advance infrastructure development, especially power, roads, railways, and broadband connectivity. Last year at the Glasgow COP 26 high-level side event on improving global infrastructure, President Buhari stated Nigeria needs $1.5 trillion to fix the infrastructure gap over the next ten years.
Poverty Alleviation
Interestingly, the Vice President also mentioned that he will complete the promise of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty within a decade. This is an often touted promise by his principal, President Muhammadu Buhari, yet, exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis, double-digit inflation, and the collapse in oil prices, poverty levels in Nigeria have risen in the last 2 years of President Buhari’s administration. The World Bank estimates that the number of poor persons in Nigeria will rise to 95.1 million this year.
Tech Economy
Mr Osinbajo also stated that his administration will create a tech economy that will provide jobs for millions of young Nigerians. Currently, the tech sector is booming in Nigeria, with Lagos ranked as Africa’s leading tech hub, and the ICT sector being the fastest growing in Nigeria — constituting the second-largest share of the Total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by sector (over 15%) in 2020.
Education
The Vice President further stated that he will ensure all Nigerians, male and female, attend school and that he will reform the educational system for relevance to the challenges of this century. Data shows there has been a decline in the enrollment ratio in upper secondary schools in Nigeria. In 2018, only 38.7% of the population of upper secondary education age enrolled in schools across the country.
Business Environment
Osinbajo also said that he will provide an excellent environment for businesses to thrive and make sure that the government, its agencies, and regulators serve business communities. Recall that in 2016, President Buhari’s administration established the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), which according to the Minister of Information and Culture, has, as at March 2022, implemented over 150 reforms which improved Nigeria’s business landscape, moving the country up the ladder in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index. However, with the Bank’s recent discontinuation of its Ease of Doing Business Report which ranks countries according to their business regulation environment, Nigerians may be keen to see how Osinbajo’s administration will measure the impact of further regulatory reforms in the business sector.
Agriculture
The VP also promised to take the agricultural revolution to the next level, especially mechanisation and development of farms, to improve the agricultural value chain. Although agriculture remains Nigeria’s largest sector, contributing over 24% of the GDP in real terms in 2020, the sector remains crude and smallholder farmers carry out much of its economic activities, focusing on production rather than improving the value chain through, for example, Agro-processing, retail, marketing and the use of technology. As a result, agriculture contributes very little to Nigeria’s export revenues. After a failed attempt to revamp the sector through the Agriculture Promotion Policy (APP) 2016-2020, the current administration recently launched the National Agricultural Technology Innovation Policy (NATIP) 2021-2025. Perhaps, if elected, the Vice President would implement his reforms off the back of the new NATIP policy, which would still be in effect at the onset of his presidency, if he wins both the party ticket and the people’s votes.
Health
On health, Mr Osinbajo said he will double down on universal health coverage for all Nigerians. The right to good health is the fundamental right of every citizen, but this is not the case in Nigeria as millions of Nigerians do not have access to even the most basic healthcare. According to the latest data from the World Bank, Nigeria’s Universal Health Care (UHC) service coverage index score was 44 in 2019, which is way below the global average of 67, placing Nigeria at the lowest rung of UHC performance by country.
State and Local Government
Another key issue, he noted, was the strengthening of the capacity of states and local governments to deliver on their respective mandates. The Vice President has been an advocate for the strengthening of the other two tiers of government. Earlier this year, while speaking at an event in Plateau state, he stressed the need to interrogate the existence and functionality of the local governance structures in Nigeria, to strengthen them for better results.
Job Provision
According to him, the front and centre of his effort will be the provision of jobs and opportunities for young people. The latest unemployment figure in Nigeria stands at 33.3%, the highest in the last 10 years. With this high unemployment rate, Nigerians will want to see the blueprint of how Osibanjo will turn the tide if he succeeds President Buhari.
Many Nigerians have reacted to Osinbajo’s declaration video.
It is important to state that the issues and promises made by the Vice President in his declaration are not necessarily new. The current administration, under which he serves as the Vice President, also said most of these things, if not all, while campaigning for the votes of Nigerians in 2015 and 2019.