Tinubu's Manifesto: A Closer Look

The All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, on Thursday, released an 80-page manifesto that highlights his proposed agenda for Nigeria.

The manifesto was officially unveiled by President Muhammadu Buhari while inaugurating the APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) in Abuja on Friday.

The 80-page action plan titled; “Renewed Hope 2023 – Action Plan for a Better Nigeria” focuses on national security, economy, agriculture, Power, oil and gas, transportation and education.

Other areas include; healthcare, digital economy, women empowerment, judicial reform, federalism/decentralisation of power and foreign policy.

Tinubu stated in the foreword that he and his running mate, Kashim Shettima, traversed the country, listening to the concerns of young and old, poor and rich, educated and uneducated, Christian and Muslim.

Their concerns, he said, boil down to the need for innovative solutions to today's challenging realities.

"I have traversed every part of our beloved nation, listening to the concerns of our fellow citizens.

"Young and old, poor and rich, educated and uneducated, Christian and Muslim; all have expressed their views and concerns.

"People do not seek superficial answers to hard questions. Nor do they want the broken, unimaginative, failed promises repackaged and fed to them again.

"They want true and innovative solutions which address the challenging realities of today.

Tinubu also made reference to his achievements while he was the governor of Lagos state and promised to do the same for Nigeria.

This he promised to achieve by "standing on the foundation emplaced by the current administration and fostering a new society based on shared prosperity, tolerance, compassion, and the unwavering commitment to treating each citizen with equal respect and due regard".

"When I was governor of Lagos, my team and I developed institutions and policies that changed the face of the state.

"What my team and I achieved in Lagos, together we all can achieve for Nigeria. "

A Renewed Hope?

Tinubu titled his action plan for a better Nigeria Renewed Hope, while also promising to build on the current administration's foundation.

However, only a broken hope can be rekindled.

While Tinubu promised to renew Nigerians' hopes, it is safe to assume that he is now admitting that those hopes have been dashed.

However, one might wonder how renewal can occur while standing on the foundation of the current administration.

His action plan cuts across the major areas of the country, focusing on National Security, Economy, Agriculture, Power, Oil and Gas, Transportation, Education, Healthcare, The Digital Economy, Sport, entertainment and culture, Youth empowerment and entrepreneurship, Women empowerment, Social programs, Judicial reforms, Federalism/Decentralisation of Power and Foreign Policy.

On National Security, he promises to fight terror, banditry, kidnapping and violent agitation by mobilising the totality of the country's national security; military and law enforcement assets to protect all Nigerians from danger and from the fear of danger. 

This he plans to achieve by bolstering the security forces, Redefining Military Doctrine and Practice, Securing Critical National Infrastructure, Securing Borders, Safe Forests, Integrating Identity Database, Collaborating with international partners and Repositioning the Police.

For the economy, Tinubu promises the approach of prosperity, a structural model in which youth shall become a 
leading catalyst driving the economic resurgence.

Here, he highlighted four important policies viz, Fiscal policy, Monetary policy, industrial policy and Housing policy.

On Agriculture, Tinubu plans to continue the progress of the current administration by enhancing agricultural productivity, agro-allied industry, food security and farm incomes.

Grain Reserves and Food Storage, Commodity Boards, Rural Infrastructural Development, Irrigation and Water Catchment, Access to Finance, Farm Cooperatives, and Large-scale Land Clearing are all the listed points of action to enhance the country's agricultural productivity.

Tinubu acknowledges that the country's growth continues to be stifled by the structural constraints of the power sector. 

His plan here is to also "build on the foundation laid by President Buhari’s Presidential Power Initiative, among other important interventions, to put in place prudent, practical measures that will improve the situation today and make the 
power sector viable and sustainable for all Nigerians moving forward". 

Tinubu also plans to eliminate Estimated Billing, meet Generation and Transmission Targets, Support For Domestic Manufacturing of Electricity Meters, Renew Energy Plan, Rural Electrify Rural areas, create Nigeria's First Power Policy, and reform the Power Sector Governance.

For Oil and Gas, Tinubu plans to create an industry which successfully utilises its vast resources, takes advantage of high oil prices to generate necessary revenue for successful diversification and ensures self-sufficiency in meeting the demand for petroleum products and eliminating periods of scarcity.

To do this, he says he will implement policies to achieve Increased Domestic Oil Production, Increase Indigenous Participation and Host Community Development, Harness Domestic Gas Potential, Ensure Stability of Petroleum Product Supply,  and Increase Investment in Infrastructure and Technology.

On Transportation, Tinubu promises to focus his policies and interventions on all the key methods of transportation: road, rail, maritime and air.

His plan for the education sector is a reform that will be possible by focusing on the following indices: quality, access, funding, management, effectiveness, and competitiveness.

This will cover Quality Education For All, Technical and Vocational Education, and Tertiary Education.

For Healthcare, to rise to the challenge of improving the healthcare fortunes of our people, Tinubu's healthcare policy shall entail: Health Sector Governance and Leadership, Equity and Quality, Primary and Secondary Healthcare, Preventative Care, Health Financing and National Health Insurance, Caring for Healthcare Workers and Job Creation, The Next Public Health Emergency, Mental Health and Drug Abuse, and Domestic Research.

The Digital Economy Agenda will be actualized with important digital products and services that have been identified as having the greatest potential to bring new jobs and greater diversification to our economy.  

This includes ICT Enabled Outsourcing, Tech Manufacturing Government Digital Services, E-Commerce, Broadband by 2025, and Blockchain.

Tinubu promises to give the country's sporting, creative and cultural industries the support needed to turn Nigeria into one of the world’s entertainment powerhouses and the home of sporting achievement. 

"We will nurture the creative and athletic impulses of our nation’s proud talents through the following measures: Governance and Leadership in Creative Industries, Financial Incentives, Entertainment Infrastructure, Education and Capacity Building, and Sports Development."

Tinubu has promised to involve the youth in most of its action plan. He plans to cut the youth unemployment rate in half within four years. 

In addition to measures stated in the sections on the general economy and the digital economy, what follows are other important steps that will give youth a fair chance to live in, and contribute to, a better, more just and prosperous Nigeria.

These include Youth Entrepreneurship and Job Creation,  and Social and Political Empowerment.

To promote more female inclusion in politics, governance and the economy, Tinubu promises to establish some programs and policies.

This includes: Social Inclusion and Political Empowerment, Economic Empowerment, Fighting Domestic Violence and Abuse, and Helping The Most Disadvantaged, Educational Parity.

Tinubu also promises a Judicial reform that will ensure that the legal sector functions transparently and with due process.

This policy will be based on these pillars: Judicial Independence and Integrity, Respect for the Rule of Law, Legal Framework, Access to Justice, and Equality Before the Law.

This he plans to actualize through these policy proposals: Judicial Autonomy and Independence, Structural Review of the Judiciary, Judicial Discipline, Legislative Review, and Decongest and Digitalise Trial Courts.

On his agenda for Social programs, Tinubu plans to will expand existing programs and introduce new social investment policies to create jobs and business opportunities, particularly for youth and women. 

His plans for Federalism and decentralisation of power involve Constitutional Review and Resource Allocation.

The last Agenda in his manifesto, Foreign Policy, will experience strategic quality principles that will protect against 
all forms of external aggression; promote the best possible outcomes for Nigeria in all engagements with other nations, and improve Nigeria’s standing and dignity among the comity of Nations.