As President Bola Ahmed Tinubu marks two years in office under the Renewed Hope Agenda, the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has called on the administration to recalibrate its governance approach with a renewed commitment to transparency, accountability, and inclusive development.
In a statement issued on Sunday, HEDA Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, acknowledged some key achievements of the Tinubu administration but raised serious concerns over the deepening poverty levels, weak anti-corruption frameworks, and an erosion of democratic accountability, describing them as issues that demand urgent intervention.
Suraju highlighted positive reforms such as improvements in passport issuance, the legal autonomy granted to local governments, the establishment of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, and strides in infrastructure development. However, he noted that the impact of these reforms has been undermined by inflation, mounting public debt, and unresolved corruption scandals.
“President Tinubu came into power at a time when Nigerians were yearning for credible leadership, economic stability, and justice. Two years later, while some progress has been made, millions of Nigerians are still trapped in multidimensional poverty, insecurity persists, and anti-corruption enforcement remains challenging,” he said.
Suraju urged the Tinubu administration to demonstrate stronger political will by prosecuting high-profile individuals implicated in corruption, especially within key ministries, departments, and agencies. He also criticized the implementation of social investment programs, such as the Conditional Cash Transfer, citing a lack of transparency and inadequate monitoring mechanisms.
He further called for the publication of regular audit reports, strict enforcement of the Freedom of Information Act, and the independence of anti-graft institutions free from political interference.
“Much of the hardship in the country is exacerbated by unbridled public spending—billions allocated to luxury vehicles for lawmakers, religious pilgrimages, and underutilized official residences—while universities remain underfunded and basic amenities are scarce,” Suraju stated.
He emphasized the need to institutionalize genuine reforms that extend beyond temporary palliatives and urged the administration to focus on building a stronger justice system, increasing citizen engagement, and safeguarding civil liberties.
Suraju also decried the government’s heavy-handed response to peaceful protests, such as the #EndBadGovernance demonstrations, calling for greater tolerance for dissent in a democratic society.
While commending the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for recovering and officially handing over 753 housing units from the immediate past Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to the federal government, he stressed the need for transparency in the administration and equitable distribution of the recovered assets.
“As the country navigates the next two years of Tinubu’s administration, it is imperative to place citizens’ welfare and institutional integrity at the heart of governance. We urge the President to lead a national reorientation process that prioritizes accountability, competence, and service delivery across all levels of government,” he added.
