A Lagos-based constitutional lawyer and public affairs analyst, Jide Ologun, has said President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government’s utmost priority in 2024 should to reverse inflation.

Mr Ologun, a former Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Ikeja branch, made this remark in an interview on Tuesday in Lagos.

The legal practitioner and social commentator was reacting to Mr Tinubu’s New Year Day’s broadcast on Monday to Nigerians.

According to him, the President’s New Year speech is promissory, and needful in communication value.

Mr Ologun said: “He (Tinubu) has expressed good intentions, particularly on the track of Renewed Hope. I counsel transformational reforms with positive impact on citizens, particularly in reducing the hardship scale and reversing the inflationary trend, be activated and actualised. Indeed action speaks louder than voice.

“There is also the crucial need for leadership to reflect the economic realities by reversing ostentatious lifestyle while ordering citizens to sacrifice, then will there be an emotional connect.”

He said that the Presidential cabinet should be diligent in delivering on the key performance indicators or be appropriately sanctioned.

Mr Ologun said that the economic performance remained key, making reference to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended),

Mr Ologun said that Section 16 stated that the state shall, within the context of the ideals and objectives, harness the resources of the nation and promote national prosperity and an efficient, a dynamic and self-reliant economy.

He said that the section also allowed the state to control the national economy in such a manner as to secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every citizen on the basis of social justice and equality of status and opportunity.

The lawyer said that the subsection (2) stated that: “the State shall direct its policy towards ensuring: (a) the promotion of a planned and balanced economic development;

“(b) that the material resources of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good;

“(c) that the economic system is not operated in such a manner as to permit the concentration of wealth or the means of production and exchange in the hands of few individuals or of a group; and

“(d) that suitable and adequate shelter, suitable and adequate food, reasonable national minimum living wage, old age care and pensions, and unemployment, sick benefits and welfare of the disabled are provided for all citizens.”

Mr Ologun noted that hopes of Nigerians were high and the opportunity had been given to the President.

“I pray he maximises the opportunity to enhance the fortunes of the nation to God’s glory beyond rhetoric,” he said.

The analyst applauded the President for acknowledging the hardship on the citizens.

“I pray he will, with his team, bring back rejoicing to the nation by disabling the plunderers of our national resources and create common wealth for common good,” Mr Ologun said.

Mr Tinubu in his broadcast on Monday said his government would work diligently to make sure every Nigerian felt its impact.

The President said his government had laid the groundwork of economic recovery plans within the last seven months of 2023.

(NAN)