The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has demanded the immediate return of President Bola Tinubu to the country to dialogue with citizens on its policy direction and urgently fulfil his promises to implement interventions that will alleviate the current suffering of citizens.

The group convener, Yunusa Z. Ya?u who made this demand yesterday in Abuja said Nigerians are confused as to the actual state of things with crude oil production and contracts as well as prices of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS).

He noted that the body is seriously concerned about the deteriorating living conditions in the country and the general state of affairs.

According to Ya?u, Nigeria is getting worse off by the policies of the Federal Government and the position of the Presidency on several issues, adding: ?It is a big concern that the government appears not bordered about the consequences of its policies on the ordinary citizens.?

He noted that the body Is worried that if urgent remedial actions are not taken by the government, the situation can lead to further despair among citizens, and in turn, disorder in the society.

He explained: ?The country?s economy is in bad shape and facing a galloping inflation problem, occasioned by poorly thought-out policies, such as the simultaneous deregulation of the oil sector and the foreign exchange, and failure to implement pledged remedial actions by the government.

?The occurrence of this intervention alongside the foreign exchange rates deregulation without a proper plan, is bad in itself.

?Currently, Nigerians are confused as to the actual state of things with crude oil production and contracts, prices of PMS, the status of the ?ever-consuming funds and never-producing refineries? of the FG, as well as regulations and compliance in the downstream sector of the oil industry.

?It is important to note that the failure of the government to provide buffers as promised, including the provision of mass transport buses, and to live up to expectations has worsened not just the economic situation in the country, but also the level of hunger among citizens as the cost of essential items including food, transportation and medicals has risen astronomically.

?The government cannot keep asking citizens to make sacrifices and bear the cost of its policies, while in contrast, it is procuring needless items such as vehicles, yacht, inflating project costs in the name of ?constituency project? and officials allegedly living flamboyantly at public cost.

?Sadly, the FG has also refused to open up for dialogue with citizen groups on its policy direction, leaving citizens in a state of uncertainty and apprehensions about the ultimate end or target of the FG policies, including its proposed tax reforms that involve increasing some tax rates.

?The President, despite touting himself as a ?reformer? is also doing badly with his posture on election; firstly, by nominating people with partisan backgrounds into the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and secondly, with a carefree outlook regarding obvious violations of the provisions of the electoral laws.

?In slightly over a year since this administration, we have seen all the gains recorded with democratic elections since the ?Uwais Committee? eroded completely.

?When the sanctity of election results is repeatedly violated, the bulk of the blame is on the table of the President.

?Additionally, the President seems unconcerned by the Security agencies? several attempts to constrict the civic space with the arrests of numerous citizens, including protesters, journalists and labour leaders.

?Sadly, this overzealousness to constrict the civic space stands in sharp contrast to the failure of the security agencies, and the government to effectively deal with the security situation in the country.

?The security agencies have also been accused of providing protection to desperate politicians and dubious personnel of INEC to violate the provisions of the electoral laws against the norm.

?The Situation Room further calls on the President to publicly commit to electoral reform and begin to engage with stakeholders to put in place tools for the implementation of the Uwais Committee report and other reform proposals.

?The President must condemn and act against the imperial disregard of our laws by those entrusted to implement them. The trend of indiscriminate arrest of citizens by security agencies must stop.

?It is the apparent tacit complicity of the President in condoning the subversion of our electoral laws that has emboldened state actors, and even State Governments to completely throw all pretence to conducting credible elections at the local government level, undermining the touted resolve of the President to restore the autonomy of local governments.

?We also call on the FG to propose trackable steps for reducing leakages/wastage of public resources and the cost of governance, as well as halt plans to increase taxes and instead work to harmonise the numerous multiple taxes at both the State and Federal levels.? (The Guardian)

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