Nigerian group urges President Tinubu to decentralize power, open feedback channels

A Nigerian group is urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to implement structured delegation of authority across ministries and establish a direct communication channel for citizens to voice concerns and ideas to the presidency. The Convener of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ideological Group, Hon. Bamidele Atoyebi, stated these measures are crucial to combatting excessive centralization of decision-making and the growing inaccessibility of senior government officials.

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Governance in a nation as dynamic and complex as Nigeria requires vision, efficiency, and structural agility.

Atoyebi highlighted that while President Tinubu has signaled a commitment to decentralization through initiatives like state policing and power sector reforms, a "troubling disconnect" persists within some government bodies. He observed that many political appointees, including ministers and managing directors, have instead "hyper-centralized operations within their respective domains."

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a 'troubling disconnect' persisted within some MDAs, where decision-making remained excessively concentrated at the top.

This hyper-centralization, Atoyebi explained, can paralyze government operations when key officials travel abroad or are otherwise unavailable. Routine administrative processes, procurement approvals, and payments can stall without the personal sign-off of the head of the organization, leading to delays and unexecuted projects. He argued that officials traveling without formally transferring authority weaken the institutions they lead.

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Rather than keying into the President’s decentralised vision, many political appointees, whether Ministers or Managing Directors, have hyper-centralised operations within their respective domains.

Beyond delegation issues, Atoyebi expressed concern over a perceived culture of inaccessibility among political appointees. He noted that citizens, professionals, and policy advocates frequently face difficulties in accessing senior government officials, encountering "locked doors, unanswered courtesy letters and difficulty securing access."

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When a Minister or MD travels abroad for weeks, essential government business grinds to a complete halt.