Tunji Bello, a close ally of President Bola Tinubu and a veteran of the pro-democracy movement under the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), has acknowledged that leading Nigeria presents a significantly different challenge for Tinubu compared to his tenure as Lagos State Governor. Bello, who served as Environment Commissioner during Tinubu’s second term from 2003 to 2007, cited the “gargantuan problems” facing the country as the reason Tinubu has not yet replicated his “excellent performance” at the federal level.
Speaking as a guest on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political programme aired on Channels Television, Bello, now the Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), explained that Nigeria’s complexities, such as the Federal Character principle and the scale of national issues, differentiate it from Lagos.
“What I know is that he (Tinubu) always fights for the interest of Nigerians, just like he did for Lagos. But Nigeria is a different ball game entirely. We can’t expect the exact same approach,” Bello said. He pointed out that while Tinubu had free rein in Lagos, he now has to account for the diverse interests of different regions and navigate challenges such as infrastructure deficits, fuel supply issues, insecurity, and labor unrest.
Despite these challenges, Bello praised Tinubu for being a “listening president” and expressed optimism about the future. “If you ask me, I will say he has done very well, but we need to recalibrate in some areas. People should give him more time. In the next two or three years, we will see significant improvements,” he added.
Bello also shared updates on his work at the FCCPC, revealing that the agency has begun engaging traders nationwide, starting with Abuja, to address concerns over price hikes. While traders have blamed bad roads, insecurity, and inflation for increased prices, Bello warned that arbitrary price increases and profiteering are unethical and will not be tolerated.
The FCCPC, he noted, has the authority to impose heavy penalties, including fines running into billions of naira and the closure of markets or stalls for violators. He urged Nigerians to report exploitative practices so the agency can take action.
