Nigerian broadcaster, rapper, and social commentator Nnamdi Nwabasili, better known as N6, has expressed doubts about the effectiveness of President Bola Tinubu’s directive to reduce the number of vehicles in ministers’ convoys as part of government cost-cutting efforts.
Speaking on News Central TV’s Jasiri on Friday, N6 voiced concerns about whether these cost-cutting orders will be implemented.
“If he doesn’t seem to have cut his costs, I don’t know who else will follow suit. It still must trickle from the top down,” he said, referring to the president’s recent announcement.
The entertainer also raised worries about the challenges Tinubu faces, suggesting that the burden he brought into office may limit his ability to enforce policies effectively.
“I worry for President Tinubu. I worry. I think I fear the amount of baggage he came into government with might restrain him on a lot of things,” N6 stated.
He went on to reference the Oronsaye Report, a government proposal aimed at streamlining governance.
“Somebody has already sat down and cut down this whole course of governance. Just follow the report. You don’t have to make these big bold statements,” he advised.
N6 noted that although the president’s intentions may be genuine, compliance has been an issue. He cited an instance where Tinubu directed the Nigeria Customs Service to lift import restrictions, but the agency later announced that it did not follow the order.
The rapper also mentioned that cost-cutting measures were introduced in January, reducing the president’s entourage on international trips from 50 to 20 and limiting local travel groups to 25 officials. The vice president’s entourage was also reduced, with similar cuts affecting the First Lady.
Addressing the directive that ministers will now be assigned only five security personnel — four police officers and one DSS agent — N6 questioned the necessity of such heavy protection.
“Who wants to kill a minister? She was a regular citizen yesterday, but now she has four policemen and one DSS officer,” he remarked.
N6 concluded that for these reforms to work, the president must lead by example.
“If the president starts it, it will be easier to hold others accountable. But if he doesn’t, I doubt anyone else will follow,” he said.