Senator Ben Murray-Bruce has urged President Bola Tinubu to appoint more “mad men” to his administration, describing them as results-driven officials willing to challenge entrenched interests and confront Nigeria’s inefficient systems.
Murray-Bruce, a former Peoples Democratic Party governorship aspirant, made the call in an open letter to Tinubu published on his X account on Wednesday.
The former senator said his support for the administration should not prevent him from criticising its policies or offering suggestions aimed at improving the country.
“Mr President, I write this as a supporter of your administration and as a Nigerian who wants you to succeed. But support must never become sycophancy.
“Sometimes, the greatest service a supporter can render is to tell the President what others around him may be too comfortable, or too frightened, to say. Mr President, Nigeria needs more mad men in your government,” he wrote.
Murray-Bruce Defines His ‘Mad Men’
Murray-Bruce clarified that his use of the phrase “mad men” referred to men and women prepared to confront broken systems, challenge powerful interests and reject mediocrity in pursuit of measurable results.
“I mean men and women who are crazy enough to confront a broken system, step on powerful toes, offend entrenched interests and refuse to accept mediocrity simply because mediocrity has become normal,” he said.
He cited Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Olayemi Cardoso and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu as examples of officials who, in his assessment, had demonstrated the determination required to tackle Nigeria’s challenges.
“Look at the Central Bank under Olayemi Cardoso. Whatever disagreements anybody may have with individual policies, there is no question that the institution has undergone a serious reset. Discipline and credibility have returned to monetary policymaking. That is one mad man.”
Murray-Bruce acknowledged that Nigeria still faced significant security challenges but said Ribadu had brought “seriousness, coordination and strategic direction” to the country’s security architecture.
“That is another mad man,” he added.
He argued, however, that two such officials were insufficient for a country of more than 200 million people.
Murray-Bruce Calls for Refineries to Work
The former lawmaker urged Tinubu to appoint at least two more “mad men” to drive reforms in the petroleum sector, particularly in crude oil production and refining.
He called for the rehabilitation and commercially viable operation of the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries, saying Nigerians had heard enough explanations about turnaround maintenance, contractors, technical reviews and timelines.
“Mr President, make the rehabilitation and commercially viable operation of the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries a national obsession. And please, no more excuses.
“Nigerians have heard enough explanations about turnaround maintenance, contractors, technical reviews, committees, timelines and billions spent. We want products coming out of those refineries. Whatever model is chosen, the objective must be brutally simple: Make the refineries work,” he said.
Murray-Bruce also pointed to the Dangote Refinery as an example of what could be achieved in Nigeria. He proposed that the three government-owned refineries target a combined minimum throughput equivalent to 50 per cent of the Dangote Refinery’s 650,000 barrels-per-day nameplate capacity.
“That is about 325,000 barrels per day of reliable, commercially viable throughput. Then push beyond it,” he said.
The Dangote Refinery was commissioned in May 2023.
Murray-Bruce said Nigeria should look beyond meeting domestic fuel demand by positioning itself as a major refining hub and exporter of refined petroleum products to other African countries and the global market.
Call for Four Million Barrels Daily
On crude oil production, the former senator urged Tinubu to identify an official capable of aggressively pursuing the administration’s ambition of raising production to four million barrels per day by 2030.
“Mr President, find the mad man who will deliver it. Find somebody who considers 1.5 million barrels unacceptable when the national ambition is 4 million. I don’t want another committee chairman. I want a mad man. I don’t want somebody who will spend four years explaining why something cannot be done. I want somebody crazy enough to do it. Four million barrels per day. Working refineries. A Nigeria that refines its own crude and exports petroleum products to the world,” he said.
Murray-Bruce further urged Tinubu to demand measurable results from ministers, regulators, agency heads and other presidential appointees overseeing critical sectors of the economy.
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