Tag: tinubu

A public finance expert, Salihu Nataro, has commended the economic policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying the policies are headed in the right direction and yielding positive results.

Nataro, who is also a public sector reform advocate, however said the President must take some radical steps to reinvigorate the federal cabinet in the planned reshuffle by removing deadwood and Ministers not conversant with the workings of the Renewed Hope Agenda of his administration.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, Monday, the Kebbi-born chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said the President needs good heads to lend a helping hand at the second half of his first term.

“The President has recorded tremendous achievements alone, without adequate complementary helping hands from his cabinet, where about 85 per cent of them do not know enough about his policy directions, but rather sitting down like dead horses in a jungle.

“Things are looking up in the area of Foreign Direct Investment due to President Tinubu’s singular international travels. I am happy that the President agreed with my suggestion for local production of military software and hardware, as well as infrastructure development which will ease the nation’s economy.

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“In the area of growing businesses, the President is doing much to ensure that the country taps the untapped resources by making all the mineral deposits to be exploited in Nigeria. The idea of leaving huge allocations to state Governors to distribute the dividend of democracy is also commendable.

“But, some of the governors have refused to channel the money to areas of need and priority projects due to greed and monumental corruption, while the masses continue wallowing in poverty. The masses that blame President Tinubu for hunger do so due to lack of adequate information to rural areas about the true situation of government policies.”

He described Tinubu as a listening President and expressed the hope that the President would shed his cabinet of non-performers and replace them with modern and creative ideas to take the administration to new heights and help to market the president’s continuation in office beyond 2027.

The public finance expert commended the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote for recalling Tinubu’s smart economic gestures when he was Lagos State governor, which he said helped in the construction of the Dangote Refinery.

On the raging issue of Genetically Modified Organism crops, Nataro said those complaining should accommodate the leap of science instead of toeing the path of the Burkina Faso military President, Ibrahim Traore, saying that Tinubu deserves support to reshape Nigeria into a digital economy.

…underscores need for new global partnerships as VP Márquez visits Abuja

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening its international partnerships, pledging that all agreements signed with Colombia during the ongoing three-day official visit of Colombian Vice President Francia Márquez will be swiftly implemented.

Receiving Vice President Márquez and her delegation of senior government, business, and diplomatic officials at the State House in Abuja on Monday, President Tinubu said global economic realities require nations to look beyond traditional alliances and forge new bonds of cooperation for mutual prosperity.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu said, “I believe the Vice President and his team have done the job. Our business opportunities with Colombia have already been enhanced. I support every aspect that you have agreed on.

“Particularly for Colombia, the agreement we entered with Brazil can easily be replicated in aviation, and our diplomatic relations can be enhanced. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will accelerate that,” the President declared.

He urged Colombian business leaders to seize the vast investment opportunities in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, as well as in agriculture.

According to him, Nigeria’s young and expanding population provides not only a huge market but also a capable workforce that can drive industrialisation and economic growth.

Read Also: Tinubu’s wife empowers 500 small-scale business owners in Oyo

Vice President Kashim Shettima, who earlier co-chaired the Nigeria–Colombia Bilateral Meeting and Business Forum, said the visit by his Colombian counterpart would help rekindle historical ties between Africa and Latin America disrupted by centuries of slavery and colonialism.

He emphasised that shared political values and cultural similarities between both countries would serve as a strong foundation for sustainable collaboration in trade, agriculture, energy, and culture.

In her remarks, Vice President Márquez described Nigeria as “the land of our ancestors,” expressing delight at leading Colombia’s delegation on the landmark visit.

She identified aviation, visa facilitation, political consultations, cultural exchange, and trade as priority areas for partnership.

She also highlighted Colombia’s interest in direct flights between both nations and expressed commitment to working with Nigeria to advance social justice, gender equality, and inclusivity.

Márquez praised Nigeria’s leadership role in Africa and noted that the African Union’s growing influence on the global stage would bolster cooperation between Latin America and the continent.

The bilateral meeting was attended by Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar; Coordinating Minister of Finance and Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole; and Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim.

…says his administration will not allow criminals in FCT

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu will secure victory in the 2027 presidential election.

Wike made the declaration on Monday during a live media chat in Abuja, responding to former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s claim that Tinubu would come a distant third in the polls.

El-Rufai, in an interview with Channels TV on Sunday, argued that Tinubu had “no pathway to win” and might not even secure a first-ballot victory.

Dismissing the statement, Wike described El-Rufai’s projections as flawed, questioning why he failed to specify who would emerge first and second. He further maintained that the Labour Party’s Peter Obi, who polled six million votes in 2023, poses no threat to Tinubu in 2027, stressing that political dynamics have since shifted.

On security, Wike vowed to prevent criminals from overrunning the FCT. He warned that poverty cannot justify illegal migration, unlawful settlements, or criminal activities in Abuja, adding that insecurity remains his administration’s top priority.

He further cautioned that criminals deliberately hide in shanties and undeveloped plots, promising decisive action to secure the capital.

“Criminals don’t stay where you will locate them; they do not stay in houses where you will identify them. Criminals stay in these places where you cannot locate them,” the minister stated.

He said his administration would not tolerate excuses that criminality is a by-product of poverty.

“We cannot say because of poverty, we should allow you to kill people, to rob them, to kidnap people. That is not allowed,” Wike said.

The minister also criticised landowners who fail to develop their properties, leaving them as hideouts for criminals.

“It has infested the city, and that is why we have told people who claim the land belongs to them: Why are you not developing the land? Why are you making it possible for these criminals to come and settle here and cause problems for the city, and then you say the government is not doing anything?” he queried.

Wike vowed that illegal settlements would be cleared: “We are going to make sure that all illegal occupants anywhere will be thrown out. It is unfortunate, but there is nothing we can do about it because security is key. It is paramount because any government that cannot provide security for its citizens has nothing to do.”

The minister further insisted that poverty is a global reality but not an excuse for crime.

“There has never been a time anybody can say there is no poverty — mention the country; it’s all over the world. Go to China; go to places, there are areas where you will see poverty. But that does not give you room to make people uncomfortable, to kidnap people, to rob people, or to kill people. No, we will not allow that,” he said.

On the health sector and resident doctors’ strike threat, the minister criticised what he described as unrealistic demands and blackmail.

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“Every sector believes that everything should be 100%. No government will sit back and say, ‘Look, I don’t want this sector to be functional.’ No. Based on these resources, it must be tailored towards one sector as the need arises,” he explained.

He noted that doctors frequently shift demands, “Today, the doctors are talking about training and retraining. Tomorrow, allowances are not being paid. Next, hospitals have no facilities. When you provide the equipment today, tomorrow you say, ‘What about training and retraining?’ Then hazard allowance. Each time, it is another demand,” he said.

Wike added that rather than engage the government constructively, unions resort to threats.

“You wake up in the morning, and here it is, we have issued the government an ultimatum without even writing to the government. The thing is just blackmail, threats,” he said.

Lamenting financial constraints, he said the FCT wage bill was already overstretched. “The FCT wage bill is not more than N12bn a month. And for over 40,000 workers, how do you manage that? What do we get from the Federation Account? Barely N10bn. So, we fall back on our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). That is the reality,” Wike stressed.

Speaking on waste management and abandoned hospitals, he addressed concerns about poor sanitation and abandoned hospitals like Utako General Hospital. The minister said his administration inherited litigation that stalled projects but had since resolved them.

“You were here when I said the Utako issue had just been resolved. The procurement process is going on. And procurement is not a one-day affair. But I told you the number of hospitals we are taking up this year,” he explained.

On sanitation, Wike admitted challenges in waste management, blaming them on poorly awarded contracts.

“It would be wrong for you to say Abuja is filthy. Some parts of Abuja are filthy, yes, but not all. I found problems in waste management. Contracts were awarded to people without capacity and or equipment. But now we have gotten BPP approval, and we will advertise it. Sanitation cannot be handled by political patronage,” he said.

While addressing questions on open grazing, Wike described it as a national security issue requiring careful handling.

“It would be wrong for you to say Abuja is filthy or that open grazing is only an FCT issue. This is national security. Abuja is the seat of the presidency, where you have diplomats and sensitive institutions. If a policy is issued and not managed carefully, you will see what you have never heard before. Religion and politics will be dragged in. So, we must manage it strategically,” Wike explained.

He said decisions would ultimately be enforced with national security backing, saying, “Not NSA calling us, not IG calling us — saying we don’t want this in FCT. The moment that directive comes, you will see it stop,” he said.

Wike stressed his administration’s interventions were being shaped by security priorities, fiscal realities, and the need for long-term solutions.

“Sometimes people don’t even have information, but they criticise every action. The truth is that the government must provide security first. That is paramount. And as for poverty, let nobody use it as an excuse to commit a crime in this city. We won’t allow it,” he added.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his commitment to serve all Nigerians equitably, dismissing claims by some northern opposition figures that his administration has disproportionately favoured the South in the distribution of federal projects.

In a post on his verified X handle, @officialABAT, on Monday, the President declared that the oath he took upon assumption of office compels him to work for every Nigerian, irrespective of region, religion, or political affiliation.

“I took an oath to serve all Nigerians, not a section. That oath guides every bridge, road, rail, power, and health project we deliver,” Tinubu stated.

To counter allegations of lopsided project allocation, the President released an infographic showing that northern subregions have received the bulk of federal projects and budgets under his administration. 

According to the data, the Northwest has N5.97 trillion worth of projects, the North-Central N1.13 trillion, and the Northeast N400 billion — making a northern aggregate of N7.5 trillion. 

In contrast, the South-South accounts for N2.41 trillion, the Southwest (excluding Lagos) N604 billion, and the Southeast N407 billion, totalling N3.421 trillion.

Highlighting ongoing infrastructure investments, Tinubu pointed to the Lagos–Calabar Highway in the South, the Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway in the North, the Port Harcourt–Maiduguri rail in the East, and the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano expressway in the Centre, as well as the Trans-Saharan highway linking Nigeria with neighbouring countries.

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He also listed the rehabilitation of health centres nationwide, approval for light rail projects in Kano, Kaduna, Lagos, and Ogun, the revival of the 255MW Kaduna power plant, the construction of bridges in Onitsha and Bonny, the expansion of oil exploration in Bauchi and Gombe, and progress on the AKK gas pipeline.

“Every farmer who needs a road, every trader who needs power, every child who needs a school, every patient who needs care… this is who we are building for. This is the equity of Renewed Hope. No Nigerian is second class, no region is left behind,” Tinubu assured.

The President urged Nigerians to “bet on Nigeria,” stressing that his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda is a unifying national project designed to uplift all parts of the federation equally.