The Nation Newspaper

Tag: tinubu

  • Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu, ex-IGP Smith, others bid Baba Adinni of Lagos farewell

    Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu, ex-IGP Smith, others bid Baba Adinni of Lagos farewell

    • Lagos Central Mosque Chairman Abou dies at 101

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday led eminent Nigerians to pay tributes to the late Baba Adinni of Lagos and Chairman of the Executive Council of Lagos Central Mosque, Sheikh AbdulAfis Abou.

    Sheikh Abou died a few minutes past 9 p.m on Tuesday night at his Surulere residence.

    He was 101 years old.

    After the Janazah (burial rites) led by the Chief Imam of Lagos, Sheikh Sulaimon Abou-Nolla, at the Lagos Central Mosque in Idumota around 2 p.m, the remains of Sheikh Abou were interred at the Abari Cemetery, also on Lagos Island.

    Mourners besieged the Lagos Central Mosque and Abari Cemetery to catch the last glimpse of the prominent Islamic leader.

    The staff of office of the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, was conveyed to the venues.

    President Tinubu expressed sadness at the passing of Sheikh Abou.

    He condoled with the bereaved family, the Muslim community in Lagos, as well as the Lagos State government on the late Baba Adinni’s death.

    In a statement in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, the President said: “Baba dedicated his life to the service of the people. He lived a full life guided by the highest and noblest moral codes. He was a fine example for all of us. He will be sorely missed.

    Read Also: Swartz is Chevron’s new MD

    “We should take solace in Baba’s legacy and uphold his values of honesty, dignity, and sacrifice.”

    President Tinubu prayed Almighty Allah to grant Baba the highest station in Al-Jannah Fir’daus.

    In his tribute, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said: “Sheikh Abou lived an exemplary life dedicated to peace and harmony in the state. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family, associates, and the entire Muslim community in Lagos.  I pray that Allah grants him peace and grants his family strength during this difficult time.”

    Deputy Governor Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, who was at the Lagos Central Mosque for the Janazah, described the late Baba Adinni of Lagos as an inspiration to everyone who had contact with him and a blessing to the Lagos State.

    “Old age is not something that you can perform any trick around. It is only the blessing of Allah. Baba crossed a hundred; he was healthy and had a very sound mind. He was an Hafiz (memoriser of the whole Holy Qur’an).

    “We pray that God will raise somebody else to fill that role because the people will miss him. Baba was the Baba Adinni of the state, which means that a lot of things passed through him, even the Chief Imam of Lagos went through him,” he said.

    The senator representing Lagos West, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule, commiserated with the family of Sheikh Abou, President Tinubu, Governor Sanwo-Olu, Oba Akiolu, the Chief Imam of Lagos, the Council of Imams and Alfas and the Muslim community of Lagos State.

    Adebule described the late Sheikh Abou as a thoroughbred scholar whose impact transcended the shores of Nigeria.

    She said: “I will personally miss him and, indeed, all Nigerians would miss his depth of knowledge and elderly wisdom in addressing critical matters of national concern.

    “Nigeria has lost a great national treasure and icon who was an embodiment of knowledge and wisdom. Baba’s humility is of high proportion as he related seamlessly with everyone, irrespective of age, tribe or religious affiliations.”

    Also, a former Federal Commissioner for Works and ex-National President of Ansar-Ud-Deen, Alhaji Lateef Olufemi Okunnu, said Nigeria may not have the like of Sheikh Abou again.

    He described the late Islamic leader as a trustworthy and highly religious person.

    A former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Alhaji Musiliu Smith, described the late Abou as an ideal person.

    He said the deceased was his Arabic teacher from his secondary school days up till his last day.

    The Executive Vice Chairman of Lagos Central Mosque and Bashorun of Lagos, Alhaji Sikiru Alabi-Macfoy, stressed that there were so many things to learn and emulate from Baba Adinni’s lifestyle, most especially his peace-loving style.

    “He always wants matters to be resolved, no matter how big the issue was. He would calm everyone down and urge them to be patient.

    “Up till his last moment, his memory was intact as he never forgot anything. He was healthy till his death. In his last moments, he prayed for the country and everyone and preached unity to the family and the Ummah,” he said.

    Chief Imam of Lagos, Sheikh Sulaiman Abou-Nolla, said the late Sheikh Abou’s lifestyle portrayed the teachings in the Holy Qur’an.

    He described the deceased as an embodiment of piety.

    Dignitaries at the burial included the National Missioner and the Chief Imam, Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria (ADSN), Sheikh AbdurRahman Ahmad; Chairman of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), Prince Tajudeen Olusi; former Chairman of NAHCON, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan; Mudir of Daru Dawah, Sheikh Ridwan Zuglool; former Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Ibrahim Balogun; and member of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), Alhaji Mutiu Are.

    Others included whitecap chiefs, Chairman of Surulere Local Government Area, Sulaimon Yusuf; his Lagos Island counterpart, Adetoyese Olusi; Prof. Adele Jinadu; Alhaji Fatai Doherty; Alhaji Folorunsho Olaleye; Dr. Jubril Oyekan; and President of Jamatul Islamiyah Society of Nigeria, Alhaji Hashim Oyekan.

    Also at the event were Treasurer of Lagos Central Mosque, Alhaji Ademola Mustapha; the Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Islam, Alhaji Abdullahi Jebe; Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Bode Agoro; Dr. AbdulRahman Awwal; Sheikh AbdulHakeem Muhammad Awwal; Sheikh Moshood Ramadan; and Sheikh Imran Eleha.

    The other dignitaries at the event were former Lagos District Amir of The Companion, Alhaji Abdul Ganiy Abdul Majeed; Alhaji AbdulHakeem Kosoko; and former Lagos Commissioner for Home Affairs Oyinlomo Danmole, among others.

  • Tinubu’s big stick as sign of what to come      

    Tinubu’s big stick as sign of what to come      

    By Abdulaziz Abdulaziz

    “I took an oath to serve this country and give my best at all times. Like I said in the past, no excuse for poor performance from any of my appointees will be good enough…Within the first quarter of this new year, ministers and heads of agencies with a future in this administration that I lead will continue to show themselves.” – President Bola Tinubu, 2024 New Year broadcast

    The mother hen, goes a Hausa proverb, stomps on its chicks not because it doesn’t love them. It is a gesture aimed at passing life lessons and correcting bad behaviours. Some decisions taken by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the past few days have shown that like the hen in a brood, the president is ready to step on erring younger ones in the flock to indicate that bad behaviour is intolerable.

    On Monday, President Tinubu suspended the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, from office. The suspension was to allow for a thorough investigation into allegations of financial impropriety against her. A few days earlier, the president had directed the suspension of the National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), Hajiya Halima Shehu. Her suspension was in response to alleged suspicious movement of cash from the NSIPA account into private purses. While the wrongdoings ascribed to the two do not immediately make them culpable, their suspension was the rightful administrative practice to enable them clear their names and not obstruct investigations.

    Read Also; Tinubu appoints Hajj Commission Board

    What is of interest, however, is that these two women were not just mere officeholders. They are individuals who are very close to the president on account of their membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the prominent roles they played in his campaign. Those who know the closeness the two ladies have with the president thought he would dilly-dally and not wield the big stick. In particular, some had placed bet that nothing could happen to Betta, who was a workaholic National Women Leader of the party during the campaign.  

    But for President Tinubu, political relationships and personal debts would have to give way where public interest and accountability are on the table. Someone else could sacrifice the commonwealth of Nigerians and disregard public outcry to save their associates, not President Tinubu.

    In the spirit of the heavy words he swore to during his inauguration as the President on May 29, last year, President Tinubu has at various times vowed to put the interest of the public first. He had sworn to protect the national interest “without fear or favour; affection or ill will”. Living up to the wordings of the oath of office means there would be no sacred cows and no one too big or too small to face any necessary sanction. This Mr President had said repeatedly.

    In his latest broadcast to the nation on January 1, President Tinubu reiterated the primacy of the interest of the public above anything else in the way he runs the affairs of the country.  “Everything I have done in office,” he said in the televised address, “every decision I have taken and every trip I have undertaken outside the shores of our land, since I assumed office on 29 May 2023, have been done in the best interest of our country.”

    In talking about public interest, the most primal of it is ensuring that the commonwealth of the citizens is not pilfered or mismanaged by those unto which it is entrusted. Like in a congregational prayer where the congregation takes a cue from the imam, in matters of accountability, the rest of the crowd in the lower rungs of the ladder ought to take after the leader at the top. In this regard, President Tinubu has done well to set the example for his appointees. For him leadership is about service and sacrifice. That is his mantra and the code of conduct he’d expect from all his appointees.

    At a reception during Eid-el-Kabir in Lagos last year, the president cited an example of this self-denial in favour of what is in the overall interest of the country. He used the example of the forex abuse which he met on assumption of office where a few people with proximal advantage to power were cashing out from the arbitrage exchange system. “I could afford to share the benefit by participating in the arbitrage, but God forbid! That’s not why you voted for me,” he had said.

    The word service in ‘public service’ means that holders of public office see it as a patriotic call to service and they bend over backwards to give their contributions to the nation. Turning such opportunities to avenues to pilfer the common tilt or paying lip service to the task assigned to one is inexcusable. This is why aside from wrong-doing, another thing President Tinubu marked out as intolerable is laxity on the part of appointees.

    He had said it not once or twice that persons who are not ready to offer meaningful service would be shoved off the table. To demonstrate that this was not just empty talk, the president made sure that all ministers were issued with Job Description, Targets and Key Performance Indicators. The purpose of this was to have measurable variables that would enable assessment of performance. Secondly, at the end of the cabinet retreat, each minister signed a performance bond with the president committing them to delivering on the expectations outlined for each of them.

    The options for everyone are clear. As he said in the New Year’s message, for President Tinubu it is either positive contribution to Nigeria or nothing at all.  

    • Abdulaziz is Senior Special Assistant to the President on Print Media.

  • Tinubu’s policies have worked well for us – Airtel Boss

    Tinubu’s policies have worked well for us – Airtel Boss

    One of the largest telecommunications service providers in the country, Airtel Nigeria, has lauded President Bola Tinubu’s policy reforms, which it claimed have worked very well for it.

    The Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Africa, Segun Ogunsanya, who gave the kudos on Wednesday while speaking with journalists at the State House, after a meeting with President Tinubu, also disclosed that the telecommunications giant is set to up one of Africa’s largest data centres in Nigeria.

    Ogunsanya, who said he was at the Villa to show appreciation to the President and to hold some private discussions with him, categorically noted that the efforts put into stabilising the foreign exchange regime in the country as one of the policy efforts that have positively reflected on the company’s operations.

    He further clarified that the resolution of the foreign exchange crisis had not been completely achieved, he expressed hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

    “I just came to share my appreciation with His Excellency for a very conducive environment for our business. If you recollect, about six, seven months ago, I came to see His Excellency to discuss the operation environment for our business and a few things were changed, they’ve worked very well for us” he said.

    Read Also; FULL LIST: 107 private varsities to be investigated by FG

    Asked what had changed, he said “we had massive issues with FX liquidity, we still have some issues with FX liquidity, but at least slightly more predictable than it was a couple of months ago. It makes it easier for us to do better planning. We’re not out of the woods yet, but we can see light at the end of the tunnel, we can do better planning”.

    On the proposed mega data centre, which he said had been sited in Nigeria to serve, among others, big businesses and some multinationals, he said it would be one of the largest in African, adding that the land had been procured and that groundbreaking should be in a matter of weeks.

    “We’re always expanding our business, we’re always investing in the country. We’re going to set up a new data center in the country. We’ve already bought the land, we’ll be breaking ground very soon, it’s going to be one of the largest data centers in Africa that we’re going to put in Nigeria.

    “It’s going to be one of the largest in Africa, it’s going to serve all the big multinationals in the country, it’s also going to serve some of the foreign companies. It’s actually one of the largest in Africa”, he said.

    Asked about how much the project is projected to cost, he said “we’re not talking about the money for now because we’ve not done the final budgeting. We’ve got the land, we’ve got the consultants, and we’re going to break ground in another few weeks.”

  • Eno seeks Tinubu’s support for Ibom Deep Seaport, oil palm projects

    Eno seeks Tinubu’s support for Ibom Deep Seaport, oil palm projects

    Akwa Ibom state governor, Umo Eno, on Wednesday, met with President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, to make a couple of requests, including federal government’s collaboration in the development of the Ibom Deep Seaport project.

    Governor Eno, who said his primary reason for the visit was to wish President Tinubu Happy New Year, saying he sought his assistance in his state’s efforts at reviving the moribund state-owned oil palm project, which had been in limbo for about 28 years.

    Governor Eno, who explained that the Ibom Deep Seaport project would meet the maritime needs of the South-south and Southeast region, however disclosed that the President had directed him to submit a memorandum for the projects he made the requests on.

    According to him, the Ibom Deep Seaport has the deepest wharf that has the capacity to bring in ship from across the globe while it also serve Niger-Delta Region of Nigeria.

    “The purpose of my visit to the President is to wish him a happy new year and also make a request. You know when governors come to see the President, this is the seat of government, you have one or two things to talk about.

    Read Also: GWR: Ghanaian Chef, Faila, completes 227 hours, 10 seconds cookathon challenge

    “So, wishing the President a happy New Year was paramount for us and we pray that God will keep him in good health and continue to give him the strength to carry on his work as the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “Then following that, we also have a request. We’ve talked and requested him to support us with our Ibom Deep Seaport and agricultural programme on the oil palm.

    “Ibom Deep Seaport has the deepest wharf that will bring in ship and we can ship from that point. Again, Lagos is there, but you also know Lagos is congested. Of course that is no story. So you need a deep seaport that will take care of the Southeast, South-south, if you like, the Niger Delta region. Thank you all”, he said.

    On the request for federal government’s assistance in the efforts to revamp the oil palm project, he said Akwa Ibom is targeting increased production, which can lead to capacity to export palm oil

    “Akwa Ibom is an oil palm zone and we have started the process of revamping the moribund industry that has laid there for 28 years. It is being revamped right now. We need the support of the federal government to be able to have a full value-chain and then bring people to work and be able to help Nigeria.

    “We can even get to exporting palm oil, because right now, we’re still importing a lot of it. So that’s why I came and it was a good visit.”

    Responding to a question on how President Tinubu received him and his request, as well as the concerns expressed over the viability of the state-run airliner, Ibom Sir, the governor said “the President has graciously granted that I bring the memo for the requests and including MRO of course.

    “The president is a businessman, he had to also ask, are we making profits running Ibom air because government as to business and government I told him government is completely out of the running of Ibom Air.

    “Ibom Air is making profit and they are ploughing it back for expansion and the airport facility, the second taxiway is on, we have the new terminal, we have the MRO and he was pleased to hear that.

    “We need to partner with the federal government of course, to get work going in the state. Akwa Ibom is part of Nigeria, he is the President of Nigeria, he needs to know how one of his component states is doing. I just came for normal briefing though.”

  • Tinubu’s slashing costs of governance raises hope for Nigerians – Accord Party

    Tinubu’s slashing costs of governance raises hope for Nigerians – Accord Party

    The Accord Party in Lagos State says President Bola Tinubu’s directive to slash the costs of governance will save Nigerian economy and give hope to the masses.

    The State Chairman of the party, Mr Dele Oladeji said this Wednesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    Oladeji said that slashing the number of officials accompanying the President and other top government officials on foreign and local trips was commendable.

    According to him, the president’s directive has been long overdue but it will save the economy and give hope to the masses. The major problem facing the nation is high cost of governance.

    “The slash on number of entourage and estacode cost is a welcome development. Nigeria needs to cut a lot of costs on frivolous practices.

    “While we support Mr President on this, we want more to be done to reduce costs of governance for the ordinary Nigerians to breathe,” Oladeji said.

    NAN recalled that the Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Ajuri Ngelale, on Tuesday announced that the step was part of Tinubu’s “massive cost-cutting measures.”

    Ngelale said the cost-cutting exercise affects the entire apparatus of the federal government including the office of the President, vice president and the first lady.

    “According to the new policy, the President directed that local security agencies should be used for his protection whenever he travels to any state instead of traveling with a high number of security details from Abuja.

    “He also stated that the same measure should be adopted for both Vice President Kashim Shettima and First Lady, Remi Tinubu.
    “Tinubu said that when any international travel was being approved, all ministers were limited to four members of their staff, appointees and the like.’’

    The president’s spokesperson said henceforth, heads of government agencies would be limited to two only two members of staff on any trip.

    Read Also: Reno Omokri commends Tinubu achievements in one week

    Giving a further breakdown, Mr Ngelale said for any international trip, Tinubu had directed that no more than 20 individuals will be allowed to travel with him.

    Ngelale said: “That number will be cut down to five in the case of the First Lady.

    “The number in the entourage on official international trips for the Vice President will be cut to five, the number that will be placed as a limit on the wife of the Vice President is also five.”

    In terms of local trips, Mr Ngelale said the President had “approved a new limit of 25 members of staff to accompany him on domestic trips within the country.

    “The Office of the First Lady is now limited to 10 staff members to accompany her on official trips within the country.
    “The Vice President will be limited to 15 members of staff on official trips within the country, while his wife will be limited to 10 members of staff”.

    (NAN)

  • Tinubu orders cut of President’s, Vice President’s travelling teams

    Tinubu orders cut of President’s, Vice President’s travelling teams

    • First Lady, ministers, agencies’ CEOs, others affected

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu moved yesterday to cut cost of governance by ordering the reduction of the number of persons on his entourage and other government officials on local and foreign trips.

    First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, Vice-President Kashim Shettima and his wife Nana, are also affected by the new policy which takes immediate effect.

    Already, all ministers and heads of federal agencies have been issued circulars on the development by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).

    With the new measure, only 25 aides would henceforth accompany the President on local trips and 20 outside the country.

    The number of persons okayed for the First Lady and Vice-President on foreign trips is five each.

    For local trips, the First Lady is entitled to 10 while the  Vice-President is 15.

    The wife of the Vice-President was granted 10 aides for her local trips.

    A minister is not expected to embark on a foreign trip with more than four persons. The number of persons to accompany every head of the federal agency on a trip is pegged at two.

    Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, announced this measure in Abuja.  He explained that the measure was part of the cost-cutting plan of the government. 

    Former Kano State Governor Ibrahim Shekarau applauded the action, saying the President had done the right thing.

    He urged governors and lawmakers to take a cue for the steps being taken by the President.

    Ngelale said: “President Tinubu has, by his most recent directive, approved a massive cost-cutting exercise that will touch across the entire Federal Government and the offices of the President himself, the Vice President and the First Lady. It will be conducted in the following fashion:

    “One, the official trips that will be undertaken within the country that is when Mr President or the Vice President travels to any state within the country, the massive bills that accrued due to allowances and estacodes for security detail coming from Abuja, going and travelling into those states, will be massively cut due to the directive of the President that the security outfits within states, whether it be police, DSS(Department of State Services), or branches of the military, will frontline his protective details when he travels to those states, a major cost-cutting initiative that will affect the Office of the Vice President as well as the Office of the First Lady.

    “Additionally, when any international travel is being approved, the following limits have been placed on all ministers of the federation. Four members of their staff, appointees and the like, will be allowed to travel with a minister on an official trip.”For heads of agencies, that will be limited to two members of staff allowed to travel on an official trip. Furthermore, the numbers that the President has now approved for official travel with him that will apply to his principal staff are as follows: on international trips, the President has directed that no more than 20 individuals be allowed to travel with him.

    “That number will be cut down to five in the case of the First Lady. Additionally, the number in the entourage on official international trips for the Vice President will be cut to five, the number that will be placed as a limit on the wife of the Vice President is also five.

    “In terms of local trips, the President has approved a new limit of 25 members of staff to accompany him on domestic trips within the country. The Office of the First Lady is now limited to 10 staff members to accompany her on official trips within the country. The Vice President will be limited to 15 members of staff on official trips within the country, while his wife will be limited to 10 members of staff and officials within the country, the same as the First Lady.

    Read Also: Open letter to President Tinubu: Tunji-Ojo needs protection as monstrous passport cabal fights back!

    “It is pertinent to note that there is a difference between the number of members of staff allowed to travel with the presiding officials to international trips and those that are allowed for domestic. You will find that the numbers on international trips are less than those allowed on domestic trips. This is because international trips are far more expensive across the board and the President is determined to bring total sanity and prudence to the management of the Commonwealth of our people.

    “As a result of this, the President has directed that every MDA (Ministry, Departments and Agencies)  also, including the Office of the President itself and the Office of the Vice-President, as well as the offices of the First and Second Ladies, are affected and bound by this directive of the President.”

    Ngelale quoted President Tinubu as assuring Nigerians that the days of wastage were over.

    He added: “Henceforth, the President is insistent that the notion of government wastage, the notion of recurrent expenditure being in excess, the notion that government officials will be allowed to conduct their affairs in a way that is different from what we are asking of Nigerian citizens, with respect to prudence and cost management, those days are over.

    “The President is insistent that the prudence of government officials must reflect the prudence and efficiency of the Nigerian citizens and this is the directive of the President.”

    Asked about the measures put in place to ensure adherence to the policy, Ngelale said that anyone or office in breach would be taking a risk.   

    His words: “With respect to the adherence to this most recent directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I believe we do not need to convince the officers of the Federal Government   of the seriousness of the President with respect to how he will implement his directives.

    “If there’s anybody who feels that the directive of the President is not binding on them, who feels that the President will not uphold this directive in implementation and seeks to test it, they will do so at their peril.”  

    Shekarau who was a minister and a senator in the 9th Assembly, spoke last night on a national television programme.

    The two-term Kano governor said wastage in the states and by the legislature should be done away with to free up cash for development.

    He decried the frequency of travels by governors, most of the time, flying private jets.

    He also urged National Assembly members to reduce their running cost. But, he rejected the claim that Federal Lawmakers are earning humongous salaries. He differentiated between salaries of lawmakers and running cost.

  • Tinubu’s big stick as sign of what to come by Abdulaziz Abdulaziz

    Tinubu’s big stick as sign of what to come by Abdulaziz Abdulaziz

    “I took an oath to serve this country and give my best at all times. Like I said in the past, no excuse for poor performance from any of my appointees will be good enough…Within the first quarter of this New Year, ministers and heads of agencies with a future in this administration that I lead will continue to show themselves.”

       – President Bola Tinubu, 2024 New Year broadcast

    The mother hen, goes a Hausa proverb, stomps on its chicks not because it doesn’t love them. It is a gesture aimed at passing life lessons and correcting bad behaviours. Some decisions taken by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the past few days have shown that like the hen in a brood, the President is ready to step on erring younger ones in the flock to indicate that bad behaviour is intolerable.

    On Monday, President Tinubu suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, from office. The suspension was to allow for a thorough investigation into allegations of financial impropriety against her. A few days earlier the President had directed the suspension of the National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), Hajiya Halima Shehu. Her suspension was in response to alleged suspicious movement of cash from the NSIPA account into private purses. While the wrongdoings ascribed to the two do not immediately make them culpable, their suspension was the rightful administrative practice to enable them clear their names and not obstruct investigations.

    What is of interest, however, is that these two women were not just mere officeholders. They are individuals who are very close to the President on account of their membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the prominent roles they played in his campaign. Those who know the closeness the two ladies have with the President thought he would dilly-dally and not wield the big stick. In particular, some had placed bet that nothing could happen to Betta, who was a workaholic National Women Leader of the party during the campaign.  

    But for President Tinubu political relationships and personal debts would have to give way where public interest and accountability are on the table. Someone else could sacrifice the commonwealth of Nigerians and disregard public outcry to save their associates, not President Tinubu.

    In the spirit of the heavy words he swore to during his inauguration as the President on May 29, last year, President Tinubu has at various times vowed to put the interest of the public first. He had sworn to protect the national interest “without fear or favour; affection or ill will”. Living up to the wordings of the oath of office means there would be no sacred cows and no one too big or too small to face any necessary sanction. This Mr President had said repeatedly.

    In his latest broadcast to the nation on January 1st President Tinubu reiterated the primacy of the interest of the public above anything else in the way he runs the affairs of the country.  “Everything I have done in office,” he said in the televised address, “every decision I have taken and every trip I have undertaken outside the shores of our land, since I assumed office on 29 May 2023, have been done in the best interest of our country.”

    In talking about public interest, the most primal of it is ensuring that the commonwealth of the citizens is not pilfered or mismanaged by those unto which it is entrusted. Like in a congregational prayer where the congregation takes a cue from the imam, in matters of accountability the rest of the crowd in the lower rungs of the ladder ought to take after the leader at the top. In this regard, President Tinubu has done well to set the example for his appointees. For him leadership is about service and sacrifice. That is his mantra and the code of conduct he’d expect from all his appointees.

    At a reception during Eid-el-Kabir in Lagos last year the President cited an example of this self-denial in favour of what is in the overall interest of the country. He used the example of the forex abuse which he met on assumption of office where a few people with proximal advantage to power were cashing out from the arbitrage exchange system. “I could afford to share the benefit by participating in the arbitrage, but God forbid! That’s not why you voted for me,” he had said.

    Read Also: BREAKING: Baba Adinni of Lagos dies at 101, Tinubu, Adebule, others mourn

    The word service in ‘public service’ means that holders of public office see it as a patriotic call to service and they bend over backwards to give their contributions to the nation. Turning such opportunities to avenues to pilfer the common tilt or paying lip service to the task assigned to one are inexcusable. This is why aside from wrongdoing, another thing President Tinubu marked out as intolerable is laxity on the part of appointees.

    He had said it not once or twice that persons who are not ready to offer meaningful service would be shoved off the table. To demonstrate that this was not just empty talk, the President made sure that all ministers were issued with Job Description, Targets and Key Performance Indicators. The purpose of this was to have measurable variables that would enable assessment of performance. Secondly, at the end of the cabinet retreat each minister signed a performance bond with the President committing them to delivering on the expectations outlined for each of them.

    The options for everyone are clear. As he said in the New Year’s message, for President Tinubu it is either positive contribution to Nigeria or nothing at all.  

    • Abdulaziz is Senior Special Assistant to the President on Print Media.
  • Edu: Presidency defends Tinubu’s action

    Edu: Presidency defends Tinubu’s action

    The Presidency yesterday said the Bola Tinubu Administration has demonstrated that it will not tolerate any fraudulent act by suspending Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Betta Edu and National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), Halima Shehu.

    Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, said it was wrong for any individual to pay public funds into a private account aside from a contractor. 

    He said Edu should be given the benefit of the doubt until an investigation is concluded.

    “The President wants to make a difference and take full control. 

    “He has shown that his government won’t tolerate shenanigans and that is why he has suspended Shehu and Edu,” he said.

    Onanuga, on Channels, was reacting to the suspension of Edu after she allegedly approved the payment of N585 million into a personal account.

    The Presidential aide said it is the duty of a Permanent Secretary or Director of Finance and Administration to raise a memo for payment for the minister to approve.

    He said he could not decipher why the paper in circulation bore Edu’s signature.

    Read Also: Pensioners seek Tinubu’s, NLC’s intervention for upward review of monthly pay

    “It is not the business of any minister to sign anything about money. You cannot pay government money into a private account. 

    “Everybody knows it is wrong. What I found strange is that the paper in circulation bore Edu’s signature.

    “Those in government know that is not normal unless the private account is for your contractor and the account has to be approved before money can be paid into it,” he said.

    Onanuga, however, stressed that it is not an indictment that her signature is on the document.

    He said all those involved should not be judged until the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) concludes its investigation.

    He said: “Don’t let’s jump to conclusions on who is a saint and sinner. Let’s keep our fingers crossed until the EFCC finishes its investigation and then gives findings. 

    “Let’s give everyone involved the benefit of the doubt before we rush to judgment. Let’s wait for the EFCC.”

  • Pensioners seek Tinubu’s, NLC’s intervention for upward review of monthly pay

    Pensioners seek Tinubu’s, NLC’s intervention for upward review of monthly pay

    The United Bank for Africa Plc Pensioners’ Welfare Association (UBA Pensioners) has decried economic hardship and old-age illnesses among retirees.

    The association said this had resulted in the inability of its members to afford healthcare services, especially with the refusal of the bank management to review their pensions upward, despite countless engagements.

    The leadership of the affected pensioners’ association, which is the bank’s Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) pensioners, said this in a joint statement by its National Chairman and General Secretary, Fidelis Fapohunda and Franklin Erinle.

    The pensioners urged President Bola Tinubu, the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), civil society organisations (CSOs), the United Nations (UN), human rights organisations (HROs) and well-meaning Nigerians to come to their aid.

    Read Also: Open letter to President Tinubu: Tunji-Ojo needs protection as monstrous passport cabal fights back!

    The statement reads: “Like other treasury-funded retirees in Nigeria, we are entitled to monthly pension, other entitlements and, most importantly, periodic pension increases. But it is so disheartening that the UBA management has continued to trample on our fundamental human rights, especially when it comes to periodic pension increments.

    “We are being treated less like human beings by the management of UBA Plc. We urge the Nigerian Government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu and all the Federal Government agencies not to close their eyes and ears while UBA management continues to trample on our fundamental human rights.”

    The statement also cited a recent letter by the leadership of the pensioners, dated: November 27, 2023, addressed to the bank’s Group Managing Director/CEO and copied the Executive Director, Mr. Alex Alozie, where they urged the bank to hearken to their plea.

  • Kalu lauds Tinubu’s approach to war against insecurity

    Kalu lauds Tinubu’s approach to war against insecurity

    • Ex-Senate Chief Whip donates patrol vehicles in Abia

    The senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has lauded the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in tackling insecurity in various parts of the country.

    Kalu, a former Abia State governor, spoke at his Igbere country home in Bende Local Government Area, while handing over four patrol vehicles to the state command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Igbere Vigilante Service.

    He said no meaningful development can happen at the local, state and federal levels when insecurity persists.

    Orji noted that under President Tinubu, the nation had recorded some progress in containing the activities of insurgents.

    According to him, no amount of money budgeted for security can be enough to curb insecurity without the collective efforts of Nigerians.

    “President Tinubu is having sleepless nights in the fight against crime and seeking ways to lift the economy of the country. Nigerians are really suffering, but it is not the cause of this administration. We should collectively come together to fight crime and insecurity in the country.

    “We must support President Tinubu. People should bring out their hearts to work for the country. President Tinubu should put his feet on the ground to openly fight corruption and crime, if Nigeria must work.

    “I want to thank the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the Supplementary Budget that he gave us to pass a few days ago and 90 per cent of that budget was for security.

    “I am pleading with our society that they should shun crime so that we can use the money budgeted for security to provide electricity, roads and others for people to move around.

    “The beauty of constitutional democracy is time limit. Muhammadu Buhari is no longer here today; President Tinubu has taken over. People who are damaging our infrastructure, thinking that it is owned by President Tinubu, should know that President Tinubu is just a trustee holding the country for all of us.”

    Kalu explained that his donation of security patrol vehicles was not a constituency project but his personal support to enable the police and vigilantes to tackle crime and criminality in the state.

    He hailed Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun for making Abia State safe since assuming office.

    Read Also: Betta Edu: Afenifere cautions Tinubu against sweeping corruption allegations under carpet

    “This is purely from my heart because I felt that there was the need to support the local, state and Federal Government in their fight against crime and criminality in the local government, the state, and the nation. Crime is what nobody would want to be battling or faced with.

    “I want to encourage the Commissioner of Police and his team to ensure that Abia is safe for visitors and residents.

    “I want to thank the Inspector General of Police for posting the CP and his team to the state, and the effective posting that he has been doing since he took over as the IGP.

    “This is the first time that Abia is having a team of police officers that know the state very well, which is why we can say that the last Christmas is one of the best we have had in the state in the last eight years.

    “Supporting the police is not because we have so much money to do it. It is because the mandate to give one vehicle to the DPO Igbere, Area Commander Ohafia, and one to the Area Commander in Isuikwuato is to support them so that they can help in combating crime in the state.

    “As long as we live and have more resources available, we will be able to support other commands in other parts of the state.

    “Our people should shun violence and see the need to be more resourceful for themselves, their families, and the country.

    “I will appreciate that other well-meaning Abians will join the state government in supporting the security agencies because the resources being given to the security agencies are not enough and can never be enough.”

    Abia State Police Kenechukwu Onwuemelie, who received the vehicles from Kalu and presented them to the Igbere Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ohafia Area Command and Isuikwuato Zonal Command, promised that the vehicles would be put into good use.

    Onwuemelie said the donation of the vehicles called for more hard work from the respective beneficiaries within their Areas of Responsibilities (AoR).

    APC’s National Welfare Secretary Donatus Nwankpa noted that Kalu’s dynamic representation had changed the face of political representation in Abia and beyond.