politics

NASS, Executive feud slowed down governance process – Buhari

Published

8 years ago

February 27, 2018

NewsThumb Magz

NASS, Executive feud slowed down governance process – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday blamed the standoff between the Executive and the National Assembly for the failure of government to deliver on its mandate as it has slowed down the process of governance in the country.

The President who spoke at the National Executive Committee meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) however said the government was working hard to resolve the differences between the Executive and the National Assembly so that the country can move forward.

Buhari acknowledge that the government has not met the expectations of many members of the party, but was quick to add that a few Nigerians however appreciate the depth of the wrath in the country when the APC took over government.

He said: “I must acknowledge that the face of government has not met the expectations of many within our party. But few of us know or appreciated the depth of the wrath when we took office and that we spent the last two years bringing the country out of the mess we met it.

“Furthermore, the standoff between the executive and the National Assembly slowed down the process of government. We are working hard to resolve the differences so that the country can move forward.

The President paid tribute to the Nigerian people for massively support the government inspite of what he called distractions from proponents of business as usual.

He said: “Nevertheless, I am not asking us to relax and take things easy. We all know that elections are looming in the horizon. We must therefore get our acts together. Accordingly, I implore all members of the party to give the Asiwaju committee full cooperation to resolve existing differences among our members in the states affected.

“It is perhaps inevitable that there will be differences of opinion within the party. If we resolve them, then we can build a genuinely democratic party. But we must not lose sight of our common purpose as a party to break the mule of Nigerian politics and takes the country to new heights. Therefore, we have asked Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to lead this process of restoring order, manage differences and strengthen the party.”

While expressing appreciation to the party leadership at all levels for service to the party, President Buhari said “In particular, I commend the National Chairman for steering the party from success to success. From our resounding election victory in 2015, we have won elections in Edo, Kogi and Ondo as well as the much improved performance in Anambra elections and the party has moved from the party in government to the party of the Nigerian people.

“Much credit is due for our APC state chairmen for stabilizing the country and to our Armed forces and the police and other security agencies for stopping Boko Haram in the country and driving them from their bases. No country, no matter how well secured can isolate acts of terror as we have seen in the United States, Europe, Asia and here in Africa.

“We must support our security agencies to safe guard our country so that the job of development as outlined in our manifesto can proceed without too much interruption. We cannot afford to fail in reminding Nigerians where we came from in 2015.

“I am happy to report that slowly and steadily, we have managed to stabilize the country and redirect the ship of state. We have restored prudence to manage of resources and confidence in Nigeria has been restored.

“On February 23, Nigeria floated a 12 year and 20 year Eurobond in the international market which were both oversubscribed. The 12 year bond was, within days over subscribed by 332 percent, while the 20 year bond was oversubscribed by 372 percent.

“We have stabilize the naira and increase our foreign reserve from 20 billion dollars to 40 billion dollars. Inflation rate is down. With considerably less resources available to the country, we have improved all the indices towards a stronger economy.

“Soon, primaries at the wards, local government, states and the Centre will soon be due. I urge all members to take account of the fact that APC has a history of conducting free and fair primaries whenever consensus about any position is not reached. Regardless of the outcome of the primary processes which is imperative, we should all work together to ensure victory for our party.”

National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun said the party has a tough year ahead of it with the general election as well as governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states and appeal that party members do everything possible to minimize disputations within the party and do everything to ensure that the party is in fighting shape come 2019.

“We obviously have a very tough year ahead of us. It is year of challenges, multiplicity of activities beginning from the month of April when the processes for replacing officers of the party whose tenure will expire by June, the process of conducting challenging elections in Ekiti in July, in Osun in September.

“These elections are precursors of the national elections. It is therefore necessary that we treat them with great seriousness because they are elections we should do everything to win. They are signals and signposts, indicators of what is to come in 2019. Preparations are also well underway for those elections.

“In an atmosphere like that, contests whether at party level or primaries to select candidates for all positions from the House of Assembly members to the exulted position of Mr. President always present challenges.

“I want to make a passionate appeal that everything be done to minimize the stresses within the party. We must do everything to minimize the disputations within the party and do everything to ensure that we are in fighting shape come 2019.

“For that reason, I want to say once more that we are fully behind and in support of the initiative taken by Mr. President in setting up a team headed by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to effect such a reconciliation that are necessary within the party.

“We have had challenges; we have had storms and weathered the storms. We have a government that took over at a very difficult circumstances but today, we can proudly say that the basic foundation of a new Nigeria economy is finally in place.

“We are not talking now of a foundation that is based on easy money, not a foundation based on crude which for a long time sent all of us to sleep but an economic foundation built on the sweat and labour, resources- material and otherwise, of the Nigerian people. That is the foundation that lasts. The economic indices tell a clear story”.

Post Views: 1,610

politics

TUNJI BELLO – THE GIFT THAT BUILDS FUTURE, Says Segun OLULADE

Published

1 week ago

August 26, 2025

NewsThumb Magz

In a world where celebrations are often measured by extravagant parties and fleeting moments of applause, Mr. Tunji Bello, an illustrious son of Lagos and proud alumnus of Lagos State University (LASU), has chosen a different and far more meaningful path.

His decision to donate a befitting auditorium to LASU’s Epe Campus is not just an act of generosity—it is a gift of legacy, one that will serve generations and continue to echo long after the music of birthday celebrations has faded.

As an indigene of Epe and fellow alumnus of LASU, I, Hon. Segun Olulade, feel an overwhelming sense of pride and gratitude for this uncommon gesture. In choosing to immortalize his milestone birthday by giving back to his alma mater, Mr. Bello has shown the world what it means to truly live for others.

He could have spent lavishly on personal celebrations, but instead he turned the spotlight away from himself and placed it firmly on education, youth development, and community growth. That is the mark of true greatness.

What makes this story even more inspiring is the sacrifice behind the scenes. Mr. Bello did not simply write a cheque. He converted birthday gifts into seed funding, sold his own property to sustain the vision, and held firm to his conviction that education is the best legacy one can bequeath.

This is not charity—it is vision, it is leadership, it is a demonstration of courage to prioritize posterity over personal comfort.

For us in Epe, this auditorium is more than brick and mortar. It is a beacon of hope, a symbol that greatness often rises from within our own soil.

For LASU, it is an enduring platform that will nurture leaders, thinkers, and innovators who will shape the destiny of our nation. And for Lagos State, it is another shining example of the transformative power of giving back.

I therefore celebrate and commend Mr. Tunji Bello for this act of uncommon generosity. His name is now etched not only in the history of LASU but in the hearts of every student who will pass through that hall, daring to dream and achieve.

Egbon Tunji Bello, you have written your name in gold.

Hon. Segun Olulade Eleniyan
Executive Director Customer Centricity and Marketing Galaxy Backbone Ltd.

Post Views: 706

politics

TINUBU’S ECONOMIC REFORMS: WHEN FACTS SPEAK, PROPAGANDA TREMBLES- SEGUN OLULADE

Published

3 weeks ago

August 18, 2025

NewsThumb Magz

It is becoming increasingly difficult for even the most hardened critics to deny that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic reforms are working. In fact, one wonders how long they will continue to close their eyes while respected global voices and real-time results keep pointing to the obvious truth.

Recently, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a Harvard-trained economist, lauded President Tinubu for stabilizing Nigeria’s economy. According to her, there can be no growth without stability, and Tinubu has laid that crucial foundation.

She further revealed that Nigerian women stand to benefit immensely from the WTO-ITA women’s economic funding opportunities — another dividend of a government that knows where it is going.

As if that validation was not enough, former CBN Governor and first-class economist, Prof. Charles Soludo, also declared that Nigeria is moving in the right direction under Tinubu. Even CNN could not resist admitting on August 4, 2025, that Nigeria is experiencing its best economy in a decade under this administration. These are not APC praise-singers, but global voices with credibility that propaganda merchants cannot wish away.

Yet, while intellectual heavyweights and international institutions are affirming Nigeria’s progress, some opposition figures keep playing the role of comedians in the marketplace of ideas.

One wonders how a man whose only credential is being a “petty trader” and second-class philosophy graduate believes he is better placed to lecture Nigeria on economics than world-renowned experts. But then again, mischief has always thrived where knowledge is scarce.

Beyond these validations, Nigerians themselves are speaking loudly at the ballot box. The just-concluded bye-elections tell the story better than any press release. APC defeated Atiku right in his backyard, Adamawa.

The party consolidated victories across Jigawa, Edo, Ogun, Kogi, Niger, and Kaduna, even gaining new ground in Southern Kaduna. In Kano, APC held firm, and in Zamfara, the victory margin already in the bag is more than enough to deliver the state. These are not coincidences — they are a political referendum on Tinubu’s leadership.

Those peddling the fantasy that 2027 will be APC versus Nigerians need a serious wake-up call. Unless Nigeria suddenly decides to abandon the very gains of democracy it has long anticipated, the ruling party will once again coast to victory — loud and clear.

Nigerians cannot afford to return to square one, throwing away years of sacrifice on the altar of reckless experimentation with individuals who have nothing new to offer.

The truth is simple: the people are embracing Tinubu, and the opposition is losing. It’s not complicated — Nigerians know exactly where their future lies.

President Tinubu’s reforms are not just working; they are winning hearts, winning minds, and winning elections. Facts, as they say, are stubborn things.

By Hon. Segun Olulade Eleniyan
Executive Director Customer Centricity and Marketing Galaxy Backbone Ltd

Post Views: 545

politics

2027 Election : Tinubu,Delivers in the North: Rail Expansion, N20bn for 4,300 PHCs, and an End to ‘Briefcase’ Farmers – Northern Leaders Applaud

Published

1 month ago

July 31, 2025

NewsThumb Magz

The North yesterday rated the performance of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Admistration high.

The rating came after submissions by members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and key government officials.

They include the National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Christopher Musa, and governors, such as Chairman Northern States Governors’ Forum, Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe) and host Governor Uba Sani (Kaduna).

Part of the communiqué made available after the sessions said participants:

Summing up the outcome of the event, Minister for Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said: “The verdict from most northern opinion leaders, technocrats, and academics, amongst others, is that the Tinubu Administration is a pro-North in all ramifications – from appointments to spending on the region in infrastructure, health, education, agriculture, livestock, housing, and the unprecedented opportunity it offers for the northern youth.

“The ministers and heads of parastatals who attended the event performed creditably in communicating the achievements of President Tinubu.”

Four ministers – Atiku Bagudu (Budget and National Planning), Muhammad Ali Pate (Coordinating Minister, Health and Social Welfare), Saidu Alkali (Transportation) and Aliyu Abdullahi (Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security) took turns yesterday to reel out what the government had done.

They provided proof that the North had fared well under the Tinubu Administration.

The event served as a platform to assess the administration’s performance and renew calls for more inclusive and transparent governance.

“The Chairman of the Governors’ Forum, HE Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, represented the President, HE Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, while Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar, Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties (Office of the Vice President), represented HE Vice President Kashim Shettima, GCON.

“The Kaduna State Governor, HE Senator Uba Sani, served as the chief host. The Chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF), HE Inuwa Yahaya, was also in attendance as a special guest.

“The event brought together government officials, security agencies, civil society organisations, academics, traditional and religious leaders, private sector representatives, and development partners to deliberate on electoral promises, governance, and strategies to strengthen citizen engagement for national unity.

“In attendance, also, were the leaderships of the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, led by HE Muazu Babangida Aliyu, CON and the Arewa Consultative Forum, led by Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu,

“In addition to opening remarks and goodwill messages, the Foundation acknowledged the graciousness of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in sending a high-powered delegation to the interaction, continuing the tradition of engagement that began with the October 17, 2022 session, as part of engagement with the 2023 presidential candidates.

“The keynote address, delivered by Prof. Tijjani Mohammed Bande, GCON underscored critical regional and national challenges, which, he said, were not in isolation from international events.

“Citing examples with other countries, he said Nigeria has shown resilience in tackling insecurity, poverty, and educational deficits. He advised the North to develop a mechanism for negotiating its interests within Nigeria that should be anchored on holistic national development goals.

“The session also featured plenary discussions across thematic areas of national security, governance and economy, agriculture and food security, infrastructure development, and human capital development.

“Stakeholders commended the government’s high and commendable performance in fulfilling many of its electoral promises, particularly in security, infrastructure, and economic reforms.

“At the end of the exhaustive and frank conversations over the two days, the summit makes the following observations and resolutions:

•The government demonstrated openness to dialogue and continuous citizen engagement.

•The administration’s delivery of electoral promises in security, infrastructure, and economic reforms was high and commendable.

•Northern Nigeria contributes significantly to national stability, development, and electoral outcomes.

•The problem of Almajiri and out-of-school children remains a key concern of Northern Nigeria.

•Major infrastructure projects are advancing, including highways, gas pipelines (AKK), oil exploration (Kolmani), and rural irrigation schemes.

•Agricultural value chains and rural industrialisation are crucial for employment and food security.

•Strengthened federal-state collaboration is essential for regional prosperity.

•Praised the increased equitable resource availability to

•Urged substantial investment in education to address the out-of-school children crisis, especially in the North.

•Called for increased and accelerated infrastructural development in Nigeria; strengthening of agricultural value chains, livestock development, and establishing agro-allied industries for economic diversification;

•Continued support for economic and security reforms with inclusive, community-driven, non-kinetic methods.

•Promote responsible media practices to enhance public trust and national cohesion.

•Foster regional collaboration among Northern states to drive greater interface with the federal government.

“They further call for continued collaboration among government, citizens, and all stakeholders as the surest path to peace, justice, and prosperity in Nigeria.”

Chairman of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, former Niger State Governor Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, called on the North elite to rise above political differences and reclaim their collective responsibility toward regional progress.

He lamented the erosion of shared values and fragmentation of leadership voices in the region, noting that, unlike in the past, today’s political class has failed to speak with one voice or uphold the legacy of unity and vision exemplified by leaders like Sir Ahmadu Bello.

“No politician from the North can claim today that we don’t have people in government.

“What we need is to own them, guide them, and ensure they act in our collective interest,” Aliyu said.

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Pate, said: “The Federal Government, through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, had disbursed over N20 billion for the funding of 4,362 PHC centres across the 19 Northern states and FCT, over the last two years.

“At least 274 projects had been executed across 35 tertiary hospitals in the Northern part of the country, serving over 4.5 million outpatients and 1.6 million inpatients.

Kaduna–Kano Rail project ready next year

Transportation Minister Alkali described the North as one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Tinubu Administration’s infrastructure drive.

He assured that the Kaduna–Kano standard gauge rail project, which was at 15 per cent stage in May 2023, would be completed next year.

According to him, the Kano–Maradi rail line had also seen massive progress, moving from five per cent to 61 per cent completion, with sections of the Port Harcourt–Maiduguri narrow gauge rail corridor also underway.

He added that the ministry has also begun the rehabilitation of the Lagos–Kano narrow gauge line to support freight movements and bring the inland dry ports into full use, particularly in Kano and Kaduna.

The minister described the Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway, a 1,068-kilometre stretch linking Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos states, as one of the signature projects of the government.

“The North is not left out. It is reaping big from this government’s infrastructure revolution. From roads and rail to inland ports and power, the evidence is on the ground,” Alkali said.

No more briefcase farmers, says Senator Abdullahi

“We are ensuring that only genuine farmers benefit from government programmes. No more briefcase farmers,” he declared.

The minister added that the declaration of a state of emergency on food security was still in effect, as the government continues to deploy measures aimed at increasing production, stabilising prices, and improving access to food.

“We met a food crisis and responded with data-backed, targeted actions,” Abdullahi said.

He said that the Agro-Pocket initiative alone cultivated over 133,000 hectares of wheat across 15 states in the North — exceeding the initial target of 130,000 hectares — with Jigawa accounting for over 50,000 hectares.

Abdullahi said one of the key steps taken was the development of a farmer data audit and registry to eliminate middlemen and “briefcase contractors.”

In the livestock sector, he said, government interventions included the development of grazing reserves, livestock villages, transit shelters, and the ongoing formulation of a national dairy policy.

Abdullahi called on North’s leaders and communities to reject impostors who manipulate the system and short-change real farmers.

Minister of State for Works, Bello Muhammad Goronyo, described the Sokoto–Zaria Highway as a vital economic corridor.

He said four contractors were currently on site along the stretch.

Post Views: 938