President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged faith leaders to join hands with him to build a strong economy in which the people will prosper.

He also urged them to remain steadfast in promoting interfaith harmony and denouncing violence.

He pledged to partner them and their institutions to tackle poverty, unemployment and inequality.

Tinubu spoke at the opening of the Second Plenary Meeting of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, yesterday. He said his request to the religious leaders was hinged on the fact that faith-based organisations are “a vital bridge for peace, unity and moral renewal in the country.”

‘’Our efforts in tackling insecurity, expanding social investment programmes, strengthening agriculture and revitalising infrastructure are geared towards creating an enabling environment for Nigerians to live in peace and fulfill their potential.

“I reassure you that the Federal Government will deepen collaboration with the Catholic Church and other faith-based Organisations in key sectors as education, healthcare, social welfare and skills development.

‘’Together, we can tackle poverty, reduce inequality and build stronger communities,” the President said.

He was represented at the event by Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume.

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, attended the event, which was witnessed by the representative of Pope Leo XIV, Apostolic Nuncio Most Rev. Michael Francis Crotty, and some members of the National Assembly.

Tinubu told the bishops that genuine reconciliation and national cohesion can only be achieved when spiritual leaders preach peace, discourage extremism, hatred, and divisive tendencies.

He challenged them ‘’to continue speaking truth to power, not only to government but to society.’’

Read Also: Be patient with Tinubu’s reforms, prosperity will come — Akpabio tells Nigerians

Tinubu, in a statement by Akume’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yomi Odunuga, reminded the clerics that while ‘’speaking truth to power,’’ they should ‘’offer constructive solutions that will help us build a nation where integrity, hard work and compassion are hallmarks of public and private life.”

He lauded the Catholic Bishops and other clerics across denominations for championing dialogue and tolerance in a diverse nation like Nigeria.

“The Catholic Church has been a credible partner in the journey towards national renewal. Your investments in education, health and social welfare—often in remote and underserved communities—speak louder than words. You have stood with the people in times of hardship, provided comfort in times of grief and raised your voice against injustice and corruption,” Tinubu said.

The President assured them that his administration is committed to addressing insecurity and social unrest, including poverty, unemployment and inequality.

He cited removal of fuel subsidy, unification of exchange rates and efforts to curb leakages in public finances as steps toward stabilising the economy and laying a foundation for long-term prosperity.

These policies, though demanding sacrifices in the short term, Tinubu noted, are necessary to put the nation back on the path of growth and long-term prosperity.

The President emphasised that beyond stabilisation, his government is working to attract local and foreign investments by creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

He highlighted reforms in key sectors, such as agriculture, energy, and infrastructure, which are expected to stimulate job creation, boost productivity, and expand opportunities for young Nigerians.

Tinubu said while the results may not be immediate, the reforms are structured to deliver enduring benefits that will uplift lives and secure a brighter economic future for the nation.

He said: “This administration came into office with a firm commitment to renew hope, strengthen our democratic institutions and build a Nigeria that works for all. We have taken steps to stabilise the economy, attract investment and implement reforms that will, in due course, yield enduring benefits for our people.

‘’We recognise that good governance is not just about economic growth, it is about justice, fairness, transparency, accountability and the dignity of every Nigerian.

“It’s also about ensuring that no one is left behind – whether in urban centres or rural communities, whether majority or minority, whether rich or poor.

Tinubu called on religious leaders to complement the government’s initiatives by nurturing honesty, hard work, and compassion in their communities.

He urged the church to continue offering guidance in civic education, environmental protection and youth empowerment.

The President further urged the church to collaborate with the government in advancing civic education, protecting the environment, and empowering young people, so future generations will gain not only academic knowledge but also values needed to uphold the moral fabric of society.

Akpabio urges patience

Akpabio urged Nigerians to be patient with the Tinubu administration’s reforms, as they will soon yield results.

“Let me urge my compatriots to be patient with your government as we lay again the foundations of this house. Do not despair when the winds blow strong or the scaffolding shakes,’’ Akpabio said in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media/Communication, Anietie Ekong.

He said it was important for people to note that a country is like a cathedral that cannot be built in a short space of time

“A nation is like a mighty cathedral — it is not raised overnight, but stone by stone, prayer by prayer, hand by hand – They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as Eagles (Isaiah 40:31), he said.

“Let us renew hope in the Nigerian enterprise. Let us believe again that our land can be great, that our children can inherit a future brighter than our present.

“Let us bind the wounds of division, banish the cynicism of despair, and walk together—Church and State, pulpit and parliament, faith and policy—towards the dawn.

“Transformation is not the burden of one arm of society, or the privilege of a select few. It is a covenant of partnership. As St. Paul declares: ‘We are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.’”

Governor Eno noted that the Catholic Church has played key roles all over the world in fighting injustice, enthroning democratic governance and placing the welfare of the people at the centre of its policies.

Eno called for continued support of the Church in delivering dividends of democracy to the people.

‘We offer cheaper fuel despite importing 60% of crude’
Recent attacks against Dangote Petroleum Refinery from some associations in the oil and gas industry were orchestrated to derail the planned free fuel distribution logistics initiative, the management of Dangote Refinery said last night.

It however foreclosed backtracking on the initiative, adding that the attacks lack genuine and patriotic concerns.

In a statement last night, the Refinery said the position of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) lacks legitimacy and has nothing to do unionisation as being claimed.

“Their position”, according to the statement , “have made it abundantly clear that the actions and threats issued by them is not borne out of legitimate concerns about unionisation, but a calculated campaign of economic sabotage that is orchestrated by vested interests who perceive progress as a threat to their entrenched positions.”

Reacting to a press statement by DAPPMAN, which was published, in some newspapers at the weekend, Dangote Refinery accused the association of misleading Nigerians, noting that their claims were contradicted by established facts.

The statement by Dangote Refinery reads: “In January 2022, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) reported that one of DAPPMAN’s members had supplied petrol containing over 15% methanol, well above acceptable limits (Methanol which is not a standard industry practice or procedure for refinery, but blenders use it to prompt up the octane rating to an acceptable level that is well above anti-knocking ratio).

“The result was widespread engine damage for thousands of end users. Yet, no transparent government inquiry or independent investigation was ever conducted to determine the source, intent, or full impact of the adulterated fuel.”

The refinery also described as incorrect, the claim that the price of petrol in Togo is lower than in Nigeria. It revealed that the average pump price in Lomé stands at approximately 680 CFA francs per litre, equivalent to N1, 826.

“This figure reflects the very scenario that DAPPMAN and its affiliates appear to advocate for in Nigeria. The Dangote Refinery has positioned Nigeria as a primary source of affordable petrol feedstock for West Africa, despite the refinery importing over 60% of the crude oil it processes. Remarkably, the refinery is able to offer petrol at prices below the international benchmark within the sub-Saharan region.

• We await directives of govt — Kingmakers

• Adeleke’s intervention will douse tension — Ruling house

The dethronement of Apetu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Oloyede, who was recently jailed in the United States of America (USA) by District Judge Christopher Boyko over $4.2 million in COVID-19 fraud, is imminent as Governor Ademola Adeleke described the development as ‘ugly’.

Oba Oloyede, who was arrested in May 2024 was later jailed alongside Pastor Edward Oluwasanmi in August 2025, causing ripples in his community, Ipetumodu, the headquarters of Ife North Local Government Area of Osun State.

It will be recalled that there was a crisis in the town during the week as princes, chiefs, and kingmakers clashed at a meeting over a call to dethrone Oba Oloyede after he was sentenced to prison in the US.

The kingmakers led by Asalu, Chief Sunday Afolabi Adedeji opposed the call arguing that the state government was yet to obtain a Certified True Copy(CTC) or give any directives.

However, Governor Adeleke after State Executive Council meeting held on Friday night where he reviewed policies and happenings in the state, frowned at the development in Ipetumodu.

A statement by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi read in part: “He (Adeleke) further instructed the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to take action on the ugly development at Ipetumodu where the King was recently jailed in the United States of America.”

Reacting to the development, an heir to the throne, Prince Olaboye Ayoola from the Aribile Ruling House commended Governor Adeleke for his directive noting that it will douse the existing tension in the town.

He said: “Since the embattled monarch was jailed, there is tension in our community, but the directive of the Governor will ease it now. The kingmakers who were opposing his dethronement will heed to the directive now.”

He urged the governor to ensure that Aribile ruling house replaces Oloyede and not move to Fagbemokun because the embattled king did not die but was jailed.

Contacted, Chief Adedeji said: “We can’t do anything outside the directive of the Commissioner, we will be waiting for his directive.”