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Tinubu to Nigerians: You gave me a job, allow me to do it my best way
“Yes, it is true that I asked for this job, and I approached some of you to support me. So, I have no excuse not to do the job with sincerity of purpose and honesty. I have committed myself to it diligently, and I will never look backwards,” was the plea, President Bola Tinubu made to Nigerians, on Thursday,
Against the backdrop of the 10-day planned national protest by Nigerians, scheduled to commence on August 1, Tinubu, state that the nation’s economy is on a gradual but steady path of recovery and assures citizens that his administration will do more to meet their needs.
Tinubu, who spoke on the day he met with traditional rulers across the country, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, at the State House on Thursday, told the royal fathers that the plight of citizens remaind a deep concern, and would receive more attention.
He added: “I have accepted the assets and the liabilities of my predecessor. How I will take Nigeria forward should be my concern, and that is my concern. I have been extremely busy. The only exercise I have had here is the walk from the residence to this place and then continue with the work. Nigeria is hilly, and it is the largest democracy in Africa. No other democracy comes close to us in terms of population on the continent. We cannot blame God for giving us these children, and we have to seek peace and better livelihoods.”
The President, while stating that the interventions to bring the government nearer to the people were already yielding results, with the activation of the student loan programme, the consumer credit scheme, and the affirmation of fiscal autonomy for local government councils, said the Ministry of Finance would continue to ensure that funds got to the grassroots for human and infrastructural development.
His words: “Today, the Bank of Agriculture is empty. We have to reactivate it. If they are not talking about flooding, they are talking of banditry. We have to start all over again. Yes, infrastructural decay is there. The Lagos-Calabar coastal road is not being done without studies. It is an economic energizer. From it, we can create infrastructure along the route to develop wind energy and generate power, and we can expand our irrigation network.
“The economic viability of infrastructure has to be studied before we embark on projects. How many dams are there on the corridors of Sokoto- Badagry? From there, we can energize electricity. We can do irrigation and additional farms. Even if it is two million hectares of arable land, you can create opportunities for farmers on a small scale. Then you have to find capital for them.
“Nigeria is on the path of recovery. You have heard it from the Minister of Finance, Mr. Wale Edun. We are not afraid of protests. Our concern is the ordinary people, and the damages that will be done. Till today, I cannot forget the brand new 60 and 100 seater buses, down there in Lagos that were burnt down, and we are now complaining of transportation. That is the problem. That is why I must say thank you for talking to the citizens.
“Security is getting better, but we cannot take our eyes off the camera because it takes one accident for things to flare up. We are managing it. We have created instruments to support the students so that they get education, consumer credit to expand the economy, to improve the purchasing power of the people in order to rejuvenate the economy within a short period of time. We are still recalibrating our oil usage.’’
Stressing that he would continue to explain the economic reforms and projected benefits to the nation, and that he remained open to dialogue for the development of the country, he urged the royal fathers to reach out to citizens on the genuine intentions of the government to deliver on its promises of Renewed Hope.
“Now, we are sending money to the local governments. I addressed the governors today on that issue. I have been distributing fertilizer, rice, and other items to support the recovery of citizens. I assure you, Nigerians, we are looking at the light at the end of the tunnel. I can assure you, this economy will be revived, will survive, and prosper.’’
In his remarks, the Sokoto monarch, and the leader of the Muslim faith in Nigeria, said: “I believe that this brief meeting will clear some issues that many people have in their minds. At our meeting on Monday, we had a very open discussion on all issues affecting the nation. We are the ones who will tell you the truth about what is happening in our various communities.’’
The Ooni, who also spoke at the occasion, particularly expressed the gratitude of the royal fathers for inviting the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, his Budget and Economic Planning, counterpart, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, and the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, to brief them on the state of the economy.
“We heard from the GCEO of NNPCL. They are the ones that propel our economy. We have heard from the Minister of Finance. We also heard from the Minister of Budget and the NSA. We want to encourage you, Mr. President, we will all get back to our various communities and let our people know because none of us locks our palaces,’’ the Monarch added.
Joyce Abdulmalik, of the Federal High Court, Abuja, heard on Wednesday, how Zenith Bank raised alarm over the huge transaction in one of its branches by Abubakar Malami, former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF-MoJ).
The bank said it immediately filed a Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) in respect to the transactions, during its appearance in the ongoing trial of Malami, his wife, and son over allegation of massive looting of funds belonging to the Federal Government during his tenure.
Mashelia Bata, a compliance officer with the bank, who appeared as witness in the case, where Malami, et al, are facing a 16-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering to the tune of N8.7 billion, to which they pleaded not guilty, gave the testimony while being questioned on the bank’s roles in the matter.
Details of the testimony conveyed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), stated how the compliance officer who was cross-examined by Adebayo Adedeji, lawyer to the defendants admitted that the deposits in the account statements complied with the guidelines of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Arguments had stretched when Adedeji, opposed Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), lawyer to the EFCC, who had asked the witness to explain the meaning of a suspicious transaction report, stressing that there was no ambiguity in the term.
However, Okutepa, in response, maintained that section 215(3) of the Evidence Act did not preclude him from re-examining the witness while urging the court to allow the question for proper explanation.
After Abdulmalik, agreed and overruled Adedeji, the witness told the court that banks were required to alert the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) about fund deposits coming in a repetitive pattern, adding: “Any deposition of funds seen in a pattern or repetitive, you must escalate it to the NFIU.”
Remember election decision is a one-day event that could lead to four years of pains, were the words with which Seyi Makinde, Governor of Oyo State, employed to rouse Nigerian voters to action against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
Makinde, said to be eyeing the Presidency in the next election circle, warned that Nigerians must not slack, but do everything in their powers to show the party the exit door for the suffering it had brought to them.
Declaring that the federal might those in power might be relying on would not work, the governor told his audience at the Oyo state Tourism Summit held at the University of Ibadan International Conference Centre (ICC), on Wednesday, that Nigerians would vote for leaders of their choice regardless of political influence.
Hear him: “I believe that this election cycle, federal might will not work. It has worked in Ekiti state in both instances but this time around, Nigerians will show politicians pepper. They will show us that they don’t want to be bystanders anymore; they will participate, and I’m sure of what I’m saying.”
Stressing how he had created structures to strengthen good governance in the state, Makinde, said while he would always root for continuity by which he would recommend a successor, the ultimate choice would be left for the people on who would lead them in the same manner they chose him.
His words: “I tell people that I will recommend for Oyo state people, but the decision will rest with the people of Oyo state. But if you make a mistake and bring someone who will not do good work, it is a one-day event, but the impact will last four years. So, we must get it right. Leadership changes but systems, they endure. So, our focus has been deliberate.
“People say, ‘oh, so Seyi, you did not mentor anyone these seven years you have been in government that can take over from you without the taint of APC’? And I ask them that Morohunkola Thomas or Bimbo Adekanbi, are they not from Oyo state? For us, if you’re from Oyo state, loyal to Oyo state, and have capacity, we will support you. We are blind to part colouration but open to capacity that can move Oyo state forward.”
Maintaining that his idea of continuity was aimed at building enduring systems that future administration could strengthen rather than replace, he added that the goal was to lay a solid foundation that would allow subsequent governments to build on existing structures instead of starting afresh.
There have been speculations that Makinde may back Bimbo Adekanbi, a former commissioner for finance in the state, as his preferred governorship candidate.
Adekanbi served in the administration of the late Abiola Ajimobi under the APC.
On Wednesday, Adebo Ogundoyin, speaker of the Oyo house of assembly, said he led lawmakers in the state “to a strategic breakfast meeting” with Adekanmbi, “the consensus gubernatorial candidate of our new party in the State Allied Peoples Movement.”
Oyo is the only state currently governed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria. The party has been embroiled in an internal leadership crisis, resulting in factions aligned with Makinde and Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Buildings seized for being used as havens for criminal activities are now to be converting to police bases or residences, instead of demolishing them, if the new proposal by the Anambra State Police Command, sails through.
Ikioye Orutugu, Commissioner of Police, who canvassed for the new arrangement on Wednesday, told reporters that it made more sense putting such buildings to good use than pulling them down or setting them ablaze.
The police boss spoke against the backdrop of the burning down of big edifice in Nkpo, a community in Idemili North Local Government to the state, said to have provided a base for criminals and hideout for kidnappers, as part of the major breakthroughs by the command in recent times.
Three kidnap people including a medical doctor, were said to have been smoked out from the building, which was instantly torched in line with the Anambra State 2025 Homeland Security Laws, which empowers the state government to demolish any property used for or suspected to be proceeds of crime.
Against the backdrop of the number of buildings that had previously been pulled down, and the empty land taken over as government properties, the police boss, said it was not the best thing to do, insisting that the government should rather acquire such buildings and designate them as police posts or residences of police personnel.
Reeling out the streak of successes recorded in recent times in the state, the police boss, said they included the arrest of kidnappers, cultists, armed robbers, child traffickers, sexual predators, separatist agitators and other criminal elements.
Citing one of them as “the strategic clearance operation on 7th May 2026 in Owerre-Ezukala, Orumba South Local Government Area, he said: “Recall that the camp was earlier destroyed by a Joint Security Team. Before the confession, one Nnamdi Nkemdilim Ogbonna, male, aged 37 years, allegedly one of the top commanders of the proscribed secessionists group, is in custody as well as intelligence received overtime points on how some escaped gang members were attempting to regroup.
“The offensive operation led to the recovery of one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) with about 2,000 rounds of live chain ammunition, two fabricated rocket launchers with 25 propellers, 10 locally made Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), one locally made Beretta pistol, two pump-action guns, three hand grenades, 10 rounds of K2 live ammunition, one gas cylinder and one black Ecolac box.
“The operatives also dislodged the armed criminals and sustained operational dominance in the area to prevent any regrouping. We remain committed to sustaining ongoing operations against all forms of criminality and ensuring the safety and security of Anambra people.”
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