News
Tinubu to critics: I’m as clean as whistle *You’re too blind to track subsidy savings
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, lashed back at critics questioning where savings from removal of subsidy are being deployed, saying much of it has been redirected to the critical areas of the Nigerian economy.
Critics, including Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), had often complained that Nigerians were not seeing the effect of the measure announced by the President on his first day of taking over governance on May 29, 2023, which saw price of petrol jumping astronomically with direct impact on prices of commodities and services across the country.
But Tinubu, maintained on Tuesday, at a two-day interactive session on government-citizens’ engagement organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation in Kaduna the impact were already manifesting in positive terms because the proceeds were well-utilised.
Hear him: “The removal of fuel subsidy, though painful, has been a necessary reform that saved trillions of Naira. The palliative measures plan and interventions through state governments, Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) support, and public transportation upgrades are mitigating the impacts. The savings are now being redirected into critical infrastructure and human development, while states are receiving increased allocations for development.”
Tinubu, also defended the profile of his administration in terms of accommodating all Nigerians, saying it would ensure equitable development across all regions of the country, with no area left behind.
While highlighting key achievements under the Renewed Hope Agenda, the President, told his audience how he had handled issues regarding the nation’s economic reforms, education, health, security, infrastructure, and food security.
For instance, he said his administration had implemented bold reforms to stabilise and grow the economy, including unifying the exchange rate and restructuring debt profiles, adding that investments had been made in modernising security equipment and upskilling personnel.
Citing ambitious projects he had embacked on such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Sokoto-Badagry superhighway, ongoing rail projects (Kano-Maradi, Port Harcourt-Maiduguri), and housing initiatives, the President, also highlighted the Renewed Hope Agenda’s priorities to include reforming the economy for sustained growth, strengthening national security, boosting agriculture for food security, unlocking energy and natural resources, and enhancing infrastructure and transportation.
Also pointing to giant strides in the areas of education, health, and social investment, he also listed accelerating diversification through industrialisation and innovation as well as improving governance for effective service delivery as part of his achievements.
Tinubu, who spoke on Assessing Electoral Promises: Fostering Government-Citizen Engagement for National Development, the theme of the event, described the renewed hope agenda was a pragmatic vision built on pillars of good governance with emphasis on transparency, accountability, participation, responsiveness, equity, rule of law, and inclusivity, going beyond just a campaign slogan.
His words: “The economic reform strategies are designed to create a robust, diversified, and resilient economy. By fostering an environment conducive to investment and innovation, the administration aims to stimulate growth across all sectors, reduce unemployment, and ensure equitable wealth distribution.
“Security is the bedrock of national development. The focus here is on enhancing the capabilities of our security forces, promoting peace and stability, and ensuring that every Nigerian feels safe and protected, no matter where they reside.
“Agriculture holds the key to our nation’s self-sufficiency and economic empowerment.”
According to Tinubu, this is by modernising farming practices, increasing access to finance, and expanding market opportunities for farmers.
“This administration places Nigeria on a path to achieving food security and transforming our country into an agricultural powerhouse. Through reforms, the government is unlocking the potential of Nigeria’s vast natural resources and energy sector.
“Through sustainable management, increased investments, and the adoption of modern technologies, the goal remains to drive economic growth and ensure environmental sustainability.”
“Over 400,000 students in tertiary institutions have so far benefitted from the Students’ Loan Programme, while an estimated N53 billion had been disbursed.”
Highlighting the importance of patience and collective efforts in achieving the agenda’s goals, the President, particularly extolled the virtues of the late Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, describing him as a phenomenal being who promoted national cohesion and unity in Nigeria.
Also saluting the courage, sincerity, and patriotism of other leaders such as Chief Solomon Lar, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, Shehu Dan Musa, Abubakar Rimi, Prof. Suleman Kumo, Issac Shaahu, Prof. Jerry Gana, and others, he said Nigeria continued to owe them debt of gratitude.
Nafiu Bala Gombe, the man on whose behalf the African Democratic Congress (ADC), is currently in a prostrate state, has admitted to getting outside help in prosecuting his legal matters against the David Mark camp.
Recall that Mark, former Senate President and Rauf Aregbesola were, last week, derecognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and had their names struck out based on the case filed by Gombe on September 2, 2025.
The commission had relied on the pronouncement of the Court of Appeal, which ordered parties in the case to maintain status quo ante bellum, which it interpreted to mean that it should not deal with either side.
Against the backdrop of the dust the matter had raised across the country, the embattled ADC leadership, had accused the former Deputy Chairman of being sponsored by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to play the spoiler role to enable President Bola Tinubu have no challenge in the 2027 presidential election.
Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesman of the Mark camp, had last week, stated this much when he wondered how Gombe, who on his own could not afford an ordinary lawyer, going by his financial status, would now be hiring more than three Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) to represent him, which would probably run into tens of millions of naira.
Reacting on Tuesday, Gombe admitted getting outside help, but added that such assistance was not coming from government quarters or the APC, but from public-spirited individuals and Nigerians averse to the injustice being meted out to him.
Abimuku Monday, spokesman to Gombe, who spoke during an appearance on Morning Briefs, a breakfast programme on Channels Television, on Tuesday, told his host: “Before now, they were saying these people are big weights and we’re light weights. Now, we’re suddenly being seen as human beings. Earlier, we were seen as nobodies – as boys who don’t have capacity to challenge this in court.
“They say Nafiu Bala does not even have money to pursue his case. You see, that’s how they reduce people by their own estimation. They don’t find out who people. They have forgotten that for you to seek legal actions, there are so many ways to go about it.
“It is either you use your own money or your personal relationship with people. Does it mean that somebody in politics cannot have his own friends or cannot have lawyers as his friend or cannot have other members of the society as his friends.
“These are not members of the APC. They don’t belong to any party. They’re citizens of this country, who mean well for Nigeria. Nobody is scuttling the coalition. The fact remains that if you have a challenge, people will rally around you knowing it’s a good cause you’re fighting. People will rally around you to give you the necessary support that you need. They even called my principal a small boy.”
Serah Luca, a Christian woman, has returned N1 million she unknowingly took along with goods purchased from a trader at Terminus market in Jos, Plateau state capital.
Luca, a petty trader, reportedly said she made the purchase on Friday and only discovered the hidden cash after getting home.
She said her decision to return the money was driven by fear of God and her belief that she could not keep what did not belong to her, especially knowing the hardship that comes with losing money in business.
“I am a petty businesswoman. I know what it means to suffer loss. If I put that kind of money into my business, I believe God would punish me,” Daily Trust quoted her as saying.
The trader, Abubakar Dola, who deals in polythene bags at Terminus market, expressed surprise at the woman’s honesty, noting that he had no idea where the money went after mistakenly placing it inside the bag she bought.
Dola said he had planned to transfer the cash through a point of sales (POS) operator but became worried when he could not see the polythene bag where the money was kept.
“I mistakenly included it in what she bought. I didn’t realise until days later, and I had already given up hope. For her to return it after three days is remarkable. I pray Allah rewards her and gives us more people like her.”
“The entire country could be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night,” were the words with which US President Donald Trump, flashed the redlight signal over what could be the fate of Iran in the coming hours, after a month-old war, which saw leaders of the Islamic nation, all but totally obliterated.
The POTUS, who on Saturday, gave Iran 48 hours to to open the Strait of Hormuz to shipping traffic approaches, or comply or risk facing “hell,” later threatened that the US would blow up Iran’s power plants and bridges if Tehran failed to adhere to his warning.
However, in his latest threat on Monday, Trump told reporters that Iran had until Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET (1 am WAT) to make a deal, adding: “We have a plan, because of the power of our military, where every bridge in Iran will be decimated by 12 o’clock tomorrow night, where every power plant in Iran will be out of business – burning, exploding and never to be used again, I mean complete demolition – by 12 o’clock. And it’ll happen over a period of four hours if we want it to. We don’t want that to happen.”
Nafiu Gombe: Yes, I have sponsors! *I can’t fight ADC big men alone!
Woman returns N1million discovered in purchased items to owner
Strait of Hormuz: Comply now or you’ll be history – Trump warns Iran
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