The Tinubu-led presidency has lambasted former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo after he said that the president came into office without a plan.

They accused Obasanjo of chickening out in the face of opposition when he should have activated some economic policies needed to save Nigeria during his tenure.

The presidency also submitted that some of the bold reforms Obasanjo lacked the courage to implement are what President Bola Tinubu has set in motion for the good of the country.

The presidency also chided Obasanjo, asking him to stop seeing himself as the only saviour of Nigeria.

The statement by Temitope Ajayi, the Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Media and Publicity, comes as a direct response to an interview by Obasanjo in which the former Nigerian leader, in an interview with News Central Television, made a veiled reference in which he accused Tinubu of coming to power without any plan.

However, Ajayi, in his statement, defended the policies of the Tinubu government, saying Tinubu is displaying the courage to do what Obasanjo failed to do twenty years ago.

“A video of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s interview with News Central Television has been trending on social media platforms for the past week. In the interview, the former President, in a veiled reference to the current administration, said Nigeria has a President who came into office without a plan. Yet, the same ‘planless’ president is implementing a bold economic reform programme that Obasanjo initiated and abandoned mid-way.

“This intervention is essentially about a tale of two leaders and how they both handled fuel subsidy removal, a very touchy issue every president of Nigeria has avoided since 1973 because of its disruptive nature and potential to precipitate a pushback that may lead to civil unrest. This serious matter in itself can make a difference between a bold and courageous leader from one that is pretentious and hesitant.

“It is a fact of history that one of the things former President Obasanjo set out to do, among other reforms his administration embarked upon, was complete deregulation of the downstream oil industry. But hard as he tried, he failed to actualise it. Obasanjo faced so much opposition from organised labour and civil society groups that he abandoned a good policy that would have led to massive economic gains for the country. All he could muster the courage to do was to raise the pump price four times during his two-term tenure.

“Twenty years after Obasanjo failed to implement complete downstream deregulation, President Bola Tinubu had the courage of his conviction to implement the policy, redirect the economy, and ensure efficiency in the management of public finance.

“Despite his foibles and messianic complex, former President Obasanjo is no doubt a remarkable leader. His administration opened the economy and implemented essential reforms that his immediate successor should have continued with. What most critics find offensive about the former president is how he sees himself as the only saviour God created for Nigeria. As far as he is concerned, no other leader before and after him has been good enough. For context and clarity, it is essential to recall the former president’s position on deregulating the downstream oil sector when he was in charge.

“In a national broadcast on October 8, 2003, President Obasanjo expressed his frustration and anger at the Nigeria Labour Congress for its opposition to the deregulation of the downstream sector to the point of accusing labour leaders of sedition thus:

“As you are aware, my government has embarked on fundamental reforms designed to depart from the waste and unproductive exercises of the past and leave lasting legacies for the prosperity and improved welfare and well-being of all Nigerians. Since 1999, we have gradually but steadily embarked on the programme of liberalisation and deregulation of the Nigerian economy to promote efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery. Most Nigerians and certainly all organised key stakeholders in the Nigerian economy, including the Nigeria Labour Congress, have endorsed the deregulation programme of government.

“It is a fitting symbol of our administration’s commitment to the welfare of workers and in an effort to cushion the effects of deregulation that the government provided 80 buses to the NLC in 2002. The transliner buses were delivered to the Congress for management without government interference. It is noteworthy that every step taken to deregulate the downstream oil sector has been dogged by, sometimes, irresponsible opposition by the Labour Congress. The result has been that we took too little steps to achieve no meaningful and satisfactory progress. We have tolerated all of these in the interest of promoting popular dialogue and informed dissent.

“Let me inform Nigerians that when government first came up with the deregulation programme, it was endorsed by the NLC and other stakeholders. In fact, the NLC had requested that we call it a “liberalisation” programme. It was thus more a matter of label than of substance. If we had been successful in implementing the deregulation or liberalisation of the downstream oil sector as earlier agreed by all stakeholders, including labour, we would not have been worrying about the periodic and unsatisfactory price-fixing which has led no where except to frustration. The failure to fully deregulate or liberalise has also cost Nigerians billions of naira which are currently wasted on millions of man-hours in queues at the petrol stations.

“The tens of billions of naira currently being lost in money that could have been used to increase capital spending in the universities, fund agriculture, repair and rehabilitate our roads, invest in education and health, improve security with extra police for security of lives and property.

“Realising that the investment of well over $400 million (excluding pipelines and depots) in the last six years mostly on Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) and repairs had not improved the performance of the refineries significantly, government had decided that it was unwise to put additional money into the repair of the Kaduna and Port Harcourt refineries before privatising them.

“What most Nigerians must know is that the contracts for the Turn Around Maintenance for the Kaduna and Port Harcourt refineries were awarded with 50% of the cost paid upfront before the advent of this administration in 1999. Allow me to add that two of the three refinery locations in the country today, were built by my administration as military head of state. This means that if for no other reason, I should be interested in keeping them working. Already, 18 private firms have been licensed to build refineries but they have been reluctant to go into the industry because of Government’s price control in the sector.

“If only 30% of these firms had been able to establish and operate private refineries, thousands of jobs would have been created and Nigeria would have been in a position to even export refined oil products. All these benefits and more have been denied to Nigerians by the stop-go approach to the deregulation or liberalisation programme, and only a few Nigerians are benefiting from the prevailing government-controlled system. In fact, the NLC’s approach has been counter-productive, and inflicted more pains on Nigerian workers. Each time there is a small increase of three naira or more, transporters have used the opportunity to jerk up transportation cost thereby making the ordinary worker poorer.

“A once-and-for-all total deregulation would have meant a once-and-for-all increase in transport cost and the pump price for petroleum products. Without a doubt, a once-and-for-all total deregulation would have resolved the problem of availability and thus bring down prices for those outside Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and their environs who have always paid much more than the official posted price. Pump prices arising from the present total deregulation would, in reality, amount to a reduction in prices of majority of Nigerians,” the statement read.

In further rejecting the call that the President came into office unprepared, the statement said Obasanjo saw a looming calamity but failed to address it, but now Tinubu has chosen to address the challenge head-on and focus on the bigger picture.

“Interestingly, excerpts from the 2003 national broadcast by President Obasanjo present a contrast between the former leader and President Tinubu. They also showcase two leadership visions. One leader saw the need to fight for the country’s long-term sustainability but chickened out because he lacked the courage to upset the status quo. Two decades later, another leader saw the damage the failure to make the right economic decision had caused the country. He decided to correct it to avert a looming calamity. While former President Obasanjo left the most challenging task of his presidency undone, President Tinubu tackled head-on what has become an existential threat to our collective well-being from his first day in office. He has remained focused on the bigger picture.

“President Tinubu recognises the burden of leadership and responsibility he bears on behalf of Nigerians. In discharging this burden, he knew from day one that he would have to make the right but unpopular decisions that would ultimately serve the best interest of the country and her people,” Ajayi argued.

He explained further that contrary to Obasanjo’s submission, President Tinubu came into office with the Renewed Hope Agenda and has been implementing it since May 2023.

“It is certainly not correct to say this president came to the office without a plan. President Tinubu came into the office with a clear plan titled “Renewed Hope 2023: Action Plan for a Better Nigeria.” It was a well-thought-out programme, with which he canvassed for votes across the country and was elected by our people.

“In the past 17 months, he has remained faithful to the document as he implements the distilled eight-point agenda.

“At the heart of President Tinubu’s economic revitalisation is gas development and expansion of gas pipeline infrastructure to enable Nigeria to compete with Russia in the European markets. In fairness to him, former President Obasanjo himself recently lamented he did not pay adequate attention to gas during his term of office.

“Expanding the pool of available talents and human capital through granting of loans to young Nigerians who are the future of the country to enable them acquire tertiary or vocational education is part of the plans that propelled Tinubu into office. Consumer credit initiative that will promote local production and further stimulate the economy is also high on Tinubu’s action plan. To the President’s credit, these two important policy initiatives among several others are being implemented through NELFUND and Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CrediCorp).

“If there is one President of Nigeria that came prepared and well armed with a clear cut plan to reposition the country across sectors for better outcomes, that President, undoubtedly, is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” the statement concluded.

The President and Chief Executive of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has expressed support for President Bola Tinubu’s energy transition drive from petroleum products to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

At a recent event, the billionaire businessman said the company’s investments in CNG are also in line with Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, which aims for net-zero emissions by 2060.

“In this pursuit of transition to clean energy, we are optimistic of a remarkable accomplishment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as he has taken the lead in the nation’s drive towards energy efficiency. This presupposes private sector intervention to support this noble idea initiated by the President,” Dangote said.

He noted that the company’s early adoption of CNG has made it the largest operator of CNG trucks in Nigeria, emphasising that the initiative is a boost to President Tinubu’s quest towards enhancing the nation’s energy independence and contributing to a more secure energy future.

“We are now using CNG vehicles, especially with the new policy of the Federal Government, launched under the Renewed Hope Agenda by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We are committed to a cleaner and greener future,” Dangote said.

Similarly, President Tinubu emphasised the urgent need for Nigeria to utilise its vast natural gas resources in the transportation sector. He stated that CNG transportation is an economic necessity for Nigeria, signalling a significant shift in the country’s approach to public transportation and energy use.

“Utilising natural gas to power Nigeria’s transportation industry is the next way to go,” he stated.

On its part, the Dangote Cement said its over $280m investment not only solidifies its leadership in the CNG sector but also reflects its dedication to mitigating climate change and supporting a transition to a low-carbon economy.

Group Managing Director of Dangote Cement Plc, Arvind Pathak, said the investment is aimed at acquiring 100% CNG trucks as part of a long-term plan to transition its entire fleet to CNG.

Pathak stated, “By mid-2026, Dangote Cement aims to operate a fleet predominantly powered by CNG. To facilitate this transformation, we are investing in expanding our CNG fuelling infrastructure, ensuring that our growing fleet has reliable access to CNG as our fuel.”

Pathak said that the company’s CNG infrastructure investments have positively influenced Nigeria’s transition to cleaner fuels.

He added that the CNG station at Obajana, capable of refuelling over 3,000 trucks, exemplifies this commitment, with a second station currently under development in Ibese to further support fleet operations.

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, says the constant power outages in many parts of Nigeria and the expensive cost of petroleum products may push many entrepreneurs out of business and sink more Nigerians into poverty.

Many Northern states have been thrown into a blackout for several days now as a result of vandalism of the Shiroro-Mando transmission line. The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said work has commenced to restore power.

In a Sunday post on X (formerly Twitter), the former Anambra State governor said the continued power outages in many parts of the country “have remained a cause of grievous concern”.

“The negative impact of the continued power outage on businesses, especially small businesses, who depend primarily on public power supply to sustain their businesses as a means of livelihood, is unimaginable.

“This power crisis, when combined with the present high cost of petroleum products and a harsh operating environment, remains a lethal recipe for widespread business failure and increasing poverty in the country,” Obi said.

He said solving Nigeria’s power and energy crisis is not rocket science as many of Nigeria’s peer nations have demonstrated the possibility of sustainable power for their citizens.

“Our African neighbour, Egypt, for example, invested aggressively in their power sector, which resulted in the establishment of a sustainable power infrastructure by way of many power stations.

“Today, Egypt has revolutionized power and energy production in the country, providing sustainable power to millions of small businesses, which account for over 90% of active enterprises in the country and contribute to over 80 per cent of their GD,” he said.

Obi called on the government to ramp up efforts and provide immediate and long-term solutions to the challenge.

The Guild of Medical Directors (GMD) has sounded the alarm over the growing financial strain on Nigeria's private healthcare sector, revealing that more than 50% of private hospitals have shut down, with those remaining barely staying afloat. 

President of the GMD, Dr. Raymond Kuti, explained in an interview that many hospitals are struggling to manage soaring costs of essentials like electricity and medical supplies, leaving them on the brink of closure.

“Averagely, three out of six private hospitals are shutting down every month in Nigeria, primarily due to the challenging economic environment,” Dr. Kuti said. He highlighted that operational costs, particularly for energy and imported medical consumables, have skyrocketed by up to 500%, significantly impacting Band A hospitals.

Dr. Kuti, also the Chief Medical Director at Prisms Health Care Limited, told Punch that declining patient patronage and the “japa” trend—where young healthcare professionals emigrate in search of better opportunities—have intensified the crisis. This has led to severe staffing shortages and forced many people to delay seeking medical care, often opting for self-medication or local remedies due to financial constraints.

Calling for urgent intervention, Dr. Kuti emphasized the critical need for government support to sustain private hospitals. “We need the government to recognise the challenges we face and provide the necessary support to ensure that private hospitals can continue to operate and serve the community,” he urged, stressing the vital role these facilities play in Nigeria’s healthcare system.

Air Peace has refuted a viral claim that it has raised the price of its one-way flights from Lagos to Abuja to N200,000.

Recall that a post recently went viral indicating that Air Peace’s one way flight would now cost N200,000 from November 1, 2024.

However a check on the website of the airline showed that a one-way Lagos-Abuja flight on Air Peace is far less than that.

As of the time of doing this report, a one-way flight for November 1 is around N114,000.

In a statement debunking the viral post, the Airline said the post suggesting 100% fare increase with the image of Chairman, Mr. Allen Onyema, is false and did not emanate from the airline.

The statement said, “We would like to categorically state that this information is false and did not originate from Air Peace.

“We have not released any official statement regarding a fare increase as described, and any announcements regarding our pricing would only be made through our verified channels.

"We encourage our valued customers and clients to rely exclusively on our above platforms for accurate updates and information on fares.”

Leo DaSilva, a former Big Brother Naija housemate, has handed out some words of advice to young men.

The reality TV star advised young men to consider getting married by November due to the anticipated rise in the U.S. dollar exchange rate. 

In a tweet, DaSilva warned that the dollar’s value could skyrocket in December and January, likely making goods and services even more expensive. 

DaSilva’s statement reflects growing concerns over Nigeria’s economic situation, as fluctuations in the dollar exchange rate continue to affect the cost of living. 

The Nigeria Police Force, Nasarawa State Command has apprehended a suspected kidnapper and recovered the sum of five hundred and forty-seven thousand Naira.

Ramhan Nansel, the Nasarawa State spokesperson of the Command, made this known to journalists on Sunday.

According to Nansel, the said amount is part of the suspect’s share of the ransom collected for the kidnapping of one Cironman Fulani at Arugbadu village of Nasarawa Eggon LGA of the state.

“On 27/10/2024 at about 1130hrs, police operatives attached to 38 PMF Akwanga in collaboration with men of the Nasarawa Eggon Division arrested one Abdulkarim Zakari of Konba village, Wamba Local Government Area of Nasarawa State in connection to a case of kidnapping undergoing investigation.

“Upon interrogation, he confessed to being part of the syndicate that kidnapped Ciroman Fulani at Arugbadu where they collected a ransom of five million Naira, N5m, and was given his share of one million and two hundred thousand Naira only N1.2m, ” Nansel stated.

He further said that the Commissioner of Police, Umar Shehu Nadada has ordered a manhunt for the other fleeing members of the syndicate.

Nadada also commended the officers for sustaining the onslaught against criminals in the state.

Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umar Bago has ordered the immediate suspension of the Vice Chancellor of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai (IBBUL), Prof. Abu Kasim Adamu.

The suspension follows reports of ongoing clashes between the Vice Chancellor and university staff, although specific reasons for the action were not disclosed.

It's been alleged that Prof. Adamu’s suspension may be linked to allegations of high-handedness and insubordination, which have reportedly strained relations with faculty members and union bodies. The internal friction has reportedly intensified as the Vice Chancellor’s tenure was due to end in two months.

Governor Bago directed Prof. Adamu to hand over his responsibilities to the next most senior academic, Deputy Vice Chancellor Prof. Hassan Ibrahim, who will now serve as Acting Vice Chancellor.