THE Presidency has issued a formal apology after wrongly listing two living Nigerian icons, Pa Reuben Fasoranti and Dr. Edwin Madunagu, under the Posthumous Honours category during President Bola Tinubu’s Democracy Day speech at the National Assembly. The mix-up, which drew swift public attention and confusion, occurred during the President’s televised address on Thursday, in which he honoured dozens of pro-democracy activists and national figures for their roles in Nigeria’s return to democratic governance. In a statement released hours later by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the government admitted the error and said it…
Author: Abdullahi Maitama Sani
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PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu on Thursday said his party, the ruling All Progressives Congress, would not close its doors to members of the opposition parties who chose to join the APC. He also said he would neither bother about the crisis in the opposition parties nor help them fix the problems, adding that it was a pleasure to see opposition parties in disarray. Tinubu disclosed these while addressing the joint session of the National Assembly in commemoration of Democracy Day. “Political parties fearful of members leaving may be better served by examining their internal processes and affairs rather than fearfully conjuring…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu on Thursday conferred national honours on MKO Abiola, a former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC), and Humphrey Nwosu, among others. Tinubu conferred the national honours on them during his June 12 address to a joint session of the National Assembly in Abuja. Abiola won the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election. “As we mark a twenty-sixth year of unbroken democracy, it is right to honour those who have made sacrifices in the past, braving all the odds and the guns to ensure we have a regime of democracy in our country,” Tinubu said. “In…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu is at the National Assembly, where he is to address a joint session of the lawmakers as part of the activities lineup to celebrate Nigeria’s 26 years of democracy. Advertisement Already, members of the National Assembly are sitting at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, where the event is happening. There will also be a Democracy Day lecture later in the day, where key political figures are to deliver speeches on several issues affecting Nigeria. Among dignitaries present are the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma; Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule; Minister of Justice and Attorney General of…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has cancelled the previously scheduled nationwide broadcast in commemoration of Nigeria’s 26th Democracy Day anniversary. In a statement late on Wednesday, the Director of Information and Public Relations, Segun Imohiosen, attributed the change to President Tinubu’s scheduled attendance at a joint session of the National Assembly on Thursday. He added that the president will instead deliver his Democracy Day address directly from the National Assembly chambers. “Due to President Bola Tinubu scheduled attendance at the National Assembly Joint Session, the Presidential National Broadcast on June 12 has been cancelled. President Tinubu will deliver his address from the…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu says he will welcome Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) whenever he chooses to join officially. Speaking during the commissioning of the Arterial Road N16 and other infrastructure in the Katampe District of Abuja, President Tinubu commended Wike’s contribution to governance and light-heartedly referenced the minister’s signature tune from his previous political rallies. “We have somebody—Nyesom Wike—he is not a member of my party (APC), not yet. “But the day he changes his mind and registers with the progressives, we will welcome him. Because we will enjoy singing ‘as…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu will address the nation at 7 am on Thursday as part of activities to mark the 2025 Democracy Day celebration. Tinubu will also attend a joint session of the National Assembly at the National Assembly complex in Abuja. The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Democracy Day said this in a statement on Wednesday. Abdulhakeem Adeoye, who issued the statement on behalf of the committee’s Director, Information & Public Relations, said Tinubu will, after his address, attend a joint session of the National Assembly at noon. However, Adeoye said there will be no Democracy Day parade. Later in the day,…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has urged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, not to be distracted by busybodies and naysayers but to focus on his mandate to transform the nation’s capital. Tinubu stated this on Tuesday when he inaugurated the rehabilitated and refurbished International Conference Centre, Abuja, which was renamed in his honour as the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja. The President said the refurbished international conference centre was part of his administration’s “determined efforts to change the way we do things, to reflect us as people of quality, people of character, people of determination,…
THE Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Public Affairs, Aliyu Audu, on Monday tendered his resignation. In a one-page letter dated June 8 and routed through the President’s Chief of Staff, Audu wrote, “I write to formally tender my resignation… effective immediately. I thanked the President for the opportunity to serve my fatherland under your visionary leadership.” He also praised former presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale, whose recommendation led to his nomination on August 26, 2023. “It has been an honour to contribute to the public communication efforts of this administration,” the letter continued, Audu also said “Please accept…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has acknowledged that Nigeria is not yet where it aspires to be, but appealed to Nigerians to keep hope alive. The President made the appeal in the Ei-El-Kabir message to Nigerians which he personally signed on Thursday. Tinubu noted that Eid-el-Kabir reminds us of our responsibilities beyond faith: to show resilience, tolerance, compassion, and dedication to the progress of our beloved country. He reaffirmed his “commitment to these values and expressed my deep appreciation for the faith, patience, and perseverance Nigerians show as we implement bold reforms.” “Though the journey has not been easy, and some doubted…
BILL Gates, world-renowned philanthropist, said his Foundation is working to end Malaria in Nigeria within the next twenty years. Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and chairman of the Bill Gates Foundation, disclosed this shortly after being conferred with one of Nigeria’s highest national honours, the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic CFR, by President Bola Tinubu in Lagos, on Tuesday. Gates, who described the project as ” ambitious”, however, assured that it will be achieved “Some of our goals will seem ambitious; for example, in the next twenty years, we hope to eradicate malaria,” Malaria, one of the…
PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday night conferred the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) on billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and chairman of the Bill Gates Foundation. The brief investiture ceremony took place at the President’s private residence in Lagos, during Gates’ visit to Nigeria. The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced the investiture in a post on his verified X handle, @aonanuga1956. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Lagos on Tuesday night conferred the National Honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic…
SENATOR Orji Kalu, who represents Abia North, has urged President Bola Tinubu to relieve certain ministers and security chiefs of their duties, citing inefficiency and lack of impact on Nigeria’s development. Speaking during a guest appearance on Politics Today, a programme aired on Channels Television on Monday monitored by News Point Nigeria, Kalu said he had assessed the current federal cabinet. “Some people working with President Tinubu should be relieved of their duties. Some of them should go — both from the security sector and among the ministers,” he said. Kalu, a former Governor of Abia State, further advised the…
SPECIAL Adviser on Media and Information Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, says Nigerians will soon experience a reduction in the cost of living, as the effects of the administration’s economic reforms start to materialise Speaking to newsmen in Lagos on Sunday, Onanuga stated that the positive effects of Tinubu’s policies would soon be felt across all segments of the nation. Onanuga highlighted that the President had not only introduced progressive reforms but had also tackled challenges that previous administrations avoided. He added that two years is an insufficient yardstick to fully measure the administration’s achievements, noting that policy…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu on Saturday sympathised with the families of the members of the Kano State contingent who died in a road accident while returning from the recently concluded National Sports Festival in Ogun State. In a statement by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, the president extended heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Kano State, as well as to the families and loved ones of those who died in the accident. “This is a devastating blow to the nation. It casts a shadow over the National Sports Festival, a celebration of unity, talent, and excellence. It has long served…
BAYO Onanuga, special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his recent comments on the Tinubu administration, describing them as “vitriol” driven by personal animosity rather than objective analysis. Responding to Atiku’s statement which accused the government of implementing “anti-people” policies, Onanuga said the former vice president “ought to acknowledge the significant progress and positive achievements made by this administration over the past two years.” “Unless former Vice President Atiku allowed personal grievances to cloud his judgment,” he added, “he should, in good conscience, acknowledge the significant progress… made by…
FELLOW Nigerians, as we mark the second anniversary of our administration, I salute your resilience and undaunted spirit. Two years ago, you entrusted me with the sacred responsibility to lead our nation at a time of historic challenges. Together, we have faced these headwinds with courage and determination. The economic and general situation of the country I inherited required that we redirect the country’s affairs with a bold and new vision. I immediately implemented two necessary policies to stop our country from further drifting into the precipice. It was apparent that if the federal government and the other two tiers…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu says his reforms of the past two years in office are laying a sustainable foundation for a more prosperous future for Nigerians. Tinubu, who was elected as President on May 29, 2023, stated that his Renewed Hope Agenda was working to reduce the cost of living, promote economic justice and build a business-friendly economy that attracts investment and supports every Nigerian. “We are laying the foundation for a more sustainable future…together, we are creating a system where prosperity is shared, and no one is left behind,” Tinubu stated in his nationwide address to mark his second year…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, called on West African leaders to uphold and pass on the vision of the founding fathers of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as the regional bloc marks its 50th anniversary. In a keynote address at Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos, the President urged leaders to look beyond the artificial borders created by colonialists and embrace one another as a family. Tinubu, who is the Chairman of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, noted that the founding fathers foresaw a more united, harmonious, and purpose-driven regional bloc that would…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has appointed additional people to fill vacancies in the governing councils of some federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education. Mr Bayo Onanuga, the President’s spokesman, in a statement on Wednesday, said Hon. Chidi Nwogu from Imo was appointed as a member of the Council of African Aviation and Aerospace University, Abuja. Dr Folashade Kareem from Kwara was also appointed to the council of the University of Jos, Plateau, and Dipe Adeniyi from Lagos State was appointed as a member of the council of the Federal University of Technology, Ikot-Abasi, Akwa-Ibom. Others are Akanimo Umoh, Akwa Ibom,…