PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has appointed Dr Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe as Chairman of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA). This was revealed in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Sunday. The appointment of the former Kwara Central Senator will be for an initial term of four years. The communique also stated that Oloriegbe’s appointment took effect on March 11, 2025. Oloriegbe represented the Kwara Central Senatorial District at the 9th Senate of the National Assembly. ”He holds a Master’s in Coaching and Consultation from the University of Oxford, UK, and HEC,…
Author: Abdullahi Maitama Sani
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, on Sunday, joined others for prayers at the National Eid ground in Abuja, as Nigerian Muslims mark the Eid-Al-Fitr celebrations together with millions of others around the world. Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu and some ministers are also observing the prayer in the same venue. Eid-Al-Fitr, meaning the festival of breaking the fast, is a time of gratitude, charity and communal harmony. It begins with special prayers known as Eid prayers held in Mosques and open spaces. Following the prayers, families share festive meals, exchange gifts…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has revealed that he nearly abandoned his 2023 presidential ambition following a moment of doubt during the election campaign. “I almost dropped the idea of running for President,” Tinubu revealed on Saturday night at a special Iftar held in his honour at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja, where he also thanked Nigerians for their overwhelming goodwill and prayers on his 73rd birthday. Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, disclosed the excerpts of the President’s dpeech in a statement signed in the early hours of Sunday titled ‘President Tinubu appreciates Nigerians for birthday…
THE Presidency has described as “baseless” claims by the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, that he was being targeted for investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). A statement signed by Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Friday said Atiku’s claims are “false and reflecting a troubling patter of relying on social media gossip.” On Thursday, Atiku claimed that the EFCC was probing him in connection with financial activities involving the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. In a statement on Friday, Onanuga described Atiku’s claims as baseless and misleading. The Presidency…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has appointed Felix Morka, the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as Board Chairman of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). Tinubu also approved the appointment of Hon. Fatuhu Mohammed Buhari from Katsina State as Director-General of the National Agricultural Seed Council. The President further appointed some prominent Nigerians as board chairmen of various federal government institutions. See full statement below: STATEHOUSE PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT TINUBU APPOINTS BOARD CHAIRMEN FOR NTA, AUTOMOTIVE COUNCIL, 21 OTHERS, AND DIRECTOR-GENERAL FOR NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL SEED COUNCIL President Bola Tinubu has appointed Felix Morka, the National Publicity Secretary of the…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has declared a state of emergency in Rivers State following the protracted political crisis in the state. Tinubu made the proclamation during a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara; his deputy Ngozi Odu; and all the members of the House of Assembly for six months. The president nominated Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) as a military administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state for the first six months. The president relied on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to make the proclamation. The section interprets a state of emergency as a situation…
THE Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, on Monday refuted claims that he called for the death of a National Youth Service Corps member who recently flouted NYSC bye-laws. In a statement titled, ‘Statement on My Twisted Comment on the Corps Member,’ Ajayi clarified that his initial remarks on a Facebook post were misrepresented, emphasising that the maximum penalty provided by the NYSC’s regulations is expulsion—not bodily harm. “I suggested that flagrant and open abuse and disregard of NYSC by-laws and established protocol should attract the full NYSC disciplinary measures, particularly regarding a corps…
THE Presidency has insisted that President Bola Tinubu is currently focused on positively impacting the lives of Nigerians and not the next general elections. Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare who made the clarification in a statement on X on Friday, said the president’s achievement would at the end of his tenure, be how he has been able to bring development to the economy. Dare’s statement comes amid growing political tension and economic hardship in the country. Efforts to form a coalition that could challenge Tinubu in 2027 are on top gear, as former Kaduna State…
AMID the hardship rocking the country, President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians of hope, reiterating his commitment to running a government that listens to the needs of Nigerians. Tinubu gave the assurance on Friday while receiving the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of Nigeria (CBCN). He told the bishops that he made a tough decision upon assuming office in 2023 by removing subsidy on petroleum products. He stressed the competition among operators in the petroleum sector, the bountiful harvest enjoyed by farmers, and the lower prices of commodities, adding that investments are flowing into the country. “Yes, removing the fuel subsidy was…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu on Thursday articulated the rationale behind his administration’s economic reforms, saying the primary motive was protecting the interests of future generations, whose funds had been spent in the past 50 years. “For 50 years, Nigeria was spending money of generations yet unborn and servicing the West coast of our subregion with fuel. It was getting difficult to plan for our children’s future,” he said. The President stated this at the State House in Abuja while receiving a delegation of former National Assembly colleagues from the aborted Third Republic, during which he served as a Senator representing Lagos…
BRAZILIAN President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has invited President Bola Tinubu to his country. The invitation is part of efforts to deepen relations between Brazil and Nigeria. Brazilian Foreign Affairs Minister Mauro Viera made this known during a meeting with his Nigerian counterpart, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar in Abuja yesterday. Viera, who led a team from the Latin American nation to Nigeria is expected to engage in high-level talks with Nigerian officials. The two countries are expected to sign some agreements aimed at strengthening their bilateral ties. The minister, who praised President Tinubu’s participation in the G-20 summit in Brazil…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu on Monday night in Abuja, called on political leaders in the country to channel more resources and policies toward catering to the needs of the poor and vulnerable. The President, who hosted governors, members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), Service Chiefs, and some selected Heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to break the Ramadan fast at the State House, in a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, urged leaders to be selfless and work for the people’s benefit marking the first such gathering of the Ramadan season. Among the notable attendees were Rivers Governor Sim…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has appointed a former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Attahiru Jega, as special adviser and coordinator of Presidential Livestock Reforms. Jega’s appointment was announced in a statement by the Special Adviser to Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga in a post on X on Friday night. Jega was the INEC chairman chairman between 2010 to 2015. Onanuga wrote, “President Bola Tinubu appoints Professor Attahiru Jega as Presidential adviser and coordinator of Presidential Livestock Reforms.” In July, Tinubu created a new ministry called the Ministry of Livestock Development. The ministry was mandated to provide…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has appointed six Chief Medical Directors for Federal Government-owned hospitals in Akure, Gombe, Azare, Lafia, Maiduguri and Kafanchan. Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a statement on Friday titled ‘President Tinubu appoints six chief medical directors for federal hospitals.’ The newly appointed CMDs include Prof. Olusegun Ojo who has been appointed Chief Medical Director of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Akure, Ondo State. The presidency described Ojo as a “seasoned medical professional who previously served as the pioneer Chief Medical Director of the Ondo State Specialist Hospital.” Prof. Yusuf Abdullahi…
THE Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved ₦10.299 billion for the procurement of essential medical commodities, including diabetes diagnostic kits, antiretroviral drugs for HIV/AIDS patients, antibiotics, and hypertensive medications. The move aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to improving healthcare accessibility and affordability for Nigerians. Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, announced the approvals while addressing journalists at the State House, Abuja on Wednesday after the FEC meeting, which was presided over by the President Tinubu. According to Pate, the intervention targets critical areas of healthcare, ensuring that Nigerians—particularly the poor and vulnerable—can access essential…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has described former President Olusegun Obasanjo on his 88th birthday as “controversial” while eulogising the latter’s contributions to nation-building. Tinubu in a statement signed on Wednesday, also described the former statesman as an “extraordinary leader ” whose contributions to Nigeria’s development remain indelible. According to Tinubu, Obasanjo’s regular interventions in national affairs, although sometimes controversial, have helped shape public policies and put leaders in check. “Sometimes controversial, former President Obasanjo’s regular interventions in national affairs have helped shape public policies and acted as a check on leadership. “At 88, the former president is still gaining strength. I…
THE Federal Government on Tuesday launched a new revenue platform, the Treasury Management and Revenue Assurance (TMRAS). In a statement on Tuesday, the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) said despite the launch of the new payment platform, the Remita platform, known as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) approved payment gateway, would still be operational. The statement signed by a spokesperson for the OAGF, Bawa Mokwa, said that Remita would be integrated into the TMRAS alongside other eligible Payment Solution Service Providers (PSSPs) for government revenue collection and remittances to enhance liberalisation. The Office said the…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has appointed Shamsedeen Ogunjimi as the new Accountant General of the Federation. The appointment, announced on Tuesday, takes effect on March 7, 2025, coinciding with the retirement of the incumbent AGF, Oluwatoyin Madehin. Ogunjimi, 57, was first named as Madehin’s successor in December 2024. His selection was finalised after a competitive process overseen by a committee tasked with evaluating Directors of Accounts in the Federal Civil Service. The process included a written assessment, an ICT proficiency test, and oral interviews, underscoring Tinubu’s commitment to transparency and excellence in public appointments. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved provisional licences for 11 new private universities in Nigeria. According to a statement on X by the President’s Special Adviser on Media & Public Communication, Sunday Dare, Tinubu granted the approvals during the Federal Executive Council meeting on Monday. Below is the list of the newly approved private universities: 1 – New City University, Ayetoro, Ogun State 2 – University of Fortune, Igbotako, Ondo State 3 – Eranova University, Mabushi, Abuja 4 – Minaret University, Ikirun, Osun State 5 – Abubakar Toyin University, Oke-Agba, Kwara State 6 – Southern Atlantic University, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu is meeting with his Sierra Leonean counterpart, Julius Bio, at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja. Bio arrived at the forecourt of the Villa at 12:22 pm Monday in the company of the bagpipers of the Presidential Guards Brigade. He was received by the President’s Chief of Staff, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, who ushered him into the closed-door meeting. Nigeria and Sierra Leone have maintained strong diplomatic relations since their respective independences in October 1960 and April 1961. Both nations are active members of the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union and have collaborated…