Author: Abdullahi Maitama Sani

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has expressed deep condolences to the government and people of India over the death of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. A statement released by the State House on Friday and signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu described Singh as a visionary leader whose contributions to Nigeria-India relations remain significant. Singh, who served as India’s Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, passed away on Thursday at the age of 92. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu extends heartfelt condolences to the government and people of India on the passing of…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu says the Federal Government has subsidised transportation costs for Nigerians as part of moves to ease the hardship during the festive period. In his Christmas message for 2024, Tinubu said the government has provided free train rides and subsidised road transport. “For those travelling during this festive period, I wish you safe journeys. Rest assured, the government is taking all necessary steps to ensure our transportation routes are secure and convenient,” Tinubu said in a message he signed. “We also provide free train services and subsidized road transport costs on 144 routes nationwide to ease your travels.”…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has advised Nigerians to step up their management skill in reducing electricity bills. News Point Nigeria reports that the President made the disclosure during the first presidential media chat aired by NTA, Monday night. “It’s not negative to learn to manage. You learn to control your electricity bill, switch off the light, let’s learn to manage,” Tinubu said on Monday in a chat with reporters at his Bourdillon residence in the highbrow Ikoyi area of Lagos State. The All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain also said he does not believe in price control and he won’t go that…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu on Monday unequivocally responded to critics who described his cabinet as “bloated” by saying he is unprepared to reduce the size of his 48-man cabinet. News Point Nigeria reports that the President stated this during the first presidential media chat aired by NTA on Monday. “I am not ready to shrink” the size of my cabinet, Tinubu said during a media chat at his Bourdillon residence in the highbrow Ikoyi area of Lagos State. The former Lagos governor argued that “efficiency” has been at the core of his selection of ministers. The All Progressives Congress (APC) powerhouse…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu will hold first presidential chat since assuming office on Monday night.  Accoding to a statement released by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the chat will be broadcast at 9 p.m. on the stations of Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN). All television and radio stations are requested to hook up to the broadcast. “The first Presidential Media Chat with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be broadcast at 9pm on Monday, December 23, on the Nigerian Television Authority and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria. “All television and radio stations are requested to hook up…

THE Federal Government has allocated a total of N6,364,181,224 billion for the renovation and rehabilitation of the residential quarters of President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and some of their aides in the 2025 budget proposal. This newspaper’s analysis of the proposed allocation, contained in the 2025 Appropriation Bill presented to the National Assembly, showed that the annual maintenance of the Presidential Villa would gulp N5.49bn. According to the proposed budget, N765m will be used for the renovation of the Vice President’s quarters and guest house. The renovation of the president’s quarters at the State House will cost N6.39m,…

THE Federal Government has allocated N845,284,513,819 to address minimum wage-related adjustments following the recent increase to N70,000. The allocation is part of the service-wide vote detailed in the 2025 budget proposals, which was presented by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the National Assembly on Wednesday. Yesterday, the Senate and House of Representatives passed the 2025 Appropriation Bill of N49.7 trillion for a second reading. The budget provides N10,955,324,281 for local contracting debt obligations. Another key item is N17,313,619,734 for group life assurance for all ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), including the Department of State Services (DSS). The allocation covers the…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the reconstitution of the Executive Management of 12 River Basin Development Authorities under the Federal Ministry of Water Resources. This was disclosed in statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Wednesday. According to the statement, Rabiu Suleiman Bichi and Musa Iliyasu Kwankwaso were appointed Managing Director and Executive Director, Finance respectively for the Hadejia Jama’are River Basin. Both men had served under the administration of former Kano Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as SSG and Commissioner for Rural Development. See full statement below: STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT TINUBU…

SECURITY and defence, infrastructure, health and education were some of the sectors with high allocations in the N47.9tn Budget Proposal presented by President Bola Tinubu before a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday afternoon. The President listed some of the highlights of the budget as defence and security – N4.91tn, infrastructure – N4.06tn, health – N2.4tn, education – N3.5tn, among others. He stressed that food security is non-negotiable, adding that the government is taking steps to ensure Nigerians feed and not go to bed hungry. Tinubu said, “Our 2025 is not just another statement of projected government revenue…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu is presenting a 2025 budget estimate of N47.9trn to a joint session of the National Assembly (NASS). Lawmakers from the House of Representatives and the Senate were seated on Wednesday as the President presented his second budget proposal to the joint session. Tinubu was accompanied to the presentation by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume; the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; among other top government officials. The presentation was expected to take place on Tuesday but that was moved to Wednesday after a meeting of the Federal Executive Council…

PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Aisha Garba, an international development specialist, as the Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education (UBEC). Tinubu’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, adding that, Garba, a Senior Education Specialist with the World Bank, brings more than twenty-four years of experience driving impactful programmes in education for human and economic development, working in Nigeria, Ghana, Somalia, Kenya, the USA, and the United Kingdom. “With over 15 years of hands-on experience at the World Bank, Garba has consistently led end-to-end design and management of education programmes and reforms, from conceptualisation to completion…

THE National Assembly is considering moving President Bola Tinubu’s budget presentation to Wednesday. According to the Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris, only the National Assembly can decide when the president can present the budget to the legislators. Idris said this on Monday while briefing State House Correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting. He said there is an ongoing engagement with NASS, saying it is likely that the date for the presentation of the 2025 Appropriation Bill maybe Wednesday. President Tinubu was initially billed to present the document to NASS on Tuesday. It…

PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed eight new permanent secretaries in the federal civil service to fill existing and impending vacancies in some states and geopolitical zones. It was the second set of eight permanent secretaries appointed by the president, following those appointed last June from Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Jigawa, Ondo, Zamfara, South East and South-South. Tinubu’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, noting that the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation recommended that the new permanent secretaries be appointed after diligent selection. The appointees are Onwusoro Maduka Ihemelandu (Abia…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved free transportation nationwide ahead of Christmas celebration. The Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, announced this while briefing State House correspondents shortly after the Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by the President on Monday. He said the Federal Government will commence a nationwide free train services from the 20th of December to 5th of January 2025. He also announced that FG has renamed the University of Abuja to Yakubu Gowon University. On the 2025 budget, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun disclosed that the cabinet also deliberated extensively on the…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu will present the budget proposal for 2025 to the National Assembly on Tuesday. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, disclosed this during plenary on Thursday. The proposed 2025 budget will be President Tinubu’s second full budget to be presented to the NASS since his assumption of office in May 2023. While speaking, Akpabio said the budget presentation will begin at 11:00 a.m. and be held in the House of Representatives chamber. “His Excellency, the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has indicated his intention to bring the 2025 budget proposals and estimates to a joint sitting of the…

THE Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS has given Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger six months, from January 29 to July 29, 2025, to reconsider their decision to exit the regional bloc. President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, announced the six-month grace on Sunday in Abuja after the 66th Ordinary Session of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government. “The Authority takes note of the notification by the Republic of Burkina Faso, Republic of Mali and Republic of Niger of their decision to withdraw from ECOWAS. “The Authority acknowledges that by the provisions…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has appointed Nwakuche Ndidi as the Acting Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service. His appointment follows the expiration of the tenure of the current CG, Haliru Nababa. Nababa was appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari on February 18, 2021. In a statement on Friday, the Secretary of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Board, Ja’afaru Ahmed, said Ndidi’s appointment takes effect from December 15, 2024. Ahmed stated, “The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has graciously approved the appointment of Nwakuche Sylvester Ndidi as Acting Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu will present the 2025 budget to the joint assembly of the National Assembly next Tuesday, December 17. This was disclosed by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, during plenary session on Thursday. Akpabio announced that the budget presentation will take place at the House of Representatives’ chamber. President Tinubu had earlier submitted the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper for 2025-2027 to both the Senate and the House of Representatives last Tuesday. The Senate Committee on Finance, National Planning, and Economic Affairs has been directed to consider the MTEF/FSP documents and report within one week. Key parameters…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu Wednesday in Abuja said the interest and welfare of the citizens in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger remain priority for leaders of ECOWAS, assuring that wisdom and diplomacy will make the difference in reintegrating the countries into the commission. Receiving the President of Germany, Frank–Walter Steinmeier, in a State Visit at the Presidential Villa, Tinubu, who is the Chairman of ECOWAS, noted that the leadership of the three countries had been reluctant in bringing out transition programmes with clear dates. “Our relationship of mutual respect will continue as we reappraise the situation in the three countries. What…

THE German President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier arrived at the State House on a visit to President Bola Tinubu Wednesday, after landing in the country on Tuesday. Upon arrival yesterday, he was received at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. Steinmeier, whose visit to Nigeria is scheduled to span through to December 12, 2024, is expected to engage in a series of activities such as a meeting with President Bola Tinubu, as well as the President of the Commission of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Alieu…