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Bamidele: Beneficiaries of Subsidies Ganged up against Tinubu’s Govt at Inception  ……  Says 2025 budget will largely solve problem of Nigeria

Published

5 months ago

on

Senate leader,Senator Opeyemi Bamidele
The Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele on Monday explained how key beneficiaries of fuel subsidies made governance difficult for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the first eighteenth month of his administration.
Bamidele, currently representing Ekiti Central in the Senate, also expressed confidence that the 2025 Appropriation Act would largely solve the country’s socio-economic challenges not only at the national level, but also at the sub-national level.
He made this clarification in a statement his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs issued yesterday, highlighting the imperatives of fuel subsidy removal at the inception of the Tinubu administration.
He specifically explained the socio-economic and political predicament that confronted the president, describing how the economic predators fought and undermined his administration because he removed the fuel subsidy in the overriding public interest.
 Bamidele said: “I am convinced that the president did the right thing by removing the fuel subsidy, for which the 9th National Assembly made provision till May 2023. But the people that made governance difficult for President Tinubu were those benefiting from fuel subsidies.
“It was not common men and women of this country who were benefiting from the fuel subsidy. It was not. It was members of the cabal who had access to the fuel subsidy. They are the ones taking away this privilege all in the name and on behalf of masses. And the masses did not benefit from it.
“I was part of the 9th National Assembly. At that time, we had agreed with the executive arm that the fuel subsidy should be removed because it was no longer in the overriding interest of the country. The Tinubu administration acted based on the policy direction the National Assembly approved before his inauguration on May 29, 2023.
“In the 2023 budget, the National Assembly only made provision for fuel subsidy till May 2023. Whether President Tinubu was removed at his inauguration or not, there was no longer funding for subsidy because we did not make provision for it beyond May 2023.
“He did not say he was going to remove the fuel subsidy. He simply said fuel subsidy was gone simply because the National Assembly only made provision for it till May 2023. Even if he did not say it, the fuel subsidy would have gone in two days after his inauguration.”
Bamidele noted that if the National Assembly made provision for subsidy, it would definitely deny all the sib-national governments from receiving adequate statutory transfers from the Federation Accounts to run their administration.
He further noted that if the fuel subsidy was retained, it would have automatically plunged the country into an intractable fiscal crisis, possibly another economic meltdown because the country no longer had the capacity to fund the subsidy programme again.
He revealed that the proceeds realised from the fuel subsidy “are now being allocated directly to the sub-national governments to drive development and boost domestic economy. These are the points we need to emphasise in our public engagement.
“Running an economy indeed calls for strategic response. The strategic steps being taken are not something that will yield a positive outcome within 24 hours. If subsidy has not been removed, our economy will have been in shambles or will have been flat on the floor.
“This administration has not been in office for up to two years. Some much has been achieved across all strategic sectors, and diverse reforms are ongoing to further deepen the gains of the administration. If fuel subsidy is retained, only God knows what will have happened to this federation,” the leader observed.
Bamidele, also, assured Nigerians that the 2025 Appropriation Act would largely solve diverse challenges that had been confronting the country not only at the national level, but also at the sub-national level.
Sadly enough, according to the leader, a lot of people are not paying attention to the sub-national governments. For instance, statutory transfers to the sub-national governments from the Federal Accounts have significantly increased. There is not much emphasis on it.
He noted that the sub-national governments, both state and local, “are also passing their budgets. What is important is to get the focus of the budget at the national level and sub national levels right.
“What is the focus of the 2025 budget being passed? Does it address the welfare of the people? Does it prioritise the critical sector of the economy, including education? What is the scale of attention being paid to health and social welfare? What is the percentage of the budget going to agriculture?
“Compared to the previous fiscal years, the federal government is devoting less to recurrent expenditure while more is being devoted to capital expenditure. That is a major shift from what had been in practice since the return to democracy. It means we are spending less on consumables.”
Besides, the leader commended the president for implementing diverse measures to stabilise the domestic economy, saying his administration “is determined not to retrench Nigerian workers regardless of the situation the country finds itself in.”
He noted that retrenching workers “is not an option before this administration because it will cause more problems. Look at our situation. We are confronted with grave security challenges that nearly erode the gains of the administration, especially in the area of agriculture. This is mainly because people could no longer go to farms. It was quite a bad situation but we are gradually coming out of it.
“While it is not yet Uhuru, the security situation is fast improving across the federation today. Some of the IDPs are gradually relocating to their base. Farmers are too steadily returning to their farms. Altogether, things are improving. I am sure that things will be different very soon.”
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Politics

Governor Adeleke is not Joining ADC Nor Aligning with Anyone in ADC- Spokesperson

Published

24 hours ago

on

August 2, 2025

By

Gov Ademola Adeleke of Osun state

By David Owei, Bayelsa

Governor Ademola Adeleke is not defecting to African Democratic Congress (ADC) nor aligning with anybody within the ADC ahead of the 2026 state elections, his Spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed has disclosed.

Responding to media publication and enquiries, the Spokesperson affirmed that Governor Adeleke remains in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and is going to win, with wide margins, the 2026 governorship elections on the platform of the PDP.

The statement reads further: “Our attention has been drawn to news reports and media enquiries about the imminent defection of Governor Adeleke to the ADC or alignment with ADC big wigs ahead of the 2026 governorship race. There is no truth in those publications and speculations.

“First of all, we, the PDP Osun, have already adopted and endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election, so there is no alliance with ADC.

“Secondly, Governor Adeleke has no alliance with anyone in ADC. He remains in PDP, will run in PDP, and needs no alliance with ADC to win with a wide margin in 2026.

“The Osun electorate supports Governor Adeleke because of his impressive performance since he came to office. That good work is still ongoing and Osun people are committed to sustaining the delivery of good governance by re-electing Governor Adeleke in 2026”, the Spokesperson was quoted as saying.

Governor Adeleke urges PDP members to forge ahead with the ongoing strengthening of the party structures across all levels to prepare for fresh victory next year”, the statement from the Spokesperson concluded.

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Politics

INC rejects bill granting exclusive co-chairmanship to Ooni, Sultan

Published

4 days ago

on

July 30, 2025

By

Second Vice Chairman of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Chief Alabo Nengi James

By David Owei,Bayelsa

The umbrella body of Ijaw Elders, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) has rejected the Bill in the Senate seeking to permanently elevate the Ooni of Ife and Sultan of Sokoto as the exclusive Co-chairmen of the Traditional Rulers Council.

The INC said the move would be at the expense of apex traditional rulers from other ethnic nationalities and geopolitical divides.

The Second Vice Chairman of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Chief Alabo Nengi James (OON) said, in a statement on Sunday in Odi, Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government area of Bayelsa State, the proposal is a continuos infringement on Traditional Rulers in Nigeria.

Alabo Nengi James describes the provision of the Bill as unacceptable and against the Rights of the indigenous People across tribes, Religion, Culture and Customs.

He said the Bill should be reviewed to include clauses such as No permanent Chairmanship for Sultan and Oni only must be allowed in the ongoing bill being discussed in the Senate.

He advocates that the National Assembly should allow the National Council of Traditional Rulers to Appoint their Leadership themselves, rotationaly and based on Federal Character.

“Include the Role of Traditional Rulers into the Constitutio and No Traditional Ruler from another tribe or religion is superior to another.”

“The National Assembly should Step down the Provocative and dehumanizing offensive Bill that will cause a serious rift and breach of peace in Nigeria.”

Chief James called the attention of the Senate President, Rt. Hon. Godswill Akpabio, urging him to immediately step down what he termed a “highly insensitive and dangerous bill.”

He emphasized that traditional rulers across the country must be given equal recognition and should be allowed to choose their national leadership through internal mechanisms that reflect rotational leadership and the federal character system.

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Politics

Alleged Deportation of Nigerians in Ghana: Sen Aniekan urges Nigerians to remain 

Published

4 days ago

on

July 29, 2025

By

Senate in session in the chamber
By George Mgbeleke
The attention of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)  has been drawn to a disturbing video on social media showing a protest by some Ghanaians calling on the authority to send Nigerians back to Nigeria alleging that their behaviours and attitudes were not in conformity with the norms of Ghana.
In a statement,Chairman Senate Committee on Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) Senator Bassey Aniekan, “the widespread indignation against Nigerians living in Ghana and branding them as criminals should be condemned by all.”
He reiterated that Nigerians are hardworking people and not criminals as purported  and are good ambassadors wherever they find themselves.
He added that while not denying the fact that there may be some bad individuals amongst them, the generality of Nigerians he stressed, are peaceful and law abiding people.
Furthermore, he pointed out the long standing relationship and partnership, the two countries have had over the years emphasizing that Ghana and Nigeria are brothers and  in the spirit of ECOWAS and regional integration, should continue to live in peace, stressing that dialogue has proven countless times to be a tool for peace and should be deployed.
The Senate Committee Chair on Diaspora and NGOs appealed for calm and urged Nigerians living in Ghana to exercise restraint, avoid provocation restraint, of any sort and to resist reprisal attacks as the issue is being handled.
Senator Aniekan confirmed that he had received reports that the issue is being addressed at the diplomatic level by the Minister of State Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu.
He cautioned against the use of inciteful words by individuals on both sides, as  such statements are capable of aggravating the problem and further putting pressure on an already tensed atmosphere.
Senator Bassey Aniekan, also advised Nigerians to disregard the videos trending on line that Nigerians’ shops and properties are being destroyed by Ghanaians as there is no evidence to buttress such claims.
The Chairman applauded Ghanaian and  Nigerian High  Commissioners for their efforts to control the situation, adding that the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs , has also been in touch with Ghanaian authorities and had taken some pro- active measures to put the situation under control.
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