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Full Text of President Tinubu’s Speech on Ongoing Protests

My fellow Nigerians,

I speak to you today with a heavy heart and a sense of responsibility, aware of the turmoil and violent protests unleashed in some of our states.

Notably among the protesters were young Nigerians who desired a better and more progressive country where their dreams, hopes, and personal aspirations would be fulfilled.

I am especially pained by the loss of lives in Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna and other states, the destruction of public facilities in some states, and the wanton looting of supermarkets and shops, contrary to the promise of protest organisers that the protest would be peaceful across the country. The destruction of properties sets us back as a nation, as scarce resources will be again used to restore them.

I commiserate with the families and relations of those who have died in the protests. We must stop further bloodshed, violence and destruction.

As President of this country, I must ensure public order. In line with my constitutional oath to protect the lives and property of every citizen, our government will not stand idly by and allow a few with a clear political agenda to tear this nation apart.

Under the circumstances, I hereby enjoin protesters and the organisers to suspend any further protest and create room for dialogue, which I have always acceded to at the slightest opportunity. Nigeria requires all hands on deck and needs us all – regardless of age, party, tribe, religion or other divides, to work together in reshaping our destiny as a nation. To those who have taken undue advantage of this situation to threaten any section of this country, be warned: The law will catch up with you. There is no place for ethnic bigotry or such threats in the Nigeria we seek to build.

Our democracy progresses when the constitutional rights of every Nigerian are respected and protected. Our law enforcement agencies should continue to ensure the full protection of lives and properties of innocent citizens in a responsible manner.

My vision for our country is one of a just and prosperous nation where each person may enjoy the peace, freedom, and meaningful livelihood that only democratic good governance can provide – one that is open, transparent and accountable to the Nigerian people.

For decades, our economy has remained anaemic and taken a dip because of many misalignments that have stunted our growth. Just over a year ago, our dear country, Nigeria, reached a point where we couldn’t afford to continue the use of temporary solutions to solve long-term problems for the sake of now and our unborn generations. I therefore took the painful yet necessary decision to remove fuel subsidies and abolish multiple foreign exchange systems which had constituted a noose around the economic jugular of our Nation and impeded our economic development and progress.

These actions blocked the greed and the profits that smugglers and rent-seekers made. They also blocked the undue subsidies we had extended to our neighbouring countries to the detriment of our people, rendering our economy prostrate. These decisions I made were necessary if we must reverse the decades of economic mismanagement that didn’t serve us well. Yes, I agree, the buck stops on my table. But I can assure you that I am focused fully on delivering the governance to the people – good governance for that matter.

In the past 14 months, our government has made significant strides in rebuilding the foundation of our economy to carry us into a future of plenty and abundance. On the fiscal side, aggregate government revenues have more than doubled, hitting over 9.1 trillion Naira in the first half of 2024 compared to the first half of 2023 due to our efforts at blocking leakages, introducing automation, and mobilising funding creatively without additional burden on the people. Productivity is gradually increasing in the non-oil sector, reaching new levels and taking advantage of the opportunities in the current economic ambience

My dear brothers and sisters, we have come this far. Coming from a place where our country spent 97% of all our revenue on debt service; we have been able to reduce that to 68% in the last 13 months. We have also cleared legitimate outstanding foreign exchange obligations of about $5billion without any adverse impact on our programmes.

This has given us more financial freedom and the room to spend more money on you, our citizens, to fund essential social services like education and healthcare. It has also led to our State, and Local Governments receiving the highest allocations ever in our country’s history from the Federation Account.

We have also embarked on major infrastructure projects across the country. We are working to complete inherited projects critical to our economic prosperity, including roads, bridges, railways, power, and oil and gas developments. Notably, the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Sokoto-Badagry Highway projects will open up 16 connecting states, creating thousands of jobs and boosting economic output through trade, tourism and cultural integration

Our once-declining oil and gas industry is experiencing a resurgence on the back of the reforms I announced in May 2024 to address the gaps in the Petroleum Industry Act. Last month, we increased our oil production to 1.61million barrels per day, and our gas assets are receiving the attention they deserve. Investors are coming back, and we have already seen two Foreign Direct Investments signed of over half a billion dollars since then.

Fellow Nigerians, we are a country blessed with both oil and gas resources, but we met a country that had been dependent solely on oil-based petrol, neglecting its gas resources to power the economy. We were also using our hard-earned foreign exchange to pay for, and subsidise its use. To address this, we immediately launched our Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (CNG) to power our transportation economy and bring costs down. This will save over two trillion Naira a month, being used to import PMS and AGO and free up our resources for more investment in healthcare and education.

To this end, we will be distributing a million kits of extremely low or no cost to commercial vehicles that transport people and goods and who currently consume 80% of the imported PMS and AGO.

We have started the distribution of conversion kits and setting up of conversion centres across the country in conjunction with the private sector. We believe that this CNG initiative will reduce transportation costs by approximately 60 per cent and help to curb inflation.

Our administration has shown its commitment to the youth by setting up the student loan scheme. To date, 45.6billion Naira has already been processed for payment to students and their respective institutions

I encourage more of our vibrant youth population to take advantage of this opportunity. We established the Consumer Credit Corporation with over N200billion to help Nigerians to acquire essential products without the need for immediate cash payments, making life easier for millions of households. This will consequently reduce corruption and eliminate cash and opaque transactions. This week, I ordered the release of an additional N50billion Naira each for NELFUND – the student loan, and Credit Corporation from the proceeds of crime recovered by the EFCC

Additionally, we have secured $620million under the Digital and Creative Enterprises (IDiCE) – a programme to empower our young people, creating millions of IT and technical jobs that will make them globally competitive. These programmes include the 3Million Technical Talents scheme. Unfortunately, one of the digital centres was vandalised during the protests in Kano. What a shame!

In addition, we have introduced the Skill-Up Artisans Programme (SUPA); the Nigerian Youth Academy (NIYA); and the National Youth Talent Export Programme (NATEP).

Also, more than N570 billion has been released to the 36 states to expand livelihood support to their citizens, while 600,000 nano-businesses have benefitted from our nano-grants. An additional 400,000 more nano-businesses are expected to benefit.

Furthermore, 75,000 beneficiaries have been processed to receive our N1million Micro and Small Business single-digit interest loans, starting this month. We have also built 10 MSME hubs within the past year, created 240,000 jobs through them and 5 more hubs are in progress which will be ready by October this year.

Payments of N1billion each are also being made to large manufacturers under our single-digit loans to boost manufacturing output and stimulate growth.

I signed the National Minimum Wage into law last week, and the lowest-earning workers will now earn at least N70,000 a month.

Six months ago in Karsana, Abuja, I inaugurated the first phase of our ambitious housing initiative, the Renewed Hope City and Estate. This project is the first of six we have planned across the nation’s geopolitical zones. Each of these cities will include a minimum of 1,000 housing units, with Karsana itself set to deliver 3,212 units

In addition to these city projects, we are also launching the Renewed Hope Estates in every state, each comprising 500 housing units. Our goal is to complete a total of 100,000 housing units over the next three years. This initiative is not only about providing homes but also about creating thousands of jobs across the nation as well as stimulating economic growth.

We are providing incentives to farmers to increase food production at affordable prices. I have directed that tariffs and other import duties should be removed on rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, drugs, and other pharmaceutical and medical supplies for the next 6 months, in the first instance, to help drive down the prices.

I have been meeting with our Governors and key Ministers to accelerate food production. We have distributed fertilisers. Our target is to cultivate more than 10 million hectares of land to grow what we eat. The Federal Government will provide all necessary incentives for this initiative, whilst the states provide the land, which will put millions of our people to work and further increase food production. In the past few months, we have also ordered mechanized farming equipment such as tractors and planters, worth billions of Naira from the United States, Belarus, and Brazil. I can confirm to you that the equipment is on the way.

My dear Nigerians, especially our youth, I have heard you loud and clear. I understand the pain and frustration that drive these protests, and I want to assure you that our government is committed to listening and addressing the concerns of our citizens.

But we must not let violence and destruction tear our nation apart. We must work together to build a brighter future, where every Nigerian can live with dignity and prosperity.

The task before us is a collective one, and I am leading the charge as your President. A lot of work has gone into stabilising our economy and I must stay focused on ensuring that the benefits reach every single Nigerian as promised.

My administration is working very hard to improve and expand our national infrastructure and create more opportunities for our young people.

Let nobody misinform and miseducate you about your country or tell you that your government does not care about you. Although there have been many dashed hopes in the past, we are in a new era of Renewed Hope. We are working hard for you, and the results will soon be visible and concrete for everyone to see, feel, and enjoy.

Let us work together to build a brighter future for ourselves and for generations to come. Let us choose hope over fear, unity over division, and progress over stagnation. The economy is recovering; Please, don’t shut out its oxygen. Now that we have been enjoying democratic governance for 25 years, do not let the enemies of democracy use you to promote an unconstitutional agenda that will set us back on our democratic journey. FORWARD EVER, BACKWARD NEVER!

In conclusion, security operatives should continue to maintain peace, law, and order in our country following the necessary conventions on human rights, to which Nigeria is a signatory. The safety and security of all Nigerians are paramount.

Thank God — and Thank you for your attention, and may God continue to bless our great Nation. Thank you very much.

National

ASUU decries number of first-class graduates from private universities

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has frowned at the “increasing numbers of first-class graduates” churned out annually by private universities in the country.

The ASUU National President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, raised the concern on Thursday at an event organised by the body in honour of Prof. Andy Egwunyenga’s successful tenure as Vice Chancellor of Delta State University (DELSU).

The event took place at the DELSU campus, Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta.

Osodeke said that if public universities adopt the same practice without regulation, it could lead to the decline of genuine academic pursuits.

According to him, primary and secondary schools nowadays are producing graduates with excellent grades with insufficient knowledge.

The union leader also decried what he called “the mass exodus” of skilled Nigerian workers to nations perceived to be offering better work and living conditions.

He said that incidents like building collapse in the country indicated there were significant issues within the nation’s institutions.

“The struggle for academics to enjoy a decent standard of living saw some measure of successes in the past when academics could sustain a comfortable life.

“The situation has changed; the unions must return to the frontline for a renewed phase of their struggle.

“ASUU will consistently speak out against injustices and support fairness,” he said.

A member of the union, Prof. Omotoye Olorode, spoke on the topic: “New University Curricula (CCMAS): Context and Matters Arising” .

He said that the CCMAS functioned as an imperialistic mechanism aimed at disrupting the established academic structures in the country’s universities.

Olorode said this was designed to perpetuate a system, where Africans remain agricultural labourers to support the agricultural needs of developed nations.

“UNESCO recommends that 26 per cent of the nation’s budget should be allocated to education.

“Nigeria has never reached more than seven per cent, which reflects our stagnation and reluctance to facilitate growth in the education sector,” he said.

He congratulated the outgoing DELSU vice chancellor on a job well done.

The Chairman of DELSU ASUU, Dr Paul Opone, extended his heartfelt wishes to Egwunyenga.

He said that DELSU had been in dire need of a leader since 2019 to navigate the troubled waters caused by poor leadership.

He praised Egwunyenga for meeting the expectations of ASUU and the university community which, according to him, resulted in widespread celebration across all sectors of the institution.

“This is the first occasion where ASUU had to honour a lecturer at DELSU with such a celebration.

“Prof. Egwunyenga deserves far more than the praises he has received,” he said.

Responding, Egwunyenga expressed joy over the numerous accolades he received from across the three senatorial districts of the state.

He disclosed that his approach as vice chancellor was influenced by the narratives found in Festus Iyayi’s book, “Demons and Monsters”.

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State police risky, expensive—Cattle breeders

The Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria ( KACRAN) has described the proposed state police as too expensive and risky to implement.

Alhaji Khalil Bello, KACRAN National President, said this in a statement in Damaturu on Friday.

He said the cost of establishing state police, depending on a state’s population, was between N10 billion to N30 billion, while monthly salaries and operational costs would gulp about N3 billion.

“These expenditures could divert critical resources from essential public services such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure, which are vital for the development and well-being of the region,” he said.

Bello said there were also concerns over abuse of state police by the politicians.

“There is a risk that these forces could be used to serve the interests of local political leaders rather than the broader public, leading to the victimisation of opposition parties and creating an environment of lawlessness and anarchy.

“Such a scenario could undermine the rule of law and erode public trust in law enforcement,” he said.

He recommended redirecting resources toward initiatives that would promote sustainable development and long-term prosperity for the country.

Bello listed the initiatives as including agriculture investment, youth employment, and industrial and infrastructure development.

The president also proposed the establishment of a security foundation fund in which monthly donation would be made to support the police.

“KACRAN calls on the Arewa Consultative Forum, the Northern Consultative Forum, emirs, and all northern leaders to oppose the establishment of state police.

“We believe that focusing on social services and economic development will yield greater benefits for the region than the creation of state police, which may ultimately exacerbate existing challenges.

“ By investing in sustainable initiatives, Northern states can create a more secure, prosperous, and harmonious society for all citizens,” he said.

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Gov Okpebholo Suspends Recruitment Into State Civil Service

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has approved the suspension of recruitment into the state’s civil service until further notice.

The Governor has also ordered for a comprehensive review of all recruitment exercises carried out by the Godwin Obaseki-led administration between May-November 2024.

In a communication notice signed by the Secretary to State Government (SSG), Musa Umar Ikhilor on Friday, the Governor accused heads of various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of carrying out clandestine recruitment exercises into the State’s civil service.

The notice read: “The Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo is in receipt of report of the clandestine activities being perpetuated by some Commissions, Boards, Parastatals and Agencies of Government in the State.

“Preliminary investigation reveals that these bodies have continued to issue back dated letters of employment to their cronies without due process.

“For the avoidance of doubt, this Administration believes in the principle of fairness and equity which expects that all employment exercise should be merit based, competitive and accessible to all Edo indigenes.

“In light of the foregoing and in order to arrest this ugly trend, the Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo has directed the immediate suspension of all employment processes as well as the review of all appointments carried out since May, 2024 by Commissions, Boards, Parastatals and Agencies of Government.

“Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies are to note and comply with the above directive.”

Signed:
Fred Itua,
Chief Press Secretary to Edo State Governor

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We’ll reintroduce rejected bills on 6-year single term—34 Rep. members

The 34 House of Representatives members who sponsored the bill to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide for a six-year single term for the president have resolved to reintroduce the bill.

Rep. Ikenga Ugochinyere (PDP-Imo) said this in a statement in Abuja on Friday, following the rejection of the bill on Nov. 21 during plenary.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bill sought the introduction of a six-year single term for the president, governors and local government chairmen.

NAN also reports that the bill sought zonal rotation of presidential and governorship seats, as well as holding all elections in one day.

Ugochinyere, however, said that all hope was not lost on the bill, as more consultations would be done.

The lawmaker, who is the lead sponsor of the bill, said that the decision on the floor of the house would not put an end to agitation and hope, insisting that the objective behind the bill would be realised.

“The struggle to reform our constitutional democracy to be all-inclusive and provide an avenue for justice, equity and fairness has not been lost.

“The decision on the floor of the house yesterday (Thursday) not to allow the bill for six-year single tenure and all elections to hold in one day will not end the agitation,” he said.

Ugochinyere described the rejection of the bill as a temporary setback that would not affect the campaign for an all-inclusive democratic process.

“We are going to review this decision and find possible ways of reintroducing it after, following due legislative procedures.

“All I can tell Nigerians is that we will continue the advocacy and convince our colleagues to see reason with us.

“If elections are held in one day, it will reduce cost and rigging.

“If power rotates, it will help de-escalate political tensions and six-year single term will go a long way in helping elective leaders to focus on delivering their democratic mandate,” he said.

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Delta approves N713m for 2024 students bursary payment — Official

Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta has approved the sum of N713 million for the 2024  bursary award for 32,028 students in tertiary institutions in the country.

The Executive Secretary of the State Bursary and Scholarship Board, Dr. Godfrey Enita, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday in Asaba.

According to Enita, the governor’s approval for the year 2024, the bursary award will cover students of state origin in public and private universities.

“It also covers students in polytechnics, mono-technics, colleges of education, schools of nursing science, and other tertiary schools, including military and paramilitary institutions.

He described the governor’s gesture as rare and uncommon and should be applauded.

“The governor demonstrates his magnanimity and goodwill towards the well-being of the Delta students and youths in general.

“It also underscores his commitment towards educational advancement through financial assistance to students in diverse forms and through massive infrastructural development in schools across the state.

“It is hoped, as always, that beneficiaries of the state’s financial assistance schemes will continue to be worthy ambassadors of Delta wherever they find themselves,” he said.

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Survey shows 71% of households affected by food price hike

A new survey report just released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that the most prevalent shock affecting 71 per cent of households in Nigeria is price increases on major food items in the last 12 months.

The survey, 2023/24 General Household Survey-Panel, commonly called (GHS-Panel) Wave-5, is a follow-up to the 2018/2019 GHS Wave-4.

It seeks to enhance the understanding of household living conditions and provide government and other policymakers with reliable information for effective policy decision-making in Nigeria.

It specifically collects information on household income, assets and consumption, income-generating activities, health, education as well as shocks.

The survey conducted in collaboration with the World Bank and released yesterday in Abuja said 48.8 per cent of households surveyed reported that their main mechanism for coping with the increase in the prices of food items was reducing food consumption.

The report further said that 65.8 per cent of the households indicated being unable to eat healthy, nutritious or preferred foods because of lack of money.

The report also shows that 73.0 per cent of survey household members ages 10 to 19 were enrolled in school during 2018/2019 Wave 4 survey. But by 2023/2024 Wave 5 survey, the proportion of the people who were in school had decreased to 44.8 per cent, as 34.8 per cent of those previously enrolled were now out of school.

In the area of energy access, the survey shows that only 40.4 percent of households in rural areas had access to electricity compared to 82.2 per cent of urban households.

It also reports that many households lack toilet facilities and rely on tube wells or boreholes for drinking water. It noted that waste disposal is mostly informal, with 45.6 per cent using bushes or streets.

In his address during the launch of the report, the Statistician General of the Federation (SGF), Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, said the survey is a multi-topic data collection exercise that serves as an essential tool for capturing the dynamics of Nigerian households, providing invaluable insights into their economic activities, well-being, and resilience.

He said it is a longitudinal survey, meaning that it tracks and interviews the same respondents over time. “In the 5th Wave of the survey, approximately the same 5000 households have been followed and interviewed across five waves,” he said.

“This includes Wave One conducted in 2010/11, Wave Two in 2012/13, Wave Three in 2015/16, Wave Four in 2018/19, and now Wave Five conducted in 2023/24.”

He said available records indicate that, over the last five years, the survey findings have been used to design several projects and intervention programmes worth approximately $8.9 billion across many sectors which include Agriculture and Food, Education, Water, Social Protection and Jobs, Governance, and several others.

In his goodwill message, the World Bank’s Country Director for Nigeria, Dr Ndiame Diop, said the survey was important in understanding how Nigerian households responded to policy changes, crises and shocks.

Diop, who was represented by Vinay Vutukuru, Programme Leader, Sustainable Development, Nigeria, however, said the key thing was how the data would be used by ministries and stakeholders for effective policy formulation to achieve economic and sustainable growth.

He pledged the bank’s continuous support in working with the NBS to strengthen Nigeria’s statistical system.

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