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Sack Failing Ministers, Rid Poverty, Buhari Told
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to drop non-performing ministers in order to restore confidence of Nigerians in his government.
Baba-Ahmed gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Kaduna, yesterday.
He also urged the President to quickly push through policies that would reduce current high level of poverty in the country.
“If you go by the opinion of a lot of Nigerians, some of the ministers are just filling up space.
“There is a case to be made for the argument that the president should critically assess his ministers, and remove those that he believes have not performed as well as they should.
“Replace them with people who will bring greater energy, greater vibe and greater imagination in managing scarcity and high expectations in the context in which we live,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed said the level of poverty in Nigeria requires urgent solution, adding that government should continue to mobilise resources to tackle the problem.
“What the government can do is what I think it is doing, trying to come up with policies that, in the short time, can alleviate the crushing poverty.
“There are a lot of people who feed only once a day, there is a lot of hunger, frustration and bitterness.
“If we have N500billion in the Presidency now waiting to be disbursed, one would like to see an imaginative and productive use of that money, so that it reaches people that need it to feed, pay school fees, pay medical bills, rent, and to go to places where they can earn a living.
“Government must mobilize resources directly and make sure that it gets to the people.
“In the longer term, we need bold and imaginative policies that should reposition and restructure the economy, to reduce dependence on oil.”
On the performance of Buhari, the former APC state chairman said, “One year is long enough to assess people, and too short to actually pass judgment”.
He, however, said a lot had been achieved by the President in some key areas, but that there was room for improvement.
“I will say yes, he has done well in the area of fighting insecurity, he has done well in terms of signalling his intention to fight corruption, and has many challenges in managing economic recession.
“He can do a lot better in terms of the quality of people he works with, the quality of his policies, and his ability to work with a political platform to engineer and sustain public confidence.”
The chieftain, who was a retired federal permanent secretary, called for caution on the desirability or otherwise of obtaining about $30billion loan by the Federal Government for infrastructure development.
“I don’t think that there is anything wrong in getting the loan, however, I do think that we should draw appropriate lessons from the past.
“We borrowed money in the past, and we paid a huge amount of interest, and we haven’t seen the benefit directly from those loans that we repaid.
“I think that this particular loan has to be scrutinised, has to be rigorously interrogated by the National Assembly, and if they are convinced, then we should go ahead and get it.
“What is important is that the President needs to improve the manner he engages Nigerians in explaining to them why he needs to borrow almost $30billion, what are the benefits, what are the possible draw-backs.
“Because this money, as I said before, is being borrowed for our children, not for ourselves, it is important that we don’t leave them a legacy of huge debt,” he warned.
He further advised that more efforts be put to enhance the management of the nation’s economy.
“There is room for improvement in terms of thinking through key policies, monetary and economic policies that are relevant to the peculiar nature of recession in Nigeria,” he added.
President Bola Tinubu has expressed confidence that the country would win the fight against insecurity.
The President gave the assurance at the Argungu International Fishing Festival in Argungu town, Kebbi State, on Saturday.
He noted that the relative peace currently being enjoyed in Kebbi and neighbouring states was the result of sustained investments in security intelligence, coordination among security agencies, and community engagement.
Tinubu assured farmers and fishermen of sustained federal support to guarantee food security and safety across the country.
“The peace we are witnessing today is not accidental. It is the outcome of deliberate and sustained efforts. I assure you that the fight against banditry, insurgency, and insecurity will be won.
“Our farmers, fishermen, traders, and families will go about their lawful activities without fear,” he assured.
The President commended the organisers of the festival for sustaining the cultural event for decades, noting that it had endured for 83 years despite social and security challenges.
Describing the Argungu festival as a powerful symbol of unity, resilience, and peaceful coexistence, Tinubu stated that it reflects the richness of the country’s culture and the opportunities to harness its natural and human resources for national growth.
He said, “Today, this festival stands as a powerful symbol of unity, resilience, and peaceful coexistence among our people.
“It reflects the richness of our culture, the strength of our traditions, and the opportunities inherent in harnessing our natural and human resources for national development.”
The President was received by a large crowd of residents, traditional rulers, fishermen, tourists, and government officials from across the country.
The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to youth and women empowerment, irrigation development, rural electrification, and agricultural productivity.
Earlier, the Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, said his administration was determined to elevate the Argungu Fishing Festival to full international standards while pursuing aggressive development across critical sectors of the state.
The United States Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos will be closed today, in observance of Presidents’ Day.
The mission made this known in a notice shared on its official X page, yesterday.
“The U.S. Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos will be closed on Monday, February 16, 2026, in observance of Presidents’ Day,” the post read.
According to the embassy, Presidents’ Day was originally established to honour the birthday of the former US President, George Washington, but has evolved into a day to celebrate all U.S. presidents and their leadership in shaping the country’s history.
The embassy noted that the holiday also recognises the influence of U.S. presidents on global affairs.
In a related message, the mission highlighted that Washington created the first “Badge of Military Merit,” which later became the Purple Heart. The medal still bears Washington’s image today.
Presidents’ Day is observed on the third Monday of February annually in the United States as a federal holiday.
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Guterres Backs Nigeria’s Bid For UN Security Council Seat …Hails Tinubu’s Reforms, Regional Security Role
United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has charged Nigeria with spearheading Africa’s quest for a restructured global order, describing the country as uniquely positioned to lead the continent toward superpower status.
Guterres, who backed Nigeria’s bid for the world body’s security council seat, also praised the economic reforms of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration as well as Nigeria’s leadership in stabilising the Sahel and ECOWAS regions, despite facing its own security challenges.
The UN scribe made the remarks last Friday night during a high-level bilateral meeting with Vice President Kashim Shettima on the sidelines of the 39th African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Speaking during the meeting, Guterres said Nigeria’s large population, sustained democratic governance, vast natural and human resources, and longstanding commitment to multilateralism placed it in a unique position to lead Africa in the evolving global order.
“Given Nigeria’s demographic strength, democratic continuity and deep resource base, the country stands a real chance of leading Africa to becoming the next superpower in the evolving global architecture,” he said.
The UN Secretary-General and the vice president discussed key developments in Nigeria and the country’s expanding leadership role in promoting regional stability across West Africa and the Sahel.
Guterres commended the remarkable and outstanding reforms of the administration of President Tinubu, noting that Nigeria’s bold economic restructuring and security commitments have strengthened its continental standing.
The meeting focused on strengthening Nigeria–UN collaboration to advance global economic growth, peace and security, sustainable development, and a coordinated humanitarian response across Africa.
In his remarks, Shettima thanked the UN Secretary-General for his leadership in advancing global peace, noting that Africa has benefited immensely from his tenure, even as the United Nations undergoes internal restructuring.
“We remain committed to multilateralism and to deepening our partnerships with the United Nations and other global institutions,” the vice president said.
Shettima also reiterated Nigeria’s longstanding call for comprehensive reform of the United Nations system to reflect evolving global realities.
He emphasised that Africa must have stronger representation in global decision-making structures and declared that Nigeria deserves a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.
Both leaders pledged to deepen cooperation, with Guterres reaffirming the UN’s support for Nigeria’s reform agenda and its growing leadership role in advancing peace, security, and development across Africa.