Politics
Task Before New Ministers
At the 2-day presidential retreat that preceded the inauguration of new ministers, President Muhammadu Buhari apprised the appointees on the enormity of the tasks ahead.
The president told them that Nigerians were anxiously waiting for their services; hence they could not afford to fail on their mandates.
According to Buhari, there is a collective responsibility to improve the welfare of majority of Nigerians.
The president reiterated the urgency of driving accelerated economic development as majority of Nigerians were poor and eagerly hoping for a better life.
“Hoping for a Nigeria in which they do not have to worry about what they will eat, where they will live or if they can afford to pay for their children’s education or healthcare.
“Our responsibility as leaders of this great country is to meet these basic needs for our people.’’
More, so, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha said that the retreat underpinned the appropriate Key Performance Indicators (KPls) and measures of success for each initiative.
“Some of the agreements from our deliberations include: Consolidate and accelerate on the agricultural agenda to achieve full food sufficiency, increase revenue, implement measures to reduce leakages and drive cost optimisation and ensure effective coordination, between monetary and fiscal policy.
“Invest in human capital development with strong focus on early education and health insurance, facilitate investment in oil and gas sector by ensuring speedy passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill and Deep Offshore Oil and Exploration and Production Bill, resolve the liquidity challenge in power sector and facilitate private sector investment,’’ he said.
Again, at the swearing in of the 43 ministers on Aug. 21, Buhari reminded the appointees that the primary business of the administration over the next four years was to work together towards delivering the results that the people of Nigeria expect.
Buhari said that there was a great opportunity as an administration to build on the progress already made, in order to ensure steady growth and development.
“While recognising the existing challenges and the urgent need to surmount them; we must not fail to note the progress we have made since inception.
“Our economic policy, which is the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, is still robust and on course with the necessary policies and initiatives to sustain the country’s exit from recession, engender growth and promote the value chain of infrastructural development, he said.
In tandem with the focus of the administration, the new ministers, after taking their oath of office, expressed optimism on delivering on the mandate of their respective ministries.
Sen. Chris Ngige, who was returned as the Minister of Labour and Employment said that it was a good home coming for him as he hoped for better working relations with labour unions.
“I expect better working relations; I will align with labour in their legitimate struggles.
“There is no job that does not have hazards; what happened at the last moment was part of the hazards of the job.
“There is nothing like crisis; we are a family; we had family disagreement and we have resolved them; we are in good term,’’ he said.
On the stalemate about the implementation of the minimum wage, Ngige said it would be resolved immediately.
He however, explained that there were intricacies of minimum wage negotiations which would be sorted out.
“We know what a good template will be for government at federal, states and local governments and for the workers themselves; we want them to smile; so, we must do something that put smile on their faces.
“We are bringing a template that we will send down from the Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.
“We will agree on it with the Joint Negotiating Council; my permanent secretary held forth while I was away; he will brief me and we will take it up from there,’’ the minister said.
Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed said the ministry under her would work to sustain the Nigerian economy on the part of growth.
She said that the ministry would try its best to make sure that the economy was sustained on the path of growth and prevent fiscal crisis.
Ahmed said that her focus would be on the economy.
On combining finance, budget and national planning, the minister said that she had worked with budget and national planning, therefore combining both tasks would not pose a challenge to her.
“There are competent persons on both sides that will support me in my work.
“I will be co-coordinating both the budget and planning work as well as that of finance.
“So, I am sure that we are going to do well,” she said.
On his part, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed reminded heads of parastatals under the ministry, that the only reward for hardwork was more work.
He said that they were entrusted with the responsibility to turn down the heat, hostility and hatred that was threatening the country.
“Use your powerful platforms to restore unity to the country and promote cordial relationship among the various groups, irrespective of ethnicity or religion.
“I want to appeal to you to please redouble your efforts and ensure that we work together to take back our country from agents of disunity and destabilisation.
“I have no doubt that together we can turn down the acrimony that is being promoted by enemies of the country, using platforms which are not as powerful as yours,” he said.
On his part, the new Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr Olamilekan Adegbite said that President Buhari had set an agenda from the 2-day retreat.
He said he would put in his best and deliver on his mandate for Nigerians.
“In line with the three-point agenda of the President, there is a lot of potential in mineral resources which we can exploit further to diversify from oil.
“Also, we want to lift people out of poverty; we will begin to encourage our people to add value to the minerals, instead of just sending the minerals raw like that,’’ he said.
For George Akume, the new minister of Special Duties, it was a rare privilege to be selected to serve in a country of over 200 million people.
“What I have to say at this stage is that all the ministers are committed to the success of this administration.
“Nigerians are expecting so much from us; we cannot afford to fail and I believe by the grace of God, we shall not fail,’’ he said.
The new Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio said he knew why the ministry was set up and would deploy his energy toward achieving the mandate.
“Being a Niger Delta person, I will ensure that things are better for further and effective development of the region.
“So the president is looking forward to commissioning a lot of projects in the Niger Delta region.
“I believe the Niger Delta region and its people, are looking forward to the alleviation of poverty in their lives and transformation of infrastructure,” he said.
Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola on his part harped on the need for cost and wastage reduction in implementation of projects.
As the ministers exude confidence on their ability to deliver, Nigerians await to see if they will perform.
Okoronkwo is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Chijioke Okoronkwo
The event, jointly organised by LP and ADC to publicly acknowledge the movement of party members, was first scheduled to hold at the LP secretariat in Idimu.
However, chaos erupted when more than 100 suspected thugs reportedly stormed the premises, forcing party members and officials to flee.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers, some armed with knives, canes and other dangerous objects, assaulted individuals they encountered during the invasion.
The assailants were also heard chanting hostile slogans, declaring that LP and ADC were not welcome in Lagos State.
Several party members sustained injuries in the process, while party property, including furniture and flags, were vandalised.
Despite the disruption, officials of both parties quickly relocated the programme to an alternative venue, the Eco Centre Event Hall in Egbeda, in a bid to continue the ceremony.
Speaking on the incident, the LP Chairman in Alimosho, Mr Olanrewaju Olushola, popularly known as Heritage, condemned the attack, describing it as unprovoked and alarming, especially with the 2027 general elections approaching.
“What is most painful is that most of my members sustained varying degrees of wounds. This is in spite of the hoodlums going into our party secretariat in Alimosho and destroying our furniture and flags,” he said.
Mr Olushola clarified that the defection itself had already taken place, stressing that Saturday’s gathering was merely a symbolic ceremony to inform the public of their decision.
According to him, nearly all LP members in Alimosho, including the party’s leadership structure, had collectively agreed to move to the ADC.
Also speaking, the party’s Secretary in Alimosho, Mr Moses Akujuobi, explained that plans for an open defection ceremony had earlier been halted by the police, who cited the absence of formal approval.
He said the organisers had reached out to the Area M Commander, ACP Abaniwonda, who reportedly informed them that only the Commissioner of Police could authorise political events in the state.
“Incidentally, we could not reach the CP, but we informed the DSS, after which we went ahead since it wasn’t a rally but a quiet ceremony,” Mr Akujuobi said.
He added that the situation became more tense upon arrival at the initial venue.
“When we got to the venue this morning, we were shocked to see police vans with heavily armed policemen. They informed us that we cannot hold the event and referred us to the police commissioner.
“While we were at it, the hoodlums besieged the place and began to beat people, leading to our deserting the venue,” he explained.
Mr Akujuobi said party officials subsequently contacted members by phone to proceed to the second venue in Egbeda, where the programme resumed briefly.
“We, however, began to contact our members through phones to move to the second venue, which is the Eco Event Centre, and everyone witnessed what took place here.
“The hoodlums got wind of our second venue and equally attacked us, beating up our members again,” he added.
He noted that the decision to defect to the ADC was driven by internal leadership challenges within the Labour Party and protracted legal disputes affecting the party.
Shortly after the hoodlums vacated the second venue, several police vans carrying armed officers reportedly arrived at the location.
The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has strongly rejected calls by the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria seeking the removal of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, over comments he allegedly made on genocide.
The Fellowship described the demand as unjustified and a threat to constitutional freedoms.
In a statement signed by its National Secretary, Bishop David Bakare, the PFN insisted that Prof Amupitan, like every Nigerian, has the constitutional right to express his views on matters of national concern, irrespective of the public office he occupies.
According to the PFN, the comments attributed to the INEC Chairman were made in his personal capacity and had no link whatsoever with his official responsibilities or electoral duties.
The Fellowship stressed that elections and electoral activities were not involved in the matter, arguing that there was no basis to connect the alleged comments to Prof Amupitan’s role as INEC Chairman.
“We strongly oppose such calls because Prof. Amupitan, as a Nigerian, has the right to make comments on what he observes to be happening in the nation, regardless of his appointment or assignment,” the statement read.
The PFN said it condemned “in every ramification” the suggestion that the INEC Chairman should be removed from office on the basis of his personal views, warning against attempts to punish public officials for expressing opinions outside the scope of their official duties.
The Tide source reports that the Fellowship also cautioned against what it described as a growing tendency to interpret national issues through religious lenses, noting that such an approach only deepens divisions and undermines peaceful coexistence.
“We must resist the temptation of profiling or judging people based on their religious beliefs or positions. Prof. Amupitan has a right to bear his mind, and this should not be at the cost of his job,” the PFN added.
The PFN called on all stakeholders to exercise restraint, understanding and mutual respect in national discourse, particularly on sensitive issues.
It emphasised that unity and peace must remain paramount in addressing national challenges.
The Fellowship reaffirmed its commitment to fairness, justice and mutual respect, urging that these values guide public engagement and responses to issues affecting the country.
In A Statement Issued On Saturday, Mr Obiorah Ifoh, The Factional Spokesperson, Described The Decision Of The Electoral Body As Strange.
Mr Ifoh Also Said The Sacked Factional Leadership Of The Party Will Protest The Action Of INEC.
Stating That Judgment Of The Court And The Decision Of INEC Will Not Stop Its Members From Putting Up A Strong Appearance In The Forthcoming 2027 General Election, Mr Ifoh Noted Legal Redress Would Be Sought By LP.
He Said, “Some Persons Who Are Applauding The Impunity By Some Politicians Should Retrace And Do Some Introspection, Because This Was How In The Past They Applauded Injustice In Our Democracy Because They Were Beneficiaries.
“At The End Of The Day, When Their Enthroned Leaders Began To Abuse Power, They Started Complaining.
“For Us In Labour Party, Our Faith Is Strong That The Appellate Court Will Do The Right Thing And Therefore We Advise Our Members To Remain Calm. We Will Continue With The Struggle To Take Our Party From The Godfather,” Mr Ifoh Said.
He Also Stated That The Labour Party Is A Party Formed On The Basis Of Social Democracy Where No One Man Is Permitted To Appoint Everybody.
According To Him, It Is Against The Party’s Principles For “One Man To Sit At A Place And Gather Everybody And Appoint Everybody From The National Working Committee To The State.
“That Is Impunity Of The Highest Order. This, I Believe, Negates The Principles Of The Party.
“If We Say There Is No Party Ideology In Nigeria, This Is How It Starts. We Are Very Sure That It Will Be Quashed On Appeal,” He Added.
Mr Ifoh Also Described The Celebration And Excitement Showcased By Senator Nenadi Usman And The Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti As Temporary.
He Said Dr Otti, Senator Usman And Their Cohorts’ Names Which Were Already Listed On INEC’s Portal Will Be Short-Lived.
“It Is For A Short Time. Their Victory Is Pyrrhic And There Is Nothing To Celebrate Because Doomsday Is Closer Than They Will Imagine; Which I Believe Will Be Very Catastrophic For Them.
“Moreover, It Is Very Clear That The Appointment Of The Caretaker Committee Did Not Go Through The Normal Procedure. Proper Notice Was Not Given In Line With The Party Constitution And The Electoral Act,” He Said.