Politics
Yakasai Insists On Northern Support For Tinubu
Elder statesman and First Republic politician, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, has lauded Nigerians for their continued support and prayers for the success of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Speaking to reporters yesterday in Kano, Alhaji Yakasai held that the steady progress and concrete achievements recorded by the administration were a vindication of the trust reposed in them by Nigerians.
“From some of the reports I received, the prices of basic foodstuffs have been coming down. Unlike what it was before now, families can now afford to buy basic food items such as rice, beans, maize, sorghum, and other eatables needed to feed their homes,” he declared.
“I was also made to understand that the cost of petrol at filling stations has been coming down. In some places, I was told that they now sell petrol for about ?850 per litre instead of ?1,150 in the recent past. This is good for the cost of transportation and movement of Nigerians from place to place,” he stated.
The elder statesman, who supported the Tinubu-for-President project in 2023, urged Northerners to rally around the present administration while insisting that the North was not left out in the scheme of things under the current leadership, contrary to views being held in some quarters.
The former Adviser to President Shehu Shagari and one-time National Publicity Secretary of the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) also insisted that the administration’s best was yet to come, as it had lined up many developmental and people-friendly policies and programmes for the benefit of Nigerians and the North.
He enjoined Nigerians, especially the political class, to continue to contribute their quota to good governance through informed criticism and well-placed political engagements, all of which, he added, would strengthen the nation’s fledgling democracy and enrich the democratic process.
Alhaji Yakasai also used the occasion to extend his deepest condolences to the families of the late Chief Ayo Adebanjo and the late Chief Edwin Clark, as well as to the entire people of the South-West and South-South regions, over their irreplaceable losses.
He said that the passing of these two great and patriotic Nigerians, who happened to be his political associates and personal friends, was a big loss to all Nigerians while praying to Allah to forgive their sins and grant them eternal rest.
Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has appointed Nigerian music legend, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as TuFace, as his Technical Adviser on Entertainment and Community Outreach.
In a viral video on Wednesday, Governor Alia praised TuFace for all the support towards his administration.
The Governor stated that TuFace can do more.
He stated, “On behalf of the Benue State Government and our very good people, we want to give you some more responsibility plus the ones you have been doing because you have the capacity to do some more and help us chart a way forward to improve other people’s lives and to gain more from your wisdom and advice as well.
“So, I’m pleased to announce that we will make you a Technical Adviser to the Governor on Entertainment and Community Outreach.”
Governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement was made following a closed-door meeting at the Government House in Asaba on Wednesday.
The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, confirmed the development in a telephone conversation with The Tide’s source.
Similarly, the defection of former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was announced on Wednesday in Asaba by Senator James Manager, following a meeting that lasted over six hours at the Government House.
Senator Manager said all PDP members in the State, including the Governor, former Governor Okowa, the Speaker, the state party chairman, and all local government chairmen, had agreed to join the APC.
“We cannot continue to be in a sinking boat,” he said.
The decision to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) followed extensive consultations with political stakeholders and was made in the interest of Delta State’s long-term development.
Governor Oborevwori, who won the 2023 gubernatorial election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was received by senior APC officials in what political analysts are already describing as a strategic realignment with far-reaching implications ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria has condemned the recent wave of killings in Plateau, Borno, Benue, Niger State and most recently, Kwara State, calling on the federal and state governments to take urgent steps to stem the tide.
Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Adebo Ogundoyin, stated this in a statement issued in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Rt Hon. Ogundoyin, who is the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, said the gruesome killings had led to tragic loss of lives, widespread displacement, and unimaginable trauma for thousands of Nigerians.
“We are alarmed by the escalating insecurity in the land and the seeming helplessness with which these attacks are met. The time for mere condemnation and rhetoric has passed; urgent and coordinated action is now required at all levels of government to end these bloodbaths and restore peace and order.
“While we acknowledge that defence and national security fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal Government, we must stress that every level of government bears responsibility for the security and welfare of the people. State governors, in particular, must rise to the occasion and fully understand that governance is not limited to road construction and ceremonial functions. True governance is rooted in the protection of lives, the preservation of order, and the alleviation of suffering,” he said.
He called on state governments to complement the efforts of the Federal Government by making and enforcing enabling laws for community policing and other grassroots-driven security models.
According to him, States must develop proactive frameworks that integrate local intelligence, social support systems, and youth engagement in the fight against insecurity.
The conference also urged the Federal Government to meaningfully engage the citizenry and introduce bold, practical measures to cushion the hardship caused by its current economic policies.
“Millions of Nigerians are groaning under the weight of inflation, unemployment, and a cost-of-living crisis. It is imperative that relief initiatives—targeted, transparent, and impactful—are rolled out without delay. Dialogue, not distance, must define the relationship between the government and its people at this critical time.
“The Conference of Speakers affirms its commitment to supporting all legislative actions necessary to restore security, promote justice, and foster inclusive governance across the country. The killings in Benue, Niger, Plateau, Borno, Kwara, and any part of Nigeria must not be allowed to continue unchecked. Justice must prevail, and peace must be restored.
“Let it be known: the safety, dignity, and well-being of every Nigerian must remain the top priority of all arms and levels of government,” Rt Hon. Ogundoyin said.