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Tag: Presidents Bola Tinubu

  • Full text: President Tinubu’s broadcast declaring state of emergency in Rivers

    Full text: President Tinubu’s broadcast declaring state of emergency in Rivers

    Fellow Nigerians, I feel greatly disturbed at the turn we have come to regarding the political crisis in Rivers State. Like many of you, I have watched with concern the development with the hope that the parties involved would allow good sense to prevail at the soonest, but all that hope burned out without any solution to the crisis.

    With the crisis persisting, there is no way democratic governance, which we have all fought and worked for over the years, can thrive in a way that will redound to the benefit of the good people of the state. The state has been at a standstill since the crisis started, with the good people of the state not being able to have access to the dividends of democracy.

    Also, it is public knowledge that the Governor of Rivers State for unjustifiable reasons, demolished the  House of Assembly of the state as far back as 13th December 2023 and has, up until now, fourteen (14) months after, not rebuilt same. I have made personal interventions between the contending parties for a peaceful resolution of the crisis, but my efforts have been largely ignored by the parties to the crisis. I am also aware that many well-meaning Nigerians, Leaders of thought and Patriotic groups have also intervened at various times with the best of intentions to resolve the matter, but all their efforts were also to no avail. Still, I thank them.

    On February 28, 2025, the supreme court, in a judgment in respect of about eight consolidated appeals concerning the political crisis in Rivers State, based on several grave unconstitutional acts and disregard of rule of law that have been committed by the Governor of Rivers State as shown by the evidence before it pronounced in very clear terms:

    “a government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the government of a state under the 1999 Constitution as amended. In this case the head of the executive arm of the government has chosen to collapse the legislature to enable him to govern without the legislature as a despot. As it is there is no government in Rivers State.”

    The above pronouncement came after a catalogue of judicial findings of constitutional breaches against the Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

    Going Forward in their judgment, and having found and held that 27 members of the House who had allegedly defected

    “are still valid members of Rivers State House of Assembly and cannot be prevented from participating in the proceedings of that House by the 8th Respondent (that is, the Governor) in cohorts with four members”

    The Supreme Court then made some orders to restore the state to immediate constitutional democracy.  These orders include the immediate passing of an Appropriation Bill by the Rivers State House of Assembly which up till now has not been facilitated.

    Some militants had threatened fire and brimstone against their perceived enemy of the governor who has up till now NOT disowned them.

    Apart from that both the House and the governor have not been able to work together.

    Both of them do not realise that they are in office to work together for the peace and good governance of the state.

    The latest security reports made available to me show that between yesterday and today there have been disturbing incidents of vandalization of pipelines by some militant without the governor taking any action to curtail them. I have, of course given stern order to the security agencies to ensure safety of lives of the good people of Rivers State and the oil pipelines.

    With all these and many more, no good and responsible President will standby and allow the grave situation to continue without taking remedial steps prescribed by the Constitution to address the situation in the state, which no doubt requires extraordinary measures to restore good governance, peace, order and security.

    In the circumstance,  having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State and the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State having failed to make a request to me as President to issue this proclamation as required by section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, it has become inevitably compelling for me to invoke the provision of section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State with effect from today, 18th  March, 2025 and I so do.

    By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs Ngozi Odu and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months.

    In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State. For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate.

    The Administrator will not make any new laws. He will, however, be free to formulate regulations as may be found necessary to do his job, but such regulations will need to be considered and approved by the Federal Executive Council and promulgated by the President for the state.

    This declaration has been published in the Federal Gazette, a copy of which has been forwarded to the National Assembly in accordance with the Constitution. It is my fervent hope that this inevitable intervention will help to restore peace and order in Rivers State by awakening all the contenders to the constitutional imperatives binding on all political players in Rivers State in particular and Nigeria as a whole.

    Long live a united, peaceful, secure and democratic Rivers State in particular and the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a whole.

  • Rivers also needs “Lagos Treatment”

    Rivers also needs “Lagos Treatment”

    President Bola Tinubu is expected to bring his “magic touch” to fix the Rivers State political crisis just as he did in dousing the heat rocking the Lagos State House of Assembly.

    In the Lagos case, the president’s intervention was in favour of reinstating Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker while his opponent, Mojisola Meranda, reverts to her position as Deputy Speaker. Tinubu soothed frayed nerves in the two camps by inviting them to the State House in Abuja and the two sides came out of the meeting singing his praises, showing the crisis was apparently over.

    Following the Supreme Court verdict that recognised the Martin Amaewhule-led 27-member House of Assembly and the stoppage of federal allocations to Rivers State until the Court’s verdicts are fully implemented, the question arose as to how to proceed without worsening the situation.

    While Governor Siminalayi Fubara had pledged to implement the judgement to the letter and cooperate with the pro-Wike House of Assembly, the latter appears determined to double down on the advantage offered by the verdict. This is understandable because Governor Fubara had used his executive powers to sideline them since the crisis started about 16 months ago. They appear set to start impeachment proceedings against him.

    This situation is stoking ethnic sentiments that were largely under wraps in the state since the return of civil rule in 1999. Some pro-Fubara Ijaw groups have been breathing fire and brimstone if the governor is removed, a threat that Wike waved aside in a recent media briefing.

    We are worried over this unhealthy build-up. We strongly believe that the Supreme Court verdict, no matter how unpalatable it might seem to some, can be implemented without compromising the peace and development of Rivers State. This can only be achieved if all sides resist the temptation of riding rough-shod over the others to press home their seeming advantage.

    In this kind of situation, “might” may not be “right”. The two sides may not be in the mood to exercise diplomacy and implement the verdict through consensus. That was exactly the situation that the Lagos Assemblymen and women found themselves in until the president intervened in a fatherly manner.

    We call on him to adopt the same attitude towards the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict in Rivers State. We suggest the president holds private talks with Governor Fubara and Minister Wike and commits them to peace and hold them responsible in case of a breach of the peace.

    All court cases should be withdrawn, the impeachment threat against the Governor must be dropped, while the entire House of Assembly should reconvene under Amaewhule. Outstanding entitlements of the 27 lawmakers must be paid.

    No side should be allowed to push its luck too far. Everything must be done to preserve the peace.

  • How to lower fuel consumption of your car

    How to lower fuel consumption of your car

    When President Bola Tinubu announced an end to fuel subsidy at the inception of his regime in 2023, many motorists were jolted by the expected impact it would have on the cost of keeping their vehicles on the road.

    Many Nigerians were also concerned about the impact it would have on the cost of living, especially the prices of goods, services and transportation.
    And their fears were genuine; prices of goods went up astronomically and there were complaints of hardship all over the country.

    This led to a swift drop on the sales of big cars, especially Sport Utility Vehicles. Many Nigerians quickly parked these cars in their homes and some immediately put up theirs for sale while others quickly bought smaller cars that they presumed would consume less fuel. They forgot that the rainy season would not be fair to the roads and their new small sedans, especially the bumpers and underneath the cars.

    Those living in flood-prone areas like Lekki and some seasonally flooded areas in Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa states can attest to the advantages of SUVs over sedans from their expenses. With some of these expected challenges, it didn’t take long for the average Nigerian motorist to adjust and live with the negative impacts of the fuel subsidy removal.

    Though the challenge persists, coupled with the poor state of the roads across the country, it has been almost impossible for Nigerians to totally do away with their big cars and SUVs which are renowned for higher fuel consumption. It is the classical case of choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea.

    Today, Vanguard offers you some tips on how to ensure maximum fuel economy in your vehicles at a time like this. It is clear that by improving your car’s fuel economy, you’re helping to reduce the drain on your wallet. With some simple driving tips and habits, your fuel can take you further. A combination of good driving habits, and proper vehicle maintenance of your car is essential.

    The Tips

    *When driving, accelerate and brake gently, quick starts and stops waste fuel, but smooth driving boosts your kilometres per litre. Driving at slower speeds leads to better fuel efficiency.

    Reducing speed by 10-20 kph can help. Keep a steady speed, you may use your cruise control on motorways because when you drive at a consistent speed, you save fuel.

    •Watch the traffic ahead, it will help you predict what other drivers will do or intend to do. This helps you to avoid braking and speeding up.

    •Also avoid idling your engine for long periods even when it is stationary as it wastes fuel. Switch off the engine if you need to stop for more than a minute.

    •Also limit short journeys, and be aware that cold starts use more fuel.

    •As a motorist, ensure that your tyres are appropriately gauged. Soft tyres cause drag and waste fuel. Check pressures often and inflate correctly.

    Many drivers don’t know that proper inflation of their car tyres contributes significantly to the fuel economy. Under inflated tyres have a higher rolling resistance on the road. This means that your tyres generate more friction and rolling resistance and will increase fuel consumption.

    If your four tyres are underinflated by 10 psi, this could increase your fuel consumption by 10 per cent. Car manufactures always have the recommended tyre gauge inscribed on the drivers door frame. Gauge your tyre accordingly and reduce your fuel consumption.

    •Correct wheel alignment is vital. It reduces tyre wear and drag. This also saves fuel.

    •Many motorists carry all sorts of things in their boots which they hardly need and this adds to the weight of the car, this should be avoided. Note that every extra 50kg of load in your car increases fuel consumption by about two to three percent.

    Some used cars from abroad come with a heavy bar attached to the rear for pulling boats and other heavy objects from where they have been imported which is hardly needed in this part of the world. It is advised that you remove them to avoid unnecessary weight.

    Some people however believe that this serves as protection when another vehicle hits them from behind, unknown to them that they are paying more to fuel their cars. Lighten your load and remove extra weight from the car. Less weight means better fuel economy.

    •Also, reduce drag by removing roof racks as they increase wind resistance which wastes fuel.

    •Use your air-conditioning system. Driving with an air-conditioner has an advantage to fuel economy but most drivers think otherwise.

    Apart from keeping the interior of your car clear of dust and ensuring the safety of the driver from attacks, it also saves fuel. Driving with windows down at a speed faster than 80km/h causes a lot of wind resistance and more fuel consumption. It is more fuel efficient to drive with your air-conditioner on.

    •Maintain the right speed. Avoid over speeding and going slowly too.

    While both have safety consequences, they also have an impact on your fuel consumption. It has been established that on highways, your engine works hard to overcome wind resistance.

    This means that you will burn up to 15 per cent more fuel at 100km/h and 25 per cent more at 110km/h. On the other way round, if you drive at a speed slower than 50km/h your engine would drop to a lower gear thus using up more fuel. It is advised that driving between 50km/h and 90km/h gives optimal fuel efficiency.

    •Many people accelerate their cars as if they are running at Formula 1 Race thereby wasting their fuel unknowingly. Avoid revving your accelerator to a high revolution per minute (RPM). Your engine uses less fuel when it is revolving slower at a lower RPM.

    •It is also important to note that aggressive braking is not only a disadvantage to the brake pad but increases fuel consumption.

    Slamming on the brakes increases fuel consumption as the car needs to accelerate again. Give a reasonable distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. If you have been driven by a pilot before, you would understand what it means to drive with caution.

    They are very cautious of the vehicles in front of them and avoid them from afar. I am sure that if we take count of professionals who hardly get involved in traffic accidents, the pilot would take the number spot.

    •Avoid hard acceleration when moving your car from complete stop or climbing hills as it increases fuel consumption. Most people who drive vehicles with automatic transmission hardly know the advantage of one special feature in the car called cruise control.

    If you are driving an automatic car, you can make use of cruise control to keep your speed constant. But if you are driving a manual car, maintain a higher gear when appropriate. This ensures that your engine goes through less revolutions per minute, RPM and ensures less fuel consumption.

    •Driving in traffic causes higher fuel consumption. Stop-start traffic puts a lot of pressure on your engine and burns more fuel. Avoid peak traffic if possible. Turn off your engine when it is parked. As long as your engine is on, the fuel is burning. The choice is yours to keep the engine steaming when that car is not moving. It is your fuel that is burning which you can use to cover some kilometers.

    •Regular servicing with quality engine oil is key to the longevity of your engine. If your engine is poorly maintained, it will lead to sludge and corrosion build-up which will prevent the engine from working smoothly. Regular maintenance is key.

    •Follow your vehicle’s schedule, a healthy engine works better. A clean air filter lets the engine breathe freely. Good airflow improves fuel use. Use the right oil type to reduce friction and boost engine performance. When buying a new car, think about fuel efficiency. Pick a model that fits your needs. If your car has a fuel-saving mode, then use it.

  • Subsidy removal: Tinubu donates CNG buses to students

    Subsidy removal: Tinubu donates CNG buses to students

    In his continuous efforts aimed at making campus life very easy for students, President Bola Tinubu, yesterday, distributed some Compressed Natural Gas,CNG busses to students in the nation’s tertiary institutions.

    The busses, numbering six and for each of the geopolitical zones, were particularly aimed to promote a more efficient and affordable transportation system for students.

    They were distributed through the office of the Senior Special Adviser on Students’ Engagement, Comrade Sunday Asefon, yesterday, in Abuja.

    The president’s action came following his removal of fuel subsidy in the country.

    The busses were received variously by the zonal coordinators of the National Association of Nigerian Students,NANS.

    The President of NANS, Comrade Lucky Emonefe presented the vehicles’ keys to the respective zonal coordinators.

    Comrade Asefon, speaking at the brief event,explained that the initiative was part of a broader promise made by President Tinubu to support students in Nigeria, especially following the fuel subsidy removal and attendant high cost of transportation.

    Asefon emphasised that while this gesture is significant, it is just the beginning, assuring Nigerian students that the current administration would continue to accord welfare of students high priority.

    He said in the past, some students had to hire buses at exorbitant costs, sometimes up to 200,000 to attend programmes and conferences as well as movement within the campuses.

    According to him, with the new buses, students will only pay a token fee, making it much more affordable.

    He said,”The buses are not just for transport they also provide students with the confidence that they are using vehicles dedicated to their needs.”

    Speaking further, Comrade Asefon informed that the maintenance of the buses will be closely monitored for efficient use.

    He said schools will also take responsibility for maintaining buses stationed at their campuses, ensuring the longevity of this initiative.

    On his part, NANS President, Comrade Lucky Emonefe, expressed his gratitude to President Tinubu for this unprecedented move, stating that it would significantly ease the cost of transportation for Nigerian students.

    He stated that the initiative is the first of its kind in NANS’s history, with over 20 buses being distributed to various zones.

    He emphasised that this achievement was made possible through constructive dialogue and leadership, without the need for protests.

    “It is going to be very useful to Nigeria students, it will ease the cost of transportation in their campuses.

    “So, we are happy and I want to thank the President for this gesture, and this is the first time it has ever happened in the history of NANS, since NANS has been founded, ” he said.

  • Nigeria prosecutes 100 terror financiers in 2 years —Tinubu

    Nigeria prosecutes 100 terror financiers in 2 years —Tinubu

    ABUJA—President Bola Tinubu, yesterday, announced that Nigeria has successfully prosecuted over 100 terrorist financiers in the past two years as part of its ongoing fight against financial crimes and terrorism financing.

    This effort aims to disrupt the financial networks supporting terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, ultimately safeguarding communities and fostering a secure environment for development.

    The announcement was made by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr. George Akume, who represented Tinubu at the National Anti-Money Laundering, Combating Terrorism Financing and Counter Proliferation Financing Compliance Summit held in Abuja.

    He said: “By taking away the funds, resources and material support behind Boko Haram and ISWAP, we are denying them the ability to inflict terror on our communities and citizens.

    “We have made progress to tackle the threats of terrorism and other violent crimes through the gallant action of our frontline troops and our security agencies.

    “Through the efforts of the office of the national security adviser and the attorney-general of the federation, we have prosecuted and convicted over 100 terrorist financiers in the last two years.
    “It is an approach that we are utilising as a fundamental component of our national strategies to combat serious criminal offences.”

    Hafsat Bakari, Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU, who also spoke at the summit, highlighted the importance of collaboration among various stakeholders, including political leaders, financial institutions, law enforcement agencies, and international partners.

    “The fight against financial crimes is not one that any single entity can win alone. It requires the collective strength and commitment of our political leaders, regulators, financial institutions, law enforcement and security agencies, and international partners,” Bakari stressed.

  • Nigeria to collaborate with Russia on space technology, others

    Nigeria to collaborate with Russia on space technology, others

    Nigeria is to collaborate with the Republic of Russia in the areas of Space Technology, Agriculture, Science, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) to strengthen the nation’s socio-economic development.

    The Permanent Secretary of Innovation, Science and Technology, Mrs. Esuabana Nko Asanye, who announced this, said the collaboration will also focus on Agriculture, Science, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) to strengthen the country’s socio-economic development.

    According to Esuabana, Science does not operate in isolation, hence the need for nations to collaborate to strengthen Bilateral relationships.

    The Permanent Secretary said this when officials from the Embassy of the Russian Federation, led by the Senior Counselor on Trade and Economic Section, Sergei Pliushchov, paid her a courtesy call today in Abuja.

    She informed the delegation that the Ministry is interested in attending scientific Officer and other research-related field training, especially in the area of Space Technology in Russia, if the Russian government can sponsor such officers.

    To this end, the Permanent Secretary commended the Russian Republic for her good gesture in extending her training request to the Ministry, noting that Russia is interested in Nigeria’s development.

    Earlier, the Senior Counsellor, Trade and Economic Section of the Embassy of the Russian Federation, Nigeria, Serei Pliushchov, said that the Republic of Russia is ready to collaborate with Nigeria in the training and re-training of scientific experts to improve productivity in the country.

    He further said that the Republic of Russia, through the Embassy in Nigeria, is engaging Russian online experts to develop Nigerians’ technical skills in various fields.