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Buhari holds valedictory farewell meeting for 10 outgoing ministers

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President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday, held a farewell session with 10 ministers who have resigned to contest elections

He said the vacant positions created by their resignation will be filled immediately
The valedictory session was coming on the heels of President’s recent directive to all ministers and political appointees contesting for various elective positions to resign from their appointments on or before Monday, May 16, 2022.

Those who tendered their resignation letters are Minister of State for Mines and Steel Uche Ogar, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva; Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige; Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Minister of Women Affairs Paullen Tallen.

Others are the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Goodwill Akpabio; Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami and the Minister of Science, Technology, minister of state Niger Delta, Tayo Alasoadura and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu.

speaking to State House correspondents after the valedictory session Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, stated that the president thanked the outgoing members of the cabinet for their services and in addition to wishing them success in their endeavors.

“You will recall that on Wednesday, Mr. President directed and I informed you that all ministers and other political appointees who aspire to contest for elective offices in 2023 general elections, should resign their current appointments.

“This morning, there was a valedictory service for 10 members of the Federal Council who have indicated their desire to aspire for higher offices. Nine of them were present the 10th was absent with apology.

“Mr. President used the occasion to thank the outgoing members of cabinet for their sacrifices and services. Mr. President also in addition to wishing them success in their endevour, also expressed the confidence that giving the expertise, the experience and what they must have garnered during their years in office, they like other aspirants are fully equipped to run the affairs of the state.

“Ofcourse, Mr. President also admonished the remaining members of the Cabinet that the journey is still far. And they should all redouble their efforts, be more diligent and be more committed to the success of the administration.

“At the end of which the outgoing ministers had a group photograph with Mr president and also with the chief of staff and the secretary to the government of the federation.”

“On if they all tendered their resignations, Mohammed said: “Well, Mr. President said some have and others are in the process of doing so. But he thanked everybody for their compliance.” Mohammed said.

According to Minister of Information, it is only the President who can issues waivers should anyone of them changes his or her mind to return to their positions.

“Only Mr. President can say that. I’m just sticking to the speech of Mr. President and so I don’t want to speculate what can happen and what cannot happen. But Mr. President’s speech was very clear. He thanked the outgoing ministers for their sacrifice and contribution.” He stated.

Lai Mohammed, said if former President Goodluck Jonathan, joined the ruling party, that it would be better for the APC, he said: “As for whether to President Jonathan has joined the APC, I think the party will be in a better position to know who is joining the party or not.”

On if there any information regarding the CBN governor and if he is resigning, Mohammed said the CBN Governor was in a better position to address his issue, stressing, “No. But I think he addressed you yesterday and he said you should wait for the news.”

He added that replacement or reshufflement is coming soon. According to him, the Ministers are to be replaced very soon without delay.

“I don’t know about reshufflment. He said the vacancies would be replaced very soon.” He said.

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Edo Governor Joins National Economic Deliberations

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Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, attended his inaugural National Economic Council (NEC) meeting on Thursday at the State House Council Chambers in Abuja.
The session was presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The NEC serves as a vital forum for state governors, deputy governors, and the federal government’s economic team to discuss and address key economic challenges.

In a gesture to mark his first appearance, Governor Okpebholo was invited by Vice President Shettima to lead the opening prayer after the national anthem.

This event underscores Edo State’s active commitment to collaborating on national economic policies and driving solutions for Nigeria’s progress.

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At Achebe Forum, Obasanjo Labels Nigeria a ‘Failing State’ Criticizes Tinubu’s Leadership

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Olusegun Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed sharp criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, stating that Nigeria’s decline is now evident to “every honest observer.”
Speaking at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum at Yale University in the U.S., Obasanjo attributed the country’s deteriorating state to leadership failure, pointing specifically to Tinubu’s governance, which he referred to as “Baba-go-slow and Emilokan.”

In his keynote address titled “Leadership Failure and State Capture in Nigeria,” Obasanjo highlighted that pervasive corruption and mismanagement have worsened Nigeria’s challenges, driving the country deeper into insecurity, division, and underdevelopment.
He quoted the late writer Chinua Achebe, who in his book The Trouble with Nigeria argued that the country’s fundamental problem is a failure of leadership, not a flaw in its people or resources. According to Obasanjo, this diagnosis remains as relevant today as it was over 40 years ago.

Obasanjo cited works by American experts Robert Rotberg and John Campbell, who have characterized Nigeria as a “failed state.” Their argument, he noted, suggests that Nigeria’s inability to maintain security and stability has serious implications for Africa and the world at large.

Additionally, the former President described “state capture” as a pressing issue in Nigeria, where powerful individuals and groups exploit government resources and policies for personal gain. Obasanjo argued that this corruption undermines national interests, with influential elites shaping the country’s legal and economic systems to benefit themselves. Such practices, he warned, compromise public welfare, affecting the quality of education, healthcare, and infrastructure development.

In reflecting on Achebe’s legacy, Obasanjo praised the late author’s commitment to truth and the moral foundation he established for Nigeria. He urged Nigerians and the international community to recognize the dangers of state capture and work towards restoring a governance model that prioritizes the public good.

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Sule Lamido, Shehu sani disagree over National Security Adviser

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Shehu Sani and Sule Lamido

The senator who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th National Assembly, Shehu Sani has disagreed with a former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido over national security issues
Lamido had taken a strong position against the current National Security Advisor (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu accusing him of compromising his professional integrity and acting more like a spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu than fulfilling his constitutional role.
Sani advised Lamido to at least appreciate how the Tinubu led Administration tackled insecurity instead of politicizing it in his comment on the National Security Adviser.
Ribadu who was basking in the euphoria of the recent claims of decimating the insurgents cautioned anyone “not to dare Tinubu”, espercially the new Lakurawa Insurgents a development which infuriated the former governor of Jigawa State and a Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party,(PDP), prompting him to take to his verified facebook wall to describe the NSA as “loquacious, flippant and qualified to have been Tinubu’s Minsiter of Information instead of NSA.”
Lamido Criticizes NSA for Sycophantic Behavior, Urges Focus on Duties.
Lamido in his comment had expressed concerns over the NSA’s behavior, particularly his past actions as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under President Olusegun Obasanjo. Lamido reminded Nigerians of the NSA’s controversial remarks, including his public labeling of prominent governors—such as Tinubu, Kalu, and Akume—as the “most corrupt.” Lamido pointed out the stark contradiction between the NSA’s earlier criticisms and his current position, serving under the same figures he once condemned.

The former governor called the NSA’s decision to join the administration of President Tinubu—a leader he previously described as corrupt—a “singular mistake,” one that Lamido believes has tarnished the NSA’s credibility and character. “You are not a spokesperson for the President, you are a National Security Advisor,” Lamido emphasized, urging the NSA to return to the professionalism that has historically defined the role.

Lamido argued that previous holders of the NSA position, including the late Umaru Shinkafi, General Gusau, and Colonel Dasuki, all displayed discipline and a low profile, focusing on security matters without resorting to public displays or sycophantic behavior. Lamido lamented that the current NSA’s behavior reflects a departure from this standard, pointing to his increasingly vocal and partisan approach.

Rather than fulfilling his duties as an anonymous and diligent security advisor, Lamido claimed that the NSA’s moral dilemma and excessive displays of loyalty to the president have shifted him into the role of a “Minister of Information,” undermining the neutrality and importance of his position.

In closing, Lamido urged President Tinubu to allow his NSA to regain focus, remove his fears, and return to the professional standards expected of someone in such a sensitive and critical role. The criticism continued to ignite debates about the role of the NSA and the expectations of public office holders in Nigeria, with many calling for greater transparency and consistency from those in power.
Reacting, Shehu Sani countered Lamido in a statement on Friday in Abuja, saying there should be a credit and a commendation for an administration that inherited multi-faceted security challenges ,but which has been reduced to the barest minimum, wondering how the elderly statesman failed to acknowledge the many triumphs of government in bandits hotbed regions in the north.

Sani who served in the upper legislative Chamber in the 8th National Assembly said, he witnessed to the appropriation budget allocated to security which unfortunately did not abate security challenges before now, expressing that Nuhu Ribadu has achieved what many of his predecessors have failed to accomplish despite the hundreds of billions spent in the name of defence and security in the past;

According to him, bandits have been neutralized to a large extent, thus encouraging government in this direction until total victory should have been ideal rather than playing haywire politics which he said may not help the yet-volatile situation in the North.

He said: “Neutralisation of top bandit leaders, end to mass abductions of students in northern schools,

“Securing rail lines and major northern highways hitherto notorious for kidnappings. The prompt response to terrorist attacks on power lines is worth mentioning.

“Security challenges are not over but in all indices of comparison, he has performed better and set unprecedented records. His political critics are fully entitled to their views ,but his delivery on his mandate is unparalleled.”, Sani concluded.

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