Headline

Why I Should Represent Amuwo Odofin at the Federal House – Comrade Ayodele Adewale

Published

6 years ago

August 18, 2018

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

Leveraging on his superlative performance when he held sway as the executive chairman of Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area between 2008 and 2014, the people of the constituency feel it is the best if he replicates the same excellence performance at the Federal level, and so the clarion call for Comrade Ayodele Adewale to take up seat as member of the House of Representatives in 2019. In this interview, Adewale, reputed as an uncommon achiever, explains the passion that drives his desire. Excerpts:

Can we meet you sir?

My name is Ayodele Adewale, immediate past chairman of Amuwo-Odofin Local Government.

Apart from being the immediate past chairman, what else are you?

I am the MD of Husbock Links and Developement. It is a construction, servicing, real estate and consulting company and we also have interest in agriculture and community affairs.

What of politically?

Politically I have served at various platforms but presently I am contesting for the House of Representatives, Amuwo Odofin Federal Constituency.

Between 2014 when you left the chairmanship office and now, what has been happening in your life politically?

Politically, I have been instrumental to encouraging people to get into office, hoping that they will improve on what we started. Of course, I am in the forefront of supporting my party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) on various fronts, especially as it concerns Lagos State. I am also an active social commentator, educating the larger community about the working of the APC and of course their expectation from the society.

What can you tender to the people as a credential for them to vote you to the House of Representatives?

I have a historic record of active civil society participation, which thrives on the building of an ideal society. It is not a magical transition. That was the idea I brought into office as Chairman of the Local Government and I was able to implement a lot of it, and that is why you see more attention in the local government as people want to know what is happening. As a result, we have been able to key into other people’s thought, and they also have used the experience of our activities here to improve on their own local governments.

What do you think the person currently in the position you are contesting for in the House of Representative is not doing well?

My mission is to bring the attention of both the Federal and state governments to Amuwo Odofin Federal Constituency because every politics deals with the grassroots, and one must improve his locality before venturing into a larger scope. Amuwo-Odofin has not received enough attention and the resources in the federal and state are quite limited. So, getting attention depends on how you are able to persuade and negotiate for your people. I can confidently say that from the beginning of this democracy, there is not much project we have achieved.

So what projects have you proposed to bring down to the constituency when eventually you are elected?

I have not said I was going to do projects in the real sense. It is not about projects but representation.

Can you explain what you mean?

Government is about people and what they desire. Therefore, one must represent them through every legal Organized platform particularly in the National Assembly. You can’t do anything literarily without consulting your consistency and that is why I said it is about representation. Our people desire a lot of attention from the federal and the state governments, and I see myself as using that platform to further entrench our request and lobby authorities. The local government can only do little especially when it’s has a focused leadership and the state government has limited resources. It is the clamour of the people therefore, that will attract and bring development to our community’s. And my community needs someone who has the ability to lobby and negotiate totally is very much needed like me to represent them.

Aside that, we can also use that office to attract some attentions from the private sector using my pedigree and experience while I was Chairman of Amuwo Odofin Local Government and of course, my relationship with companies and foreign nations, because while I was in government, the US Marine through the US Consulate comes yearly to render medical services to our coastal areas. And that today, has stopped. is it because I am no longer in government? There should be continuity. For this to happen, there must be someone who can bridge the gap.

I had a wonderful relationship with the private sector as well as NGOs like the Rotary Club, the Lions Clubs and many others, and we benefitted a lot from one another. I have what it takes to resuscitate that relationship.

Comrade Adewale, presenting a local government plague of honour to Pastor (Mrs) Adeboye

Can you itemize some differences between your days in Amuwo-Odofin LGA and now?

Yes.

During my days, the people came first, and we tried as much as possible to do thought provoking projects, making people wonder where we got the money from. And I told them it is just a matter of thinking out of the box. But today, everybody is demoralized as the government is even not funding meaningful projects despite the fact that they received over N1.2 billion from the federal and state allocation without adding the internally generated revenue from Amuwo Odofin LG only in one year. There is no meaningful project to identify them with as at today.

What can you say is the problem?

I leadership and self aggrandizement

People put self far above the community and the office they occupy. I even heard that an auditor came and gave them pass mark. But it is only when an independent forensic auditor is invited, that people will actually see that all the money has gone under the bridge. Go to the schools, health centres, roads, environment; nothing meaningful and impactful is happening – everywhere is filled with filth and potholes on the roads.

I used to give free drugs when I was in office, I employed over 28 doctors, I was paying corps member Dr N100,000 at the riverine and N70,00 upland while other Dr got N170,000 stipend. Some other NYSC members were collecting twenty-eight thousand naira, some fifty, some seventy, some thirty-five; the least was twenty depending on the type of service they render. I was the highest employer of corps members in Nigeria. Far above what the state government employed in any ministry or agency. At a point, I took 260 corps members and I was paying them monthly, but today, no corps member is paid again. So, what went wrong! Is it that they are not getting resources again, the answer is no. and they are even collecting more than what we collected. We constructed and rehabilitated roads, drainage, schools; we did training for civil servants and political office holders both in Nigeria and abroad. We attended many climate change conferences; even the climate change unit is now in comatose.

Comrade Adewale with Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode

But some people would argue the present administration was foisted on them by you…

Nobody foisted anything on anybody. We love the people. We recommended what I believe at the time was the best option. And if you put the equation together, you will realize that somebody who has been the Supervisor for Works, Head of Operations; Chief of Staff, and many more should practically be more qualified than any other person because he had seen the nitty gritty of the administration. Even God said he was disappointed that he created man; so, who am I? I wouldn’t know their inner intentions and self reasoning, but for you to have been in the office where things were happening, it should mean that you should be able to build on that foundation than someone who is coming to start from the beginning, from the outside.

So, at what stage did things go wrong?

I can’t go into the details now, but everything went haywire from the 4th day in office. They would not listen to voice of reasoning nor stick to the master plan of development for the area. By now, we should have built a stadium and a new administrative complex; redefining the face of public administration. By now, we would have built the first paediatric primary health care Centre in Nigeria. The job is supposed to be a continuous one; like what we have in Lagos state and that’s why the state is developing. There is a master plan that the present chairman of Amuwo Odofin Local Government was supposed to key into, which he promised to key into but jettisoned for his personal interest.

So, when you become a member of the House of Representative, do you think there won’t be issues bringing in your attractive investments into the constituency?

There won’t be issues, because when you are bringing investments, it doesn’t have to go through that channel. They can come independently and do what they want. If you are bringing investor or support for health care; there are private hospitals to partner with, as we did when I was in government. I partnered with Rotary club, Hosanna Hospital on deformity correction, cancer screening, prostrate screening, hypertension, high blood pressure, and diabetes. But we would still want them to partner with the local government because government is not about a person, it is institution. If they want to partner with the government, so be it. There are other private sectors that we can run it through. So, there will be no issues at all.

On a sensitisation tour with Corps members

So, what’s your strategy for winning this election?

The strategy is to sustain our relationship with people. Like I will say, the government is about the people. These people still remember what God used me to achieve and impact on their lives and system. There are those who had the opportunity of getting empowerment through the GCE and JAMB forms we provided; a lot of them are in tertiary institutions now, and some have graduated. Even their family still remembers that. The over 3000 babies that were delivered for free at our health centers while I was in government are over 6-years-old now; their parents see them and joy overwhelms them. The Agric supports we gave are doing well. The IT students that we trained through partnering with NIIT are using their certificates to cater for themselves, and they are earning a living. The community dwellers that we have meetings with regular in order to improve the environmental sanitation in every aspect are still there. So, they know the difference, and they are the one championing my course. Once we cross primary stage and I winning the APC primary, the deal is done. The strategy is based on full trust.

Some might say you would not be as efficient when you get to the House of Representative?

A leopard cannot change its spots. I am myself yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Comrade Adewale receiving leadership award on good governance at the United Nations headquarters, New York

So, what’s your promise to the people of Amuwo-Odofin?

My promise is that given another opportunity to serve, coupled with the experience we have gained now, it is far greater than what we had before. We are going to make an overwhelming improvement.

In the House of Representative, there is something called the Constituency Allowance…

I would not know; I only know from my civil society understanding that legislative business is for law making, and they have oversight functions. But, beyond that, I am going to lobby a lot of projects for my constituency. I have a lot of my colleagues in the House, so lobbying will not be an issue because of the relationship we have already. Therefore, lobbying to get project for my constituency is not a big deal. Moreover, I know the act of lobbying, and I am very good at it. So, it is not a big deal.

Talking about primaries, do you know those that will contest against you?

Yes, seven of them.

Do you think there is anyone of them who have a better pedigree than you?

In this game, I have learnt not to underestimate anybody, but I don’t think any of them have a programme, because all you see them do now is throw money around and post their pictures. No programme whatsoever on the poster! But I have a programme, which I capsuled in my mission and vision.

My vision is to see Amuwo-Odofin Federal constituency, Lagos state and Nigeria become self-sustained for development. My mission is to attract the attention of the federal and state governments for peculiar individual developments and sustainability. I am looking forward to the Amuwo-Odofin that can operate on its own, free of state and federal assistance. My mission encapsulates all about self-sustainability through women and youth empowerment, infrastructural provision and many others. When you say you want to bring the attention of people to somewhere, you have to develop your space, and that is why I capsuled it. It is big and deep. I am not limiting it to Amuwo Odofin alone but to Lagos state and Nigeria. For example, nobody is talking about the issue of the 37 local government development areas we have in the National Assembly. They should be listed into the federal revenue. Nobody is saying anything, and now that APC is in power is the best time for us to fight for it, before the Saraki crisis started. Now is the best opportunity because we have the control of the federal government, we have majority in the Senate and House of Representative, and we lost that opportunity.

Although you’ve summarized it to sustainability, can you itemize it?

They are all encapsulated in that. Without sustainability, you have nothing. Without good health facilities, infrastructure, security you can’t sustain yourself.

There should be more to it?

Except you want me to break it down, and I can’t do that in one article. I have lots of programs that will be created by law, but I have only summarized it. I’m a science-based person, and when I was the chairman, I did a lot. As a legislator, I cannot implement but I would work on laws that would bring the focus of the federal, state and local government to achieve that executive function using my oversight function without compromise. Already, I know the functions of the executive, it is now to back it up with an oversight function of the legislative and policies that is embedded in the law, and monitor it. I know I can’t be doing roads, unless I want to lie to you. That is why I am going to use laws and policies to make it effective because when the executive knows that somebody is monitoring and following them, they don’t have a choice but to implement it because I know how much will be coming from the federal to the local government. And once they are not implementing it, I know that I can call the community and tell them what has happened and the total budget they received. With this, all eyes will be on them, and they have no justification than to go and do it; that is the power of the legislature.

Comrade Adewale interacting with Barr Fabian of Ohaneze Ndi Igbo and other Igbo community leaders during his tenure as chairman

By the time you are following them bumper to bumper, even with the use of the media, they will be on their toes. With the knowledge of their budget for the year, no one can be telling you he has only done few empowerment, empowerment of what? No infrastructure, only bead making, cake and hair dressing as empowerment, for the whole of one quarter, six months and 1 year. Then, there is a conduit pipe somewhere taking the funds disguised as empowerment programme. We would monitor every program in order to know the quality of program you are bringing to the people.

With your mindset and the environment we leave in, do you think the power that be will allow you achieve this?

The power that be, also need people in the society to help them to carry out the programme and policies of the party so that development will be seen. The powers that be cannot be everywhere, they need like minds, and that is the vision of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President Muhammadu Buhari and comrade Adams Oshiomole, and I can back it up. Asiwaju was so meticulous that he built the prosperity of Lagos from nothing to something, and he laid the blueprint in which successive governors have keyed into.

What is your view on the present Lagos State administration?

His Excellency, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has proved to be a wonderful developer. He is investing more on infrastructure and creative art. Creative art, as we all know, is an empowerment programme. He is leveraging on the good foundation laid by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and sustained by Mr. Babatunde Fashola. It is infrastructure all the way because that is what will create security and provide opportunities. With somebody like me in the National Assembly; helping them to monitor this structure, they will definitely achieve more. The people will be happier, and by the time there is more of my kind doing the same thing, then we will be close to the ideal world we dream of. It is doable.

Comrade Adewale laying out his programmes and soliciting support from Oriade LCDA party executives as APC House of Reps aspirant for Amuwo Odofin

So, what advice can you give to the people as regard the forth coming election?

They should arm themselves with their PVCs. Also, they should free their thoughts from financial inducement. Whoever induces you financially does not have anything good for you. Whoever wishes to lead you must share your pain because he that wears the shoe knows where it pinches. If he has not lived with you, he cannot understand your pain. If they come from Ikorodu, American and several other places, or dance to music or take people to Dubai they cannot understand your pain because he or she will not understand it. He does not know whether it is water first or health centre. He or She will only do what he or she feels, and that’s not solving a problem. Also, he must get a refund for his money which he spent wooing the electorates. We know those that have integrity among us, and those that don’t. We also know those that support community development. So this is the time to make the right choice, and not be swayed by financial inducement.

Can we actually separate money from politics?

It is like oil and water. It will take time before you separate them. The oil will stay on top, the water will remain underneath. If you are careful enough, you can separate them; it will only take time.

Is that part of what you are bringing?

Yes, that why I educate my members through discussion. On weekly basis, we discuss and we proffer solutions.

Comrade Adewale being received by the Lord Mayor of Sheffield, UK

So far, what is people’s reception of you like?

They are happy, they are waiting, and are also praying because they’ve enjoyed it before and they want to enjoy it again.

Thank you and we wish you success come 2019

Thank you and I appreciate you for your time

Headline

The Travails of Dele Farotimi – Out But Gagged –

Published

2 days ago

December 24, 2024

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

Following an X post by a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, on Tuesday, embattled human rights lawyer, Mr. Dele Farotimi, has finally been released from prison, having met his N30 million bail bond condition. Other requirements for the bail included two sureties, one of whom must be a property owner, a submission of Farotimi’s passport and a prohibition of Farotimi granting media interviews once released.

He wrote, “I am pleased to report that Dele Farotimi is no longer being held at the prison yards in Ekiti State, and is now returning home to Lagos.

“The struggle continues! Happy holidays to you all!”Farotimi has been held in Ekiti Correctional Centre since his arrest on December 3 over alleged defamation charges brought against by another lawyer, Prof Afe Babalola.

Farotimi, on July 2, 2024, released a 116-page book titled Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, setting the stage for a clash of interest resulting in petitions, persecutions, prosecutions and gagging of privileges and rights.

Peter Obi, the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party at the 2023 ele tions, and a political ally of Farotimi, had volunteered to assist in helping embattled lawyer meet his bail conditions.

Though Farotimi is out of prison, he is a gagged man as he is not permitted to speak about his experiences to the media, and has his movements curtailed as his passport has been withdrawn from him.

Dele Farotimi, a legal practitioner of repute, has been a human rights activist for as long as he has been a lawyer, even longer, but never in the history of his practice or profession, has he been so inundated by crises as he is facing presently. This is as a result of the publication and circulation of his new book, The Nigerian Justice System, recently.

The book received a reserved condemnation from revered legal luminary, Prof Afe Babalola, who is also the Founder of Afe Babalola University in Ekiti State. And ever since, Farotimi has known no peace as he had been a tenant of the Ekiti State Police Command, and lately, the state’s correction centre, where he was remanded by the court, and later released on bail.

Prof Babalola had complained the a portion of the book, had defamed his person and integrity, alleging that he compromised the Supreme Court, prompting him to write a petition to the Police, who swiftly picked up Farotimi in hid Lagos home, and whisked him away to Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, where it is a crime to defame an individual.

The Ekiti State Police Command insisted that the human rights lawyer refused to honour invitations, giving rise to the commando fashion with which they stormed his home and took him away even as criticisms continued to trail the style of the arrest, and Police continuous denial of using unconventional means to execute the arrest.

“We got a petition from a complainant against him, ordering the publication of false news to cause fear and alarm in the public. And that is contrary to and punishable under Section 59 of the Criminal Code. And also the publication of defamatory matter, which is also contrary to Section 375 of the Criminal Code. That was the petition we got.“And after all the means used to give him a fair hearing to come and explain himself were unsuccessful, we got a court order. The command obtained a court order before proceeding to arrest him.“He was only arrested after all attempts to make him come and explain himself proved abortive. He has been investigated and the case is already in court.

“He was only arrested after all attempts to make him come and explain himself proved abortive. He has been investigated and the case is already in court,” the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, explained.

But Farotimi’s lawyer, Temitope Temokun, countered the Police statement, saying his client was never invited by the Command

“He was invited by Zone 2 on two occasions, and he went there.

“But why would you be inviting somebody to Ekiti from Lagos on something that happened in Lagos? However, he was never invited, and if he had been invited, as a lawyer, I would advise him not to go.”

The situation erupted a discourse on various fora, further questioning the the credibility of the already discredited judiciary before some Nigerians, and further popularizing the said contentious book written by Farotimi.

The lawyer reasoned that, “The book was published in Lagos. The defendant has an office in Lagos. And under the Nigerian Criminal Justice System, the law is not that you have to go to where the defendant is, to go and try the accused. You have to try the accused where the act was committed, except he had escaped justice in another state.

“So if he didn’t do that, you cannot abduct him to that state that he didn’t escape to.”

However, on appearance at The Chief Magistrates Court in the Ado Ekiti Division, days later, he was ordered to be remanded in the state’s correctional centre pending consideration of his bail application.

Considering the case, Chief Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun, after listening to the police prosecutor, Samson Osubu, who filed an 16-count allegations to which Farotimi pleaded not guilty, adjourned the matter till December 10, 2024, saying, “The defendant should file a formal application for bail. The matter is adjourned till Tuesday, December 10, 2024. The defendant is hereby ordered remanded at the Correctional Centre, Ado Ekiti.”

Farotimi’s case was further compounded when on December 7 while the adjourned December 10 date was being awaited, the Police slammed a fresh 12-count charge bordering on alleged false information to cause a breakdown of law and order on the detained activist. The legal team of Prof Babalola urged Farotimi to prove his allegations against legal luminary. They also went for the jugular, asking that Farotimi be stripped of his law license as well as ensure the stoppage of the publication and circulation of the book.The charge filed at the Federal High Court, Ado Ekiti, by the Inspector General of Police was brought under Section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015 as amended.

In the fresh charge dated and filed December 6, Farotimi was alleged to have violated the Cybercrimes laws, when he on August 28, 2024 knowingly and intentionally transmitted a false communication in an online interview on Mic On Podcast by Seun Okinbaloye on his YouTube Channel in respect of a book he authored and published with the titled: ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’.

According to the charge, Farotimi was alleged to have in the said broadcast interview claimed that, “Aare Afe Babalola corrupted the judiciary”, a claim which he knew to be false information and made for the purpose of causing breakdown of law and order thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 24(1) (b) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015 as amended.

In count two, the defendant was said to have made the allegation “with the intention of bullying and harassing the named persons thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 24 (a) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015 as amended.”

In another charge, Farotimi was alleged to have on December 2, 2024, acknowledged that there was a charge preferred before a court in Ekiti State against him at the instance of Chief Afe Babalola.

“This preferred, hidden from view and the court had purportedly demanded my presence multiple times and failed to appear before the court and this Court had then proceeded to issue bench warrant for my arrest. This is classic Afe Babalola, I detailed his corruptive influence in my book titled: ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’ which you know to contain false information for the purpose of causing breakdown of law and order thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 24(1) (b) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015 as amended,” the charge read in part.

In count four, Farotimi was said to have described the charge in his online broadcast as “fraudulently preferred, hidden from view and the court had purportedly demanded my presence multiple times and I failed to appear before the court and this court had then proceeded to issue bench warrant for my arrest.”

The police further accused the defendant of bullying and harassing Babalola and other named persons when through his online broadcast alleged that after he sued Babalola for libel, “the machines of corruption went into overdrive and a case that should never have been killed at the preliminary stage was killed”.

Count 10 reads: That you Dele Farotimi on December 2, 2024 intentionally sent a message in the course of a press conference held on Online on your YouTube Channel, where you stated that: “I told the truth of his corruption of the society” which you know to contain false information for the purpose of causing breakdown of law and order thereby committed an offence Contrary to and punishable under Section 24(1) (b) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015 as amended.

On December 10, his case was further moved to December 20 when he was granted N30 million bail. The bail conditions were completed on December 24 when he was released.

Though Farotimi is released, his freedom, which came at a cost, is not completely guaranteed as he will remain a regular visitor to courts until the final determination, which is likely to drag to the Supreme Court.

The Book Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice SystemNigeria and Its Criminal Justice System gained significant attention following its release, with Amazon listing it as the number one bestseller worldwide in its category. The book’s critical exploration of systemic issues in Nigeria’s legal and judicial landscape resonated with readers across the globe, propelling it to the top of international bestseller charts. the book received a

(4.00 out of 5) from the site which was based on five critic reviews.

The release of the book was accompanied by a public dispute between Dele Farotimi and Afe Babalola, In a controversial development a court in Nigeria issued an injunction halting the further production, distribution, and sale of Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System. The decision came following a lawsuit filed by Babalola, who alleged that certain portions of the book contained defamatory statements and misrepresentations about individuals and institutions within the Nigerian criminal justice system.

FAROTIMI, THE MAN

Dele Farotimi was born on April 27, 1968, and completed his secondary education at Fiditi Grammar School. He later earned a law degree from Lagos State University where he graduated with an LL.B.

A unionist and activist, he served as President of the Student’s Union at the Lagos State University (LASU), in 1994-1995, and was called to the Nigerian bar in 1999.

Farotimi began his legal career at Adesina Ogunlana & Co specializing in advocating for a better Nigeria. Over the years with a deep commitment to human rights and justice. He practiced law actively until his retirement in 2018 at the age of 50. In addition to his legal work, Farotimi is a published author. His book, Do Not Die in Their War, addresses critical issues facing Nigeria, including corruption, governance, and the rule of law. The publication has been lauded for its candid insights and call to action for systemic change.

Dele Farotimi was arrested in lagos state on December 3, 2024, and extradited to Ekiti State by the Nigerian Police Force in connection with his book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System. The arrest followed allegations of defamation brought against him by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Afe Babalola. Farotimi’s detention sparked widespread outrage, with activists, legal practitioners, and civil society organizations condemning the action as an attempt to stifle free speech and dissent.

Additional info: The PUNCH, ThisDay and Wikipedia

Headline

Maiden Media Chat: I’m Not Ready to Shrink My Cabinet, Tinubu Declares, Defends Subsidy Removal, Insists on Tax Reforms

Published

2 days ago

December 24, 2024

Eric

Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, on Monday firmly defended his administration’s decision to retain his cabinet members, dismissing criticisms that it is “bloated.”

“I am not ready to shrink the size of my cabinet,” Tinubu stated during his first Presidential Media Chat in Lagos.

“I am not prepared to bring down the size of my cabinet,” he reiterated, emphasising that “efficiency” has guided his ministerial appointments.

The president also addressed concerns about the removal of the petrol subsidy in May 2023, reaffirming his stance that the decision was unavoidable.

“I don’t have any regrets whatsoever in removing petrol subsidy. We are spending our future; we were just deceiving ourselves. That reform was necessary,” he said.

According to Tinubu, the removal of the subsidy has fostered competition in the sector, leading to a gradual reduction in petrol prices.

“The market is being saturated. No monopoly, no oligopoly, a free market economy flowing,” he explained.

Tinubu rejected the idea of price control, asserting his belief in the principles of a free market.

“I don’t believe in price control. We will work hard to supply the market,” he said.

On managing electricity bills, which has tripled since the tariff hike for Band A customers, the president advised Nigerians to adopt better energy management practices.

“It’s not negative to learn to manage. You learn to control your electricity bill, switch off the light. Let’s learn to manage,” Tinubu urged.

On controversial tax reform bills, which have divided the northern and southern parts of the country, the president said “no going back”.

“Tax reform is here to stay; we cannot just continue to do what we were doing years to years in today’s economy. We cannot retool this economy with the old broken books, and I believe I have that capacity that is why I went into the race,” Tinubu said.

“I am focused on what Nigeria needs and what I must do for Nigeria, it is not just going to be eldorado for everybody, but the new dawn is here, I am convinced, and you should be convinced.”

The former governor of Lagos State expressed confidence in his security chiefs, arguing the country is more secure than he met it.

He said, “Today, I have confidence in my security architecture. It is very, very unfortunate that, you know, two decades of wanton killing. I remember when I jumped into the campaign, I had to stop the campaign to pay condolence visits to Madiburi, Katsina, Kajuna, Kola. Today, you can still travel the roads. Before now, it was impossible. It took one incident to mess up an organized environment.”

”I am not probing anybody or service chiefs, you cannot disrespect the institution because of the threat of probe. Give them credit for what they are doing, I am proud of what they are doing today.’’

Headline

Tinubu Presents N47.9trn 2025 Appropriation Bill to NASS

Published

1 week ago

December 18, 2024

Eric

President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, presented the proposed 2025 federal budget to a joint session of the National Assembly.

The N47.9 trillion budget saw a whopping N3.5 trillion allocated to the education sector.

Other sectors that got higher allocations include defence and security – N4.91tn, infrastructure – N4.06tn and health – N2.4tn.

“It is with great pleasure that I lay before this distinguished joint session of the National Assembly, the 2025 Budget of the National Assembly of Nigeria titled, ‘The Restoration Budget’ security peace, building prosperity,” Tinubu said as he concluded his 30-minute presentation at 1:10pm.

This budget highlights the government’s focus on improving education, healthcare, and infrastructure, in line with its ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ aimed at boosting the economy and addressing key national priorities.

The live broadcast of the budget presentation today revealed the government’s plans for the next fiscal year. With a strong emphasis on human capital development, the president highlighted the budget’s commitment to improving the nation’s economic foundation.

Education sector receives major funding

A significant portion of the 2025 budget is dedicated to education, with N3.5 trillion allocated to the sector. President Tinubu stated that part of this funding would be directed toward infrastructure development, including support for Universal Basic Education (UBEC) and the establishment of nine new higher educational institutions.

“We have made provision for N826.90 billion for infrastructural development in the education sector,” Tinubu said.

This allocation aims to improve educational facilities and support ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s educational system.

Focus on human capital development

During the presentation, the president emphasized the importance of investing in Nigeria’s human capital. “Human capital development, our people are our greatest resource. That is why we are breaking record investment in education, healthcare, our social services,” he remarked.

Tinubu also pointed to the N34 billion already disbursed through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to assist over 300,000 students.

The budget includes continued investments in healthcare and social services as part of the broader goal of enhancing the quality of life for Nigerians.

Strengthening the economy and national security

Tinubu highlighted that the 2025 budget is designed to build a robust economy while addressing critical sectors necessary for growth and security.

“This budget reflects the huge commitment to strengthening the foundation of a robust economy, while addressing the critical sectors essential for the growth and development we envision; and secure our nation,” he said.

The budget aims to tackle key challenges and foster long-term economic stability by prioritizing infrastructure and development in key sectors.

Healthcare and social services allocations

In addition to education, Tinubu focused on the allocation for healthcare and social services. The government plans to increase investments in healthcare infrastructure and services to ensure broader access to essential healthcare for Nigerians.

These investments are part of the administration’s strategy to improve overall living conditions and enhance public health across the country.

President Tinubu’s proposed 2025 budget is said to reflect the administration’s commitment to achieving its development objectives, with a focus on economic growth, human capital development, and infrastructure improvement.

As the National Assembly reviews the budget, the president reiterated his administration’s resolve to address the nation’s most pressing needs.

Source: Nairametrics