News
Tinubu: Fuel Scarcity, Naira Redesign Ploy to Sabotage Election
All Progressives Congress (APC) standard bearer Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday reflected on the fuel scarcity and the naira design crisis, which have attracted condemnation by many Nigerians.
He said the petroleum scarcity and complaints about currency redesign were plots by unpatriotic elements and saboteurs to embarrass the Buhari administration and scuttle the proposed elections.
But, the APC candidate, who said the tricks will collapse, fired salvos at the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying that it will be defeated on poll day.
Tinubu said reminiscent of the 2015 and 2019 elections, the PDP will fail in next month’s polls.
He urged Nigerians to anticipate an electoral revolution on February 25, adding that prospective voters should get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ready to elect him as the best candidate for president.
Tinubu said his blueprint, which offers solutions to many pressing challenges confronting the country, will be implemented faithfully.
He emphasised that the path to the future will be charted by the electorate on election day when they make the right choice.
Tinubu promised to end the perennial fuel scarcity and restore order to the troubled oil and gas sector at a rally in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State.
The APC candidate urged the people to re-elect Governor Dapo Abiodun, and the senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates of the party.
He said: “Vote all the way. Governor Dapo Abiodun’s second term bid is guaranteed.”
Tinubu noted that opposition parties were exploiting the fuel scarcity and complaints about the naira redesign to campaign against the ruling party.
The former Lagos State governor, who spoke in English and Yoruba, said: “I came to appeal and solicit for your votes. This election is a revolution. We will use superior revolution and PVCs to get power.
“They are using fuel scarcity to distract Nigerians. I assure you, it will be a thing of the past. They are hoarding fuel and new naira notes to frustrate Nigerians. They don’t want the election.
“I will reduce the price of fuel. Be rest assured that I will solve the fuel crisis. Let them keep the fuel; keep hoarding the money; change the money. We shall defeat them. PDP will fail again, it doesn’t matter whatever they do.”
He added: “Great Nigerian youth, this is a revolution. This election is a revolution. They think they can bamboozle us or confuse us with fuel scarcity. We shall bring the fuel price down. They didn’t want this election, but they have failed.”
Tinubu said in the first 24 months of his government, one million ICT jobs will be provided.
Exuding confidence and optimism, he said electoral revolution was in the offing, advising voters to vote for him and other APC candidates in the February and March elections.
Tinubu, accompanied by his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, addressed a carnival-like rally at the Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola International Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, where party faithful and supporters were in one accord.
Joy was bold on the faces of Tinubu and other party leaders as they were ushered into the stadium by a huge crowd that had waited for them for hours.
Party supporters who were decked in various attires and carrying banners supporting Abiodun and senatorial candidates Salisu Suhaib (Ogun Central), Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (West) and former Governor Gbenga Daniel (East) sand and danced.
On the podium was the ace fuji musician, Chief Ayinde Wasiu, who thrilled the crowd with philosophical songs.
Nollywood actors and actresses, including Jide Kosoko, Hassan Ogogo, Foluke Daramola, Yinka Quadri, Fathia Balogun, Saidi Balogun and Remi Surutu, also stormed the venue to entertain the crowd.
The governor and parliamentary candidates received party flags from the party leadership.
Prominent Southwest leaders showed up in solidarity with the governor, attesting to his achievements in the last three and half years, and showcasing his manifestos for a brighter future.
At the special rally were House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his wife, Dr. Ibijoke, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahmaan AbdulRazaq, Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji, Lagos State Deputy Governor Femi Hamzat, his wife, Oluremi, Ondo State Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa who represented Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel, former interim National Chairman of the APC Chief Bisi Akande, former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, former Osun State Governor Gboyega Oyetola, former APC National Chairman who is also the Deputy Director-General of the presidential campaign council, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and Ogun APC leader, Aremo Olusegun Osoba.
The rally was also witnessed by APC National Secretary Iyiola Omisore, National Women Leader Betta Edu, National Youth Leader Dayo Israel, one-time Lagos State Finance Commissioner Wale Edun; Lagos House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa; Seyi Tinubu, Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, Segun Erewa, Senator Gbenga Obadara, Otunba Femi Pedro, Senator Gbenga Kaka, Senator Ganiyu Solomon, Ijaloja-General Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, Abiodun Akinlade, former Ogun State Deputy Governors Yetunde Onanuga and Salmot Badru; and former Ogun State House of Assembly Speaker Saraj Adekunbi.
Senator Ibikunle Amosun, former governor of Ogun State, was absent. The event coincided with his 65th birthday.
A staunch supporter of Tinubu, he had in a message wished the Jagaban Borgu a successful rally in the state.
Tinubu praised the party supporters for their commitment, noting that they trooped out in large numbers, despite the current fuel scarcity.
Speaking to the youth, the APC candidate said they will enjoy quality education, not truncated by strikes, and jobs after graduation.
He said: “I guarantee you one thing; there will be student loans. Nobody will drop out of university because of school fees; nobody will have to repeat one class for eight years and not graduate. We will make a four-year course four years course.
“A Tinubu administration will create over one million jobs in ICT in the next 24 months.
“The fine and skilled graduates of the Ogun Tech Hub will be able to find work as they continue to contribute towards our overall economic well-being.”
On his industrial policy, Tinubu said: “My industrial policy will carry you to the finish line. My plan is to deploy all available measures, from tax credits and youth employment incentives to tariffs to affordable loans and investment so that your industrial base is strengthened, broadened and widened.
“This will produce more wealth and valuable goods, improving the living standards of all Nigerians. It will also spur such job creation in Ogun that everyone looking for work will be able to find it. We will seek to cut youth unemployment nationwide by a third.
“Here, in industrially active Ogun, the decline in the jobless rate will be even more than that.
“We shall invest in infrastructure in such a manner that all aspects of your daily lives will be touched.
“Roads and public transportation will be augmented, reducing traffic congestion and allowing you to go from home to work or to the market faster, cheaper and safer.”
The standard bearer also promised to revive dead factories in the state through investments in power generation.
Acknowledging Ogun’s proximity to Lagos, Tinubu promised to create Ogun agricultural and industrial hubs, while working with local farmers to increase the production and exportation of agricultural produce.
He said: “Rice, corn, plantain cocoa and palm kernels from Ogun will be more actively traded.
“Moreover, we shall spur investment in the agro-allied business to create additional jobs while also generating more income for our local, state and national economies.
“We will support other drivers of value within the start-up ecosystem, including technology hubs and parks.
“Ogun is truly a place of innovation and growth for it is the home of many great local and international factories including Dangote Cement, Nestle, Lafarge Cement, and Procter & Gamble.
“As we become a nation of producers and not just consumers, Ogun State will play a critical role.
“We will support the development of the best that the modern digital and IT-driven sectors have to offer.
“We will provide the complementary infrastructure required for growth, including wider internet connectivity.”
Tinubu added: “With innovation, courage and creativity, we will harness modern technology to create jobs and provide goods and services that will unlock greater prosperity.
“By harmonising the National Infrastructure Policy with the National Industrial Policy, we will develop key sectors and spur economic growth.
“Our goal is to grow our industrial base, encourage industries vital to national development and become a global contender.”
Tinubu drew a correlation between security and socio-economic development, promising to make the nation safe and habitable for all.
He stressed: “As we work towards achieving overall peace and stability, we will continue to strengthen the economy and renew the confidence in our citizens of a home where they can live and thrive.
“With regard to security, we will ensure that Ogun continues to be a safe and peaceful state. Our security policy is bold yet wise and pragmatic. We shall keep trouble from coming to you. We shall pursue terrorists, kidnappers and criminals where they are.”
An excited Abiodun, accompanied by his deputy, Noimot Oyedele, urged the people of Ogun to look at Tinubu’s track record, which had placed him above other candidates, and deliver bloc votes to him.
He assured Tinubu and Shettima of a 100 per cent vote in Ogun State.
He said: “Asiwaju was a senator. So, he is knowledgeable in the area of the country’s laws.
“He became the governor of Lagos State and transformed it into the biggest economy in Africa.
“He then brought up successors who have worked on the template he put in place to continue to bring progress in Lagos.
“This is the man that now wants to replicate the same in Nigeria and bring joy to our faces. None of the other candidates can be compared to him in any way.
“I want to urge you to go and get your PVCs because that is the only way you can vote in Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Dapo Abiodun and other candidates.”
Osoba urged the people to vote for “City Boy” Tinubu to enable him to replicate at the national level all he has achieved in Lagos State.
He noted that Lagos had contributed to the success of prominent Nigerians from the six geo-political zones, including the Ojukwus, Dantatas, and Okotie-Ebohs, adding that now is the time to pay the state back by supporting Tinubu.
EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede has declared that he has fulfilled his 2024 promise to oversee the prosecution of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
Addressing public questions regarding his previous vow to resign if Bello was not prosecuted, Olukoyede stated during an interview on Sunday Politics aired by Channels Television that his mandate to investigate and bring the matter to court has been achieved.
“A sitting governor, because he knew he was about to leave office, moved money directly from government to a bureau de change and used it to pay his child’s school fees in advance $720,000,” Olukoyede said.
He described the alleged action as disturbing, particularly in view of the economic condition of Kogi State.
“In a poor state like Kogi, you want me to close my eyes to that under the excuse that I am being used? Being used by who at this stage of my life?” he asked.
Olukoyede also recalled a public statement he made in April 2024, when he vowed to resign if Bello was not prosecuted.
“If I do not personally oversee the completion of the investigation regarding Yahaya Bello, I will tender my resignation as the chairman of the EFCC,” he had said.
Addressing public concerns over the pace of the case, the EFCC chairman said the commission had fulfilled its responsibility and that the matter is now before the courts.
“Have I not fulfilled that promise? Is Yahaya Bello not being prosecuted? The case is in court,” he said.
He stressed that the EFCC’s role is to investigate and prosecute, not to determine guilt or secure convictions.
“I have three cases against Yahaya Bello. Am I the judge who will decide conviction? I have done my work and fulfilled my mandate,” Olukoyede added.
Bello is currently facing multiple charges before different courts. He is standing trial on a 16-count charge involving alleged property fraud amounting to N110 billion, alongside Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu.
In a separate case before the Federal High Court, the former governor is also facing a 19-count charge bordering on alleged fraud and money laundering involving N80.2 billion.
The EFCC had earlier declared Bello wanted in April 2024 over alleged financial crimes estimated at about N80 billion, a development that sparked widespread political debate.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Abubakar Salim Musa (known as @AM_Saleeeem on X), a prominent critic of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Atiku’s statement characterized the arrest as part of a “growing crackdown on dissent” and warned that such repression threatens Nigeria’s democratic future as the nation approaches a critical general election period.
Atiku made the call in a statement issued on Monday, following a report by Amnesty International Nigeria on the arrest of the young Nigerian on Sunday, January 11, 2026.
“This case is yet another stark example of the repressive nature of the President Bola Tinubu administration, which continues to bare its fangs against dissent, whether expressed through public protests or online criticism,” Atiku said.
According to him, Musa’s only offence was his persistent criticism of the worsening security situation in Northern Nigeria and across the country.
“Abubakar’s only ‘offense’ was his consistent and legitimate criticism of the deteriorating security situation in Northern Nigeria and across the country,” he stated.
Rather than engage with the concerns raised, Atiku said the government resorted to intimidation and prosecution.
“Instead of addressing these serious concerns, the government’s response has been to arrest him and subject him to what Amnesty International rightly describes as ‘bogus charges and a sham trial,” he added.
The former vice president stressed that Musa’s arrest was not an isolated incident, noting that several Nigerians had suffered similar treatment for expressing dissent.
“Numerous Nigerians, including journalists, schoolchildren, entertainers and even NYSC members, have faced arrest, assault and intimidation simply for criticising the President or members of his family,” Atiku said.
He warned that such actions pose a grave threat to Nigeria’s democratic foundations.
“This dangerous trend undermines the very foundations of democracy, which rest on the protection of fundamental human rights and freedom of expression,” he said.
Atiku further argued that Nigeria’s democratic credentials were being eroded by the continued repression of critics.
“Nigeria cannot claim to be part of the free world while its citizens are routinely arrested, assaulted and intimidated for voicing criticism of their government,” he stated.
With general elections approaching, Atiku cautioned against an atmosphere of fear and repression.
“As the nation approaches a critical general election, neither the people nor the opposition can operate effectively in an atmosphere of fear and repression,” he warned.
He demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Musa and others detained for exercising their constitutional rights.
“I call on the Tinubu administration to immediately and unconditionally release Abubakar Salim Musa and all others detained for exercising their constitutional rights,” Atiku said.
He also urged the government to halt arbitrary arrests and intimidation, while calling on the international community to intervene.
“I urge the international community, particularly countries and organisations that champion democracy and human rights, to hold the Tinubu regime accountable and demand an end to these violations,” he said.
Atiku concluded by calling on Nigerians and civil society groups to resist any further erosion of civil liberties.
“I encourage fellow patriots, civil society groups and all Nigerians of conscience to join this demand and stand firmly against any further erosion of our freedoms,” he added.
A new video has emerged showing two men reportedly kidnapped by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State, pleading for assistance to secure their release.
One of the captives, former Biu Local Government Area Chairman Hassan Biu Miringa, revealed that their abductors are demanding a $300,000 ransom.
Miringa said he and another individual were taken in December 2025 and have remained in the custody of the militants.
In the video shared by Zagazola Makama, Miringa introduced himself, saying: “I am Hassan Biu Miringa, former Chairman of Biu Local Government from 2020 to 2022. Four years after my tenure, we were kidnapped by the soldiers of Khilafa about two weeks ago. Alhamdulillah, we are still alive, but we urgently need help to save our lives.”
He added that negotiations with the kidnappers had been underway, with some preliminary agreements reportedly reached.
“We have engaged them on four separate occasions and reached an understanding. We appeal to our leaders, especially Borno State Deputy Governor Alhaji Usman Umar Kadafur, the National Assembly representative for Biu, Kwaya, and Shani Hon. Betera Aliyu, as well as our community leaders, to temper justice with mercy and assist us. We are their children and have been working together,” Miringa said.
He confirmed the ransom demand, explaining that each captive is expected to pay $150,000, totaling $300,000 for their freedom, and pleaded for urgent intervention to reunite with their families.
The video highlights ongoing concerns over kidnappings and insecurity in southern Borno State, which have persisted despite government efforts to curb insurgent activity in the region.
I Have Delivered On Yahaya Bello Prosecution Promise — EFCC Chairman Olukoyede
Atiku Issues Stern Warning To Tinubu Govt Over Detention Of Critic Abubakar Musa
Boko Haram Demands $300,000 Ransom For Abducted Borno Ex-LG Chair, Another Victim
How Rivers Women Spread Wrappers For Wike’s Motorcade During Port Harcourt Visit
Impeachment Proceedings Against Fubara, Deputy Still Active – Rivers Assembly
Your Second Coming Was A Chance To Avoid These Political Mistakes – Fayose To Fubara
Corruption Battle: Dangote Drags Ex-NMDPRA Boss To EFCC After ICPC Withdrawal
Rivers Crisis: Full List Of 8 Misconduct Allegations Against Governor Fubara
Panic In Ibadan As Rising Kidnap, Robbery Threats Trigger Official Red Alert
Wizkid Becomes First African Artist To Enter Spotify’s 10 Billion Streams Elite
-
News2 days agoHow Rivers Women Spread Wrappers For Wike’s Motorcade During Port Harcourt Visit
-
News1 day agoBoko Haram Demands $300,000 Ransom For Abducted Borno Ex-LG Chair, Another Victim
-
News3 hours agoAtiku Issues Stern Warning To Tinubu Govt Over Detention Of Critic Abubakar Musa
-
News3 hours agoI Have Delivered On Yahaya Bello Prosecution Promise — EFCC Chairman Olukoyede