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Tinubu Does Not See Any Need for Protest, Says Info Minister, Idris Mohammed
President Bola Tinubu has said that he does not see any need for a planned protest, scheduled to hold between August 1 and 10, 2024 across the federation while urging the youths to exercise patience as he is already addressing the issues raised, assuring that government will promptly react to all their grievances.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made the revelation while briefing newsmen after a routine meeting with the president at the State House, Abuja.
He said: “Mr President has asked me to again inform Nigerians that he listens to them, especially the young people that are trying to protest.
“Mr President listens to them; he takes what they say seriously and he is working assiduously to ensure that this country is good not just for today but also for the future.
“On the issue of the planned protest, Mr President does not see any need for that; he asked them to shelve that plan and he has asked them to await government’s response to all their pleas; he has listened to them like I said.”
The minister further disclosed that intervention measures had been taken by the Bola Tinubu administration including the new minimum wage of N70,000 already passed by the National Assembly, trucks of rice already dispatched to all the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as well as the Student Loans Fund launched recently by the president.
His words: “A lot is happening, only today, the National Assembly has expeditiously passed the bill on national minimum wage; you can see how the president is working. It was transmitted only yesterday, today, it has been passed.
“A lot of other interventions that the president has also put in place are also going to be looked at expeditiously in the interest of Nigerians. So there is no need for strike. The young people out there should listen to the president and allow the president more time to see to the realization of all the goodies he has for them.
“Highlights of other policies to cushion the effect of hardship Nigerians are feeling are in town. For example, you saw that the Federal Government approved grains and rice for state governments, it was delivered to them expeditiously.
“Also, the Federal Government, like I said that time it is just the necessary first step. Government is going to continue in that direction, supporting them and assuring them that whatever intervention the Federal Government has put in place go to those that should benefit, it is very important that is being put out.
“You heard about the Student Loans Board launched by Mr President. Mr President is very passionate about the fact that everyone will have the opportunity to go to school. It is no longer a time for all of us to stay back and see our able bodied young men and women that have passed the examinations to go to tertiary institutions that have not been able to do that because their parents are not able to pay for their fees. This is now a thing of the past, government is very very desirous to ensure that happens.
“You know the provision that was made to the NELFUND already; we have in excess what is required today and the more that people are requiring that the more the president will also give.”
Idris also disclosed that government will soon come up with a scheme that will accommodate all unemployed graduates nationwide, while stressing the fact that President Tinubu was committed to running an inclusive government.
According to him, “There is also the intervention the president is making for young men and women who have finished school and who are yet to get employed post NYSC. For example, there is a scheme the government is perfecting now and that will be pushed very fast so that all those young men and women who have finished school, graduates of universities and polytechnics that are not able to get jobs, they will continue to be supported by the government until such a time that those jobs are offered to them.
“The whole idea is that no one is left behind. It is an all inclusive government and the president is determined to ensure that no one is left behind in this attempt to march Nigeria towards progress.”
By Eric Elezuo
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has been declared winner of the presidential primary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The declaration was made at the Trascorp Hilton Hotel, where the final collation of results was made.
The former Vice President polled a total of 1, 846, 370 votes to defeat his closest rival, former Governor of Rivers State, Hon Rotimi Amaechi, who scored just over 500 thousand votes. Alhaji Muhammed Hayatu-Deen came third.
Headlines
ADC Presidential Primary: Hayatu-Deen Alleges Rigging, Withdraws from Results Announcement
One of the presidential aspirants of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, says he will not attend the announcement of the party’s presidential primary election results, citing allegations of widespread vote rigging.
In a statement on his X handle on Tuesday, Hayatu-Deen expressed concern over reports of electoral irregularities from across the country.
The ADC aspirant noted that he witnessed some of the incidents.
“I will not be attending the announcement of the ADC Presidential Election Results today. I am concerned by reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging, some of which I myself observed, and will therefore be taking advice on my next steps,” the statement read.
The development comes amid keen competition for the ADC presidential ticket involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Minister of Transportation and former Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and Hayatu-Deen.
The ADC presidential primary election collation exercise will take place in Abuja. Results are expected from across the nation.
Ahead of the nationwide presidential primary held on Monday, the ADC had urged aspirants, party leaders, delegates, and members to conduct themselves peacefully and uphold party unity.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, described the exercise as a defining moment for both the ADC and Nigerians seeking a credible political alternative.
According to him, the party remained committed to internal democracy and a transparent leadership selection process.
“The ADC remains proud to stand today as the only truly democratic party in Nigeria because it is the only political party whose choice of presidential candidate is determined through open primaries,” Abdullahi stated.
The party also stressed that the conduct of aspirants and party members during the exercise would reflect the leadership culture the ADC seeks to promote.
Headlines
You’re Not Different from APC, INEC, Amaechi Slams ADC, Rejects Presidential Primary Results
A former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has rejected the results of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primaries, alleging widespread voter disenfranchisement and electoral malpractice.
Amaechi, in a statement posted on his X handle on Tuesday, described the outcome of the exercise as “concocted results.”
He said he had earlier made it clear that he would only accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was free, fair and transparent.
“I will not accept results from a process that does not reflect the values that the ADC had pledged to uphold,” he said.
Amaechi alleged that about 80 percent of party members across the country were prevented from voting during the exercise.
“There’s no way that about eighty percent of members of the party were not allowed to vote, and you expect me to accept such results,” he stated.
The former Governor of Rivers State accused the party of engaging in practices it had previously condemned in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to him, the ADC cannot criticize vote buying, rigging and manipulation of election results by others while allegedly engaging in similar acts during its own primary.
Amaechi added that the development was unacceptable and contrary to the ideals upon which the party was founded.
