Tinubu not controlled by any cabal – Minister
By Tom Okpe
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not beholden to any cabal or shadowy inner circle.
He also said the President welcomes a wide range of perspectives, makes bold and informed decisions that are solely in the best interest of Nigeria.
Idris stated this in Abuja on Thursday while delivering his address at the APC National Summit with theme: ‘Renewed Hope Agenda: The Journey So Far.’
He said: “You need to study the President very well. You can have your voice; you can say what you want to say; he will listen to you but his decision is ultimately his own. I think it’s important for us to recognize that,” he said.
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Speaking on the theme of the summit, Idris said President Tinubu remains committed to transforming Nigeria through the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda,’ describing it as a bold, people, first blueprint that is turning obstacles into opportunities.
“The Renewed Hope Agenda, is about positively, impacting lives of the people of Nigeria, through bold decisions, designed to unleash the full scale of Nigerian potential, in a way that has never been seen or done before.”
He recalled that President Tinubu inherited a nation at a crossroads and immediately moved with clarity and courage.
“Among the first decisions the President made, were the removal of petrol and foreign exchange subsidies, which have been, amongst the biggest impediments to Nigeria’s progress, costing us billions of dollars in losses and waste annually.
“TRue leadership involves the ability to make decisions that might be tough in the short term, but are guaranteed to deliver lasting returns. The outcomes of the President’s reforms are now evident across all sectors, through large-scale infrastructure, social investment programmes, revamping of the nation’s mining and petroleum sectors among others.
“At the Federal level, the increased revenues have set a new standard for ambition and execution of large-scale infrastructure projects. He highlighted four signature highways, the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, Calabar-Abuja Superhighway, and Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe Highway; totaling more than 2,600km and linking communities and economies across the country.
“Another flagship project driving regional integration is the Kano-Kaduna Standard Gauge Railway. This vital corridor is a key component of the Lagos-Kano railway modernization plan and is being delivered as a priority under the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda.’
“In the Housing sector, the administration launched the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Projects, an ambitious interventions, aimed at addressing the Nation’s housing deficit while stimulating job creation and urban renewal.”
The Minister noted that, to support the growing digital economy, the Federal Government is deploying 90,000km of fiber optic cable nationwide, describing it as, “unprecedented scale of broadband infrastructure, that will not only bridge Nigeria’s digital divide but also support smart governance, attract digital investments, and enable secure e-services in education, healthcare, commerce.”
Idris said about 300,000 Nigerian students are now benefitting from the National Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, while workers are accessing the new Consumer Credit Scheme to buy essential goods.
On security, Idris said: “Our Military has neutralized and arrested thousands of hostiles and rescued nearly 10,000 hostages. More than 25 new aircraft have been acquired, and the Navy has taken delivery of four new vessels.”
He commensed the President for establishing the Ministry of Livestock Development and Regional Development Commissions across the six geo-political zones, in order to modernize and deepen agriculture and also ensure inclusive, zonal development.
The Minister emphasized that the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ is holistic and people-centered saying; “At the other end of every programme and policy of the Tinubu administration is an ordinary Nigerian whose life is being positively impacted,”
highlighting the recent enactment of the Renewed Hope, “Nigeria First policy that mandates all Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies to give absolute priority to Nigerian goods, services, and know how, when spending public funds.
“This is historically, unprecedented, with ultimate objective being to accelerate industrialization through local production and to insulate the Nigerian economy from global disruptions. Thank you, Mr President, for this most nationalistic policy, and for laying the foundation of Nigeria’s Economic Renaissance,” he added.
