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Group, Lawmakers Decry Subsidy Removal

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Lagos lawmakers and the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), have reacted to the removal of petrol subsidy by the Federal Government, describing it as ill-timed and a painful pill.

While the lawmakers criticised it as unsuitable for now, the APBN called for the diversification of the country’s economy to cushion the hardship the subsidy removal would cause Nigerians.

Mr Segun Olulade, the Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Information, told The Tide that the removal should be differed in view of the security challenges facing the country.

“The fuel subsidy removal is not suitable at this critical period when Nigeria is facing serious security challenges.

“Some Nigerians are still nursing the wounds of bombings in some parts of the country; the President should take it easy with Nigerians, particularly at this celebration period.

“He should not add sorrow to the joy of many Nigerian celebrating the New Year,’’ he said.

Olulade said the old price regime should still hold sway since, according to him, the National Assembly has yet to ratify it.

“ Before embarking on the removal of the subsidy, necessary things should have been put in place,’’ the assemblyman added.

Another lawmaker, Mr Bolaji Yusuf (Mushin I) advised the government to address security challenges across the country.

“Removing the subsidy without finding solutions to threats to lives and property may not work,’’ he told The Tide.

Yusuf condemned the violence unleashed on the country by an Islamic sect, Boko Haram, saying killing of innocent souls particularly, during a church service on Christmas Day in Mambila, Niger, is callous.

He stressed: “The government should find urgent solutions to the menace caused by Boko Haram at this period and leave the subsidy for now”.

According to him, no foreign investor will stake his money where security of life and property are not guaranteed.

Yusuf, however, appealed to Nigerians not to take the laws into their hands in a bid to avenge the deaths of the innocent souls.

The President of APBN, Mr Segun Ajanlekoko, said the government should be proactive by putting in place measures that would alleviate the sufferings of the ordinary people.

He said the action might cause inflation and increase cost of production and unemployment.

“The Nigerian economy should be diversified. Agriculture should be promoted in all schools, colleges and universities, especially the faculties of agriculture.

“These institutions should be given annual targets of agricultural products production based on the local agricultural climates,” Ajanlekoko said in a statement.

He advised the government to engage unemployed graduates and school leavers in farming at all tiers of government.

“This will not only promote food sufficiency, but also generate revenue through food export,’’ he said.

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Gov Alia Appoints TuFace As Adviser

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Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has appointed Nigerian music legend, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as TuFace, as his Technical Adviser on Entertainment and Community Outreach.
In a viral video on Wednesday, Governor Alia praised TuFace for all the support towards his administration.
The Governor stated that TuFace can do more.
He stated, “On behalf of the Benue State Government and our very good people, we want to give you some more responsibility plus the ones you have been doing because you have the capacity to do some more and help us chart a way forward to improve other people’s lives and to gain more from your wisdom and advice as well.
“So, I’m pleased to announce that we will make you a Technical Adviser to the Governor on Entertainment and Community Outreach.”

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Oborevwori, Okowa Dump PDP For APC

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Governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement was made following a closed-door meeting at the Government House in Asaba on Wednesday.
The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, confirmed the development in a telephone conversation with The Tide’s source.
Similarly, the defection of former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was announced on Wednesday in Asaba by Senator James Manager, following a meeting that lasted over six hours at the Government House.
Senator Manager said all PDP members in the State, including the Governor, former Governor Okowa, the Speaker, the state party chairman, and all local government chairmen, had agreed to join the APC.
“We cannot continue to be in a sinking boat,” he said.
The decision to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) followed extensive consultations with political stakeholders and was made in the interest of Delta State’s long-term development.
Governor Oborevwori, who won the 2023 gubernatorial election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was received by senior APC officials in what political analysts are already describing as a strategic realignment with far-reaching implications ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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Speakers Conference Tasks FG, Governors On Wanton Killings

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The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria has condemned the recent wave of killings in Plateau, Borno, Benue, Niger State and most recently, Kwara State, calling on the federal and state governments to take urgent steps to stem the tide.
Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Adebo Ogundoyin, stated this in a statement issued in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Rt Hon. Ogundoyin, who is the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, said the gruesome killings had led to tragic loss of lives, widespread displacement, and unimaginable trauma for thousands of Nigerians.
“We are alarmed by the escalating insecurity in the land and the seeming helplessness with which these attacks are met. The time for mere condemnation and rhetoric has passed; urgent and coordinated action is now required at all levels of government to end these bloodbaths and restore peace and order.
“While we acknowledge that defence and national security fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal Government, we must stress that every level of government bears responsibility for the security and welfare of the people. State governors, in particular, must rise to the occasion and fully understand that governance is not limited to road construction and ceremonial functions. True governance is rooted in the protection of lives, the preservation of order, and the alleviation of suffering,” he said.
He called on state governments to complement the efforts of the Federal Government by making and enforcing enabling laws for community policing and other grassroots-driven security models.
According to him, States must develop proactive frameworks that integrate local intelligence, social support systems, and youth engagement in the fight against insecurity.
The conference also urged the Federal Government to meaningfully engage the citizenry and introduce bold, practical measures to cushion the hardship caused by its current economic policies.
“Millions of Nigerians are groaning under the weight of inflation, unemployment, and a cost-of-living crisis. It is imperative that relief initiatives—targeted, transparent, and impactful—are rolled out without delay. Dialogue, not distance, must define the relationship between the government and its people at this critical time.
“The Conference of Speakers affirms its commitment to supporting all legislative actions necessary to restore security, promote justice, and foster inclusive governance across the country. The killings in Benue, Niger, Plateau, Borno, Kwara, and any part of Nigeria must not be allowed to continue unchecked. Justice must prevail, and peace must be restored.
“Let it be known: the safety, dignity, and well-being of every Nigerian must remain the top priority of all arms and levels of government,” Rt Hon. Ogundoyin said.

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