You got it all wrong – Presidency replies Osinbajo over IBB tormenting Tinubu’s comment

The Presidency through the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has strongly disagreed with Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s assertion that former military President Ibrahim Babangida was a “tormentor” of President Tinubu.

The controversy arose during the public presentation of Babangida’s autobiography, A Journey in Service, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja last week. Osinbajo, who reviewed the book, reflected on Tinubu’s role in resisting the military’s dissolution of the Senate after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.

He humorously remarked that Tinubu, who was then a senator, was “tormented” by the military, including Babangida, for his attempts to reinstate the Senate, even suggesting that Tinubu was at the event to honor one of his tormentors.

However, Onanuga, speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, rejected Osinbajo’s characterization of Babangida. He emphasized that Babangida had actually been a significant source of inspiration for Tinubu’s political career.

According to Onanuga, Tinubu’s resistance to the military government, and the political course he charted thereafter, was deeply influenced by Babangida’s leadership and the broader political context of that era.

“I think the former Vice President got it wrong. I think Babangida was not really a tormentor of President Tinubu, don’t forget that President Tinubu said in his own extempore speech that he held Babangida as something, that he was the person that inspired him to get into politics.

“When Babangida came in, he was talking about new breed politicians and so on, and Tinubu like many of them were already technocrats or in private business and so on. All of them came out to participate in politics, that was what brought him in. So, he came there to pay homage,” Onanuga said.

Onanuga clarified that the real torment began under General Sani Abacha’s regime, when Tinubu, alongside some colleagues, made an effort to reconvene the Senate in Lagos.

He also praised Babangida for eventually acknowledging that MKO Abiola won the 1993 presidential election, although he noted that the admission came too late.

President Tinubu promises renovations of Police Barracks, improving mobility, robust Police welfare package

President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that his administration is working to enhance the nation’s security capabilities to effectively address the growing security challenges.

Speaking through his Vice, Senator Kashim Shettima, at the opening of the fifth edition of the Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers (CARSPO) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, President Tinubu emphasised the government’s commitment to improving the security infrastructure across the country.

The President noted that security is a key pillar for Nigeria’s socio-economic development, and his administration is focused on bolstering the operational readiness of security agencies. This includes providing the necessary equipment to handle emergencies and combat crime effectively.

“While the Nigeria Police Force is constitutionally empowered to maintain internal security, protect lives and property, and uphold public order, it is essential to recognise that security is a shared responsibility. Communities and citizens must actively collaborate with the police to foster a safer society,” Tinubu stated through his representative, Senator Shettima.

He highlighted that no matter how well-funded or equipped the police force is, it cannot succeed without the active support and trust of the public.

“Public engagement and trust are central to the process of inclusive policing,” the President affirmed.

Further reaffirming his administration’s commitment, President Tinubu pledged to enhance the Nigeria Police Force’s capacity to meet its constitutional duties, ensuring it is both effective and well-positioned to handle internal security.

He revealed that the federal government is focused on bridging gaps in security, infrastructure, and recruitment through a comprehensive program.

This initiative will include renovations of police barracks, improving police mobility, and upgrading essential combat and protective gear.

Additionally, Tinubu emphasised the importance of welfare for police personnel, pointing to the recent implementation of the new minimum wage as part of broader efforts to improve the living conditions of the Nigerian workforce, including law enforcement officers.

He assured that his administration will continue to collaborate with police leadership to provide financial incentives and motivate officers to perform at their highest levels.

The President also reiterated his administration’s commitment to reforming the country’s economic and security frameworks to restore investor confidence, stabilise the macroeconomic environment, and tackle inflation, marking his government’s multi-pronged approach to strengthening both the nation’s security and its economic foundation.

Stop behaving like a child crying over spilled milk – Presidency slams El-Rufai

In response to recent remarks made by Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, the Presidency has stated that El-Rufai is upset at being left out of President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.

In response to El-Rufai’s comments, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, urged the former governor to put the incident behind him and quit being a “child crying over spilled milk.”

El-Rufai had claimed in an interview on Arise Television that President Tinubu personally rejected him for a ministerial position, despite his efforts to secure the role.

According to El-Rufai, it wasn’t the National Assembly that blocked his appointment, but rather Tinubu himself.

Onanuga, in his response, acknowledged that El-Rufai’s reaction was natural for someone who had hoped for a ministerial appointment but emphasised that it was time for the former governor to accept the decision and focus on moving forward.

In an interview with Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Onanuga said: “As a person, I think I will pity the former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai. He feels hurt that he was not made a minister. I think it is time for him to move on.

“He can’t continue to behave like a child, as if somebody stole his bread and he is crying.

“It’s natural for him to feel hurt about being excluded, and the president acknowledged in his birthday message that Nasir helped a lot in installing Tinubu. If he’s not there, it doesn’t mean he should bring down the roof.

“The president has no animosity against Nasir. He naturally feels hurt that he has been excluded, so he goes about campaigning against the president and would not let go.

“He should forget about not being made a minister. He has been in public service since 1999; it’s time for him to move on.”