• Assures palliatives on the way
• Says I don’t want cash transfers to fall into wrong hands
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, admitted that he is aware that Nigerians are suffering from the removal of the fuel subsidy but assures that the savings will benefit all Nigerians.
This is even as he has reaffirmed his commitment to returning Nigeria to the path of greatness, but appealed to citizens to see the current harsh times as a form of labour before child birth.
President Tinubu assured Nigerians that the framework for palliatives to remedy the effects of fuel subsidy removal was being worked out, adding that the decision was in the best interest of the country, especially in guaranteeing future prosperity.
President Tinubu, said this when he received 18 governors who served with him, Class of 1999, at the Presidential Villa.
The Class of 1999 Governors was the first set of elected governors of the current democratic dispensation, also known as the Fourth Republic.
He appealed for more patience from Nigerians, while the government will increase effort, speed up the process and ensure a full-proof social security structure that will not be compromised, especially in cash-transfer.
Recall that in a meeting with oil and gas operators in February, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, had stated that that the country spends N400 billion monthly on fuel subsidies.
President Tinubu had, during his inaugural speech on May 29, announced the removal of fuel subsidy, which translates to market forces determining the prices of petroleum products in the country.
President Tinubu said: “I understand that our people are suffering yet there can be no childbirth without pain. The joy of childbirth is the relief that comes after the pain. Nigeria is reborn already with fuel subsidy removal. It is a rebirth of the country for the largest number over a few smugglers.
“Please tell the people to be a little patient.
“The palliative is coming. I don’t want cash-transfer to fall into wrong hands. I know it pinches and it is difficult. In the end, we will rejoice in the prosperity of our country,”
According to a statement Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communication, and Strategy, Dele Alake, the President told the delegation led by former Governor of Edo State, Lucky Igbinedion, of his commitment to Nigeria’s greatness and appeal for support.
He told them that: “We served as governors and sat in this Council Chamber. All I wanted was democracy and the salvation of the country. I never thought I was going to be here as President, but God Almighty has brought me.”
The President assured the governors and Nigerians that he will work towards “unity, equity, stability, and prosperity of the country’’.
“My commitment to that democratic value is unwavering. I am overwhelmed and honored by the numbers of you here,” he said, “I have an open door policy. You are my advisers. We went into the pond and wrestled with a pig. We got dirty, and cleaned up. That is why I am here today.”
President Tinubu noted that the country will not make meaningful progress without fixing electricity, assuring that his administration will harness gas resources, and explore every opportunity to ensure stable power generation and supply.
On Security, the President who had earlier met with Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State to review situation in the North East, appealed to Nigerians, especially Plateau State, to sheath their swords and use dialogue in resolving conflicts, adding that issues of borders were man-made, not created by God.
“We will do everything possible to stabilize the country,’’ he added.
The former governors urged the President to pursue his vision for a greater Nigeria with vigour, steadfastness, and resilience, trusting their support for development policies, and promising to provide the necessary social structure for actualization.
“We are here with you. We are your foot soldiers, and you can tap into our experience. You are a person who believes in Nigeria. With your good leadership, Nigeria will take its place,’’ Igbinedion, Chairman, Class of 1999, said.
He affirmed that they were 19 at the meeting, including President Tinubu, who was former Governor of Lagos State and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, former Governor of Benue State, while ten of their mates had passed on.
Other governors at the meeting with President Tinubu were Niyi Adebayo, Ekiti State, Sen. Orji Uzo Kalu, Abia State, Sen. Sam Egwu, Ebonyi State, Adamu Muazu, Bauchi State, Donald Duke, Cross River State, James Ibori, Delta State, Obong Victor Attah, Akwa Ibom State, Chimaroke Nnamani, Enugu State, Saminu Turaki, Jigawa State, Sen. Aleiro Adamu, Olusegun Osoba, Ogun State, Adebisi Akande, Osun State, Sen. Joshua Dariye, Plateau State, Attahiru Bafarawa, Sokoto State, Ahmad Sani Yarima, Zamfara State and Rev. Jolly Nyame, Taraba State.
Igbinedion, speaking to State House Correspondents after the meeting, also expressed the group’s support for President Tinubu as he takes on the task of fixing the country.
He said: “We’ll like to thank you for this opportunity to address you this evening after our courtesy call on one of our own, Mr President, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, who is one of the foundation members of this present Fourth Republic. As you all know, everyone of us that is here was a governor from 1999. So we’ll like to say we are the solid foundation on which this Fourth Republic has been thriving.
“We came to congratulate Mr President and also to thank him for making one of us the Secretary to Government. We came to assure him that he has our full support and prayers for the bold steps he has started to take, for his initiatives and also let him know that this is beyond party politics, we’re now talking about the Project Nigeria, therefore all hands must be on deck to give Mr President the needed support and encouragement to foster a better a better nation.
“We also seized the opportunity to congratulate him as the new Chairman of the ECOWAS and assure him that we’re with him and anytime he wants to dig into the wealth of experience of this very prominent and well founded members of Class of ’99, he should be rest assured that we’ll continue to give him the necessary support.
“On his part Mr President assured us that it is his dream to see a better Nigeria and he also wants us to let you know that the decisions that he has taken so far might be painful, but it’s just like a child birth; in order to celebrate a child, you must go through labour.
“Therefore, Nigerians should wait patiently and believe in him, that he’s going to come up with palliatives that will put smile on the faces of every one of us in Nigeria
“So we believe him and we want to encourage you also to give him the necessary support through the media and give correct information to the general populace so that we’ll have a greater nation”, he said.
Igbinedion further disclosed that the group had discussions on other national issues, ranging from security to unemployment and infrastructure needs.
“We talked about security, we talked about unemployment and we talked about electricity because without electricity, we really cannot develop. So for us to develop, then there must be constant, uninterrupted power supply.
“The issue of subsidy is gone and it’s gone forever. People should start finding their level and I’m sure we time things will come to normal and also the unification of the exchange rate into one now, as was also mentioned.
“So these are just the basic issues that we raised there and Mr President, on his own, thanked us for coming en mass. You can see in 1999 we were 36, but today we’re now 26. We want to assure you that even though some of us have gone to the great beyond, but the majority of us are still very much alive and it is our prayer that we’ll continue to be of service to our nation, without any prejudices”, he said.