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Curtailing profligacy: Olurode urges Tinubu to do more, extend measure to others
Curtailing profligacy: Olurode urges Tinubu to do more, extend measure to others
A former national commissioner with the independent national electoral commission (INEC), Prof. Lai Olurode, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to do more in the area of combating wasteful spending in government to regain the confidence of the citizens.
Even as he commended the President in a statement for cutting the number of government officials on his local and foreign trips, he said the measure should be extended to other areas as well as state and local governments.
It will be recalled that early in January 2024, Presidential spokesman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, announced cuts in travel delegation of Mr. President, by 60 per cent for foreign and domestic travels. The same was applicable to the vice president, the wife of the President and that of the Vice President and other top government functionaries.
Olurode observed that with these presidential directives, President Tinubu would now travel out of the country with a maximum of 20 people and the first lady with just five. For domestic travels, the maximum is 25 for the President, for the vice president, it is 15 and for their wives, just 10 in each case.
Part of the statement read, “These cuts would bring sanity and decorum into foreign trips by Nigeria’s top officials who have hitherto seen such trips as jamboree and an opportunity to partake in the sharing of the so-called national cake.
“No doubt, Nigerian delegations abroad have always been an embarrassment to the host countries and other more serious delegations from other countries of the world.
“In spite of being a poverty-stricken country, we remain loud, wasteful and uncharitable in our local and international appearances.
“For most Nigerian public officials, foreign trips are nothing more than personal enrichment through the collection of warping amounts as estacode.
“Sometimes, foreign travels are all about shopping as planned meetings are hardly attended.
“Memorandums may be be signed with poor understanding of the contents as important meetings would have been skipped for frivolities. No country can ever develop by merely throwing money at serious challenges of governance.'”
Olurode said President Tinubu had demonstrated a commitment to fight profligacy and sleaze in doing government business.
“By this decision, the presidency has displayed a sense of compassion and empathy for ordinary Nigerians who nurse a sense of frustration that public officials do not reflect austerity in their consumption orientation,” he stated.
Noting that stealing public funds had not abated in spite of hard times, he urged the President not to relent until the cost of doing government business is cut to the minimum.
He also advised, “Whatever is saved from wasteful government spending should be allowed to accumulate for two or so years and be allowed to go into health and educational sectors and such projects be tagged as Recovery From Wasteful Government Spending.
“I urge Mr. President to do more in curtailing wastes in government such that only those who can add value are recruited into governance institutions.”
He called on state governors and chairmen of local governments and their officials to emulate President Tinubu in combating wastes in government.
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Just in: Tinubu swears in Rivers Sole Administrator Ibas
Just in: Tinubu swears in Rivers Sole Administrator Ibok-ete Ibas
President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Vice Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (Retd.) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State.
The administrator was sworn in on Wednesday after a short meeting with the President.
Tinubu announced the appointment of the retired naval chief at a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, when he declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor, Ngozi Odu, and the state House of Assembly members.
The President said his decision was based on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, saying he could not continue to watch the political situation in Rivers escalate without taking concrete action.
The suspension of Fubara and other elected representatives has been rejected and condemned by many eminent Nigerians, legal luminaries, groups such as Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Femi Falana, the Labour Party (LP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Nigerian Bar Association.
However, the emergency rule has been praised by the pro-Nyesom Wike Assembly led by Martins Amaewhule, accusing Fubara of contravening the Supreme Court ruling on the political situation in the state.
Ibas was the Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021.
He is from Cross River State where he had his early education.
The new sole administrator went to the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1979 from where he proceeded to have a successful career in the Navy, rising through the ranks to the very top.
He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and the Nigerian Institute of Management.
President Muhammadu Buhari who appointed him as Chief of Naval Staff conferred him with the National Honour of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) in 2022.
News
Breaking: Tinubu declares state of emergency in Rivers State
Breaking: Tinubu declares state of emergency in Rivers State
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday night declared a state of emergency in Rivers State following the protracted political crisis in the state.
Tinubu made the declaration during a nationwide broadcast, saying it is for six months.
He announced the suspension of the Executive Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy and all the members of the House of Assembly for six months.
He immediately named an administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Retd), to take charge of the affairs of the state for the six-month period.
Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution interprets a state of emergency as a situation of national danger or disaster in which a government suspends normal constitutional procedures to regain control.
A state of emergency allows the President to immediately make any desired regulations to secure public order and safety. (Channels TV)
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BREAKING: Tinubu addresses Nigerians on Rivers political crisis
BREAKING: Tinubu addresses Nigerians on Rivers political crisis
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday night will hold a nationwide broadcast to address the crisis in Rivers state.
Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, said the broadcast will be transmitted by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).
The broadcast is expected to be held by 7pm today.
Video: President Tinubu has declared state on emergency on Rivers state effective immediately, suspends Governor Fubara, his deputy governor and house of assembly members for six months.
He also nominated an administrator pic.twitter.com/jD1g9FHOez— Nigeria Stories (@NigeriaStories) March 18, 2025
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