News
VP Shettima Drops Bombshell: Buhari Not to Blame for Nigeria’s Woes!
Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima has asserted that the challenges encountered by the present administration upon assuming office on May 29 cannot be solely attributed to the immediate-past administration led by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking at a roundtable hosted by the 21st Century Chronicle, Shettima emphasized that President Bola Tinubu made a tough decision for the country’s benefit rather than opting for an easier path.
He stated, “The president chose the option that would save the lives of the people instead of prolonging economic turmoil. We refrain from laying blame on previous administrations as leadership requires courage and continuity.”
Before the current administration assumed office, one of the major challenges faced was the issue of fuel subsidy removal, which had persisted for 20 to 30 years, according to Shettima. He explained that there was insufficient budgetary provision for it in the fiscal year, leading to the need for its removal.
A year before we took office, Nigeria’s debt service to revenue ratio had grown to 111.18 percent, posing a significant economic threat,” Shettima continued. Our debt service ratio meant that for every N100,000 earned, an additional N11,800 had to be borrowed to service debts. This was unsustainable.”
Consequently, the administration had to make the difficult decision to jettison the subsidy regime, despite it being a bitter pill to swallow.
Shettima also highlighted a past incident where a presidential candidate in the previous election pointed to Argentina as a model for Nigeria’s economic trajectory. However, within weeks, Argentina experienced a surge in inflation, underscoring the complexities of governance.
Shettima emphasized that governance requires strategic decision-making tailored to Nigeria’s unique circumstances, rather than blindly copying models from other countries.
Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima has asserted that the challenges encountered by the present administration upon assuming office on May 29 cannot be solely attributed to the immediate-past administration led by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking at a roundtable hosted by the 21st Century Chronicle, Shettima emphasized that President Bola Tinubu made a tough decision for the country’s benefit rather than opting for an easier path.
He stated, “The president chose the option that would save the lives of the people instead of prolonging economic turmoil. We refrain from laying blame on previous administrations as leadership requires courage and continuity.”
Before the current administration assumed office, one of the major challenges faced was the issue of fuel subsidy removal, which had persisted for 20 to 30 years, according to Shettima. He explained that there was insufficient budgetary provision for it in the fiscal year, leading to the need for its removal.
A year before we took office, Nigeria’s debt service to revenue ratio had grown to 111.18 percent, posing a significant economic threat,” Shettima continued. Our debt service ratio meant that for every N100,000 earned, an additional N11,800 had to be borrowed to service debts. This was unsustainable.”
Consequently, the administration had to make the difficult decision to jettison the subsidy regime, despite it being a bitter pill to swallow.
Shettima also highlighted a past incident where a presidential candidate in the previous election pointed to Argentina as a model for Nigeria’s economic trajectory. However, within weeks, Argentina experienced a surge in inflation, underscoring the complexities of governance.
Shettima emphasized that governance requires strategic decision-making tailored to Nigeria’s unique circumstances, rather than blindly copying models from other countries.
Governor Alex Otti says he is not bothered about the noise coming from members of the opposition parties in Abia State.
Otti said his critics should not be taken serious as they are not coming out to contest elections but to seek negotiations and relevance.
Governor Otti stated this while receiving the member representing Bende North constituency in Abia State House of Assembly, Nnamdi Ibekwe who recently dumped the PDP and joined the Labour Party, LP in Abia State.
“We are not bothered about the oppositions and their noise. There are different reasons why people show up for elections.
Sometimes, they just want recognition; that their names showed up for the primaries, knowing fully well that they will not win the election.
“Some of them also come for negotiations and then of course, some others also show up for projections; they look at themselves and say, ‘if I start the noise in 2025, maybe by 2040, they will know that I have been in the race and they will call me and recognize me’, so they are projecting themselves,” Gov. Otti explained.
Governor Otti said he is rather focused on doing the job the people elected him to do and respond to the noise of the opposition across the State.
He congratulated Nnamdi Ibekwe for dumping the PDP for LP, explaining that nobody pressured him to come over to the LP, reiterating that he does not emphasize much on political platforms.
Earlier while presenting himself to the Governor, the member representing Bende North constituency, Nnamdi Ibekwe said he was attracted to the Labour Party by the achievements of Governor Alex Otti which he described as unprecedented.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the Nigeria Police Force has directed his men to resume the issuance of tinted glass permits across the country.
This development was announced in a statement released on Wednesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
According to the Force spokesperson, the move comes in response to rising concerns and complaints from the public over the harassment of vehicle owners by law enforcement agents for using factory-fitted tinted windows.
“The Nigeria Police Force, under the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, has reactivated the issuance of Tinted Glass Permits (TGP) nationwide through a secure and user-friendly digital platform.
“This initiative comes in response to widespread public complaints about the harassment of motorists over the use of tinted windows and reflects the need for a clear, transparent, and accountable process for regularising factory-fitted tinted glass on vehicles”, the statement partly read.
Highlighting the prevalence of modern vehicles designed with tinted windows for comfort and aesthetics, the police emphasised the importance of having a formal system to regulate usage.
“With modern automobiles increasingly manufactured with tinted windows, it has become essential to provide a standardised system that accommodates legitimate use while ensuring public safety.
“Tinted vehicles have often been exploited for criminal purposes, including kidnapping, armed robbery, ‘one-chance’ scams, and other forms of banditry”, Adejobi explained.
According to the statement, the abuse of tinted windows by criminals creates operational challenges for law enforcement and compromises national security.
In addition, he explained that law enforcement will begin active implementation after the grace period, and the police warn that officers who misuse the enforcement process will be sanctioned.
“Enforcement will commence at the end of this period. Officers found engaging in unprofessional conduct, such as extortion or harassment, in the course of enforcement will be decisively dealt with in accordance with extant disciplinary procedures”, he said.
By Gloria Ikibah
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