The Arewa Youth Council has fired back at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, accusing him of hypocrisy and desperation over his continued criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

In a statement from Kaduna, the council’s president, Comrade Adams Reuben, said Atiku’s recent actions are nothing more than a bitter reaction to years of failed attempts to clinch the presidency. He described Atiku’s attacks on Tinubu as both laughable and shameful, especially given his own controversial role in Nigeria’s economic past.

Reuben accused Atiku of overseeing the sale of key national assets like NITEL and ALSCON to close allies during his time as the head of the National Council on Privatisation. “He was part of the group that weakened our economy,” Reuben said. “Now he wants to pose as a reformer? It’s either he’s forgotten or he hopes we have.”

He also questioned Atiku’s push for a new political coalition ahead of 2027, calling it a “failed train heading nowhere” and describing it as a gathering of “political orphans” trying to stay relevant. “Atiku is not just the conductor of that train,” Reuben said, “he’s also the last passenger left.”

The group argued that while Atiku has run for president six times without success, Tinubu won on his first try because Nigerians trusted his leadership. “It’s time Atiku accepted that he lost and moved on,” Reuben said. “Nigerians have moved forward with a leader who has a clear vision and the courage to make tough choices.”

They ended by warning against those they believe are trying to rewrite history and stir division in the name of opposition.

As criticism mounts over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s alleged favoritism towards the southwest in political appointments, former senator Shehu Sani has stepped in to defend the president, arguing that the administration of ex-president Muhammadu Buhari was even more lopsided.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Sani responded to recent concerns raised by northern figures like Senator Ali Ndume, who claimed that Tinubu’s government lacks inclusiveness. According to Sani, many Nigerians are conveniently forgetting how appointments were heavily skewed during Buhari’s time in office.

He recalled that several key federal positions under Buhari were filled by people from his home state, Katsina. “The DG of SSS was from Katsina, NIA from Katsina, the ports authority was headed by my sister Hadiza from Katsina, Federal Mortgage Bank, SMEDAN, FRCN, NIMET, NIMASA, Railway Corporation — all from Katsina,” he said.

Sani also pointed out the dominance of northerners in the country’s security structure during those eight years. “Immigration, Customs, Civil Defence, FRSC, Police, Army, Navy — all were headed by northerners at a time,” he added.

He noted that many who are now vocal against Tinubu were silent when similar advantages benefited their own regions. “I’d take their criticisms more seriously if they had spoken up when the same thing was happening under Buhari. But they didn’t,” he said.

While Sani acknowledged that Tinubu’s government must avoid repeating Buhari’s mistakes, he also made it clear that pretending Buhari’s administration was more inclusive is dishonest. “Two wrongs don’t make a right, but let’s not rewrite history. Buhari laid the foundation for what we’re seeing now.”

He ended with a word of caution to Tinubu: “He must not follow that same path. This country is too divided and too fragile for favoritism. Balance is key if we’re to stay united.”

Nigeria’s power sector has gone four straight months without a national grid collapse, according to Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu.

Speaking during the sixth Ministerial Press Briefing in Abuja, Adelabu said the country is seeing more stability in electricity supply due to better generation capacity and ongoing power sector reforms.

He highlighted a recent milestone where the grid handled 5,801.63 megawatts without crashing, a sharp contrast to the past when it would collapse at just 5,000 megawatts.

Adelabu also noted that the April 2024 tariff adjustment for Band A customers boosted revenue in the sector by 70 percent and helped reduce the tariff shortfall by N700 billion.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, emphasized that reliable power remains central to President Tinubu’s goal of industrializing Nigeria.