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El-Rufai Says Tinubu Didn’t Like Him and He Was Closer to Buhari
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has revealed that President Bola Tinubu never liked him, even when they were both part of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). El-Rufai made the comment during an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’ on Monday.
He described himself as a loyal supporter of former President Muhammadu Buhari during their time in the party and mentioned that he was much closer to APC chieftain and former Osun State Governor, Bisi Akande. “Tinubu never really liked me. We didn’t have that relationship. In the APC, I was seen as Buhari’s boy,” El-Rufai said. “The person I worked closely with was Baba Akande.”
Speaking further, El-Rufai expressed doubts about the possibility of a new coalition political party emerging under the current leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), led by Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu. He compared the current INEC boss to his predecessor, Prof. Attahiru Jega, who oversaw the registration of the APC during his tenure, hinting that the political environment now is less open to such developments.
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“You Can Still Have Subsidy Without Long Queues” — Rufai Oseni Speaks On Subsidy
TV anchor Rufai Oseni makes headlines as he speaks on fuel subsidy in Nigeria. He shared that Nigeria can have fuel subsidy without the long queues at filling stations.
“When we were still paying subsidies, there were no long queues. We were subsidising. So you can still have a subsidy regime going on, and there will be no long queues because production was close by. Dangote had it. That’s just it. That argument also falls flat.
“The biggest beneficiaries of subsidy are not Nigerians. They are crony capitalists that have big infrastructure, and they do contracts. They have been the biggest beneficiaries of the subsidy,” he said.
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Sanwo-Olu Speaks on Lagos’ Power Challenges and the Need for Change
Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu, speaks to those in the electricity sector about the usual blackouts in the state.
He speaks on ways things can change in the state and how electricity can be provided.
“We need to drop corporate egos, abandon long-standing excuses, and confront the harsh realities obstructing progress in the power sector.”
“We, state governments, used to give excuses that everything is centralised, so the Federal Government has unbundled it now. What have we done in a year and a half?” Sanwo-Olu asked.
“We take two steps forward, we go five steps backward,” he said.
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Sanwo-Olu Declares August 20 Public Holiday in Lagos for Isese Festival
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared Thursday, August 20, a work-free day for public servants in the state to mark the Isese Festival.
Speaking on the celebration, he said “Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is not a relic. It is a living expression of our traditions and a celebration of Yoruba spirituality as an important part of Nigeria’s cultural and religious landscape,” he said.
He added “When the drums sound in Lagos on Thursday, they answer drums in Havana, in Salvador, in Port of Spain. Fifty-five million people and counting. Lagos is not observing a local holiday. Lagos is standing at the centre of a global heritage,” Aregbe said.
