My commitment to the birth of a nation that is found on the social democratic principles of the Action Group, (Afenifere) remains unchanged, and I shall remain undaunted in my pursuit of these principles and ideals.
Nigerians Must Not Be Abandoned to Disaster Risks
As the global community observes the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction today, we must acknowledge that millions of Nigerians confront not only natural hazards but also avoidable crises resulting from governance failures.
Throughout the country, citizens face flooding, insecurity, displacement, hunger, malnutrition, deteriorating infrastructure, increasing poverty, and the loss of livelihoods. Inadequate planning, fragile institutions, insufficient emergency preparedness, and the failure to place citizens’ welfare first have made everyday existence a disaster for many people.
Although disasters cannot always be prevented, their effects can be limited through accountable leadership, early warning mechanisms, responsible land-use planning, durable infrastructure, efficient emergency services, and prompt humanitarian assistance. When governments fail to identify risks in advance or respond effectively to emergencies, the most vulnerable citizens bear the greatest burden.
The success of governance should be judged not by revenue totals, economic indicators, or official ceremonies but by the people’s safety, dignity, and quality of life. No government can credibly claim progress while citizens are displaced by floods, abducted by criminals, forced into hunger, or left without protection from predictable threats.
I urge governments at every level to pursue a people-focused approach to reducing disaster risks by investing in prevention, enhancing emergency response, ensuring accountability in the administration of disaster funds, and delivering prompt relief and lasting rehabilitation to affected communities.
Nigeria must not accept avoidable suffering as normal. Protecting the safety, security, and welfare of our people is a core responsibility of government. We must create a nation in which sound governance limits risks, safeguards lives, and affords every citizen a fair opportunity to live in safety and dignity.
Nigerians thoroughly insulated from the most severe effects of disasters is OK and POssible. -PO
Celebrating Macroeconomic stability Amidst Increasing Poverty!
The recent World Bank report which noted improvements in few macroeconomic indicators such as economic growth and revenue generation should not be misinterpreted and mispresented by the incompetent President Bola Tinubu led APC Government as evidence that the standard of living of Nigerians is improving. Nigerians and even the World Bank know that the criteria for economic development is whether poverty is declining, whether jobs are created for our youths, and whether we are reducing acute inequality. In the case of Nigeria under President Tinubu the answer is no. So-called ‘economic stability’ has not resulted in higher living standards, improved employment opportunities, and reduction of poverty and inequality across Nigeria.
An economy is not truly stabilized simply because government revenue increases, foreign reserves strengthen, or GDP grows. Stability exists when citizens can afford food, obtain healthcare, provide education for their children, and live with dignity.
What comfort does higher revenue offer a mother who cannot provide her children with a nutritious meal? What does higher government revenue mean to a family forced to choose between purchasing food and paying for medicine? What benefit do celebrated reforms provide when ordinary Nigerians continue to bear intolerable costs and hardship?
In the report titled, ‘Beyond the Federal Purse: How Higher Revenues Reshaped State Priorities’, The World Bank noted that the Federal Government spent a whooping N7.7 trillion on debt interest payments alone in the first six months of 2026 from January to June. This represents about 124.2% of our total revenue of N6.2 trillion within the same period with debt interest payment exceeding revenue by about N1.5 trillion. How do you explain the unsustainable debt crisis even with exponential increase in revenue that we have had since 2023?
. Imagine a situation where borrowing and revenue have exponentially increased but expenditure on capital projects reduced by about N700billion in the first half of this year. In comparison, the APC led Federal Government spends about 11 times more on interest payment than on capital projects. The explanation is clearly attributed to reckless borrowing, corruption and incompetence of the President Bola Tinubu led APC Government.
President Bola Tinubu and his incompetent team must recognize that intentionally presenting and projecting incomplete economic statistics cannot replace the critical measure of how reform impacts on the welfare of the people. A government cannot expect citizens to applaud statistics while they struggle to survive the effects of its policies. How do you celebrate when about 140 million Nigerians are classified as multi- dimensionally poor with a recent UNDP report listing Nigeria as one of the countries where gains made in reducing poverty have been reversed.
I wrote to the National Assembly on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road. It’s a moment of truth and whether they will rise in defense of the public interest in this matter, remains to be seen.
Today, I'll be at The Fela Debates 18 Symposium 2026 talking Lagos issues and policies.
Join live on Zoom:
https://t.co/VgptogiWOX
ID: 811 6230 3157
Passcode: 1gq9Qg
Hosted by @felabrationng
Don't sit it out.
Ó TI YÁ
It's not about a road but about how to borrow under pretence
1. There is an existing East-to-West road that is incomplete
2. By calling this new road a coastal road, it allowed NEW borrowings for an EXISTING road that had no budget
3. It was deliberate, especially at the Calabar end.
4. Will there be a serious NASS oversight? I don't know
5. Don't forget this was a PPP, but the “private” side has brought nothing to the table
6. Will the South-South Governors ask questions? I doubt it. One was celebrating that his State was added to the East-to-West triad; he didn't know it was already on the East-to-West triad Road
7. This is why there was NO EIA done and no “cost per kilometre”
It’s always for the South East to align and not for anyone to align with South East.
God forbid that I look at myself as a second class citizen in my country.
I posted that the new coastal road would end in the Lagos sector, and I was right.
I also reminded everyone that an East–West Road already existed; thus, the new coastal road was a duplication, or just a ploy to build really good coastal infrastructure in the Lagos sector, which is good for the economy of Nigeria.
A pattern is emerging; only the foolish will not see it.
I want to congratulate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and say; well played Sir.
Lagos-Calabar Highway: FG adamant on a Misplaced Priority.
Contrary to reason and the necessity for compassion in public policy, the federal government has commenced the controversial Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project.
According to the Federal Government, the discount will be obtainable at NNPC Retail petrol stations, which are estimated to be about 900 stations. With the total number of petrol stations in Nigeria estimated at about 24,000, it means that the discount will be applicable in less than 4% of our petrol stations with priority to public transport operators. Using our population of about 243 million people implies one NNPC Retail petrol station to about 243,000 Nigerians assuming that the stations are evenly distributed across Nigeria which is not the case. Imagine 243,000 Nigerians struggling for a N66.00/per litre discount in each of the NNPC petrol stations. This is certainly not how to govern a richly blessed and endowed nation!
While I prepare to provide a more detailed explanation on my current stand on subsidy and a policy roadmap on fair, transparent and affordable pricing of petroleum products, let me state that research on our current revenue and revenue potential in a productive Nigeria under an incorrupt, transparent and competent government which my leadership will enthrone affirms my position that subsidy should be restored to Nigerians not only on petrol but also in agriculture, health, education and infrastructure.
But, beyond subsidy, it is important that we have a leadership that is focused on policies that drastically reduce the cost of living through welfare-enhancing pricing policy and honest administration of same.
It is clear that President Tinubu’s October 1 policy announcement is neither of that. It is plain political optics masked as policy. Nigerians are tired of those gimmicks. It is time for real change.
A new Nigeria is POssible. Nigeria will be OK! -PO
One Month Discount on Petrol: From Reactive Policies to Flawed Outcomes!
The announcement by the APC led Federal Government offering a 30-day discount on price of petrol to relieve the acute hardship and hunger caused Nigerians by its unplanned removal of subsidy can only be described as another very reactive and confused approach to governance that is now the culture of the Tinubu Government.
I had delayed in reacting to the announcement just to give the benefit of doubt and watch the outcome of the policy. Now, having assessed the outcomes, the policy is a substitution of political optics for sound policy.
As Nigerians will recall, President Bola Tinubu on May 29, 2023, most carelessly removed fuel subsidy without any consultation or proper assessment of the negative impacts of such policies on our economy particularly on the livelihood of ordinary Nigerians.
Moreover, the careless removal of fuel subsidy was followed by other very badly sequenced policies such as the floating of the naira and tax reforms, all implemented in a very disorganized, incompetent and insensitive manner in addition to using three budgets at the same time with the attendant lack of transparency and accountability. Collectively, these policies stoked inflation in all sectors, pushing in most cases unbearable price hikes across board which placed severe shocks and other adverse consequences on Nigerians.
Expectedly, the outcomes are what they are- increasing multi-dimensional poverty, skyrocketing costs of goods and services, shrinking opportunities, exit of many businesses, mounting unemployment, disturbing insecurity, widening inequality, forced migration of our youths and general decline in the well-being of Nigerians.
Most unfortunately, rather than engage in detailed and published regulatory impact assessment of their reactive policies, the President Bola Tinubu’s led government has again demonstrated their well-known incompetence and insensitivity to governance.
With a detailed and published regulatory impact assessment of policies, a competent government would have pursued robust and sincere engagements and consultations with key stakeholders and ordinary Nigerians to recraft and implement inclusive and sustainable socio-economic growth strategies and policies.
What really does the President Bola Tinubu led government want to achieve with a one-month discount of less than 5% on fuel cost. Will it reduce poverty, unemployment, insecurity, and inequality? Will it increase productivity and exports? Is it a test to ascertain if subsidy should be restored? Is it another political gambit in the face of threats of electoral loss in the 2027 election? Too many questions, no answer!
I am delighted to join The @EmirSirdam Show live this evening for an engaging conversation about Nigeria, our challenges, and the road ahead.
I look forward to sharing my thoughts and, more importantly, listening to Nigerians as we continue the conversation about building a New Nigeria that is POssible.
Join us live on TikTok: @theemirsirdamshow
Time - 8:00 PM WAT | Sunday, 11 October 2026
A New Nigeria is POssible. - PO
Yes I remember, I contacted you to say I appreciated your support, you then tried to get me on your tv show to talk about it, so my appreciation waned a bit as I knew it wasn’t as sincere as I first thought. It was all about an interview, as is your possessive fawning over Ronaldo & Trump.
I also wouldn’t be getting personal with your history or the other two you’re defending, now that would be defending the indefensible.