…Says Nobody Can Pretend Life Is Easy At The Moment

The Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, has admitted that Nigerians are experiencing significant economic hardship, acknowledging that the impact of the Federal Government’s economic reforms has made life difficult for many households.

Gbajabiamila, however, defended the policies of the Tinubu administration, arguing that the President chose to govern as a statesman rather than a politician by confronting longstanding economic challenges despite the immediate political consequences.

He spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at the unveiling of the administration’s 2027–2031 electoral roadmap, titled “From Reforms to Prosperity Agenda”.

According to him, Tinubu’s decisions to remove the petrol subsidy and unify the foreign exchange market were driven by the need to address structural weaknesses in the economy and secure Nigeria’s long-term economic future.

The Chief of Staff acknowledged that the reforms had placed considerable financial pressure on households but maintained that avoiding difficult economic decisions would have further weakened the country’s economic prospects.

“Now, those decisions have placed real pressure on households. We must speak honestly about that experience because the people living through it deserve to be heard. And nobody should have to pretend that life is easy at the moment,” he said.

Gbajabiamila drew a distinction between politicians primarily concerned with winning elections and statesmen who make difficult decisions in the long-term interest of the country.

He said Tinubu could have maintained the existing economic policies to avoid immediate public backlash but instead chose to confront what he described as longstanding economic distortions.

“If he came in as a politician and decided to govern as a politician, he would have continued on the cruise, on the path that we were taking.

“But instead, knowing full well the immediate consequences, he decided he would govern as a leader,” he said.

He added that the ultimate justification for the reforms would depend on their ability to translate structural economic improvements into better living conditions for ordinary Nigerians.

The former Speaker of the House of Representatives described the administration’s new electoral roadmap as an ambitious document reflecting Tinubu’s political philosophy and commitment to long-term national development.

He said the overarching objective was to build an economy where hard work guarantees a decent livelihood and every Nigerian has a fair opportunity to succeed.

“At the heart of this manifesto is my abiding conviction that every Nigerian should be able to share. Your country should give your best efforts a fair chance.

“A manifesto, in its strictest sense, is simply a contract between the people and the leader,” Gbajabiamila said.

He highlighted the administration’s interventions in human capital development, social protection, taxation and electricity as evidence of its efforts to expand economic opportunities.

According to him, initiatives such as N-Power and the student loan scheme are designed to improve access to opportunities and ease the financial burden on young Nigerians.

He also defended the government’s tax reforms, saying they were designed to promote fiscal fairness by reducing the tax burden on low-income earners and qualifying small businesses.

Gbajabiamila further identified the Electricity Act, which empowers states to establish and regulate their electricity markets, as a major intervention aimed at attracting investment and improving access to electricity.

He said the administration was committed to creating an environment where young Nigerians could pursue their ambitions without depending on political connections or patronage.

The Chief of Staff also urged members and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to defend the administration’s record and engage Nigerians directly on its policies.

He said the ruling party must be prepared to account for its performance and convince voters through tangible achievements rather than political rhetoric.

“The party asking to continue in government must be prepared to answer the people whose mandate it seeks.

“We must earn support through the quality of work, through the quality of our case and the seriousness of our conduct,” he said.

Gbajabiamila said the 2027 general election would provide Nigerians with an opportunity to decide whether to sustain the administration’s reform agenda or return to what he described as short-term political approaches.

…Udeh, Ubosi, others rally support for continuity, cite landmark achievements of APC governments

The Enugu State Unity Forum, a prominent support group championing the re-election of President Bola Tinubu, Governor Peter Mbah and other candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State, has commenced an aggressive grassroots and door-to-door mobilisation campaign ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The mobilisation drive comes as the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Barr. Victor Udeh; former Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Uchenna Ubosi; and other key political stakeholders have urged members of the Forum to take the achievements of the Tinubu and Mbah administrations to the grassroots, describing their records in office as compelling reasons for their re-election.

Speaking during an engagement with members of the Forum in Enugu East Local Government Area, the group’s coordinator, Hon. Emeka Nwatu, said the Forum would focus on two major areas: voter education and political enlightenment, particularly sensitising residents to the achievements of the APC-led governments.

Nwatu explained that the group would concentrate its activities in rural communities, where members would educate eligible voters on how to cast their ballots correctly to avoid invalidating their votes.

He also urged eligible voters who were yet to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to do so in preparation for the elections, expressing confidence that the APC would record a sweeping victory in 2027.

Speaking on behalf of the six local government council chairmen in Enugu East Senatorial District, the Chairman of Enugu East Local Government Area, Engr. Beloved-Dan Anike, described the APC as an increasingly dominant political platform in the state and expressed confidence in its electoral prospects.

Anike likened the APC to an ocean capable of producing political heavyweights, noting that the coming together of different political interests under the Enugu State Unity Forum had strengthened the party’s unity and electoral prospects.

He described the APC as the political platform capable of taking Enugu State and Nigeria in the right direction, urging residents to identify with the party and support its candidates across the board.

Anike also reaffirmed the commitment of the six council chairmen to the re-election of Tinubu and Mbah.

In his remarks, Ubosi said Governor Mbah’s performance had made political mobilisation considerably easier, pointing to the administration’s delivery on its promises.

He noted that the volume of projects executed within three years was too extensive to be fully enumerated at a single gathering.

The former Speaker maintained that opposing the governor’s re-election despite the visible development across the state would amount to working against Enugu’s progress. He expressed confidence that the APC would emerge victorious in the presidential, governorship and legislative elections.

Also speaking, Barr. Udeh expressed delight at the large turnout of supporters, describing it as an indication of the party’s growing political strength in the state.

Recounting the political journey that culminated in Governor Mbah’s emergence in 2023, he recalled the role played by the Ifemeluma Group and stakeholders from Enugu West Senatorial District in advocating for Enugu East to produce the next governor in the spirit of equity.

He said Mbah distinguished himself during the campaign by becoming the first governorship candidate in a long time to publicly present his manifesto at Godfrey Okoye University. He added that the governor had not only fulfilled his campaign promises but had also exceeded expectations.

Udeh described Mbah’s performance as exceptional, drawing parallels with the development-oriented leadership of the late Premier of Eastern Nigeria, Dr. Michael Okpara.

He urged residents to reject what he described as empty political promises and remain focused on candidates with demonstrable records of performance.

Highlighting the administration’s achievements, the Chief of Staff listed the establishment of 268 Smart Green Schools across the state’s electoral wards, offering tuition-free education, free school uniforms and daily meals for pupils.

He also cited the construction of 260 Type-2 Primary Healthcare Centres, the settlement of inherited gratuity liabilities, extensive road construction and rehabilitation projects, as well as the proposed 10-kilometre-per-ward road programme, under which communities would determine their priority roads.

Udeh further highlighted ongoing road projects, including the dualisation of Penoks Road and the Abakpa-Nike-Ugwogo-Ekwegbe-Opi-Nsukka Road, as well as infrastructure interventions in Emene and Trans-Ekulu.

He attributed several federal infrastructure projects in the state, including the Enugu-Port Harcourt and Enugu-Onitsha expressways, the Ninth Mile-Makurdi Road, the Emene Flyover, the Abakpa Junction Flyover and the New Artisan Twin Bridges, to the improved collaboration between the state and federal governments.

He also disclosed that President Tinubu had approved the commencement of a gas pipeline project from Egbema in Imo State through Abia, Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi, describing it as a major intervention that could address infrastructure deficits that have constrained industrial development in the South-East.

Calling on residents to support the re-election of Tinubu, Mbah and other APC candidates, Udeh stressed that sustained collaboration between the federal and state governments would accelerate development and deliver greater dividends of democracy to the region.

Also speaking, the Secretary of Enugu East Local Government Area, Barr. Uchenna Mbaeke, assured the governor and the party leadership that the grassroots mobilisation machinery was already firmly in place.

He said members of the Forum had been strategically positioned across electoral wards and polling units to secure victory for the APC in 2027.

Mbaeke added that Mbah’s re-election would guarantee further development, consolidate the gains already recorded and advance the prospects of a better Nigeria.

The Enugu Unity Forum, Enugu East Zone, organised by Mbaeke, brought together key political stakeholders, community leaders and grassroots mobilisers under a common platform to advance the re-election campaigns of the President, the governor and other APC candidates in the state.

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has confirmed the escape of two convicted inmates from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Okene, Kogi State.

The escapees were identified as Samson David, convicted of theft, and Salvation Moro, convicted of armed robbery.

The incident reportedly occurred on Sunday, November 8, 2026, with the two inmates said to have escaped from the facility through its back fence.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Service Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Corrections, JN Osuji, confirmed the incident, saying the NCoS had commenced necessary measures in collaboration with relevant security agencies to ensure the prompt recapture of the fleeing inmates.

The confirmation followed an earlier police situation report from the Okene Division, which disclosed that the Officer-in-Charge of the custodial centre alerted the police to the escape through a telephone call at about 10:30 a.m. on Sunday.

The police report also indicated that photographs of the escaped inmates were attached to the communication to aid their identification and facilitate efforts to apprehend them.

The NCoS said it was awaiting a comprehensive report on the incident to establish the circumstances surrounding the escape.

According to the Service, the Controller-General of Corrections has directed a thorough investigation to identify any operational lapses and ensure that appropriate action is taken where necessary.

It added that efforts to trace and rearrest the inmates were ongoing, with security operatives expected to intensify the search.

The Service assured members of the public that the situation was receiving the necessary attention and pledged to provide further updates as verified information becomes available.

It also appealed for public understanding and cooperation as efforts continue to return the two convicted inmates to custody.