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The Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Constituency Affairs, Khadijat Omotayo, has urged Nigerians to stop attacking her principal over the removal of fuel subsidy.
Omotayo made the call on Saturday in Jos, the Plateau State capital, during a town hall meeting attended by various stakeholders, including market women, youth groups, labour leaders, farmers, traditional rulers, government officials, and students, among others.
According to Omotayo, the President is committed to implementing initiatives that will improve the lives of all Nigerians.
She emphasized that the resources generated from the removal of the fuel subsidy have been shared among all states and that the President has also increased the salaries of workers, with promises of more increments during his tenure.
Omotayo praised the President’s commitment to inclusivity, citing her own presence in Plateau State, a PDP stronghold, as evidence of his willingness to work with all Nigerians.
The presidential aide also commended the Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Muftwang, for his efforts in promoting democracy and inclusivity.
She said, “I don’t expect us at this point to keep attacking Mr President, who wants dividends of democracy to go down the states. If Mr President is a partisan politician. He won’t let me come to Plateau State, as we all know it is a PDP state. But I’m here to represent him just because he wants to carry everybody along. When it was an election period, we fought for it and got it. After the election, we have to carry all the good people of Nigerians along.
“Yes, Mr President has removed the subsidy, but the resources accruing from that removal have been shared with all states. On the issue of salary increment, when last has any president of the country increased the salary of workers? So, I think Mr President needs a little thank you from us. He has not spent one year in office, and he has increased the salaries of workers and he said this is not going to be the end of salary increments for workers during his tenure.
“The students are talking about free education, and Mr President has initiated free loans for the students. All regions are benefitting from this loan. Tell a friend to tell a friend; tell a mother to tell a brother, tell a father to tell a brother. There is a free student loan without collateral. What do you want again? And Mr President has said you can repay the loan after two years of securing a job. You are not to pay the money from your pocket, but it will be deducted from your salary.
“Please, go and apply for the student loan. It is something that we should be clamouring for, but Mr President has deemed it fit as something he should do, which he has done. Let’s encourage our youth to go for the student loan so that they can continue with their education ”
She added, “I was with the Deputy Governor of Plateau state yesterday, and I’m so happy with what I saw. We are truly in a world of democracy, and I’m proud of the sitting Governor. We are not running a partisan government. We are not running a religious -bigot government, but we are running an all-inclusive government.
“Please, for God’s sake, let us work together to build a country that works for all of us. Be rest assured that whatever empowerment is going to the states through my office, we will all be carried along. Please, we need to be asking our representatives questions and not be attacking Mr President. He is rich enough to sit down in his house and say, I’m not contesting, but he wants to bring back the renewed hope to Nigerians, and that is why he said I want to do Emilokan.”
The Special Assistant urged Nigerians to work together to build a country that works for all and to hold their representatives accountable rather than attacking the President.
The Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Mutfwang, thanked the President for allowing his aide to organise the town meeting which allowed the citizens to air their views.
Mutfwang emphasised that his administration is committed to empowering every segment of the state and promoting the welfare of all citizens.
“Mr President is doing a lot for us in Plateau, but like Oliver Twist, we are only asking for more. Like you said Emilokan, as Plateau state, it is our time for development, ” Mutfwang, who was represented by state Commissioner for Youths, Musa Ashoms, added.
