Styled By Grace

PRESS BRIEFING BY MALLAM ALWAN HASSAN IN KANO STATE ON THE CASE FOR NORTHERN NIGERIA TO REELECT PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU FOR A SECOND TERM IN OFFICE Thursday, 29 October 2026 Distinguished members of the press, ladies and gentlemen, Good morning. I want to begin today's briefing by extending my warm congratulations to the leadership, members and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the successful campaign rally held at the Ranchers Bees Stadium in Kaduna. I congratulate the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the leadership of our great party, the organisers of the rally and the thousands of Nigerians who came out to participate in what was a remarkable political gathering. The turnout was impressive. The enthusiasm was unmistakable. From the stadium to the surrounding communities, Kaduna witnessed an extraordinary demonstration of political mobilisation. For those of us who have followed political developments across Northern Nigeria, the significance of such a gathering cannot be overlooked. It tells us something about the strength of party organisation, the willingness of supporters to participate in the political process and the importance of Kaduna as a centre of political activity in Northern Nigeria. But rallies are only one part of the democratic process. The real test of political leadership is what happens beyond the stadium: in our communities, in our schools, in our markets, on our farms and in the lives of ordinary Nigerians. Three days ago, I gathered members of my ward in Dakata, Kano State, for a door-to-door engagement with residents. We visited homes, spoke with families and discussed the policies and programmes of the Federal Government. It was an opportunity to hear directly from people about their experiences, their expectations and the challenges they continue to face. These conversations are important because the success of government policy cannot be measured by official announcements alone. It must also be measured by its effects on the people. And this brings me to the central issue I want to address today: the economic and development record of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Ladies and gentlemen, When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, Nigeria faced serious economic challenges. The country was struggling with substantial fiscal pressures, a fragmented foreign exchange market, rising inflation and a public finance system under strain. According to the Federal Government's State of the Economy presentation delivered to the Federal Executive Council on 28 October 2026, Nigeria's economy grew by only 2.74 per cent in 2023. At the beginning of the administration, the country had net usable external reserves of approximately $859 million, despite gross reserves of about $35 billion. The foreign exchange market was characterised by multiple windows and a spread exceeding 60 per cent. The tax-to-GDP ratio stood at approximately 7 per cent, while debt servicing consumed about 97 per cent of government revenue. These were substantial economic challenges. The administration responded with reforms intended to address the structural weaknesses in public finance, foreign exchange management and the allocation of national resources. The removal of petrol subsidy and the restructuring of the foreign exchange market were among the most consequential decisions. They also imposed significant adjustment costs on Nigerians. However, nearly three and a half years into the administration, the available economic indicators provide an opportunity to assess the progress that we have made. The Nigerian economy recorded real GDP growth of 4.43 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, compared with annual growth of 2.74 per cent in 2023. Headline inflation stood at 14.63 per cent in September 2026, according to the latest figures presented by the Federal Government. Nigeria's gross external reserves reached $55.1 billion on 9 October 2026, with net reserves reported at approximately $46 billion. The Federal Government also reported that our foreign exchange market spread had narrowed to less than 5 per cent. The tax-to-GDP ratio increased from approximately 7 per cent to 12.5 per cent, while the ratio of debt service to government revenue declined to approximately 65 per cent in the first half of 2026. These figures point to changes in the country's fiscal and macroeconomic position. They are evidence that President Tinubu’s economic policies are putting Nigeria in the right direction and affirm that we are achieving economic stability. This economic stability we are achieving is providing the foundation for investment, business expansion, employment creation and sustainable public expenditure. One important consequence of the economic reforms has been the increase in resources available to the three tiers of government. According to official records of the Federal Government, net Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) distributions increased from N15.2 trillion in 2024 to N21.9 trillion in 2025. That is an increase of approximately 44 per cent. The share of state government expenditure devoted to capital projects increased from 46 per cent in 2023 to 61 per cent in 2025. Improved allocations to states is providing our sub-regional governments with greater fiscal capacity to invest in roads, schools, healthcare facilities, water infrastructure and other essential public services. Ladies and gentlemen, I will never get tired of speaking about NELFUND. It is one of the most impactful programmes of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration. For years, many Nigerian parents have struggled to pay their children's tuition fees. Some have had to borrow money, sell their possessions or make difficult sacrifices just to keep their children in school. Others have watched helplessly as their children abandoned their education because the family could no longer afford it. Today, NELFUND is helping to change that story. As at September 2026, N372.6 billion has been disbursed in student loans, with 1.66 million applications processed. Behind these figures are Nigerian families who now have access to financial support for their children's education. But the President's interventions in education do not end with students. They extend to the welfare of those who teach them and the institutions in which they learn. Across the country, we continue to receive testimonies from teachers and academic staff about improvements in their welfare under this administration. Recently, President Tinubu cleared all outstanding Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) arrears for academic staff across the country. ALL! This is significant because the welfare of our teachers and lecturers is fundamental to the quality of education we provide. We cannot demand excellence from our educational institutions while neglecting the people responsible for training the next generation of Nigerians. The administration has also continued to address infrastructure deficits in our tertiary institutions. So far, N38.93 billion has been disbursed to 166 public tertiary institutions through the Needs Assessment Revitalisation Funds to improve teaching and learning facilities and address longstanding infrastructure challenges. Today, under this administration, we can see an approach that addresses three important pillars of education: access for students, welfare for academic staff and infrastructure for institutions. These are investments in the future of Nigeria. The administration's economic interventions also extend to vulnerable households and small businesses. As of today, more than 10 million households have been reached through its cash transfer programme, with over N600 billion disbursed. The programme provides N75,000 per beneficiary household in three instalments. Similarly, more than 800,000 micro, small and medium enterprises have reportedly benefited from Bank of Industry financing schemes. These interventions address different but related challenges. Cash transfers provide immediate assistance to vulnerable families, while affordable business financing can help enterprises purchase equipment, expand production and create employment. I must also speak about the remarkable achievements of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), whose Board is chaired by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and which is led by a proud son of Kano State, Khalil Halilu. Today, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States is partnering with NASENI and the Presidential Implementation Committee on Technology Transfer (PICTT) to establish regional acceleration programmes for innovation and entrepreneurship. The first agricultural hub, located in Adamawa State has been established. It covers approximately 40,000 hectares of land and is designed to provide a complete agricultural ecosystem, from production to processing and commercialisation. This is an initiative that brings together technology, agriculture and enterprise to create opportunities and unlock the enormous economic potential of our country. Under President Tinubu, NASENI is also training thousands of engineers, equipping a new generation of Nigerians with the skills to drive our country's technological and industrial future. The agency is assemblying Made-in-Nigeria vehicles. It is building drones and training thousands of Nigerians to operate them. These are practical investments in our industrial capacity, our young people and our ability to develop and manufacture the technologies we need. This is the kind of government that is building for the future. A government that is not merely talking about innovation but investing in it. A government that is not content with importing technology but is developing the capacity to produce it here in Nigeria. A government that understands that the future of our economy must be built on the ingenuity, skills and productive capacity of Nigerians. Ladies and gentlemen, In Northern Nigeria, the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has undertaken significant investments in road infrastructure, education and regional connectivity. Across the region, federal road projects are being constructed, rehabilitated and completed to address longstanding infrastructure deficits and improve economic activities. These interventions are particularly important to the North, where agriculture, commerce and the movement of goods depend heavily on reliable transportation networks. More than 6,000 road projects are ongoing or have been completed across northern Nigeria under President Bola Tinubu. In the North West alone, 348km of roads have been completed, out of 1,016km that have been completed nationwide. Among the major projects is the Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe–Biu–Maiduguri Superhighway, a strategic road corridor connecting the North-Central and North-East geopolitical zones. In July this year, the Federal Government flagged off construction of the first section of this approximately 700-kilometre highway. The initial phase covers about 125 kilometres from Akwanga in Nasarawa State to Jos in Plateau State. When completed, this highway will improve connectivity between communities, facilitate the movement of agricultural produce, reduce transportation difficulties and strengthen economic integration across the region. We have also achieved the completion of the first 118-kilometre section of the Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria corridor, including 81 kilometres constructed with reinforced concrete pavement. Work continues on other sections of the highway, while President Tinubu has directed the installation of solar-powered streetlights along the entire 375-kilometre corridor. This is one of the country's most important transportation routes. It connects the Federal Capital Territory with Kaduna and Kano, two major centres of commerce, industry and population in Northern Nigeria. Its rehabilitation is important not only for motorists but also for traders, manufacturers, transport operators and businesses that depend on the movement of goods between these cities. The President Bola Tinubu administration is equally pursuing other major projects, including the Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway, Kano Northern Bypass, Kano–Katsina Road, Zaria–Funtua–Gusau–Sokoto Road and sections of the Kano–Maiduguri Road. These projects represent substantial investments in the transportation infrastructure required to support agriculture, commerce and industrial development particularly in Northern Nigeria. Infrastructure development does not end with roads. Under President Tinubu it also extends to the classrooms where the next generation of Nigerians is being educated. In Kano State alone, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has undertaken interventions to improve learning conditions in our public primary schools. These include the renovation of more than 50 primary schools across 15 local government areas, the rehabilitation of classroom blocks and the provision of over 16,000 furniture items. In July 2026, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Aisha Garba, confirmed to Nigerians that the Commission had delivered nearly 4,000 classrooms across Kano State as part of efforts to expand access to quality basic education. These important investments in our basic education mean improved learning environments for children, better facilities for teachers and additional support for communities where inadequate educational infrastructure has remained a longstanding challenge. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, I will conclude by expressing my disgust at the former Vice President, who served Nigeria from 1999 to 2007 and has since been desperate to become President, despite having nothing to offer. It is extremely offensive that Atiku, who served in an administration and was a member of the Party that created and left many of Nigeria's longstanding problems unresolved, now presents himself as the answer to those same problems. Atiku has run for the presidency again and again, and Nigerians keep turning him down. They know he is not the solution. He is the problem. He has no ideas. He went from customs officer to billionaire without ever explaining how. That unexplained wealth has bankrolled him election after election, and he is now reportedly selling off properties to keep his campaign alive. Nigerians are right to worry: if such a man reached office, would he not spend his first four years recouping his investment? Atiku should retire and enjoy whatever is left of his customs-days largesse! Public office is not a place to recover political investments. Nigeria’s treasury belongs to the Nigerian people! And on the North, Atiku must account for his record. The people of the North deserve more than declarations of his pretentious concern. What has he done for the North in 27 years? Where are his investments? In Dubai! Yet he wants us to believe he has the North’s interest at heart? Atiku, go and retire! You have nothing to offer! Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.