The Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Constituency Affairs, Khadijat Omotayo, has stated that her principal is committed to implementing initiatives that will change the lives of Nigerians.
She pleaded with Nigerians to desist from attacking the president over the removal of the 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.
The aide asserted that Tinubu is rich enough to decide not to run for president, but his commitment to bringing renewed hope to Nigerians made him take on the mantle of leadership.
She emphasized that the resources generated from the removal of the fuel subsidy have been shared among all states. She also noted that the president has increased the salaries of workers, with promises of more increments during his tenure.
Omotayo applauded Tinubu for his unwavering commitment to inclusivity, citing her own presence in Plateau State—a PDP stronghold—as evidence of his willingness to work with all Nigerians.
She said:
“I don’t expect us at this point to keep attacking Mr. President, who wants the dividends of democracy to reach the states. If Mr. President were a partisan politician, he wouldn’t have allowed me to come to Plateau State, as we all know it is a PDP state. But I’m here to represent him because he wants to carry everybody along.
“During the election period, we fought for it and got it. After the election, we have to carry all the good people of Nigeria 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 increments, when was the last time any president of this country increased the salary of workers? So, I think Mr. President deserves a little appreciation from us. He has not even spent one year in office, yet he has increased the salaries of workers. He has also assured us that this will not be the last salary increment during his tenure.
“Students are talking about free education, and Mr. President has introduced free loans for them. All regions are benefiting from this loan.
“Tell a friend to tell a friend. Tell a mother to tell her son. Tell a father to tell his daughter—there is a free student loan without collateral. What more do you want? Mr. President has also said that repayment will begin two years after securing a job. You won’t have to pay from your pocket; it will be deducted from your salary.
“Please, go and apply for the student loan. It is something we should be clamouring for, yet Mr. President has deemed it fit to implement. Let’s encourage our youth to take advantage of this opportunity to further their education.
“I was with the Deputy Governor of Plateau State yesterday, and I’m so happy with what I saw. We are truly in a democratic world, and I’m proud of the sitting governor. We are not running a partisan government. We are not running a religious-bigot government. 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.
“We need to be asking our representatives questions instead of attacking Mr. President. He is rich enough to sit down in his house and say, ‘I’m not contesting.’ But he wants to bring renewed hope to Nigerians, and that is why he said, ‘I want to do Emilokan.’”
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