Presidency asserts that Tinubu will not remain silent amid escalating state crises
Abuja, Nigeria – President Bola Tinubu’s spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, has defended his boss’s involvement in resolving political disputes in some states, saying it was necessary to prevent national insecurity.
Ngelale, who spoke on Channels Television’s News Night on Monday, said Tinubu was acting as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and had the responsibility to ensure the safety and stability of the country.
He cited the examples of Ondo and Rivers states, where Tinubu had intervened to quell political tensions that could have escalated into violence.
“That has nothing to do with, of course, political development, destabilization of a particular region or state or subnational entity that could potentially turn into a national conflagration,” he said.
“If the President sees that, he is not going to sit by as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and fold his hands and keep quiet. I think that is what he has done.”
Ngelale’s comments came amid criticisms from some quarters that Tinubu was interfering in the affairs of other states and undermining their autonomy.
However, Ngelale said Nigerians expected Tinubu’s government to offer responsible leadership and address the challenges facing the nation.
“That is to say if you are the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and your primary objective is to make sure that the Nigerian people are safe; that they are able to operate in an environment that is stable and does not place them in any form of insecurity, then you know that if a political crisis is devolving into something that is generating manmade insecurity, then the president needs to step in and he took that wise decision to step in,” he said.
Ngelale also spoke about other national issues, such as the impact of the fuel subsidy removal and the rising cost of living.
He admitted that the current administration inherited a lot of economic problems, such as low oil prices, high inflation, and a huge debt burden.
He said Tinubu was putting measures in place to tackle the issues, but warned that there was no easy fix or magic wand solution.
“You combine all of these factors, obviously, our debt burden is another factor, you would know there is no easy fix; there is no magic wand solution to this. There is going to be pain before pleasure,” he said.
“There is going to be sacrifice before there is an ultimate outcome that all of us cannot only be proud of but can thrive in.”
He urged Nigerians to be patient and supportive of the government’s policies, saying they were aimed at improving the welfare and development of the country.