NEWS
Tinubu too tired, sick to be Nigeria’s president – Atiku
By John Danjuma
The Special Assistant on Public Communication to the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Phrank Shaibu, has adviced Tinubu not to push his luck too far to be president at all costs, since he is tired, and should go home and rest.
He drew the attention of Nigerians to what he referred to as unsuitability of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the nation’s topmost office due to series of blunders he has committed since he publicly declared his presidential ambition.
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Speaking at the 7th edition of Kaduna Economic and Investment Summit (KADInvest 7.0) on Saturday, Tinubu had said El-Rufai “turned a rotten situation to a bad one.”
Although the presidential candidate later attributed the mumbo jumbo to a Freudian slip but Shaibu insisted that the Kaduna comment was one gaffe too many, insisting that “Tinubu is tired and should go home and rest.”
According to him, “When you look at the APC presidential candidate, you will see someone that is tired and weak. You have also heard the many gaffes that have come from him even before the kick-off of campaigns.
“The Kaduna comment is one gaffe, too many, and therefore unpardonable. You don’t have to be president at all costs; when you are tired, you go home.”
In a statement Sunday in Abuja, Shaibu indicated further that “Nigeria is currently in a dire situation with every sector of the economy in deep decay; therefore, the nation cannot afford to hand over a sick nation to a sick president.”
He recalled that on June 8, 2022, Tinubu staggered and nearly fell while stepping out to make his address at the Eagle Square, the venue of the party’s convention but was helped by a security agent.
Shaibu noted that during his speech at the convention, the hands of the former Lagos governor were also visibly shaking, a possible sign of ill health, emphasizing that the nation needs a healthy person that can withstand the rigours of the office of President.
“The media is awash with reports of how the APC presidential candidate in August 2021 spent over 60 days, touring hospitals abroad, where he was treated for an undisclosed ailment. So, is this the kind of president that we want for our country at a time of unprecedented economic and security challenges?
“This country deserves a fit leader. The office of the President is not for ailing people. Tinubu has tried his best but he is now weak and tired and should be allowed to go home and take a deserved rest,” Shaibu said.
He lamented that it is only in Africa that persons who are unfit for offices on account of ill health insist on holding offices even at the expense of the wellbeing of the economy and the citizenry.
He urged the electorate to vote for Atiku Abubakar at next year’s poll, insisting that the former Vice President and the PDP are the only pathway to changing the fortunes of Nigeria.
Oil marketers have warned that Nigerians may soon pay as much as ₦1,500 per litre for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, as global oil prices surge following the escalating conflict involving Iran in the Middle East.
The National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry, issued the warning on Tuesday while speaking on a television programme on the impact of the global crisis on fuel prices.
According to him, the current volatility in the international oil market has already pushed petrol prices above ₦1,000 per litre at the depot level, with the ex-depot price from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery now standing at about ₦1,175 per litre.
He explained that once logistics, transportation, and other operational costs are added, the final pump price could rise significantly, possibly reaching ₦1,500 per litre in the near future.
Despite concerns about the rising cost of fuel, Gillis-Harry noted that steady availability of petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery remains a major relief for Nigeria, stressing that consistent supply is better than a nationwide fuel scarcity.
He added that the refinery’s production capacity is helping to stabilize supply across the country at a time when global markets remain highly unstable.
The latest price adjustment by the Dangote Refinery marks the fourth review within two weeks. Petrol prices increased from ₦995 per litre to ₦1,175 per litre, while diesel rose from ₦1,430 to about ₦1,620 per litre.
The development comes amid a sharp spike in international crude oil prices triggered by fears of supply disruptions due to the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Brent crude recently climbed above $102 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose to around $101 per barrel.
Industry analysts say the rising oil prices are already having a ripple effect on Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, forcing depot operators and fuel marketers to adjust their prices in response to the global market trend.
Meanwhile, the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has stated that although Nigeria introduced a crude-for-naira arrangement to support local refineries, the facility still purchases crude oil at international market prices, leaving it exposed to global price fluctuations.
The United Nations has raised the alarm over a dramatic surge in attacks on schools worldwide, reporting a 166% increase between 2021 and 2024.
The rise highlights the escalating dangers faced by children in conflict zones.
United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, revealed the figures during the annual meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on the rights of the child on Monday.
The session, themed “Mainstreaming the Rights of Children in Armed Conflict: Prevention and Protection,” focused on protecting children amid global conflicts.
Al-Nashif noted that the attacks were particularly concentrated in Sudan, Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Myanmar, and Ethiopia, where children remain among the most vulnerable victims.
“In 2024, armed conflict directly affected nearly one in six children globally—about 470 million children,” she said. “Years of lost education, trauma, and lasting mental scars shape societies for generations. Long after the fighting subsides, children continue to face deadly risks.”
She highlighted Gaza as having the world’s highest number of child amputees per capita, warning that the impact of war goes far beyond immediate violence.
In Lebanon, government figures show that more than 450,000 people were displaced in less than a week, with at least 394 fatalities, including 83 children, during the 2024 conflict with Israel.
Al-Nashif also stressed the disproportionate risks for displaced children, who are more likely to die from disease linked to unsafe water and sanitation than from direct violence.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a 2025 cholera outbreak killed 340 children, underscoring the long-term consequences of conflict.
She called on states to uphold their international obligations to protect children, insisting that protecting children is “both a legal obligation and a humanitarian moral imperative.”
Also speaking at the council, Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, warned that violence against children continued at extreme levels in 2025.
She urged mainstreaming child protection across peace, security, humanitarian, human rights, and development efforts, emphasizing that children should actively participate in shaping policies designed to safeguard them.
Frazier highlighted her office’s global campaign, “Prove It Matters,” aimed at amplifying children’s voices in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
The UN report underscores the urgent need for coordinated international action to protect children and ensure their safety in conflict zones worldwide.
Portugal officially inaugurated its new president, Antonio Jose Seguro, on Monday, pledging to bring stability to a nation shaken by political uncertainty and natural disasters.
Seguro, the centre-left candidate, won last month’s presidential run-off against far-right rival Andre Ventura, following weeks of catastrophic storms that killed at least seven people and caused approximately €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in damage.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony in Lisbon’s parliament, Seguro emphasized cooperation with the minority right-wing government and vowed to end the country’s “electoral frenzy.”
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“I will do everything I can to put an end to this electoral frenzy,” he said, pointing to the inability of previous governments to complete their terms.
Amid global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and a more isolationist US approach under President Donald Trump, Seguro stressed the importance of multilateralism.
“The force of law has been replaced by the power of the strongest,” he remarked.
Seguro succeeds Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative who leaves office at 77 after serving two five-year terms.
While the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, Seguro’s leadership signals a commitment to political stability and international engagement.
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