PRESS RELEASE
‘BRINGING BACK FUEL SUBSIDY AN EMPTY CAMPAIGN BUZZ, IT’S NOT FISCALLY REALISTIC’ — SANWO-OLU
- Lagos Governor delivers 7th Freedom Online Lecture; discusses gains, prospects of Tinubu’s reforms
- Sanwo-Olu: Nigeria’s democratic, electoral systems have evolved since 1999
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said that those campaigning for the return of oil subsidy are only resorting to populist politics that will ultimately fail.
The Governor criticised politicians promising to restore the rescinded subsidy regime, arguing that any candidate assuring Nigerians of oil
subsidy’s return was simply building their campaign on empty promises that would end up deceiving voters.
Sanwo-Olu’s comments were made on Thursday when he delivered the 7th Freedom Online Newspaper Lecture with the theme: “2027 Elections, Economy, Security and Nigeria’s Future”.
The lecture, chaired by former Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, was held at Sheraton Lagos Hotels, in Ikeja.
Former Ogun State Governor and Senator representing Ogun East, Sen. Gbenga Daniel, was the Special Guest of Honour.
Delivering a paper on the theme, Sanwo-Olu delved into the ongoing economic reforms, security matters and electoral reconfiguration being undertaken by the Federal Government, highlighting the gains and the prospects for future growth.
The Lagos helmsman observed that the oil subsidy policy, which was introduced to tackle the shortcomings of local oil supplies stemming from inefficiencies at state-owned refineries, was not intended as a permanent intervention.
Sanwo-Olu said that the subsidy policy had become a burden on the nation’s finances, draining the nation’s treasury and squandering funds that could have been invested in building roads, schools, hospitals and other infrastructure relevant for the wellbeing of the nation.
By taking the courage to end the corruption-ridden subsidy programme, the Governor said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made the sacrifice that previous leaders had avoided, damning the impact the action could have on his electoral fortunes.
Sanwo-Olu said: “The oil subsidy was not removed because anybody enjoyed removing it. It was removed because it had become a hole in the national purse through which the money for roads, schools and hospitals was draining away. The intervention was never reaching the ordinary motorist it was supposed to help. In the build up to the 2023 elections, every major candidate promised to remove it. Only one of them was in a position to do it, and he did it on his first day in office.
“I will not stand here and tell you that oil subsidy removal has been painless. It has not. Lagosians particularly have felt it at the pump, at the market, and in the price of a bag of rice. Any governor who tells you otherwise has not been listening to his own people. But, the measure of a reform is not whether it hurts. It is whether it heals. And the evidence that this one is healing is now arriving, quarter by quarter.
“Under President Tinubu, the States have had it very good. Since the subsidy was removed, the monthly allocations to States and local governments have more than doubled in Naira terms. The President has done his part; the money is arriving. Barely two weeks into the season of presidential election campaign, opposition politicians have reached for the fuel subsidy as their instrument of choice. We will see more of this. We will see promises that no treasury on earth could honour.”
Sanwo-Olu said he strongly believed in the direction of the reforms initiated by the President to reset the economy and the socio-political system, pointing out that the reforms were already yielding positive outcomes across the areas where they were being implemented.
In 2026 alone, the Governor said the nation’s economy grew by 4.43 per cent from 3.89 per cent in the first quarter, against the 4.23 per cent recorded in the first quarter of 2025.
Agriculture sector, Sanwo-Olu said, grew by 4.39 per cent, up from 2.82 per cent a year earlier, adding that the growth in the service sector was up 4.6 per cent in the current year.
The Governor said: “In nominal terms, the national economy is more than 18 per cent larger than it was twelve months ago. Our external reserves stood at $53 billion last week, the highest they have been since January 2009. We are running a trade surplus. Both Fitch and Moody upgraded Nigeria’s credit rating last year. Inflation, which peaked at almost 35 per cent at the end of 2024, was 15.9 per cent last June. The Naira has held its ground against the dollar for the better part of a year.
“This week, too, the Central Bank reported that Nigerians abroad sent home $947 million through formal channels in the month of July. That is the largest monthly figure in our history, and it is within touching distance of the $1 billion-a-month target that many people laughed at when it was set two years ago. These statistics are not my numbers; they belong to the National Bureau of Statistics and the Central Bank of Nigeria, and every journalist seeking facts can check them.”
Sanwo-Olu gave a positive verdict on the nation’s democracy, noting that Nigeria’s political and electoral systems had continued to evolve in a sub-continent where democracy had been under siege, alluding to the seizure of power by soldiers in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Niger and Guinea-Bissau.
Evidence of democratic stability, he said, could be seen in the reforms introduced in the electoral process, which, the Governor noted, had been correcting past mistakes that led to the collapse of previous republics.
“Our elections have improved. Anyone who covered the elections of the 2000s knows how far we have come. Much of that distance was travelled under the All Progressives Congress’ watch. The ruling party initiated the Electoral Act of 2022 and now the Electoral Act of 2026, and the technology that verifies voters and transmits results. This is not the moment to rest on our oars. INEC must be ready in every polling unit on January 16, 2027, and again on February 6, 2027.
Each of us has a duty to help the electoral umpire be ready,” Sanwo-Olu said.
Is the nation safe under the current government? Sanwo-Olu considered the question a matter of individual perception but emphasised that President Tinubu had given the nation’s security architecture the priority it deserves like any Commander-in-Chief since 1999.
The Governor said poverty remained the primary cause of insecurity, reason President Tinubu’s interventions directly addressed the most pressing needs of the youth — the vulnerable demographic — in addition to strengthening the capacity of the security forces.
“Consider what has been done in the last three years. In July, President Tinubu approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight divisions to twelve, with 28,000 additional personnel and new divisional headquarters in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City, closer to the theatres where they are needed. The Navy has a new Special Operations Command. Police training has been decentralised. Forest Guards and Mining Marshals now operate in spaces that were, for years, simply ungoverned. In May, a joint operation with our American partners led to the elimination of some of the most wanted terrorist commanders in the Lake Chad Basin.
“The President believes the most effective security policy is job creation, and the surest guarantee of a job is a country safe enough to invest in. The President’s interventions have gone straight at the poverty that feeds insecurity, and straight at the demographic with the most to gain or to lose, which is our young people. NELFUND is keeping students in school who would otherwise have dropped out. The Consumer Credit Corporation is building the credit culture without which no modern economy functions.”
“The 3-Million Technical Talent program is training the workforce of a digital economy. The recently unveiled reform of the National Youth Service Corps is turning a year of service into a year of enterprise. Behind all of these stand the Nigerian Youth Academy, the Nigeria Health Fellowship, the Student Venture Capital Grant, the Power Force programme and the Labor Employment and Empowerment Programme. It is hard to name an administration that has invested in young Nigerians on this scale,” Sanwo-Olu submitted.
Mohammed described the media lecture as an “intellectual platform” and “a staple for national reflection”, noting that the choice of Sanwo-Olu as the lecturer was fitting, given the Governor’s understanding of complex demands of governance, security, infrastructure development and economic innovation.
The former Minister said political stability depended on economic inclusion. He noted that security was a precondition for economic growth, stressing that no business would thrive in an atmosphere of uncertainty.
He said: “When young people are gainfully employed and see a clear path to self-actualisation, the political space becomes far less susceptible to manipulation and electoral violence. The 2027 election must be viewed not merely as a contest for power, but as a commitment to continuity and nation-building.
“Politics must never be allowed to override governance. The real measure of our democratic progress is whether our electoral outcomes strengthen institutions, bolster investor confidence and guarantee peace across our communities.”
While acknowledging the Federal Government’s effort is confronting “difficult challenges” in the areas of security and economic reform, Mohammed said the challenges would not be solved overnight.
“They require consistency, patience, institutional strengthening and, above all, national cooperation,” the former Information Minister said.
Convener and Freedom Online Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Gabriel Akinadewo, said the lecture came against the backdrop of renewed political activities and the need for politicians to place the nation’s development above the game of politics.
The veteran media practitioner advocated for modernisation of the nation’s laws to align with 21st-century realities and modern aspirations of the country. He emphasised the need to abolish outdated laws to create a new foundation for a system that will protect citizens’ freedom.
SIGNED
GBOYEGA AKOSILE
SPECIAL ADVISER – MEDIA AND PUBLICITY
SEPTEMBER 3, 2026
PRESIDENT TINUBU MOURNS EMIR OF GUMEL, ALHAJI DR. AHMED MUHAMMAD SANI II, HAILS 46 YEARS OF VISIONARY REIGN
PRESIDENT TINUBU MOURNS EMIR OF President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has received with profound sadness the news of the passing of the Emir of Gumel, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Dr Ahmed Muhammad Sani II, CON, who died on Thursday, September 3, 2026, in Cairo, Egypt.
President Tinubu extends his deepest condolences to the immediate family of the revered monarch, the Gumel Emirate Council, the Government and people of Jigawa State, and the entire traditional institution in Nigeria.
The President describes the transition of the Emir as the end of a remarkable and historic era. Having ascended the throne on December 16, 1980, Alhaji Sani II reigned for nearly 46 years as the 16th Emir of Gumel, standing out as one of Nigeria’s longest-serving and most respected first-class traditional rulers.
President Tinubu celebrates the life of a distinguished scholar, administrator and statesman whose contributions transcended the palace walls.
Before his ascension, the late Emir had a stellar career in public service. He served with the Gumel Native Authority, the Nigeria Immigration Service, and as a senior official at Kazaure Divisional Office.
Between 1978 and 1980, he served as Commissioner for Information, Internal Affairs and Culture in the old Kano State, where he left an enduring legacy of spearheading the establishment of the Triumph Newspaper, CTV 67 (now ARTV), and supervising the expansion of Radio Kano. Those institutions remain pillars of public information in Northern Nigeria today.
President Tinubu remarks:
“As Emir, Alhaji Sani II transformed Gumel into a model of peace and development.
“He was a father to all, a beacon of wisdom, and a custodian of culture who devoted his long reign to promoting education, Islamic scholarship, unity among diverse communities, and the preservation of the rich heritage of one of the oldest Emirates in Northern Nigeria.
“In the state of Jigawa, his calm, conservative and inclusive leadership provided stability through decades of political and security transitions. He was an unfailing partner for peace-building and community development, always placing the welfare of his people above all else.”
“Nigeria has lost a towering traditional leader whose wise counsel will be sorely missed at a time when the nation continues to draw on the moral authority of traditional institutions to strengthen national cohesion.
“I pray that Almighty Allah will forgive the shortcomings of the late Emir, accept his noble deeds, and grant him Al-Jannah Firdaus.
“I also pray that Allah will grant the royal family, the Gumel Emirate and the people of Jigawa State the fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss.”
Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information & Strategy)
September 3, 2026
CLARIFICATION ON THE ONGOING FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT CASE IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
The Presidency has noted recent speculative reports concerning an ongoing Freedom of Information Act case before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
For clarity, the matter is a civil records-disclosure dispute under the United States Freedom of Information Act. It is not a criminal case against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, nor has the court found him guilty of any criminal wrongdoing.
Here is the background to the case, which comes 23 years after the American Consulate in Lagos, in a letter dated February 4, 2003, informed the then Inspector General of Police, Mr Tafa Balogun, that an FBI records check found no criminal arrest records, wants, or warrants for then Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In 2022, Mr Aaron Greenspan, who is known to work with Nigerian opposition figures including David Hundeyin and Atiku Abubakar, submitted FOIA requests to several United States government agencies seeking records relating to President Tinubu. After the agencies withheld certain records or declined to confirm or deny their existence, Mr Greenspan commenced Civil Action No. 23-1816 before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in 2023.
The court subsequently permitted President Tinubu to participate in the proceedings as an intervenor.
During the proceedings, the Defendants asserted the “Glomar defence”, a standard defence that US law enforcement agencies invoke from time to time. It simply means the government agency is not “in a position to deny or admit” the existence of an investigation. It protects government personnel and the techniques and sources law enforcement agencies use to investigate and prosecute crimes.
Based on the invocation of this defence, the United States District Court granted summary judgment in favour of the CIA, EOUSA, Department of State, Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It ruled that they be removed from the proceedings, leaving aspects of the claims involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration for further consideration.
In compliance with the court’s orders, the FBI and DEA produced 399 pages of records, with portions redacted under exemptions provided by United States law. The Plaintiff challenged the FBI and DEA’s decisions to redact portions of the documents produced.
The FBI and DEA, through the United States Department of Justice (USDoJ), pushed back against the Plaintiff’s requests. The FBI and DEA rejected the application to produce the documents without redactions for the following reasons:
- Some of the documents are protected from being revealed to the public by law, for example, Grand Jury proceedings. The law exempts transcripts of Grand Jury proceedings from public disclosure. The Pen Register Act also protects from disclosure information about certain court order(s) authorising or approving the installation and use of a pen register or trap and trace device. (FOIA Exemption 3)
- Some of the documents fall squarely within the attorney-work product and attorney-client privileges. Some documents contain instances where FBI and DEA agents sought and/or received legal advice from USDoJ attorneys. (FOIA Exemption 5)
- Some of the documents were prepared for law enforcement purposes. (FOIA Exemption 5)
- Some of the documents contain information which, if revealed, could lead to an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. (FOIA Exemptions 6 and 7(C)).
- Some of the documents, if disclosed, will reveal the identities of confidential sources or compromise the techniques that law enforcement agencies use in investigating crimes. (FOIA Exemptions 7(D) and 7(E))
President Bola Tinubu, on advice of his lawyers, has also asserted his rights as guaranteed by FOIA Exemption 7(C).
The Plaintiff has until September 11, 2026, to file any opposition and reply to the Defendants’ and Intervener’s processes, while the FBI, DEA and the Intervenor have until September 18, 2026, to respond to the processes that the Plaintiff might have filed.
The release or withholding of records under FOIA does not, by itself, establish criminal liability. The case concerns access to government records and the proper application of statutory exemptions.
The Nigerian media should note that this case is exclusively within the control of Judge Beryl A. Howell of the United States District Court. She will determine its outcome, based on the evidence, applicable law, and the parties’ arguments, not the wishful preference of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar or his agent, Mr Von Batten.
Recent public commentary by Mr Karl von Batten has inaccurately portrayed him and his client as central to the proceedings. Neither is a party to the case.
The litigation is a civil records-disclosure dispute under FOIA. It does not constitute a criminal charge, trial, or judicial finding against President Tinubu. The FBI and DEA have produced records with redactions, and the remaining question is whether those redactions are lawful.
The United States District Court will decide that issue based on the filings and applicable US law, not political commentary.
The Presidency therefore urges the media and the public to distinguish verified court proceedings from partisan speculation.
Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information & Strategy)
September 3, 2026