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Tinubu Fixing Obasanjo’s Mistakes, Not Acting As Petroleum Minister – Presidency

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4 weeks ago

Oct 28, 2024.

President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has clarified that Tinubu is addressing a longstanding oversight made during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s tenure regarding Nigeria’s focus on gas development in the energy sector.

Onanuga made this statement during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Sunday, highlighting that Tinubu’s approach to the Petroleum Ministry aims to rectify past mistakes and build a stronger foundation for Nigeria’s energy future.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Onanuga emphasized that, contrary to public speculation, Tinubu has not assumed the title of Minister of Petroleum. “The President has never called himself the Minister of Petroleum; it’s you people in the media,” Onanuga stated.

He explained that the administration has appointed two ministers to manage the Petroleum Ministry, each with distinct responsibilities. “As far as this President is concerned, we have two ministers of petroleum, with one of them focusing on gas,” he noted, stressing that gas development is now a priority under Tinubu’s leadership.

According to Onanuga, Nigeria’s energy sector has long been centered around oil, overlooking the nation’s abundant gas resources. “That’s an area that this government discovered was neglected in the past, and Nigeria is more of a gas country than an oil country.

Tinubu Obasanjo Presidency

President Tinubu is focusing on gas to ensure that we capitalize on this resource,” Onanuga remarked. He pointed to Obasanjo’s recent acknowledgment of having made a mistake by not prioritizing gas during his presidency as an example of why Tinubu is taking a different approach.

The adviser further explained that President Tinubu remains actively involved in supervising his ministers, with a personal commitment to redirecting Nigeria’s energy focus toward gas as a vital component of economic growth and sustainable development.

“The president supervises all his ministers; he’s in charge of everything,” Onanuga added, underscoring Tinubu’s hands-on leadership style and dedication to an energy policy that better aligns with Nigeria’s resources and economic potential.