The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, has reiterated that President Bola Tinubu’s development agenda is fundamentally motivated by national interest and not partisan politics. Speaking on September 3, 2025, during a meeting with Commissioners for Information from Nigeria’s 36 states, Minister Idris underscored that the administration’s transformative projects and programmes are being deployed across all regions of the country without discrimination based on political affiliation.
Minister Idris emphasised that President Tinubu’s approach is driven by the conviction that the challenges facing Nigerians cut across political boundaries and must be addressed for the benefit of all citizens. “I have not seen where there are things to do and the president refused to do because the governor of that state is not in the APC (All Progressives Congress). In everything that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done, the focus has always been on the ordinary Nigerians,” the minister stated.
A key highlight of the administration’s policy reforms, according to the minister, is the removal of fuel subsidies, which has liberated substantial financial resources for all states. This measure empowered governors to initiate development projects that directly improve the welfare of their constituents. Minister Idris noted that none of the governors, regardless of party affiliation, have advocated rolling back this reform, signalling its wide acceptance.
Minister Idris also painted a picture of Nigeria’s fiscal condition prior to President Tinubu’s tenure, strikingly revealing that 27 of the 36 states were struggling to pay workers’ salaries, while 97% of federal revenue was consumed by debt servicing. These economic challenges, he said, have been reversed due to bold policy interventions and innovative governance strategies implemented under Tinubu’s administration. Consequently, fiscal stability has been restored, freeing much-needed resources for development.
The minister urged all state governments to embrace President Tinubu’s vision and work collaboratively toward delivering prosperity throughout the country. “Nigeria is on a journey towards enduring prosperity for everyone, and my message and the message we have for all of you is that come and join this train to take Nigeria to the destination that Mr President promised he is going to take it to and that all of you want to see at the end of the day,” he added.
As part of ongoing citizen engagement, the Ministry of Information announced plans for federal delegations to visit selected states in the South-South and North-East geopolitical zones. These visits aim to inspect key development projects and collect public feedback as part of a broader ministry feedback mechanism designed to improve governance responsiveness. The minister also advocated for institutionalised regular meetings between state commissioners and the ministry to enhance strategic coordination and amplify positive communication campaigns.
Emphasising the importance of utilising government information platforms, Minister Idris called on Commissioners to leverage agencies such as the National Orientation Agency, Nigerian Television Authority, Voice of Nigeria, and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria to deepen community engagement and public sensitisation.
The meeting featured remarks from Prof. Usman Tar, Commissioner for Information of Borno State and chair of the Commissioners’ Forum. He affirmed the group’s commitment to a nonpartisan platform dedicated to promoting national unity, values, orientation, and integration across Nigeria’s diverse regions. Prof. Tar pledged the forum’s support for the Information Ministry’s campaigns, particularly for town hall meetings designed to foster public mobilisation and sensitisation.