Former Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, has drawn a comparison between former President Goodluck Jonathan and President Bola Tinubu’s approach to subsidy removal.

Naija News reports that Fayemi, while speaking at the Oxford Global Think Tank Leadership Conference held on Tuesday in Abuja, reflected on Nigeria’s economic policies, leadership values, and the courage needed to make tough governance decisions.

Fayemi blamed Jonathan for lacking the courage to implement the removal of the fuel subsidy during his administration, despite having the support of key stakeholders at the time.

He revealed that, contrary to public perception, many governors under Jonathan’s administration, including himself, supported the removal of fuel subsidy, even though the then-opposition party, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), opposed it politically.

Fayemi criticized Jonathan for bowing to political pressure instead of standing firm on what he believed was an economically sound policy.

In contrast to Jonathan, Fayemi commended Tinubu for showing decisive leadership by ending the fuel subsidy from the first day of his administration, despite the economic and political backlash that followed.

He said, “When we’re talking about 2012 Occupy Nigeria and the opposition to President Jonathan, the truth of the matter was that the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, of which I was a member, were the major advocates for subsidy removal.

“Yes, my party, the Action Congress of Nigeria at the time, did not support subsidy removal. In fact, I and Oshiomhole were active promoters of it in all the town hall meetings that were held at the time.”

“I think when people want to blame the opposition for not lining up behind President Jonathan, there’s something to be said for President Jonathan lacking the conviction to go ahead to do what he believed in and ensure that subsidy is removed.

“What did President Tinubu do? He came in and said subsidy is gone from day one. He could have opted out of it, especially when the pressure started mounting in the first month and prices began to rise. But he stayed on course and that is the courage we must commend him for.”

However, Fayemi cautioned that while policy courage is important, managing the aftermath of such bold economic decisions is equally critical.

He added, “The devil is always in the detail. What comes after is how you manage it so that the population does not feel a sense of loss, as they are feeling at this particular point in time.”

Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka on Tuesday revealed that the United States of America has revoked his visa, preventing him from entering the country for now.

Soyinka made the disclosure during a media briefing at Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos Island, stating that he was unaware of any wrongdoing that might have led to the revocation.

“It is necessary for me to hold this conference so that those in the United States expecting me for events do not waste their time. I have no visa; I am banned, obviously, from the United States. And if you want to see me, you know where to find me,” he told journalists.

The reason for the visa revocation remains unclear. Soyinka said he was still in the dark about the decision. The US Consulate reportedly informed him of the revocation in a letter dated 23 October 2025.

“This letter serves as official notification by the United States Consulate General in Lagos that the nonimmigrant visa listed below has been revoked pursuant to the authority contained in U.S. Department of State regulations,” the letter from the NIV Section of the Consulate, shown to reporters by Soyinka, read.

Expressing confusion over the development, Soyinka said: “I’m still reviewing my past history. I have no criminal record, felony, or misdemeanour that would justify this revocation.

“I’ve started reflecting—have I ever misbehaved toward the United States? Do I have a history? Have I ever gone against the law anywhere?”

He further stated that, This is not a personal matter. Initially, I suspected the letter might be a scam, perhaps part of an advance-fee fraud targeting visa applicants.

“Only after verifying its authenticity did I consider it genuine. My relationship with US ambassadors, consuls general, and cultural attachés has always been courteous, making this development all the more puzzling,” he said

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No fewer than 12 people have lost their lives in a ghastly motor accident involving a Kano Line passenger bus and a tanker near Darki town in Wudil Local Government Area of Kano State.

Naija News learnt that the tragic incident occurred on Monday, October 27, along the busy Kano–Gombe Road, throwing the state into mourning.

It was reported that the crash happened when a tanker driver, reportedly engaged in a road construction project, made a sudden turn in the middle of the highway.

The Kano-bound passenger bus, unable to avoid the obstruction, rammed into the tanker, leading to multiple fatalities on the spot.

The Director of Kano Line, Alhaji Sa’idu Abdullahi Shu’aibu, confirmed the accident in a statement made available to newsmen, disclosing that the bus was carrying 16 passengers.

“Out of the 16 passengers on board, 12 reportedly died instantly, including two of our drivers, Alhaji Sabo and Alhaji Dan Azumi,” Shu’aibu said.

He added that five others, four women and one man, sustained severe injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital for urgent medical care.

Describing the incident as a huge loss, Shu’aibu extended condolences to the bereaved families and to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State.

“We are heartbroken by this unfortunate accident. Our prayers are with the victims’ families. May Almighty Allah grant the deceased eternal rest and quick recovery to the injured,” he stated.

The Kano Line boss called for stricter safety measures on highways, particularly around road construction sites.

He stressed the need for improved traffic regulation and driver awareness to prevent avoidable tragedies.

Authorities have since launched an investigation into the cause of the crash to establish liability and forestall future occurrences.