In a visit that brought the oil-rich Niger Delta state to a complete standstill, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu touched down in Bayelsa State on Friday for a high-profile one-day official visit, commissioning four landmark infrastructure projects, vowing to crush terrorism, and sparking fresh controversy with a remark urging Nigerians to be grateful they are not Kenyans.
Bayelsa's presidential visit was the only one out of a four-state presidential tour that led to the complete lockdown of the host state. The Bayelsa State Government declared Friday a work-free day and ordered the closure of markets, with Commissioner for Information Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai announcing the measures to allow workers and residents to participate in the programmes lined up for the one-day official visit.
Governor Douye Diri urged all Bayelsans to turn out en masse, calling on citizens to "accord the President the hospitality that we are known for," framing the visit as an opportunity to showcase the state's famed warmth to guests.
President Tinubu inaugurated 60-megawatt gas turbine plants at Elebele in Ogbia Local Government Area, alongside the 630-metre Angiama-Oporoma Bridge, the Sagbama/Ekeremor Road, and a 2.9-kilometre dual carriageway in Yenagoa, all implemented by the Governor Douye Diri-led administration.
The bridge holds special emotional weight for the region. Governor Diri described it as a historic milestone for the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, noting that for over 60 years, people in Southern Ijaw had no road access to Yenagoa, a reality the bridge has now changed.
Tinubu called the 60-megawatt gas-fired Independent Power Plant a "critical intervention" for economic growth, jobs, and living standards, and toured the turbines, transformers, and systems to check their readiness.
The most controversial moment of the visit came when President Tinubu addressed the widespread economic hardship facing Nigerians, particularly around soaring fuel prices.
During his speech, Tinubu said: "It is very important that we are honest with our people. Yes, I hear you from various angles of the economy. The fuel price is biting hard, but look around, let us thank God together, that you are better off. Listen to them in Kenya and other African countries and what they are going through. We will not look back. We will continue to find ways to ameliorate the suffering of the vulnerable."
The comparison comes weeks after pump prices climbed to N1,300 per litre, largely driven by the US-Israeli military action against Iran which blocked the Strait of Hormuz and rattled global oil markets. Upon assuming office nearly three years ago, Tinubu removed the petrol subsidy on his first day in office, a decision that triggered a cascading surge in fuel prices and transport costs that has since compressed household incomes across the country.
Checks showed that fuel prices in Kenya as of April 2026 stood at $1.37 per litre, equivalent to around N1,862, making Nigeria's prices comparatively lower, though many Nigerians pushed back on the comparison given that Nigeria is a major oil-producing nation.
The remarks drew immediate backlash online, with many Nigerians questioning why an oil-producing country should be compared unfavourably to non-oil-producing neighbours. One commenter wrote: "So sad Tinubu is using downward social comparison to describe Nigeria's present situation. As a visionary leader, your goal is to look for solutions for the problems your people are facing, not comparing them to others."
Speaking while commissioning the key projects, Tinubu declared that his government would continue to equip and train security personnel to confront insurgency and other violent threats: "We will continue to equip and train our men and women of the armed forces. We will defeat terrorism and banditry," underscoring what he described as a non-negotiable commitment to national security.
Governor Diri commended the President for the visit: "Your administration's decisive policy interventions have paved the way for meaningful reforms in various sectors including power. For us as a state, this is not just an achievement, it is a cause for thanksgiving and rejoicing."
In a lighthearted exchange, Tinubu pushed back on the governor's bid to have a state-built road reclassified as a federal road to attract reimbursement from the Federal Government. "When we met in my office, you were asking for this exception and that waiver and everything. Now you want reimbursement. It's now Federal Road. I will take it with me," he quipped.
The event drew former President Goodluck Jonathan and wife Patience, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and several state governors including Hope Uzodinma of Imo, Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, and Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State.
Adding yet another dramatic note to the day, personnel of the Nigerian military were seen engaging in a free-for-all in Bayelsa during the President's visit, with a soldier bearing a rifle throwing a punch at a Naval Police driver, triggering a broader brawl while stunned civilians watched in disbelief.
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