Tinubu aware of food prices – Presidential aide

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement, North-Central, Dr Abiodun Essiet, has said President Bola Tinubu is fully aware of the prices of everyday food items such as eggs and bread, dismissing the notion that only journalists understand the hardship ordinary Nigerians face.

Essiet, who doubles as the presidency’s representative for the North Central Citizens’ Assembly, made the remarks while speaking to State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday.

She argued, “I don’t feel it’s only media people who understand what the people are facing. Some of the reality of what our people are facing is what we are communicating to Mr President.

“I usually tell people, you think Mr President doesn’t know the price of egg or bread in the market? He does, because we brief him regularly, and so do members of the Federal Executive Council.”

She said infrastructure remained central to the administration’s development push, citing the reaction she got from residents when she visited a section of the Mokwa-Bida road in Niger State.

“Yes, infrastructure is the bedrock of any development. When we went to the Mokwa-Bida road, come and see the crowd, because that is the road that people have been calling for Mr President to address.

“The last time that road was given out on contract was 46 years ago. So tell me if that is not the wish of the people.

Do you know how many people have died trying to manoeuvre that road? Trailers have had accidents trying to manoeuvre that road,” the aide added.

She said the President had directed that the road be reconstructed with reinforced concrete rather than ordinary asphalt, to guarantee durability.

“Mr President said they should award the contract and make sure that the contract will be reinforced concrete, not just asphalt,” she stated.

On October 19, Vice President Kashim Shettima had promised that food prices would fall in the coming weeks as the administration responds to agricultural challenges.

Shettima spoke at a forum titled ‘Together till 2027: An Evening with Original City Boy’, organised by the City Boy Movement in conjunction with the Relax-Tinubu-Is-Fixing-Nigeria movement, both of which are backing the President’s reelection in the January 2027 elections.

Essiet was appointed Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement for the North Central region in 2024.