•Idris, Umahi debunk London media briefing
From Adetutu Folasade-Koyi, Abuja
The Federal Government has said that all ministers in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration would give account of their stewardship, even after government’s May 29, 2025 anniversary.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this during the 2025 ministerial scorecard press conference in Abuja, yesterday.
Ministers of Works (Senator David Umahi), Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy (Hannatu Musawa) as well as Water Resources and Sanitation (Professor Joseph Utsev) also briefed the media.
This was just as Idris dismissed media reports that the Ministerial Press Briefing Session has been relocated from Abuja to London.
The minister made the clarification in his opening remarks at the press briefing held at the National Press Centre in Abuja, yesterday.
Idris said: “Let me emphasise, once again, that the series will continue right up to the May 29 Democracy Day celebrations, and beyond, until every ministry has featured. This is part of our ongoing effort to deepen transparency and foster a more informed and engaged citizenry.
“If you think that the ministerial press briefing, for those who are already making the insinuation, that it’s being moved outside this country, it is false. The platform that the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation is providing, is what is happening here in the country,” he said.
Similarly, Umahi, who was falsely reported to be among the ministers scheduled to unveil President Tinubu’s achievements at a press briefing in London, affirmed his colleague’s position and insisted that the report is false.
Idris commended the performance of the economy and noted that a marked improvement reflected in the gradual decline of the country’s inflation rate, as reported by the National Bureau of Statistics.
“According to the report, the headline inflation rate for April stood at 23.71%, representing a decrease of 0.52% from the 24.23% recorded in March 2025. Similarly, month-on-month, inflation dropped by a notable 2.04%, from 3.90% in March to 1.86% in April.
“This has not happened by chance. The President’s focused interventions are clearly paying off. The benefits of reform, though gradual, are real and measurable,” he said.
He stated that one of the major drivers of inflation – food prices – has been brought under control through President Tinubu’s significant interventions, leading to a noticeable reduction in the cost of food items.
“The year-on-year food inflation rate eased to 21.26% in April. On a month-on-month basis, it slowed to 2.06%, down from 2.18% in March. This positive movement has largely been driven by price reductions in staple items such as maize flour, wheat grain, yam flour, okro, soya beans, rice, and beans,” he stated.