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Tag: Olusegun Obasanjo

  • I heard it from the horse’s mouth – Obasanjo makes shocking revelation on lawmakers who received dollar bribe to support Rivers emergency rule

    I heard it from the horse’s mouth – Obasanjo makes shocking revelation on lawmakers who received dollar bribe to support Rivers emergency rule

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has alleged that some members of the National Assembly received bribes to support the declaration of the State of Emergency imposed on Rivers State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    TheNewsGuru reports that Obasanjo made the revelation in a video that surfaced on social media. TNG had earlier reported that both the Senate and the House of Representatives endorsed the emergency rule in Rivers State and the six months suspension slammed on Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

    Speaking about the controversy that cash payments were made to lawmakers to secure support for the emergency declaration, Obasanjo was seen countering House of Representatives member, Ikenga Ugochinyere, who denied claims, describing it as false.

    “Nobody gave anyone $200,000. That is just what I want to correct,” he said.

    Insisting, the former president said he has direct knowledge of the payments. He claimed that those who got the money told him about it.

    He said, “You can say anything. I heard it from the horse’s mouth. You can deny it, that is alright, but I heard it from those who got it and told me that they got it. If you didn’t get it, then maybe your case is different. Don’t tell me what I know. Most of your members who got it told me that they got it.”

    This allegation follows an earlier denial by the Chairman of the House Committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mukhtar Betara.

  • What OBJ told IBB at his book launch

    What OBJ told IBB at his book launch

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says former Military Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), has contributed to preserving history with the launch of his book.

    Obasanjo made this remark at the unveiling of Babangida’s book, “A Journey in Service,” and the launch of his presidential library.

    He, however, noted that Babangida should expect a mix of positive, negative, and critical reactions to the book from the public.

    “You have not only contributed to history, you have contributed to documenting history.

    “It is an important part of our nation building to keep accurate records, please don’t be unduly worried about critics and put him down syndrome.

    “It may even be an indication of success, but take note of objective criticism. A chronic critic of mine, late Tunji Braithwhite, may his soul rest in perfect peace, condemned my book.

    “And when asked if he had read it, he answered in the negative, he said he had not read it, saying once the writer is Obasanjo it must be condemned,” the former president recalled.

    In his book, Babangida admitted for the first time that Chief MKO Abiola won the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election, 32 years ago.

    The former military president made this revelation through the book reviewer, former Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

    He stated that the late MKO Abiola, who contested the election under the Social Democratic Party (SDP), secured the majority of votes cast.

    He also noted that Abiola, a philanthropist and business magnate, achieved the required geographical spread to be declared president.

    The former military president described the June 12 presidential election annulment as the most challenging aspect of his life.

    “There was no doubt in my mind; MKO Abiola won the election. He satisfied all the requirements,” Babangida said.

    He, however, said that he was happy that President Muhammadu Buhari acknowledged that Abiola won the election and honoured him with the greatest national title of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) , reserved only for presidents.

    Babangida said he was in Katsina State when the annulment of the election was announced by the Press Secretary of his second-in-command without his knowledge or permission.

    He revealed that he later discovered that the opposition to the June 12 election was led by Gen. Sani Abacha, his Chief of Defence Staff, who later became the military Head of State.

    Amid the ensuing crisis, Babangida stepped down as president in August 1993 and installed an Interim National Government led by Chief Ernest Shonekan, whom Abacha ousted in November 1993.

    Abacha later detained Abiola after he declared himself president.

    Babangida, who announced the annulment of the election in a national broadcast on June 24, 1993, stated that Abacha had become a dominant force in a “factionalised” military, making it difficult to remove him after stepping down from power.

    The event was attended by former presidents, including Gen. Yakubu Godwin, Abdulsalami Abubakar, bank executives, traditional rulers and military chiefs and members of the Diplomatic Corps.

  • Obasanjo, Atiku opens up on Pa Adebanjo’s death

    Obasanjo, Atiku opens up on Pa Adebanjo’s death

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has described the late Afenifere stalwart, Ayo Adebanjo, as a great man, a committed nationalist, and an unpretentious personality.

    The elder statesman passed away on Friday in his home, Lekki, Lagos State, at the age of 96.

    In a tribute signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo said the news of Adebanjo’s passing came as a shock.

    “His passing is a huge loss to me, Ogun, and the entire country.

    “I received the sad news with a deep sense of personal loss in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where I am attending the 38th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly.

    “The news was shocking because when I visited him on Feb. 3 at his Lekki residence, I did not foresee his demise so soon.

    “Adebanjo had a highly successful career and selflessly served his community, state, and nation. As a foundation member of the Action Group party, he will be remembered as a patriot,” Obasanjo said.

    According to him, the late nationalist was an exemplary politician of integrity who demonstrated that politics should be about service, not personal enrichment.

    The former president recalled that, during his tenure from 1999 to 2007, he and Adebanjo occasionally disagreed but remained committed to regenerating and repositioning Nigeria.

    “He was unpretentious. His thoughts, words, and actions were free of political bias. He had friends across the country and lived a life of remarkable experiences.

    “He fought courageously for Nigeria’s restructuring, believing in governance based on democracy, justice, equity, stability, and national unity.

    “It is unfortunate that he did not live to see this dream fulfilled. His contributions to strengthening our democracy will be missed by the entire nation,” Obasanjo stressed.

    Obasanjo extended his condolences to Adebanjo’s immediate and extended family on their painful loss.

    “We pray that God grants them, and all of us—his friends and admirers—the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.

    “I will deeply miss my beloved friend. I cherish our remarkable memories together and hold onto the hope that we will meet again,” he said.

    Adebanjo fearless freedom fighter, foremost elder statesman – Atiku

    Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has described the late Leader of Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, as a freedom fighter, foremost elder statesman and one of Nigeria’s few remaining nationalists.

    Abubakar, in a statement on Friday in Abuja, said that the late Afenifere leader was a formidable force and fearless fighter for justice, equity and an egalitarian society.

    He recalled the heroic role which Adebanjo played in wresting power from the military and enthroning democratic governance in Nigeria.

    He said that Pa Adebanjo was at the forefront of the fight against military dictatorship.

    “It is on record that Pa Adebanjo spent his entire youthful days fighting against colonial rule; spent his middle age to fight against military dictatorship and his latter days to ensure that good governance, rule of law and democracy took firm roots in Nigeria.

    “I wish to state without equivocation that Pa Adebanjo was a golden example of how to live and die for the good of the country.

    “Apart from mentoring many generations of civil rights activists across different generations, Pa Adebanjo was an activist extraordinaire and bridge builder who led the battle against injustice and oppression from the trenches.

    “Undoubtedly, the life and times of Adebanjo remain a priceless map for contemporary and upcoming activists who advocate for good governance to learn and take a cue from.

    “He taught all of us how to be statesmen of distinction,” he said.

    Abubakar condoled with the Adebanjo family, admonishing them to take solace in the fact that their patriarch was a father to the whole country and pride to the Black race.

    He also commiserated with the people and government of Ogun and prayed for the peaceful repose of the soul of the deceased.

  • Why I visited Obasanjo – Atiku speaks

    Why I visited Obasanjo – Atiku speaks

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has disclosed the reason behind his visit to former President Olusegun Obasanjo at his residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

    TheNewsGuru reported that ex–Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Monday led a delegation to meet with his former principal, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    The former vice president was accompanied by former Governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke and Senator Aminu Tambuwal who is a former governor of Sokoto State and Ex-Speaker of HoR.

    Emerging from the meeting around 2:17 p.m., the presidential candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections, told journalists that his visit was merely a courtesy call to his former boss and that politics was not discussed.

    When asked whether the meeting was linked to his 2027 presidential ambition, he responded, “I am here on a courtesy call. I am not here to talk politics.”

  • “I sent my first daughter back home for resuming work late – Obasanjo

    “I sent my first daughter back home for resuming work late – Obasanjo

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has narrated how he fired his first daughter for coming to work late.

    Obasanjo revealed this while receiving the new Chairman of the Board of Management of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, Dr. Dayo Israel, at his Penthouse residence within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library complex in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

    He said: “Shortly after I left office as Head of State, my first daughter, who was then studying Veterinary Medicine at the University of Ibadan, joined my farm for practical experience during a long vacation.

    “On her first day, she arrived at 7:15 a.m. instead of the usual 7:00 a.m. I warned her about the need to set a good example for other workers.

    “To my amazement, she was late again the following day. I did not hesitate to send her back right from the gate.

    “This had a significant impact on my employees, who said, ‘If Baba could do this to his daughter, who are we?’”

    Obasanjo charged his visitor to not be afraid to step on toes in the discharge of his duties.

  • Obasanjo holds funeral service for Jimmy Carter in Abeokuta, lists similarities shared with ex-U.S. President

    Obasanjo holds funeral service for Jimmy Carter in Abeokuta, lists similarities shared with ex-U.S. President

    Former Nigeria’s President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, on Sunday listed some similarities he shared with the late Jimmy Carter, a former American President.

    Obasanjo listed the similarities at a funeral service he organised in the memory of Carter at the Chapel of Christ the Glorious King in Abeokuta.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the funeral service was attended by the former President, his family members, friends, and associates.

    Recall that Carter died on December 29, 2024, at the age of 100. He served as the 39th President of the United States of America from 1977 to 1981.

    Obasanjo explained that the service was in memory of the life and times of Carter and his selfless service to humanity through his ‘Carter Centre’.

    In his tribute, titled ‘Jimmy Carter: The Departure Of A Titan’, Obasanjo said he shared a lot in common with the late American President.

    “In terms of early life background, I shared similarity with President Jimmy Carter. He was born into a farming family in Plains, Georgia, and I was born into a farming family in the rural village of Ibogun-Olaogun in Ogun.

    “He grew up under parents who were disciplinarians, who instilled in him the essence of discipline, morality, hard work, integrity, kindness and humility, compassion for the poor and strong belief in God.

    ”My parents inculcated similar attributes in me as I was growing up in a rural area that had no pipe water, no electricity just as it was in Plains, Georgia, while Carter was growing there.

    “He beat me, though, in one respect, there was a road to his settlement, there was no road to my village. We walked to every place or, at best, we were carried on bicycles.

    “President Carter had a military background which I had and, in fact, we met when I was a military Head of State. But if not that we were both in politics, our paths may not have crossed,” he said.

    Obasanjo said he would miss Carter, “a great and true friend but I know we shall meet again in paradise.”

    The former Nigerian leader explained that he held a service in memory of Carter, who lived and died almost 5,000 miles away, because the late American President was a great world leader.

    According to him, Carter was a righteous man whose righteousness spread over the whole world.

    “He was a lover of humanity, a man of God; and he was a great and true friend of mine,” Obasanjo stated.

    Obasanjo also recalled how Carter stuck out his neck to save his life by seeking his release from prison under the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha.

    In his sermon, the President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, Rev. Israel Akanji, said the late American President did not allow his humble background to leave him till he died.

    Akanji described Carter as a compassionate person, who believed in the philosophy of ‘What is mine is yours if you need’.

    He called on leaders to be compassionate and not to fold their arms and feel unconcerned about welfare of the people.

  • OBJ versus NNPCL: When will the ding-dong end? – By Taiwo Adisa

    OBJ versus NNPCL: When will the ding-dong end? – By Taiwo Adisa

    By Taiwo Adisa

    I expected former President Olusegun Obasanjo to fire back at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) immediately after it announced the revival of the old Port Harcourt refinery on November 26, 2024. In several interviews before that announcement, the former president had emphatically stated that the refineries cannot work anymore. He had backed up his declarations with his experience while in government, which made him decide to sell the carcasses to a team put together by businessman Aliko Dangote at the cost of $750 million. The former President said he had invited Shell to take over the refineries, and the excuses given by the multinational company convinced him that the refineries were as good as dead. His successor, late President Umaru Yar’Adua reversed the sale under pressure from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). He refunded the amount paid by the Dangote team. With that decision, Nigeria had to go through seasons of anomie at the petroleum supply front as the refineries completely packed up.

    Huge subsidies took over the scene, the NNPC and its cohorts took advantage, contractors fleeced the country of hard-earned money through endless Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) projects and the cycle of mystery expanded to a huge gulf. It was a journey that took nearly 20 years, following the total collapse of the four Nigerian refineries in Warri, Port Harcourt, and Kaduna around 2007. It was a journey that practically derailed the Nigerian economy and returned it to a debtor nation after the administration of President Obasanjo had in 2006 redressed that status by securing debt relief and paying off a chunk of the foreign debt. It was equally a journey that stressed Nigerians physically and emotionally, as the citizens went through the excruciating fuel supply crisis with deaths and untold disasters on the tow.

    While it would be difficult to put figures to the exact cost Nigeria and Nigerians sustained while the refineries went moribund, it would just be safe to stick by the figures provided by the House of Representatives which said in 2023 that Nigeria had spent $25 billion fixing the refineries in the past 10 years. There were also claims that the process that started in 2021 had gulped about $3 billion. Such funds are aside from the annual salaries, allowances, pensions, and gratuities paid to workers who were left redundant in those refineries and who probably had to earn promotions, and embark on local and foreign training and tours amidst other duties!

    At the time death snatched Yar’Adua from the stage, the nation was paying about N200 billion in subsidy. I recall that President Goodluck Jonathan, in 2012 originally budgeted the sum of N280 billion to cover subsidies but when it was obvious that the country would overshoot that figure, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, then a floor member in the senate, raised a motion to task the government on the plan to spend more than the budgeted funds. President Jonathan had earlier that year attempted to end the subsidy regime, which his administration claimed would free at least N1.5 trillion into the public purse. The projection was that infrastructure and social welfare would benefit tremendously, but the political opposition stalled that bid by arranging a series of street protests that engulfed many states.

    However, when President Muhammadu Buhari took over on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the same leaders who had branded subsidy payment a scam jumped the bill from what Jonathan projected at N1.5 trillion to about N11 trillion. The NNPC and Buhari not only paid subsidies, but they also embarked on future oil sales as the administration resorted to resource-denominated loans and all manners of shenanigans that mortgaged the crude that was still hundreds of metres below the sea, thus throwing the nation into a huge economic mess. Even when President Bola Tinubu claimed to have removed the subsidy on May 29, 2023, there were reports the nation still paid close to N5 trillion.

    So, when NNPCL announced it was breaking the ice of inefficiency by bringing back the 60,000 barrels per day capacity old Port Harcourt refinery, only its officials were excited. It had to arrange visits of different groups to convince Nigerians. In the last days of December 2024, it also announced the return to life of Warri Refinery. Despite that, the words of President Obasanjo that the refineries may never work again continued to haunt the company. I have also been part of tours of the refineries in Port Harcourt between 2012 and 2013, when the then General Managers gave assurances that everything was set to bring back the refineries in 2014. But no one heard anything positive again as power changed hands in 2015. We were only told the government had awarded another TAM in 2021.

    It was obvious that officials of the NNPCL have been upbeat since the return of the 60,000 Port Harcourt refinery in November 2024. It was like the hunter who had taken the head of a lion. One the Igbos will call Ogbuagwu. However, the skepticism has continued to grow because the effects are not seen on the streets. The back and forth around the revived Port Harcourt refinery did not also help the cause of the NNPCL. One day, it claimed to have started operations, the following day, the machines were undergoing recalibration, so the long file behind Obasanjo’s affirmation ‘Can anything good come from Nazareth’ was getting longer, and yours truly was one of them.

    The former president did not disappoint when he granted an interview last week and doubted the workability of the revived refineries. Obasanjo told his interviewer: “So if anybody tells you now that they (the refineries) are working, why are they not with Aliko (on the streets)? And Aliko will make his own refinery work. Not only make it work, he will make it deliver.

    “Whether we announce our own government refineries are working or not working, look, it is like they say in Yoruba adage, ‘the man who plants 100 heaps of yams and says he has planted 200 heaps, they say after he has harvested 100 heaps of yam, he will also harvest 100 heaps of lies.”

    The NNPCL has, however, challenged Obasanjo to join it on a tour of the refineries to see the reformation it has been able to effect. The company’s spokesman, Olufemi Soneye, said that the NNPC now has a business model that has made it a profitable organisation.

    He said: “We hold President Olusegun Obasanjo in the highest regard as a respected statesman who has made significant contributions to the growth and progress of Nigeria. His dedication to national development and his right to speak on matters of national importance are both deeply respected.

    “In response to his recent comments, we would like to respectfully highlight the remarkable transformation of the NNPC. Today, NNPC has evolved into NNPC Limited, a private entity that has transitioned from being a loss-making organisation to becoming a profit-oriented global energy leader.

    “Under this new model, NNPC Limited has expanded beyond oil and gas to become an integrated energy company. Our focus is not only on harnessing traditional resources but also on developing cleaner, cheaper, and sustainable energy solutions to meet Nigeria’s growing demands.”

    While we wait to see whether President Obasanjo would take up the challenge to embark on a tour of the refineries, the words of the elder statesman will not stop ringing in the ears-a farmer who plants 100 heaps of yam but claims to have planted 200 heaps, will, after harvesting the 100 heaps of yam, also harvest 100 heaps of lies!

    The NNPCL, according to Soneye, said it has returned to the path of profitability. But President Bola Tinubu just told the nation weeks ago that he has been meeting his obligations without recourse to the NNPCL and ‘Ways and Means’. So if the NNPCL’s profits are not contributing to the nation’s wealth, where is the evidence of that profitability? Are we not being returned to Obasanjo’s proverbial farmer, who will have to harvest his 100 heaps of lies? Or is NNPCL’s money toxic, or is it like the gifts by Esu Odara in Yoruba tradition, which gives to the adherents with the right hand and takes back in multiples with the left?

    Only a move away from the usually opaque operational system of the oil giant, NNPC, with or without the ‘L’ can solve that riddle.

  • Peter Obi meets Obasanjo, shortly after visiting IBB, Goodluck Jonathan

    Peter Obi meets Obasanjo, shortly after visiting IBB, Goodluck Jonathan

    The Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has paid a visit to former president Olusegun Obasanjo.

    TheNewsGuru reports that the former Anambra governor’s visit to Obasanjo comes shortly after he had paid a recent visit to former Military Head of State, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida and former President, Goodluck Jonathan.

    Speaking about his visits, Obi said it was to felicitate with them on the New Year and exchange thoughts on national issues.

    He further described the former Nigerian leader, Obasanjo , as one of the leaders under whom the nation saw tremendous growth.

    “President Obasanjo remains one of the leaders under whom our nation saw tremendous growth. To date, he continues to add his voice of wisdom to solving the many challenges facing us as a nation. I wish him and his family abundant health and happiness in the new year and beyond as he continues to contribute to our national development,” he said.

    Peter obi also commended former president, Goodluck Jonathan saying, “President Jonathan’s patriotic approach to national issues remain admirable.”

    “The former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, at his residence in Minna, Niger State. The visit was an opportunity to wish him a happy New Year and to exchange thoughts on national issues.

    “General Babangida’s wisdom and perspectives remain very important and I always deeply appreciate the chance to visit him and listen to his invaluable advise and words of wisdom,” Obi said on his visit to Babangida.

  • NNPC invites Obasanjo to tour Warri, Kaduna refineries

    NNPC invites Obasanjo to tour Warri, Kaduna refineries

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) Limited has invited former President Olusegun Obasanjo to visit the rehabilitated refineries and witness firsthand the progress made so far.

    The Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Limited, Olufemi Soneye extended the invitation on Thursday while responding to Obasanjo’s comments on the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.

    The former president had earlier expressed doubts about the operational status of the rehabilitated 60,000 bpd Port Harcourt refinery and Warri refinery.

    Obasanjo had said that the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) advised against the Port Harcourt Refinery’s viability due to corruption, and alleged that the NNPC Ltd. misled Nigerians by claiming that its refineries are operational.

    Reacting, Soneye said that a notable achievement of the NNPC Ltd. was the overhauling of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, while similar efforts were underway at the second Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries.

    He said the NNPC Ltd was committed to enhance and maintain the refineries to global standards for sustainable operations.

    The company said the rehabilitation done at the 60,000 bpd Port Harcourt Refinery and Warri Refinery was not the typical Turnaround Maintenance (TAM) of the past, but a comprehensive overhaul, designed to meet global standards.

    Soneye, however, invited the former President to visit the rehabilitated refineries and witness firsthand the progress made under the leadership of NNPC Limited.

    “We extend an invitation to our esteemed former president to join us in this historic journey. His wisdom and experience are invaluable, and we deeply appreciate his insights and guidance, which will always be welcomed and cherished.

    “We hold President Olusegun Obasanjo in the highest regard as a respected statesman who has made significant contributions to the growth and progress of Nigeria. His dedication to national development and his right to speak on matters of national importance are both deeply respected,” he said.

    Highlighting NNPC’s transformation, Soneye said that it had evolved into NNPC Limited, a private entity that transitioned from being a loss-making organisation to a profit-oriented global energy leader.

    Under this new model, he said the NNPC Limited had expanded beyond oil and gas to become an integrated energy company.

    “Our focus is not only on harnessing traditional resources but also on developing cleaner, cheaper, and sustainable energy solutions to meet Nigeria’s growing demands.

    “This progress has been driven by the visionary leadership of the NNPC Limited board and the management team led by GCEO Mele Kyari, alongside President Bola Tinubu’s transformative policies in the energy sector,” he said.

  • Jimmy Carter was a great leader by any standard, understood humility – Obasanjo

    Jimmy Carter was a great leader by any standard, understood humility – Obasanjo

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has described the late President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, as a man who was a great leader by any standard.

    The former Nigerian leader, in an interview with Arise TV on Monday, hailed the former US president devotion to freedom, civil rights and democracy while upholding justice.

    Obasanjo noted that Carter was a humble man, saying “He was a great leader by any standard. Humility, his own was all written around him. When he left government, I was on the board of trustees of Ford Foundation, and Ford Foundation had to send us together on an errand. Ford Foundation policy was that up to a certain distance, we will only go by business class. President Carter, as retired President of America, did not insist that we will go by first class. We were together in business class.

    “After he left government, he devoted his life to humanitarian affairs, civil rights, and western liberal democracy, and he was persistent on that. And I believe Jimmy Carter is what I call the Symbol of Power, not the bully that people bring that to mean nowadays,” he stated.

    According to Obasanjo, Carter was the only 39th President of the US understood the war between Israel and Palestine.

    Obasanjo stated that Carter was instrumental in ending the Israel-Egypt feud. He commended his diplomatic capacity in addressing economic and political issues in America and the world.

    “Jimmy Carter, as I have said, was a man who understands power, but he also understands that the duty of power is rarely not in using it but in understanding it.

    “The power lies in people knowing it is there and you not using it. Don’t use a hammer to kill an ant, and that is what you see in President Crater. He was humble with power, and he knew how to use power. Bringing Israel and Egypt together was one great achievement in his legacy. And when you read the book that Jimmy Carter wrote on the Palestinian-Israeli problem, he understood the problem. He understood the genesis, and he prescribed what I will call equitable solution, and that is one thing any leader should do. You don’t jump into problems without understanding it, without knowing it.

    “There are many ways by which you can kill a chicken, but what is the best way? And that is one good lesson we should learn from President Carter and his legacy,” he said.