President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has brought up the “Half Salary” nickname associated with former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

Tinubu made the remark on Thursday, August 20, 2026 while receiving Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke at the Presidential Villa in Abuja after he won the August 15 governorship election.

Tinubu revived the nickname while criticising former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s proposal to restore fuel subsidy if elected president in 2027.

“I saw one of my opponents (Atiku Abubakar) now say he will go back to subsidy. I read it,” Tinubu said.

“That is a demonstration of a serious ignorance on governance and economy. Before I came here, 27 states were unable to pay salaries, not to even talk of pensioners, salary of workers.

"In your state, I know a man that I raised who is nicknamed half salary,” the president said.

Aregbesola, a former close ally of Tinubu, who is now a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), became associated with the “Half Salary” label during his tenure after the Osun government faced difficulties paying full salaries to civil servants.