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God bless whoever stole the budget-Etcetera writes….

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It is very hard to explain to a non-Nigerian abroad that Nigeria is a country of over 200 million people. He/she would wonder how a country of over 200 million citizens became so tamed to the point of stupidity — that a few individuals could keep millions of people locked in hell for over 20 years would have been termed impossible, but as the world has come to know, there’s nothing impossible in Nigeria. We hold the record of the most persevering people on earth. We have an unbelievable threshold for endurance.
One of the reasons why I think Nigeria may never recover from her present predicament is because as a people, Nigerians love poverty. This is the only country in the world where a politician steals money and the people provide tangible reasons why the politician is actually supposed to steal.
This is the only country in the world where it has become acceptable that whoever gets into government is advised to loot with impunity. Looting of government funds is now fashionably done on a turn-by-turn basis. Listening to Nigerians defend their kinsmen who have looted the country is very sad: Abi if you get there, you sef no go chop? Abeg leave my brother make him chop him own, after all when your brother dey there, himsef too chop. Life na turn by turn. This is the mentality of the average Nigerian on the street.
If not for our level of docility, our government wouldn’t have the effrontery to tell us that they spent millions of naira to open a Facebook account. The National Assembly wouldn’t embarrass us by asking the founders of Facebook down here to set up their Facebook accounts. A governor wouldn’t tell us he spent N72m of taxpayers’ money to build a personal website and still be made a minister of the federal republic in this current dispensation.
The hard and soft copies of the 2016 budget documents President Muhammadu Buhari handed over to the National Assembly on December 22, 2015 was declared missing a couple of days back and Nigerians have been screaming like banshees how the country had been placed at the forefront of ridicule, forgetting that we have been living in ridicule for ages. Is the shame of a missing budget more embarrassing than the content of the budget itself?
With all the fight against corruption, what has changed? Have the police stopped collecting money illegally on our streets? Has impunity stopped in our petrol stations where fuel is blatantly and flagrantly sold above the recommended price? Has the leadership of Nigeria stopped living in comfort while the people live in poverty? Must we continue funding 10 airplanes in the midst of gargantuan poverty? The exchange rate is at an unprecedented high of N305 to a dollar and the minimum wage of N18,000 is about $64 and this same government has been advising us on the need to be prudent in our spending while public officials have failed to reduce their level of comfort. Even the proposed 2016 budget submitted to the joint session of the National Assembly showed that Buhari himself failed to heed to his own advice of being prudent.
How do you consider the stealing of the proposed budget as an embarrassment when President Buhari and Vice-President Osinbajo will be spending N2.2bn on travels and transport, foodstuffs and catering materials, refreshment and meals as well as honorarium in the 2016 fiscal year? This is a figure that is N710m higher than what was budgeted for the same under the immediate past government in 2015. A further breakdown of the budget for the presidency also includes general renovation of the Guest House at N387m, complete furnishing of the Guest House at N45m, purchase of computers for N27.5m and the construction and provision of recreational facilities for N764m.
A sum of N3.6bn was budgeted for BMW saloon cars for principal officers and another N189m was allocated for tyres for operational vehicles in the presidency. What is more embarrassing to you? That over 300 girls were kidnapped and nothing has been done to bring them back? Is it not more embarrassing that our soldiers are being slaughtered by a bunch of untrained terrorists because of the corruption within the military hierarchy? Is it not more embarrassing that the PDP is already calling for the impeachment of the president just after nine months of assuming office?
Abeg abeg, May God bless whoever stole the budget. He/she is a patriot. I believe he/she, like everyone else in the country, must have lost hope in our useless National Assembly and can’t trust them to cut down the discrepancies in the budget.
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UPDATE: Oke-Ero DPM and Legal Officer Regain Freedom

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Good news from Oke-Ero Local Government: the Director of Personnel Management (DPM), Alhaji Musibau Amuda, and the Legal Officer, Barrister Omoladun Elizabeth Arinde, have safely returned after a period of absence.

In a statement released on behalf of the Executive Chairman, Hon. James Abiodun Fadipe — and obtained by Just Event Online TV — the Council expressed gratitude to Almighty God for their safe return in good health.

Hon. Fadipe described their return as “the Lord’s doing” and extended appreciation to the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, CON, and ALGON leadership for their support during the period.

The Council also thanked religious leaders, traditional rulers, security agencies, political leaders, party members, the DPM and LGT forums, and all well-wishers for their prayers and encouragement.

Reaffirming commitment to peace and development, Hon. Fadipe prayed for continued divine protection and progress for Oke-Ero.

“We remain committed to building a stronger, united, and progressive Oke-Ero,” the statement concluded.

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2027: Rivers PDP NASS Caucus Pledges Support for President Tinubu

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Members of the Rivers State caucus of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the National Assembly have formally declared their support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

The announcement was made in Port Harcourt on Saturday, through a statement read by Senator Barry Mpigi on behalf of the caucus. The statement was endorsed by all nine lawmakers — comprising two Senators and seven members of the House of Representatives.

The lawmakers cited the “visible successes” of the Tinubu administration as the reason for their endorsement.

Those who signed the statement include Senator Barry Mpigi, Senator Allwell Onyesoh, Rt. Hon. Dumnamene Dekor, Solomon Bob, Hon. Felix Nwaeke, Hon. Kelechi Nwogu, Cyril Hart, Victor Obuzor, and Blessing Amadi.

In their declaration, the caucus urged individuals considering a presidential run in 2027 to shelve their ambitions.

“We, the National Assembly members from Rivers State — Senators and Representatives — express our profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his trust and confidence in our leader, His Excellency Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, demonstrated through his appointment as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory,” the statement read.

“We are pleased with the President’s public commendation of the FCT Minister, whom he hailed as the ‘master of infrastructure’.”

The caucus emphasized that after thoroughly evaluating the President’s economic policies — formulated to revive Nigeria’s struggling economy under the Renewed Hope Agenda — they were convinced of the administration’s clear progress.

They highlighted the challenges Tinubu inherited on May 29, 2023, including a bloated debt profile, inflation exacerbated by the printing of N22.7 trillion through Ways and Means financing between 2015 and 2023, and critical infrastructure deficits undermining food production.

The lawmakers asserted that President Tinubu’s policies offer the best path toward social and economic recovery. They pointed to declining inflation rates, reductions in Nigeria’s foreign debt, and optimistic growth projections endorsed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as evidence of the administration’s progress.

The caucus also praised President Tinubu for his “swift” intervention in resolving the political crisis in Rivers State, noting that it has set a foundation for enduring peace.

“As members of the National Assembly from Rivers State, we unequivocally affirm our total commitment to supporting the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027,” the statement continued.

“As representatives closest to the people, we are set to embark on an even greater mobilisation drive than we did in 2023, to ensure President Tinubu’s return to office.”

The lawmakers concluded by calling on all Nigerians to rally behind the Renewed Hope Agenda, describing it as the surest path to the country’s prosperity. They also appealed to potential presidential aspirants to abandon their ambitions and unite behind President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.

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2027 Presidency: No Candidate Can Win Without Northern Support – Hakeem Baba-Ahmed

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Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, former Special Adviser on Political Matters to President Bola Tinubu, has emphasized that no presidential candidate can emerge victorious in the 2027 elections without the backing of the North.

Speaking on the political direction of the region, Baba-Ahmed stated, “In the next six months, the North will decide its stance. If the rest of the country aligns with us, great. If not, we’ll move forward on our own terms. One thing is certain — no one becomes Nigeria’s president without Northern support.”

He expressed deep concern about the nation’s current condition and called on Northerners to reject divisive and manipulative politicians ahead of the next general elections.

“We need a government that understands our challenges and is ready to fix them. After Buhari’s eight years, we became wiser. Now we are in a new administration, yet we’re still complaining. Is that all we do—cry?” he asked.

Recalling the impact of the Boko Haram crisis, Baba-Ahmed noted that it affected every Northern group — Muslims, Christians, Fulani, Baju, and others — and called for unity across the region.

“Before Buhari, Boko Haram was bombing mosques, churches, Abuja, and Lagos. That period demanded unity among Northerners. Today, no politician can just walk in and expect automatic Northern support. Who are you?” he asked pointedly.

He warned against further marginalization of the North, stressing that continuous neglect would not go unnoticed. “If the plan is to rig the elections, they should think again. It won’t end well for Nigeria. The North is paying attention. Elders, the masses, and interest groups are reaching their breaking point. The injustice must stop.”

Baba-Ahmed also encouraged Northerners to abandon identity-based politics, urging voters to prioritize competence and integrity.

“We’re done voting based on religion or ethnicity. That chapter is closed. All we want is the right leader — even if he drops from heaven — someone who will fix our problems,” he declared.

He concluded by affirming that the North had learned hard lessons from past choices and would approach the 2027 elections with greater discernment and resolve.

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