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I Never Promised to Pay N5000 to Unemployed Graduates-Buhari

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President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said he never at any point during his 2015 presidential campaign made a promise to pay N5,000 monthly stipend to unemployed graduates in the country. The president who spoke through the media aide to the Vice President, Mr Laolu Akande also said;

 “The budget for 2016 which has been submitted to the National Assembly has made an allocation of half a trillion naira, the first time in the history of this country’s budget where you have that huge chunk of money allocated for social investment. In that 500 billion which is half a trillion naira, close to about 20 per cent of the entire budget, there are six social safety net programmes. And one of them is the conditional cash transfer where government is going to pay N5,000 monthly to the vulnerable and extremely poor Nigerians. That promise stands.
“The president never promised to pay unemployed graduates N5,000; the president never made that promise and the government never made that claim that it will pay N5,000 to unemployed graduates. The programme for unemployed graduates is the direct creation of half a million teaching jobs so that they will be trained; 500,000 unemployed graduates will be trained to teach and they will be deployed to teach, while they are looking for their career paths or jobs. That still stands!
“In addition to that, there is also a scheme to train 370,000 non-graduate youth for skill acquisition and vocational training. During the time of that training, they will also be paid.
“So the president did not say he would be giving unemployed graduates N5,000. The N5,000 monthly which is already in the budget is for the vulnerable Nigerians and the extremely poor, and this year by the grace of God, once the budget is okay , one million extremely poor Nigerians will receive N5,000 monthly.”
“The budget for 2016 which has been submitted to the National Assembly has made an allocation of half a trillion naira, the first time in the history of this country’s budget where you have that huge chunk of money allocated for social investment. There are six social safety net programmes. One of them is the conditional cash transfer where government is going to pay N5, 000 monthly to the vulnerable and extremely poor Nigerians. That promise stands. “The President never promised to pay unemployed graduates N5, 000; the President never made that promise and the government never made that claim that it will pay N5, 000 to unemployed graduates. The programme for unemployed graduates is the direct creation of half a million teaching jobs so that they will be trained; 500, 000 unemployed graduates will be trained to teach and they will be deployed to teach, while they are looking for their career paths or jobs. That still stands!

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Foreign

China Reaffirms Commitment to Supporting Nigeria’s Fight Against Terrorism

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China has restated its readiness to continue supporting Nigeria in the ongoing fight against terrorism and efforts to maintain national stability.

Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, gave the assurance after a meeting with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, on Thursday.

In a statement shared via X, the ambassador said China “firmly supports” the Nigerian government’s development strategies that align with the country’s realities and long-term goals.

Dunhai also emphasized that China remains opposed to any external interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs “under the pretext of religion and human rights.”

The meeting further strengthened diplomatic ties between both nations, with discussions centered on security collaboration and sustainable development.

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News

U.S. Revokes Wole Soyinka’s Visa, Restricting His Entry Into the Country

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Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has disclosed that the United States government has revoked his visa, effectively barring him from entering the country for now.

Speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday at Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos Island, Soyinka said he was notified of the development through an official letter from the U.S. Consulate dated October 23, 2025.

He explained that he decided to make the matter public to inform organizations and individuals expecting him in the U.S. not to proceed with any travel-related plans.

> “I have no visa; I am banned, obviously, from the United States. And if you want to see me, you know where to find me,” Soyinka said, expressing shock at the decision. “I don’t have any criminal record or even a misdemeanour that could warrant such an action. I keep asking myself—have I ever misbehaved toward the United States?”

According to Soyinka, the letter from the Non-Immigrant Visa (NIV) Section of the U.S. Consulate stated that the revocation was in accordance with U.S. Department of State regulations but gave no specific reason for the decision.

His revoked visa was a B1/B2 category, typically granted for business and tourism purposes.

Earlier in September, PM News reported that Soyinka had declined a request from the U.S. Consulate to attend a visa re-interview, saying he initially believed the notification letter was fake or a scam.

Despite the development, Soyinka emphasized that he bears no animosity toward U.S. authorities, adding that his previous interactions with American diplomats had always been cordial.

He concluded by noting that he would continue to seek clarification on the matter but does not regard the revocation as a personal attack.

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Politics

“Successive Governments Abandoned My Projects” — Jonathan

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Former President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed regret over the abandonment of projects he initiated as governor of Bayelsa State after assuming office as Vice President in 2007.

Jonathan, who spoke on Wednesday at the inauguration of the Best Western Plus Hotel in Yenagoa, said he had begun the construction of one five-star and two three-star hotels during his tenure as governor, but the projects were neglected by succeeding administrations.

He lamented that many state governments waste public funds because new leaders often refuse to continue with projects started by their predecessors.

Recalling his administration’s efforts to develop the hospitality sector, Jonathan said the idea was to promote tourism and attract international visitors to Bayelsa State.

“When I took over as governor, there were no quality hotels to accommodate guests. We awarded contracts for the Tower Hotel and two three-star hotels to encourage tourism and improve the local economy,” he said. “Unfortunately, when I left office, those projects were abandoned.”

The former president said the development hindered Bayelsa’s growth and deprived the state of opportunities to generate revenue and jobs through tourism and investment.

Governor Douye Diri, who also spoke at the event, commended the hotel’s owner, Dr. Harcourt Adukeh, for his vision and contribution to the state’s economic development, describing the project as a major boost to Bayelsa’s hospitality industry.

The newly inaugurated Best Western Plus Hotel, an affiliate of the global Best Western brand, features modern facilities and overlooks the scenic Oxbow Lake, positioning Yenagoa as an emerging destination for tourism and business in the Niger Delta.

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