General
Groups Give Akpabio 14 Days to Resign as Senate President
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Mr Godswill Akpabio has been given 14 days to resign as the Senate President over allegations that the 2024 budget passed by the parliament and signed by President Bola Tinubu was padded.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, a Senator from Bauchi State, Mr Abdul Ningi, alleged that about N3 trillion in the N28.7 trillion appropriation law could not be matched to any item line, noting that only N25 trillion did.
His revelation has generated outbursts in the country, though his colleagues from the Northern Senators’ Forum disowned him, while he admitted that he spoke for himself.
Reacting, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) and its over 75 allied civil society organisations under the umbrella of the National Civil Society Organisations Against Inept Leaders, have demanded the immediate resignation of Mr Akpabio, who doubles as the Chairman of the National Assembly.
In a statement co-signed by the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of CNPP, Mr James Ezema, and the National Secretary of the coalition of CSOs, Mr Ali Abacha, the associations urged President Tinubu to raise up and end the era of budget padding in the country.
“We recall that last week, Senators accused the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, of inserting projects worth over N3 trillion in the 2024 budget, whereas the said projects were all to be sited at unknown locations.
“Senator Ningi had in a BBC Hausa interview, alleged that the budget version in operation is different from what the lawmakers passed in December 2023, revealing that senators had engaged a consultant to investigate the padding of the budget, saying that a N25 trillion budget was debated and passed by the National Assembly, not N28.7 trillion currently being implemented.
“We are quick to note that the name of the President of the Senate for over ten years has come up in countless corruption allegations from his days as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State till date.
“For instance, there are countless unresolved allegations of corruption against Senator Akpabio, including allegations by Civil Society Organisations under the aegis of Network Against Corruption And Trafficking (NACAT), which had urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate Senator Akpabio over alleged diversion of the sum of N700 billion while he held sway as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State.
“NACAT cited an audit report of Akwa Ibom State treasury between 2011 and 2015, which accused Akpabio of financial infractions amounting to over N1 trillion naira while serving as governor.
“The same President of the Senate has allegation of looting over N200 billion of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) funds hanging over his head as a minister.
“There was reported inconclusive investigation by the EFCC in June 2015 over the alleged theft of approximately N108 billion during Akpabio’s tenure as governor of Akwa Ibom State.
“Also, in May 2020, Akpabio was investigated by the National Assembly for the misappropriation of N40 billion from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) funds.
“Recall that Joy Nunieh, a former acting managing director of NDDC, had accused Akpabio of attempting to silence her by demanding she take an oath to prevent her from exposing fraud at the commission.
“The said Nunieh also accused the now President of the Senate of sexual harassment and she claimed to have slapped him (Akpabio) at his guest house in Abuja.
“It is true that Senator Akpabio denied these allegations, just as he is doing over the budget padding accusation, and even filed a defamation lawsuit against Nunieh. But these heinous allegations have put a question mark on the image of Senator Godswill Akpabio until they are resolved in favour or against the President of the Senate.
“Just before he became the President of the Senate, in March 2023, the EFCC invited Akpabio for questioning regarding allegations of abuse of office and misappropriation of funds but Akpabio’s lawyer cited a scheduled medical appointment overseas as the reason for his client’s inability to attend the invitation. This is how Senator Akpabio has been manipulating and escaping legal processes.
“However, the budget padding allegation is not the first time senators are accusing Akpabio of wrongdoing. We recall that in a viral video in 2023, at plenary, Senator Ali Ndume of Borno (APC) accused the President of the Senate of passing bills without contributions from Senators.
“In his words, You are just passing bills without prior notification, even money bills, you just pass without anyone’s contribution and within 2 hours. This is not good for Nigeria and history will judge you, Senator Ndume said.
“These and many other unresolved allegations against Senator Akpabio carry heavy moral burdens and have continued to portray Senator Akpabio as a man of questionable integrity.
“Therefore, we believe that this budget padding burden amid unprecedented hunger and deprivation in the country should reawaken the consciousness of Nigerians that the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration has been a party that has in nearly nine years made the corruption-infested 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a child’s play.
“Unfortunately, the failure of the EFCC and the Nigerian justice system to bring corrupt politicians to justice led to his emergence as President of the Senate in what has been seen as the arm-twisting of Senators by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in June 2023. In the buildup to the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, it became obvious that President Bola Tinubu had a preference for his candidacy for the lofty office in the upper chamber.
“Now, rather than give a convincing explanation over how projects were inserted into the budget as alleged, the President of the Senate has obviously employed a divide-and-rule tactics in the Senate to water down the allegation.
“Senator Akpabio should know that no amount of blackmail against his colleagues or the civil society would lessen his moral burden until he purges himself of the allegations against him.
“We therefore call on the President of the Senate to immediately step aside for a thorough investigation of the allegation of budget padding against him and his office within 14 days.
“In the event that he remains in office, we also call on all Senators of good conscience to rise to the occasion and commence the impeachment process against Senator Akpabio after our 14 days ultimatum to pave the way for an unhindered investigation of the allegation against him as Senator Akpabio cannot be a judge in his case.
“We, therefore, urge President Bola Tinubu to stand on his feet and end the era of budget padding in the country by prevailing on Senator Akpabio to leave office for proper investigation as the presidency in a statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, inadvertently admitted that there was a budget padding to the tune of over N1 trillion when he claimed that President Tinubu presented N27.5 trillion budget to the National Assembly but N28.7 trillion was passed; and this proves that there is merit in the allegation as what was passed was not what was presented to the National Assembly.
“So, if our demands are not met, we will have no choice but to mobilize our members, all other civil society organisations, human rights activists, opinion leaders, political parties, men and women of goodwill and conscience, and all hungry citizens to occupy the National Assembly until our demands are met,” they stated.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Young bloggers, online content creators and digital influencers have been charged to embrace ethical journalism, responsible storytelling and fact-based reporting as they shape public opinion in the digital age.
This task was given by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr Mohammed Idris, during the Niger State Bloggers, Online Publishers and Content Developers Forum on Monday in Abuja.
In a statement on Tuesday by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Rabiu Ibrahim, the Minister said digital platforms offer enormous opportunities for innovation and civic engagement but must be used responsibly to promote truth, national unity and constructive public discourse.
He urged bloggers and content creators to verify information before publication, reject misinformation and disinformation, avoid sensationalism, and use their platforms to educate, inspire and promote national development.
Mr Idris also encouraged young Nigerians to see digital content creation not only as a source of income but also as a tool for civic engagement and nation-building, stressing that ethical communication is essential to strengthening democracy and public trust.
He further encouraged aspiring bloggers and digital entrepreneurs to continue developing their skills and uphold professional standards that will strengthen the credibility of Nigeria’s online media ecosystem.
“There is no democracy that can thrive without a responsible media. You cannot carry freedom and abandon responsibility,” he stated, adding that the government remains committed to protecting press freedom while encouraging ethical journalism.
The Minister also highlighted the establishment of the International Media and Information Literacy Institute (IMILI), the world’s first UNESCO Category 2 Institute dedicated exclusively to Media and Information Literacy, describing it as a major step in promoting digital literacy and responsible online engagement.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Rabiu Kwankwaso, disclosed that Mr Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate, signed agreements committing himself to serving only one four-year term if elected in 2027.
Mr Kwankwaso explained that the documents comprised a formal agreement involving the political party and a separate personal accord between himself and Mr Obi.
According to Mr Kwankwaso, the deal stipulates that the presidency will return to Northern Nigeria in 2031 upon the completion of an Obi-led administration’s four-year tenure, if elected next year.
“We have agreed to formalise it in writing,” Mr Kwankwaso stated. “We have executed one document for the party and another between the two of us,” he revealed during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today late on Monday.
He reiterated that Mr Obi would honour his pledge and resist pressure to seek a second term, expressing confidence in the former Anambra State governor, noting that his interactions had convinced him that he would respect the agreement.
“I personally believe him, and, based on what I now know about him, I do not believe he will change his mind when the time comes,” he said. “We are all gentlemen.”
Mr Kwankwaso added that he and Mr Obi would continue to collaborate after the proposed administration completes its term.
“The agreement is that after four years, we will continue to work together as a group, as a party, and as friends and brothers,” he said. “After our four-year term, from 2027 to 2031, power returns to the North. That is the consensus.”
The former defence minister did not state that he would be the NDC presidential candidate in 2031; his comments referred broadly to the presidency returning to the North, rather than to his personal political ambitions.
Mr Obi has repeatedly pledged to serve only one term if elected; however, he has yet to publicly confirm the specific details of the documents described by Mr Kwankwaso.
In the 2023 Presidential polls, Mr Obi was the Labour Party presidential candidate while Mr Kwankwaso contested on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Over 1.14 million hectares of degraded land have been restored by the Nigerian government, with more than 1.5 million trees planted across the country in the past year.
This information was revealed by the Minister of Environment, Mr Balarabe Abbas Lawal, at the 2026 Top Management Retreat and National Tree Planting Campaign in Maiduguri, Borno State.
He said these achievements were made through initiatives of the federal government like the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project and the National Agency for the Great Green Wall.
According to him, the restoration of the land and the planting of trees demonstrate a clear national commitment to securing environmental sustainability while advancing economic growth.
The Minister reemphasised that the environment is not an abstract concept, pointing out that “it is the air we breathe, the land that feeds us, the rivers that sustain communities, and the climate that shapes the future.”
He praised Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State for his giant strides in the environment sector in the state, urging other state governors to emulate him by providing sponsorship for their students to the various Federal Colleges of Forestry Resources Management institutions located across the six geo-political zones of the country to encourage and boost Forest education in the country.
He described the decision of Mr Zulum to sponsor 540 indigenes of the state to a forestry college in Maiduguri as commendable.
Mr Lawal also informed the participants of the programme that the Presidential Executive Order on the Prohibition of Exportation of Wood and Allied Products, 2025, is a key policy instrument under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying it protects Nigeria’s forest resources, curbs illegal logging, and encourages tree planting as a national duty.
He pledged the Federal Ministry of Environment’s continued partnership with state governments on afforestation, ecosystem restoration, and other interventions tailored to their needs.
“Nigeria’s environmental future can be secured by protecting natural heritage, strengthening climate resilience, and advancing inclusive and sustainable development for present and future generations,” he declared.
