The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of abandoning governance and focusing on activities linked to the 2027 elections.
The leader of the caucus, Fred Agbedi, who spoke at a press conference at the National Assembly on Wednesday, accused the government of overseeing a dangerous combination of insecurity, economic hardship and what he described as attempts to weaken democratic opposition through the judiciary while neglecting pressing national issues that need attention.
Agbedi accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Presidency of focusing on political calculations for 2027 instead of addressing the country’s pressing challenges.
He therefore called on the government to immediately suspend all activities linked to the 2027 election and declare a six-month National Security and Economic Recovery Plan aimed at tackling insecurity and economic challenges.
NGN reports that the caucus called for an immediate overhaul of the nation’s security architecture, a transparent investigation into the abduction and murder of former military spokesperson, General Rabe Abubakar (rtd), and urgent intervention by the Chief Justice of Nigeria to address conflicting judicial decisions relating to political party registration.
The Minority Caucus vowed to continue holding the government accountable through legislative means, insisting that opposition parties would not be intimidated or excluded from the democratic process ahead of the next general election.
National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has questioned the gesture behind the houses built for Appeal Court judges by President Bola Tinubu.
NGN reports that the President recently commissioned the newly completed 10-unit Court of Appeal Judges’ Quarters in Katampe District of Abuja.
However, during an interview on Trust TV on Wednesday, Baba-Ahmed described the houses as bribes.
Baba-Ahmed said, “If this government genuinely built an estate for judges, literally, it’s a bribe. That’s the fact.
“Government should rather improve their salary and allowances to improve their lives so that they can build their own houses.
“Building houses for them and exempt other workers is absurd. Why can’t the government build houses for permanent secretaries or doctors?
“If I were to advise the judges, I would straight up tell them not to accept the house gifts.”
The federal government has debunked claims that it has initiated or is considering imposing new taxes on telecommunications services and petroleum products on Nigerians.
NGN reports that the government clarified that reports claiming that new taxes are being planned for telecommunications services or petroleum products “are not factual and should be disregarded.”
This follows the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Article IV Consultation Report on Nigeria.
However, a statement on Wednesday by the Head of the Information and Public Relations Unit, Ministry of Finance, Efe Ovuakporie, clarified that the IMF recommendations are not binding on Nigeria.
Ovuakporie added that those projecting the content of the IMF report as a fresh tax regime by the federal government of Nigeria are misrepresenting the report.
The statement added that the content of the IMF report did not reflect the government’s policy direction.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has recognized the faction of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) led by Professor Sadiq Abubakar Gombe as the authentic leaders of the party.
A check on the INEC website by NGN correspondent on Wednesday shows that INEC has uploaded Gombe’s name as the SDP National Chairman along with other party officials.
The note attached clarified that the recognition is based on a court order.
The recognition is in compliance with a Supreme Court judgment affirming the party’s autonomy in managing its internal affairs.
With the development, Professor Gombe replaces Shehu Musa Gabam, whose name had earlier been restored by INEC based on a Court of Appeal judgment.
Reacting to the development, the SDP National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, said the move is in compliance with the rule of law.
He added that the development has effectively ended the leadership crisis rocking the party, and the SDP can now focus on preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been acquitted of all six bribery charges brought against her in the United Kingdom.
A jury at Southwark Crown Court in London returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty on Wednesday after a 12-week trial that examined allegations of corruption during her tenure as Nigeria’s petroleum minister.
Alison-Madueke, who served in the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan between 2010 and 2015, had consistently denied all the allegations.
The jury reached its decision after 46 hours of deliberations.
