Politics
Abe:Group Tasks IGP
Incensed by the alleged
shooting of the Senator representing Rivers South East Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Abe in Rumuola, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the Gokana Progressives, a socio-political group in the state has called on the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar to urgently constitute an investigative panel to unravel the circumstances surrounding the shooting of the Senator last Sunday.
Senator Magnus Abe was allegedly shot by the police in the state during the inauguration of the Save Rivers Movement (SRM), Obio/Akpor Local Government Area chapter held at College of Arts and Science, Rumuola, last Sunday.
Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt last Tuesday, the President of the group, Hon Christian Giani averred that the setting up of the investigative panel by the police high command had become imperative considering the precarious nature of the matter.
According to him, the probe would enable the police to unmask the perpetrators of the act and bring them to book as well as exonerate the police from the accusation of partisanship in the political crisis rocking the state.
He condemned the act in its entirety, noting that the act was an affront to the Senator and the entire Rivers South East Senatorial District and called on the Ogonis especially the Gokana people and other well meaning Rivers people to pray fervently for the quick recovery of Senator Magnus Abe.
The former House of Representatives aspirant for Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency in 2011 however condemned the activities of some youths who protested at Eleme junction last Monday, adding that the youths instead of bringing solution to the matter ended up in adding more injuries to innocent Nigerians.
He disclosed that the protesting youths destroyed many cars and advised the people of the area to employ dialogue and peace in pursuing the matter than taking the law into their hands.
Hon Giami used the opportunity to commend the state governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum for the maturity he had exhibited in handling the political crisis in the state and called on the people of the State to remain supportive to the Amaechi- led government.
“ According to him,this is part of impunity . the right to assembly is also important to the right for life”.
Cross section of participants during the APC Sensitisation Rally at Oro-Obasiorlu Town Hall, Mile 3, Diobu, Port Harcourt last Sunday.
The Senate yesterday received the 2026-2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper from President Bola Tinubu, marking the formal launch of the 2026 federal budget cycle.
In a letter addressed to the upper chamber, Tinubu said the submission complies with statutory requirements and sets out the fiscal parameters that will guide the preparation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
He explained that the MTEF/FSP outlines the macroeconomic assumptions, revenue projections, and spending priorities that will shape Nigeria’s fiscal direction over the next three years.
The letter was read during plenary by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), who urged lawmakers to expedite consideration of the document.
“It is with pleasure that I forward the 2026 to 2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper for the kind consideration and approval of the Senate.
“The 2026 to 2028 MTEF and FSP were approved during the Federal Executive Council meeting of December 3, 2025, and the 2026 budget of the Federal Government will be prepared based on the parameters and fiscal assumptions therein,” the President stated.
Last week, the Federal Executive Council approved the fiscal projections, pegging the oil benchmark price at $64.85 per barrel and adopting a budget exchange rate of ?1,512/$1 for 2026—figures expected to significantly shape revenue forecasts and expenditure planning.
After reading the President’s letter, Jibrin referred the document to the Senate Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), with a directive to submit its report by Wednesday, December 17.
The Senate adjourned shortly after to allow committees to commence scrutiny of the fiscal framework and continue the ongoing screening of ambassadorial nominees.
Tinubu’s communication to the Senate came less than 24 hours after he transmitted the same MTEF/FSP documents to the leadership of the House of Representatives.
The letter was read on the House floor by the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who also urged timely legislative action as required by law.
The MTEF and FSP are statutory instruments mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act and serve as the blueprint for Nigeria’s annual budgets.
They outline the government’s fiscal stance, macroeconomic assumptions, revenue frameworks, projected deficits, and sectoral priorities over a three-year period.
The Tide reports that approval by the National Assembly is a prerequisite for the executive to present the Appropriation Bill for the next fiscal year.
In a statement on Saturday, the former Senate Leader stated that the allocation of nominees across states and geopolitical zones falls short of the constitutional requirement for fair representation in the composition of the Federal Government.
The ex-Senate Whip warned that allowing the list to pass could deepen ethnic suspicion at a time when the administration should be consolidating national unity.
He highlighted disparities in the spread of nominees, noting that while some states have three or four slots, others have none. He also cited the inclusion of Senator Adamu Garba Talba from Yobe, who reportedly died in July.
“The entire North-East states have seven nominees in the list. Further checks revealed that the South-West geo-political zone has 15 nominees, while North-West and South-East have 13 and 9, respectively.
“North-Central region has 10 nominees in the list of career and non-career ambassadorial nominee while South-South parades 12 nominees,” Senator Ndume said.
According to him, such imbalances could heighten tensions and undermine Section 14(3) of the Constitution.
“My sincere appeal to President Tinubu is to withdraw this list. At this critical juncture in his administration, he should avoid missteps that could undermine national unity and foster ethnic distrust.
“I know him to be a cosmopolitan leader who is at home with every segment and stakeholder in the country. He should withdraw that list and present a fresh set of nominees that will align with the spirit of the Constitution on the Federal Character Principle,” Senator Ndume added.
He accused the legislators of undermining the sanctity of the legislature and acting as instruments of destabilization.
“The members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have, by their actions since they assumed office, shown that they are political puppets and a clog in the wheels of democratic progress,” Comrade Ememobong stated, adding that “They will go down in history as enemies of democracy and those who made mockery of the legislature.”
“So the easiest way to describe their action is a defection from APC to APC,” he said.
Comrade Ememobong announced that the party would deploy constitutional provisions to reclaim its mandate from those who have “ignobly and surreptitiously” abandoned the platform on which they were elected.
“Consequently, the PDP will take legal steps to activate the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as amended) to recover the mandate gained under the banner of our party which these people have now switched to another platform,” he said.
He urged party members in Rivers State to remain calm and steadfast.
“We urge all party members in Rivers State to remain faithful and resolute, as efforts are underway to rebuild the party along the path of inclusiveness, fairness and equity,” Comrade Ememobong assured.
