Politics
Edo APC Accuses Oshiomhole Of Flouting Oba’s Directive
The Publicity Secretary of the Edo State chapter of All Progressives Congress, Mr Joseph Osagiede, last Monday, called on the President, Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the crises rocking the party in the state.
He pleaded with Buhari to urgently set up a reconciliation committee to replace the one set up by the National Working Committee of the party.
Osagiede, who addressed journalists in Benin, also accused the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, of working against the wish of the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, who had directed that peace be maintained in the state.
He alleged that the national chairman was harbouring the members of the Edo People’s Movement in Abuja.
He said, “We have said that we want reconciliation but we cannot set up a reconciliation committee by ourselves as an interested party.
“We expect that the Presidency or the Benin traditional council should set up a reconciliation committee to settle the matter.
“Yes, if they do, we are ready and willing to work with such committee.”
Osagiede said although he was not aware of any step taken by President Buhari on the crises in the state, the party would support a new reconciliation committee that Buhari might want to set up to resolve the lingering crisis in the state.
He said, “Well, I think the APC crisis is already ending because we know that the EPM is already folding up.
“We know that members of the EPM are already reaching out to us to say that they want to come back home.
“The National Chairman will also learn some lessons from what is going on because for the Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II, to have led the Benin Traditional Council to meet with the President on this matter, once the Oba has expressed a wish about anything, it becomes a command for the Edo people.
“So, the Oba’s wish is a command that there should be peace in this political imbroglio and for Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to still be habouring these dissidents, he is working against the wish of the Oba.
“We are all aware recently, that the Oba also had a meeting with the Edo Traditional Council and announced that we should go into prayers and fasting to avert calamity this year all because of the political crisis that is going on.”
The Publicity Secretary said the party did not have confidence in the reconciliatory committee earlier set up to wade into the crisis rocking the party because of alleged vested interest.
He said, “We have always said that we are willing and ready for reconciliation but you see you cannot be constituting a reconciliation body when you are an interested party in that issue.
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.
