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Oil Slump: Govs Meet On Economy, Budgets, Wed
Governors of the 36 states under the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) will this Wednesday, hold a meeting to further discuss economic issues as they affect the nation and their respective states.
The Head, Media, Public Affairs, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, who said this, yesterday, stated that the meeting was called to address how the effect of the crash in the price of crude oil as a result of Coronavirus could be mitigated.
He added that they might take decisions on how they would run their budgets, especially with regards to payment of salaries, considering the crash in oil prices, which will lead to lower revenues or allocations from the Federal Government.
He stated that he would not comment further on the issue as he was not authorised to comment on matters that had not been discussed by the governors.
The Federal Government had cut the 2020 budget following a sharp drop in oil price to $28 per barrel from the $57 budget benchmark, as Coronavirus continues to impact the global oil price, fuelling concerns that the days ahead will be tough.
Bello-Barkindo said though the governors met last Wednesday, they would also meet this week given the prevailing health situation and economic challenges.
He said, “The governors are meeting next week (this week). Maybe they will take a decision on that. I cannot comment on things that governors have not discussed. If they discuss it, I will get their perspective but for now, I cannot comment on what the governors have not discussed.
“For now, they are meeting next week, which is very unusual. They met this week (last week) but they have decided to schedule another meeting this week. I think it is to respond to various strange circumstances that have befallen the country. When they meet this week, we will have a definite answer on that.”
The NGF Chairman, Dr Kayode Fayemi, had said the NGF during its last meeting, constituted a sub-committee headed by the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, to comprehensively review the trend and advise state governors on the set of actions required to address challenges in the economy.
Members of the committee include the governors of Kebbi, Ebonyi, Ogun, Nassarawa, Edo and Jigawa states.
Fayemi had said the committee was set up following an extensive discussion of the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic and the falling oil prices in the Nigerian economy and the revenues of the states.
Efforts to get the response of the Director-General, Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum, Mr C.I.D. Maduabum, proved abortive as he did not pick his calls.
Meanwhile, the Ondo State Government has said it will decide on the budget review after the cut of the national budget by the Federal Government.
The state Commissioner for Information, Mr Donald Ojogo, however, said the six governors of the region would soon meet on the budget review but said it was too early for the six state governments to embark on such activity at the present time.
Ojogo said, “For now, it is pretty difficult, if not too hasty, to embark on fiscal data analysis as far as this pandemic is concerned. The governors will meet, no doubt.
“But whether they will embark on budget cuts or not should be left for formal and properly convened sessions of the governors. Whatever it requires to synchronise the welfare of the people with the current reality shall be deployed.”
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, has dissolved the State Executive Council.
The governor announced the cabinet dissolution yesterday in a statement titled ‘Government Special Announcement’, signed by his new Chief Press Secretary, Onwuka Nzeshi.
Governor Fubara directed all Commissioners and Special Advisers to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries or the most Senior officers in their Ministries with immediate effect.
He thanked the outgoing members of the State Executive Council for their service and wished them the best in their future endeavours.
The three-paragraph special announcement read, “His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, Governor of Rivers State, has dissolved the State Executive Council.
“His Excellency, the Governor, has therefore directed all Commissioners and Special Advisers to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries or the most Senior officers in their Ministries with immediate effect.
“His Excellency further expresses his deepest appreciation to the outgoing members of the Executive Council wishing them the best in their future endeavours.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday told the National Assembly that it requires N873.78bn to conduct the 2027 general elections, even as it seeks N171bn to fund its operations in the 2026 fiscal year.
INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, made the disclosure while presenting the commission’s 2026 budget proposal and the projected cost for the 2027 general elections before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters in Abuja.
According to Amupitan, the N873.78bn election budget covers the full conduct of national polls in 2027.
An additional N171bn is needed to support INEC’s routine activities in 2026, including bye-elections and off-season elections, the commission stated.
The INEC boss said the proposed election budget does not include a fresh request from the National Youth Service Corps seeking increased allowances for corps members engaged as ad-hoc staff during elections.
He explained that, although the details of specific line items were not exhaustively presented, the almost N1tn election budget is structured across five major components.
“N379.75bn is for operational costs, N92.32bn for administrative costs, N209.21bn for technological costs, N154.91bn for election capital costs and N42.61bn for miscellaneous expenses,” Amupitan said.
The INEC chief noted that the budget was prepared “in line with Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates the Commission to prepare its election budget at least one year before the general election.”
On the 2026 fiscal year, Amupitan disclosed that the Ministry of Finance provided an envelope of N140bn, stressing, however, that “INEC is proposing a total expenditure of N171bn.”
The breakdown includes N109bn for personnel costs, N18.7bn for overheads, N42.63bn for election-related activities and N1.4bn for capital expenditure.
He argued that the envelope budgeting system is not suitable for the Commission’s operations, noting that INEC’s activities often require urgent and flexible funding.
Amupitan also identified the lack of a dedicated communications network as a major operational challenge, adding that if the commission develops its own network infrastructure, Nigerians would be in a better position to hold it accountable for any technical glitches.
Speaking at the session, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) said external agencies should not dictate the budgeting framework for INEC, given the unique and sensitive nature of its mandate.
He advocated that the envelope budgeting model should be set aside.
He urged the National Assembly to work with INEC’s financial proposal to avoid future instances of possible underfunding.
In the same vein, a member of the House of Representatives from Edo State, Billy Osawaru, called for INEC’s budget to be placed on first-line charge as provided in the Constitution, with funds released in full and on time to enable the Commission to plan early enough for the 2027 general election.
The Joint Committee approved a motion recommending the one-time release of the Commission’s annual budget.
The committee also said it would consider the NYSC’s request for about N32bn to increase allowances for corps members to N125,000 each when engaged for election duties.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Simon Along, assured that the National Assembly would work closely with the Commission to ensure it receives the necessary support for the successful conduct of the 2027 general elections.
Similarly, the Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Bayo Balogun, also pledged legislative support, warning INEC to be careful about promises it might be unable to keep.
He recalled that during the 2023 general election, INEC made strong assurances about uploading results to the INEC Result Viewing portal, creating the impression that results could be monitored in real time.
“iREV was not even in the Electoral Act; it was only in INEC regulations. So, be careful how you make promises,” Balogun warned.
The N873.78bn proposed by INEC for next year’s general election is a significant increase from the N313.4bn released to the Commission by the Federal Government for the conduct of the 2023 general election.
President Bola Tinubu yesterday expressed grief over the death of a former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities and one of Africa’s foremost literary scholars, Professor Emeritus Biodun Jeyifo.
Jeyifo passed away on Wednesday, drawing tributes from across Nigeria and the global academic community.
In a condolence message to the family, friends, and associates of the late scholar, Tinubu in a statement by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, described Jeyifo as a towering intellectual whose contributions to African literature, postcolonial studies, and cultural theory left an enduring legacy.
He noted that the late professor would be sorely missed for his incisive criticism and masterful interpretations of the works of Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.
The President also recalled Jeyifo’s leadership of ASUU, praising the temperance, foresight, and wisdom he brought to the union over the years.
Tinubu said Jeyifo played a key role in shaping negotiation frameworks with the government aimed at improving working conditions for university staff and enhancing the learning environment in Nigerian universities.
According to the President, Professor Jeyifo’s longstanding advocacy for academic freedom and social justice will continue to inspire generations.
He added that the late scholar’s influence extended beyond academia into political and cultural journalism, where he served as a mentor to numerous scholars, writers, and activists.
Tinubu condoled with ASUU, the Nigerian Academy of Letters, the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, the University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Oberlin University, Cornell University, and Harvard University—institutions where Jeyifo studied, taught, or made significant scholarly contributions.
“Nigeria and the global academic community have lost a towering figure and outstanding global citizen,” the President said.
“Professor Biodun Jeyifo was an intellectual giant who dedicated his entire life to knowledge production and the promotion of human dignity. I share a strong personal relationship with him. His contributions to literary and cultural advancement and to society at large will be missed.”
Jeyifo was widely regarded as one of Africa’s most influential literary critics and public intellectuals. Among several honours, he received the prestigious W.E.B. Du Bois Medal in 2019.