Politics
Wike Tasks Palliative Committee To Focus On Less Privileged
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has charged the committee in charge of the distribution of palliatives to reach out to all the less privileged, irrespective of political party affiliations.
Governor Wike gave the charger last Monday while inaugurating the committee to distribute foodstuffs to Rivers people as palliative to cushion the hardship caused by strategies to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Governor Wike said: “The distribution of these foodstuffs has nothing to do with party membership. It should get to all less privileged people.
“That is why we have clerics, security personnel and other people in the Committee. There should be no application of sentiments in sharing”.
According to the Governor, the sharing train of the committee will reach out to all the 23 local government areas of the state but stressed that Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor local government areas with the highest concentration of residents of the state would take the lead.
So far, the Committee which is chaired by the State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ambassador Desmond Akawor, has covered parts of Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
Also last week, the state Governor announced the settings aside of N2billion to empower farmers and fishermen in the state to produce food for residents during the period of the lockdown.
In a press conference on Monday, Gov Wike said the committee will purchase all agricultural products produced in the state for distribution to the less privileged.
He said that the step was to ensure that non complains of hunger within this period.
“Ours is to ensure that no agricultural product like yam, plantain, palm oil and fish leaves out state during this period.
“While the farmers and fishermen will make their profits, the less privileged will have enough food supply for their families.”
The 33- member Committee is headed by the Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo while the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Fred Kpakol serves as the Secretary.
The Brick House landlord, last week declared Carveton Helicopters Persona Non Grata and directed council chairmen to close all offices of the company in the state.
This followed the illegal entry of the company’s helicopter , it’s crew and passengers into the state in contravention of the Executive Order by the governor, closing all land, sea and air borders of the state as a measure to check the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in Rivers State.
Gov Wike stated that the state Government appreciated the need to to protect business interests and operations in the state and would do whatever that was required to ensure that no business was unduly affected by the measures put in place to combat the coronavirus.
He said: “However, we shall not welcome businesses or companies that value their business activities or profit more than or in clear disregard of the lives and health of our people.
“By it’s actions Carveton Helicopters have already shown that Rivers lives do not matter to it, it is an enemy of Rivers people and is hereby declared Persona Non Grata in Rivers State”.
According to the Governor, the insensitive and provocative actions of Calverton Helicopters took place in the midst of credible intelligence report about plans by enemies of the state to traffic carriers of the dreaded Coronavirus into the state.
The governor said COVID-19 in the state was a matter of life and death, and that the government would not succumb to any blackmail from any person, institution or quarters in its determination to protect the citizens and the state from the spread of the dreaded Coronavirus.
So far, Port Harcourt Chief Magistrate Court No 11 Presided over by Chief Magistrate D.D Ihua- Maduenyi Esq has ordered the remand of 10 passengers who flew into the Airforce Base Port Harcourt on board the Twin- Ottar Carveton Helicopters on 7/4/2020 in contravention of paragraph 8 of the Executive Order RVSG01/ 2020.
The Rivers State Chief Executive, vowed that he was ready to set aside his immunity to testify against those who violate the state’s border closure regulations aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus.
Gov Wike, in the week under review, appealed to Christians and Muslims to continue to shun public worship of anything above 50 persons per hall to check the spread of the coronavirus in the state.
By: Chris Oluoh
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.
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