Politics
RSHA Debunks Petition On Obio/Akpor Matter
The week under review started with the Leader of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Chidi Lloyd, refuting the House’s earlier stand on the suspension of the Executive Chairman and councilors of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area. According to him, all the House did was to ask the leadership of the council to step aside to make room for unimpeded investigation into a petition against them.
Hon. Lloyd said on receipt of the petition, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Otelemaba Amachree directed the House Committee on Local Government Area Administration to investigate the issue at stake. He explained that after the Committee submitted its report, the House resolved that the leadership of the Council should step aside.
Lloyd debunked insinuations that the petition to the Assembly ought to be handled by the Adhoc Committee on Public Relations and Complaints, saying that the rule of the House permits the Speaker to assign responsibilities to either adhoc or standing committees. Quoting the Rivers State Local Government Administration Law of the state, he noted further that the Assembly’s action was backed by the law.
Responding to why the House has not sat since the disruption of its planned last sitting by protesters, Hon. Lloyd said the lawmakers had not sat because they feel insecure, noting that they had already met the statutory target of 189 sittings and were to proceed on recess before the on-going political crisis within the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
Meanwhile, Lloyd’s statement on the stepping aside of the Obio/Akpor leadership has raised as much questions as it has created anxiety among close watchers of political events as they unfold in the state. While some seem in a hurry to attempt to comprehend it from the perspective of the stepping aside of former military president, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida in 1992, others are anxious to find out what such step aside would mean under a democratic dispensation.
Also in the week, the people of Sogho, in Khana Local Government Area (LGA), expressed their appreciation to the Deputy Speaker of the House for being instrumental to the distribution of relief materials to their communities by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) following communal disturbances in their communities.
The Councilor representing Ward 4 in the LGA, Prince Abalubu Lenee, who spoke on behalf of the people of Sogho at the presentation of the relief materials by NEMA officials, expressed gratitude to the Deputy Speaker for what he called his dogged determination in ensuring that the people got the relief materials.
Speaking while receiving the relief materials, Prince Lenee, on behalf of the people of Sogho, said that the Deputy Speaker, who represents their communities in the State Assembly, has reawakened the confidence of his people by the manner he pushed the case for the relief materials.
Lenee thanked Hon. Kwanee for doing everything possible to bring succor to the communities, saying that the concern he showed to the people in their period of distress establishes the fact that he is a true representative of the constituency.
While expressing happiness that the people valued the token of relief materials given them, the Deputy Speaker promised to keep his electioneering promises to the people he represents at all times, saying that it is the reason for which they elected him.
He also advised people in his constituency to always do everything possible to avoid such disturbances capable of resulting in wanton destruction of lives and properties, saying that it is a sure way to underdevelopment. Hon. Kwanee urged them to always seek a peaceful means of registering their grievances.
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.
