Politics
Provide Level Playing Ground, Rivers ACD Tells Police
The Advance Congress of
Democrats (ACD) has urged the Rivers State Police to ensure a level playing ground among all the political parties in the State.
The Chairman of the Party in the State, Nweke Echecolom stated this yesterday when the state executive of the party paid a courtesy call on the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Johnson Tunde Ogunshakin.
The party vowed not to accept any intimidation from any agency or authority, promising however, that it was ready to work with the Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure hitch-free and peaceful elections in the state.
Echecolom said the party officials were in the Commissioner’s office to present its manifesto and constitution as well as rubs minds together on how to ensure a zero violence during and after elections.
According to him, “All what we are requesting for is for the Police to ensure peaceful elections and create an enabling ground for all the registered parties”.
He commended the Police Commissioner for the peace the state has enjoyed since he assumed duties in the state.
“Your men have been up and doing. They are always on duty and the crime rates have reduced”, he said.
The legal officer of the party, Bar. ThankGod Nwugha also commended the Police boss for granting the party’s request for security during its State Congress, recently.
The Party’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Emem Chigozie, expressed satisfaction with the high rising profile of the party nation wide, stating that the party was built on a strong foundation of priority and honesty with any to ensure true democracy for the people.
In his response, the Commissioner of Police, assured that the Police Command under him would create an enabling environment for all political interests in the state, without any form of bias or discrimination, adding that he was in the state to maintain peace and order.
Ogunshakin, however, reminded the party that the ban on political rally in the state was still on,explaining that the recent ban on Youth protest was to prevent a situation where politicians would continue to use youths for political unrest.
According to him, “I will not discriminate. All the parties involved will be given fair hearing”, he said.
Deputy Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Leyii Kwanee (right), State Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Opaka Dokubo (left), assisting a member of the Assembly’s Press Corps, Mr Ruskin Amadi and his family to cut his 50th birthday cake in Port Harcourt last Monday. Photo: Chris Monyanaga
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.
