Politics
Wike Interfaces With Real Madrid Foundation
The pact between Rivers State Government and authorities of Real Madrid Foundation, Spain over the establishment of Real Madrid Football Academy in Rivers State dominated affairs in Rivers State Government House last week.
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, led a team representing the state to Spain to meet the Real Madrid Foundation to conclude preparatory talks for the project.
Wike, after a close-door meeting with leadership of the foundation, noted that the partnership had reached its high point and that when operational, the academy will help Rivers State harness opportunities inherent in football as it would empower the upcoming generation.
The governor said, “This is the concluding part of the process of establishing Real Madrid Academy in Rivers State. It is our dream to empower our youths through football”.
Another major issue was the celebration of World Food Day in Rivers State on Monday. At the event, Governor Wike announced plans to encourage 20,000 youths of the state to take to agriculture.
The governor who was represented at the event by the secretary to the State Government, Sir Kenneth Kobani, said his administration was partnering with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to ensure that 10,000 youths between the ages of 18-35 accessed agricultural loans.
He also stated that another 10,000 will benefit from the agricultural arrangement the state was making with Siat Nigeria Limited.
“As a government we will continue to encourage our youths to go into agriculture and exploit the opportunities of agriculture,” he said, stressing that the sector has the capacity to employ millions of persons.
“Agriculture alone can employ more people than any other business. The oil industry is nowhere near the agricultural sector. Agriculture has the capacity to employ millions”, he maintained.
Another major development was the approval given to the Rivers State University by the Nigerian University Commission (NUC) to establish a Medical Faculty.
Governor Wike expressed happiness over the approval and noted that it will lead to the full training of Medical Doctors and other health professionals in the state and promised that his administration will invest in the construction and equipping of the College of Medical Sciences of the university.
The governor took time out of the Brick House to attend to activities marking the opening of the 2017/2018 Legal Year.
Chief Wike berated the Federal Government for clamping down on Judges and said that the aim of the Federal Government was to weaken the legal system and lay grounds for wholesome politicisation of the Justice sector in the country.
He expressed disappointment that since 2015, the nation had not seen any single initiative from the Federal Government to either reform, correct real or perceived inefficiencies in the nation’s judicial system.
“Indeed judges appear to have been intimidated to the point where some now find it very uncomfortable to attend even official state functions with governors for fear of being blacklisted and eventually punished.
Other issues that also made influential impacts last week in the Brick House was Governor Wike’s commendation of Rivers Angels Football club for winning the 2017 AITEO cup.
Wike described the team as worthy ambassadors of the state and assured of his administration’s commitment to sports development.
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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