Politics
Ebonyi Is Not Part Of Biafra – Umahi
Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has said the state will never be part of Biafra.
He also said South Easterners have investments everywhere and so, no President of Igbo extraction will want to divide Nigeria.
This is as the governor stressed that the state was better in a fair and equitable Nigeria, reiterating that, “If anybody tells you about Biafra, Ebonyi State will never be part of Biafra”.
Umahi stated this at the Ecumenical Centre, Abakaliki, on Thursday, during a reception organised for him after declaring his presidential bid, in Abuja.
The governor said, “Let nobody be afraid of the presidency of an Igbo man. Igbo man is a builder and not a destroyer. There is no Igbo man that will be the president of this country and would like to divide or destroy it, because we have investments everywhere.
“First and foremost, I have been saying it. If anybody tells you about Biafra, Ebonyi State will never be part of Biafra. We are not Biafra.
“We have been so oppressed and now we are finding our feet and you want us to go back. We will not.
“We are better in a fair and equitable Nigeria. And we are not going anywhere.
“We are not going anywhere. We will not We will continue to appeal and dialogue to be treated fairly and equitably like other regions of Nigeria.
“Some enemies of the South-East say if we become President, we will divide the country. How would we divide the country? We have investments everywhere.”
Umahi said he discussed the issue of insecurity affecting the South-East with the President and that “anyone that wants to cause insecurity in the South-East must be crushed.”
He added, “I went to see the leader of the party and President of the country. Buhari will be coming to Ebonyi in March. It is going to be a historic visit.
“I have found peace but I didn’t know the number of youths and leaders of this country waiting for this moment. I think it has pleased God for us to be in this moment.
“What happened in Ebonyi State is what no man should take credit. We have something to show for the calling of God. Let nobody’s heart fail him for the battle is of the Lord.
“Other aspirants are more qualified than myself: but remember that I am David. I spoke to our father about the insecurity in the South East. I thanked him and re-echoed the issue of a political solution.”
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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