Politics
Falae Expresses Fear Over 2023 Polls
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, has expressed fear about the forthcoming 2023 general elections in the country.
Falae, who noted that the country was precariously on the edge of a precipice, expressed doubt on whether elections will hold come next year.
He disclosed that the country needed someone who understands that Nigeria is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and very complex country as a President.
He said ethnic campaign as currently seen in the country was inevitable “when you have a government that does not present itself as a government for all the people. If a government presents itself to be a champion of a section of the people, naturally the others will begin to defend themselves.”
Speaking with The Tide source in Akure, the Ondo State capital on Monday, Falae, a former Finance Minister, said: “I am praying that the terrorists will allow elections to take place in Nigeria.”
According to him, “a few days ago, they still burn down one of the INEC offices in the South-East and they have been doing that for a long time. We hope the elections will be possible.”
The elder statesman further stated that if elections would take place at all, they may not be credible and the outcome may not be acceptable to the general public.
He added, “If during voting, shooting takes place and riots, the outcome will not be credible. I am hoping that we would not be able to have an election next year.
“I am praying that if we would have elections, God Almighty will intervene and pick a president and government that can lead us out of the crisis that we are in. Nigeria is precariously on the edge of a precipice. I hope it would not be toppled with her bees below.”
While saying Nigeria is not a difficult country to govern, Falae said, “we need a president who shows genuinely that he is for all Nigerians, he does not just say it, he acts it in all his decisions and shows that he cares for all Nigerians and Nigerians will worship him.”
He, however, called on the communities in the country to mobilise and defend themselves from those attacking them.
Falae said, “Once every village is secure, then Nigeria is secure. Let the individual communities, families arrange their defence.
“Security is a local matter. Every community should mobilise its people for its security. Every village, every hamlet should mobilise its people to defend themselves. The police would do their work, and DSS would do what they can do, but every community must have their security.
“For example in my community at Ilu Abo where I am the Olu of the town, we have our vigilante group and they have the instructions to comb all the surrounding forest. If you see any strange person, arrest him and bring him to the police station.
“Let the individual community, families arrange their defence. Security doesn’t necessarily mean shooting. A critical part of security is prevention, information, monitoring and intelligence. Before terrorists can strike in any community, they must have been mobilising and hanging around the place for some time.
“So, people must be vigilant and continuously monitor their environment. If they notice anything strange person, they should go after the person. If anybody attacks you, you have a right to self-defence.
“Let the individual communities, families arrange their defence. Security doesn’t necessarily mean shooting. A critical part of security is prevention, information, monitoring and intelligence. Before terrorists can strike in any community, they must have been mobilising and hanging around the place for some time.
“So, people must be vigilant and continuously monitor their environment. If they notice anything strange person, they should go after the person. If anybody attacks you, you have a right to self-defence.
“If anybody attacks me, I will attack the person back with whatever I have. But I will not be the first to attack anybody. Because self-preservation is the first order of creation. The most important part is the surveillance, intelligence, monitoring of your environment and keeping strange elements out of your area.”
Speaking on the issue of ethnic agenda, Falae said, “It is stupid to be sectional as president. Because that is an invitation to the crisis. We need a president that knows and acts that Nigeria belongs to all of us and that knows that it doesn’t please all Nigerians, he is destroying the country.
“That is what Nigerians want. A fear-minded person. It does not matter where he comes from. After all whoever is Nigeria’s president must come from one particular family, one particular tribe and one particular town.
“All he needs to do is to know that apart from his people there are also other tribes as well that have equal claim to the Nigeria patrimony. If he acts accordingly, Nigerians will hail him.
“Unfortunately, most politicians we have now are tribalistic and they are not exposed at all to still be thinking that they are from Kanuri, Ibo, Fulani or Yoruba. But if we have a Nigerian who sees all has Nigerians, that is the way out of our problem.”
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.
