Politics
PDP Chairman Hails INEC For Building Confidence In Electoral Process
The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Rivers State chapter, Ambassador Desmond Akawor, has hailed the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) for its efforts at building confidence in the electoral process in the country. According to him Anambra and Ekiti gubernatorial elections were significant improvements in the two elections compared to previous elections.
Akawor stated this on Monday during a courtesy visit paid on him by a Non- Governmental Organisation, (NGO), Equity, at the party headquarters in Port Harcourt.
In a statement released by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Paul Deeya, the Chairman noted that the only way to ensure that people participate actively in the electoral process was through proper and adequate sensitisation and enlightenment programmes, especially for the people at the grassroots.
He observed that the sensitisation programme which the group had begun was a step in the right direction, adding that it was what the party wanted at this point in time.
He described the NGO members as people of proven integrity in whom the society reposes confidence.
“Look at even the calibre of people in your team, there is no way people will see this group and say no.
You are all very responsible people” Akawor stated.
The State PDP Chairman who observed that people were trooping out to register and collect their PVCs for a number of reasons, stressed the need for them to cast their votes on election day rather than playig football on the streets or sleeping in their houses.
“Some people are going for PVC believing that there is a time without PVC you cannot buy food in a Restaurant, but that’s not all, people need to have that confidence as well that even that day of election, you need to go and vote and your vote will really count.
‘To be honest, INEC has built some level of confidence in the minds of people by what happened in Anambra state, what just happened in Ekiti.
“They have built some level of confidence that people can go out and vote and the results will be heard as it’s being done” he said.
He congratulated the group for embarking on the project and assured them of the support of the party in the actualisation of their laudable assignment.
Earlier, the Coordinator of the NGO, Hon Clapton Ogolo, said they were at the Party Secretariat to brief the Chairman on the activities of the group as well as to solicit the support of the party.
He disclosed that they were partnering with other NGOs to sensitise the people on the need for peaceful and non- violent elections in the state, adding that the group would also enlighten Rivers people on the need to register and obtain their PVCs and also go out and vote on election day.
He explained that with the new Electoral law, people’s votes would count while ballot box snatching would have no place again in the country.
The Coordinator thanked the party chairman for receiving them, and commended him for efforts at stabilising the party.
By: Kiadum Edookor
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.
