Politics
Political Thugs Attack: IDPs Want Polling Unit In Edo Camp
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Uhogua, near Benin, Edo State, have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to create a polling unit in their camp.
The IDPs, in a telephone interview, said this would protect them against thugs and allow them to exercise their franchise.
They were attacked by suspected political thugs at the Oronsanye Primary School polling unit, where they had gone to vote during the March 18 House of Assembly election in the state.
The IDPs are mainly from Borno and Adamawa states, running from insecurity in the country’s North-East region. Some came from Chibok, Biu, Askira Uba, and Gwoza.
Suleman Ayuba, one of the IDPs, said that, with what happened on March 18, they were already feeling insecure.
“It was obvious that we were the target because there were two polling units in the primary school, but the attack was carried out in ours.
“Our people were injured, we lost our phones and other valuables, yet till now, nobody in the state has come to sympathise with us after the attack unleashed on us.
“Majority of our people are still receiving treatment in health facilities outside the camp, even money to pay their hospital bills, we don’t have, and we are still looking for.”
Similarly, Philemon Emmanuel, another IDP, called for another election to be conducted for the IDPs who were disenfranchised during the attack.
“It is not good that many of us were disenfranchised by political thugs despite having our PVCs and candidates we wanted to vote for.
“Governments have been carrying out reruns in other places, so they should also consider this camp, in view of what happened at the polling unit during the state assembly election, so that our vote can count.”
Evelyn Omigie, the assistant coordinator of the camp, said there was an urgent need for the federal government and INEC to create a polling unit in the camp.
“We need a polling unit in line with the federal government directive that polling units must be situated in all IDP camps across the country.
“Also, in spite of what happened and what we have expended on hospital bills, nobody has come to sympathise with either the victims or management of the camp,” she said.
She called on the federal government to investigate the incident and unravel the perpetrators of the attack on the IDPs’ polling unit.
Ms Omigie also called on the government to support the camp financially to treat the IDPs who sustained various degrees of injuries and make them healthy again.
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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