Politics
Bayelsa Poll: PDP Scores Diri High On Performance
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has given the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, high scores, saying his first term in office is very impressive.
A statement by the Governor’s spokesman, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted the party’s National Vice Chairman (South South), Chief Dan Orbih, as having stated this when he led the Zonal Working Committee on a solidarity visit to Government House, Yenagoa.
He said the party was impressed that Governor Diri has been inaugurating projects while campaigning for re-election.
Orbih noted that while some first term governors campaign for a second term with promises of what they would do, the Bayelsa governor has rather been busy inaugurating and flagging off projects in his State.
According to him, the national and zonal leaderships of the PDP were not only proud of his achievements but are also comfortable with him as the party’s flag-bearer in the November 11 election.
“We, members of the PDP South South Working Committee, came to show our solidarity with the performing Governor of Bayelsa State.
“We have watched with great admiration your campaigns. Some governors campaign for their second tenure telling the people what they want to do. But your campaign is laced with commissioning of projects and flagging off new ones. It is very uncommon and we want to congratulate you.
“For us in the South South, we are very proud of you and your achievements. You are indeed a miracle Governor. God has again shown His hand that with His support, you can even go into the election without an opponent”, he said.
The PDP zonal leader stressed that with Diri’s performance in office and considering the fact that the South South is the stronghold of the party, victory was assured for the Governor.
Responding, Governor Diri said the PDP was sure of victory as there was no basis for comparison between his first term and that of one of his opponents, Chief Timipre Sylva, who had also governed the State for five years.
He noted that the differe all Bayelsans to see.
Diri also stated that his developmental imprints were visible in the community of the APC candidate where, in sharp contrast, his opponent had nothing to campaign with, even in his hometown.
He said even if the APC candidate was not contending with the constitutional issue of tenure, he was sure the election would still be won by the PDP.
”The commitment of our people and what they stand for as far as this election is concerned is very clear. So we are home and dry even if they go into the election with the law against them.
“We went to his hometown and inaugurated a road. So I do not know when he gets to his village, what he will inaugurate there.
“The paradox is such that there is no way to compare his five years to our just about four years even when we lost one year to COVID-19 during the lockdown in 2020”, he said.
The governor thanked the zonal working committee for the visit, urging them to close ranks in order to have a formidable house going into the election.
He averred that the PDP remained the only party on ground in terms of structure and governance that can give a viable opposition to the government at the centre and must therefore continue to be the bulwark of the opposition in the country.
By: Ariwera Ibibo- Howells, Yenagoa
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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