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The member representing Akpabuyo/Bakassi/Calabar South in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Joseph Bassey has collaborated with the Cross River State Government to offer free medical services to thousands of his constituents across Akpabuyo, Bakassi, and Calabar South.

The free medical outreach, which took place from October 8-10, 2025, at the headquarters of each council, provided essential healthcare services to the constituents.

Speaking at the end of the outreach, Hon. Bassey emphasized that healthcare provision for his constituents is a priority of his representation.

According to him, the free medical outreach targeted thousands of constituent members in Akpabuyo, Bakassi, and Calabar South, offering services such as free surgeries, eye checkups, malaria and typhoid testing, and distribution of medication.

Hon. Bassey assured his constituents of his commitment to their healthcare and socio-economic well-being.

Chairman of Calabar South LGA, Hon. Patrick Archibong, commended Hon. Bassey for always reaching out to members of his constituency at the grassroots level, adding that the free medical outreach has brought succour to the people of the Federal constituency.

Beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the lawmaker for prioritizing their health and well-being, assuring him of their support in his future endeavours.

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has praised President Bola Tinubu for establishing the South-West Development Commission (SWDC), describing it as a strategic move to bridge developmental gaps and unlock the region’s vast economic potential.

President Tinubu signed the SWDC Bill into law in March 2025, mandating the commission to drive infrastructure development, economic growth, and social welfare across the South-West. The bill, sponsored by Senator Gbenga Daniel representing Ogun East, received overwhelming support from both chambers of the National Assembly before its final assent.

Speaking at a thanksgiving reception held in honour of Dr. Jide Martins Adewinle, the newly appointed Federal Commissioner representing Ondo State in the commission, Aiyedatiwa said the SWDC would address regional disparities and promote sustainable development.

‘The establishment of the South-West Development Commission is a laudable step by the Federal Government to tackle developmental imbalances, harness regional potential, and promote sustainable growth. With the right leadership and collaboration, the commission will serve as a veritable tool for economic revitalisation, infrastructural renewal, and social transformation in our region,’ he said.

The governor reaffirmed his administration’s readiness to partner with the commission to advance infrastructure renewal, industrialisation, and youth empowerment across Ondo State’s 18 local government areas.

He also described the appointment of Dr. Adewinle as well-deserved, noting that it was a recognition of competence, capacity, and character.

‘Over the years, Dr Adewinle has demonstrated exceptional commitment to community development, youth empowerment, and professionalism,’ Aiyedatiwa said.

‘His appointment further projects Ondo State as a reservoir of capable men and women who can stand tall anywhere in service to our nation.’

The governor urged the new appointee to embrace humility, inclusiveness, and vision in his stewardship.

‘Leadership is stewardship imbued with humility and accountability. Let your service reflect diligence and integrity. Expectations are high, but I’m confident that you will make Ondo proud,’ he added.

Aiyedatiwa also assured that the state government would continue to work closely with the SWDC and other federal institutions to ensure Ondo people benefit maximally from ongoing and future developmental projects.

‘Our administration will continue to collaborate with the Commission to enhance regional integration, agricultural development, industrialisation, and youth empowerment-key pillars of our development agenda,’ he said.

In his response, Dr Adewinle expressed gratitude to God, President Tinubu, and Governor Aiyedatiwa for the opportunity to serve, promising to justify the confidence reposed in him.

He described the Commission as a platform designed to promote education, infrastructure, welfare, and economic empowerment, positioning the South-West for sustainable development.

According to him, the establishment of the SWDC aligns with the visionary blueprint of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, whose policies in education, agriculture, and infrastructure transformed the region into Nigeria’s economic hub.

‘What President Tinubu has done through this Commission is a continuation of Chief Awolowo’s dream for a prosperous South-West – a region driven by unity, innovation, and progress,’ Adewinle said.

‘The Commission will rekindle that legacy by driving growth in education, welfare, and infrastructure.’

He further explained that the SWDC would address the challenges of centralised development by implementing region-specific projects to boost economic fortunes and create jobs.

Chairman of Okitipupa Local Government, Andrew Ogunsakin, also commended the governor for approving a 5km road project in the council area and lauded the various ongoing projects across the state.

The Thanksgiving event, held at Adekunbi Hall, Iye Ile Resort Centre, Ode-Aye, drew dignitaries from across the country, including traditional rulers, political associates, and well-wishers who joined in celebrating the new appointee.

The Federal Nigeria Society for the Blind (FNSB) has urged Nigerians to renew their commitment to supporting the empowerment and inclusion of visually impaired persons across the country.

Speaking at the Society’s 70th Anniversary Gala and Fundraising Dinner in Lagos, the Chairman of the Executive Council, Mrs. Arit Tunde-Imoyo, said the theme of the celebration, ‘Vision Without Eyes: Striving for Excellence,’ underscores the organisation’s belief that true vision extends beyond physical sight to purpose, perseverance, and transforming limitations into possibilities.

Tunde-Imoyo highlighted that through its Vocational Training Centre (VTC) in Oshodi, the Society has empowered more than 5,000 visually impaired men and women with education and practical skills that promote independence and productivity.

‘Our mission goes beyond rehabilitation to include restoration. Through the Eye Bank for Sight Restoration, we help those for whom blindness is curable regain their sight. Every life touched reminds us that blindness does not mean the end of opportunity,’ she said.

She appealed for more volunteers and professionals to join the Society’s committees and council, stressing that its continued success depends on collective effort and public support.

‘The funds raised at this gala will help us sustain and expand our programmes, upgrade training facilities, and introduce new technologies to prepare our trainees for a changing world. Every contribution tonight is an investment in human potential,’ she added.

A major highlight of the event was a fashion show by students of the Vocational Training Centre, showcasing their creativity and craftsmanship.

Dr. Goddie Isibo, a member of the FNSB Council and Chairman of the Strategy Committee, described the Society’s 70-year journey as one of giving hope and restoring dignity to people who had lost it. He noted that many beneficiaries were once professionals who lost their sight as adults and have since rebuilt their careers through training and technology.

‘With software, our trainees can use computers to work as accountants, human resource managers, and other professionals. We give people a second chance to live meaningful, productive lives,’ he said.

He added that the Society’s achievements have been made possible through public donations rather than government funding, urging continued support from individuals and organisations.

Another member of the Executive Council, Mr. Woji Weli, emphasised the importance of inclusion and public understanding of the challenges faced by visually impaired persons.

‘Nigerians must recognize that the blind are, first of all, humans. Their needs must be acknowledged and supported. From prevention to rehabilitation, there is so much that individuals, corporations, and governments can do to improve their quality of life,’ Weli said.

Vice Chairman of the Society and Chairperson of the Organising Committee, Mrs. Oluyemisi Daramola, said the anniversary also celebrated the achievements of the trainees.

‘All the items on display tonight were produced by our students. Many of them have gone on to become employers of labour. One of our ex-trainees in Osogbo now exports his products to the US and UK, and he is totally blind,’ Daramola said.

The Executive Secretary of the Society, Mr. Oluwamayowa Oke, described the 70th anniversary as a deeply meaningful milestone.

‘It’s not just about looking back at seventy years of impact but about celebrating the people who made it possible – our past chairmen, council members, dedicated staff, and the families who have stood with us through the journey,’ he said.

‘This Gala is both a moment of gratitude and a renewed call for support. We invite more individuals, institutions, and corporate organizations to partner with us – to help sustain our training programmes at the Vocational Training Centre, Oshodi, our Eye Bank for sight restoration, and our work of giving hope and purpose to blind and visually impaired persons across Nigeria. Together, we can continue to make blindness not a limitation, but a story of courage and achievement’, he said.

The Ghana national team secured their long-expected qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday, defeating Comoros 1-0 in their final Group I match at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Mohammed Kudus netted the decisive goal in the 47th minute, finishing off a precise cross from Thomas Partey to send the home crowd into celebration.

The Black Stars dominated proceedings for most of the game, and only a heavy home loss could have jeopardized their qualification hopes. The win confirms Ghana’s place at the 2026 finals in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, marking the nation’s sixth appearance at football’s most prestigious tournament.

In the other Group I match, Madagascar’s hopes of advancing to the regional playoff as one of the top four group runners-up was crushed by already eliminated Mali.

Les Aigles dominated the islanders in a 3-1 victory at the Stade du 26 Mars in Bamako, eliminating the possibility of more than one team qualifying from Group I. Lassine Sinayoko and Dorgeles Nene scored in the first half and Sinayoko added another in the second half before a late consolation from Madagascar in second half stoppage time.

Earlier on Sunday, Central African Republic defeated hosts Chad 3-2 in an entertaining match between already eliminated teams.

Ghana- 25 points

Madagascar- 19 points

Mali- 18 points

Comoros- 15 points

Central African Republic- 8 points

Chad- 1 point

The Nigeria Association for Energy Economics (NAEE) has called on the Federal Government to strengthen the economy by actively involving Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the growth process.

The association noted that despite positive indicators such as declining inflation, an improved exchange rate, and increased crude oil production, many Nigerians are yet to feel the impact of these gains because key sectors of the economy remain excluded from the growth trajectory.

Speaking at the 2025 NAEE Annual International Conference, the association’s President, Dr. Hassan Mahmud, said that while the IT, oil, and gas sectors are driving current economic growth, they employ only a small portion of the population.

He stressed the need for the inclusion of the agricultural and manufacturing sectors to ensure broad-based development and ease the economic hardships that persist despite the encouraging macroeconomic trends.

‘The growth process should be largely made participatory, so SMEs, MSMEs, making huge contributions to that growth process, not just the oil sector or the major IT companies that are doing this, because the employment levels at those levels are very thin and highly technical.

‘But the non-skilled labor force, which is largely in the agriculture and the SMEs, the manufacturing sectors, are not carried along.’

The press conference was to announce the NAEE 2025, scheduled to hold in Abuja from 12th to 14th October 2025.

Meanwhile, the former NAEE Council Adviser, Prof. Wumi Illedare, said the economy is still adjusting to the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic, Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) petrol subsidy removal, and the floating of the exchange rate, which will take some time.

He said he has always advocated that petrol can sell for N800 per litre with proper institutional governance.

‘So we are still trying to adjust to the shock. And it’s going to take a while. And I’ll still advocate the way I’ve tried to do with respect to the price of petroleum products.

It can still go to 800 Naira per litre with proper institutional governance beyond personality-driven governance,’ Illedare said.

He said once institutions are empowered, the economy can bounce back.

He called on the government to spend its savings from the subsidy removal to alleviate poverty.

The council adviser added that it will be better to invest in structures that will add value to the economy.

According to him, the government should spend its budget on building roads in rural areas for easy transportation of goods to the market.

Illedare said, ‘It (government) could go back to the rural areas and spend money to build roads, to make it easy for people to transport goods and services to the local market. That, to a large extent, will reduce the sectoral inflation. But right now, the spending is not with respect to things that we have posterity beyond immediate prosperity.’

NAEE was optimistic that the country could achieve the production of 3 million barrels of crude oil production in December 2025.

According to him, the current national crude oil output of 1.4million barrels per day is low compared to the country’s 37 billion reserves.

Illedare noted that the worst challenge in the crude oil production of the country is governance, because if it is addressed, producing 3 million barrels of oil will be realizable.

He said, ‘Not because of what an individual is doing, but because the PIA, if implemented according to the intent of the law, you cannot have 37 billion barrels of oil and produce 1.4 million barrels per day.

‘No, it’s too low. You are supposed to have the possibility of producing at least 3% of your 37 billion.

‘So you are supposed to be able to produce 3 million barrels per day. When you say you have 37 billion, what it means in the technical term is that you are 90% certain, under current economic conditions and technology, to recover that in the lifetime of the reservoir and the field. So the potential is there.

‘The biggest challenge is governance of the sector. If the governance of the sector, the empowering of the institutions are implemented according to the law, 3 million is not something Nigeria cannot achieve. 2 million is optimistic in December.’

The National Assembly has taken steps to fast track the legal framework for the conduct of the 2027 general election, summoning a joint committee public hearing on the repeal and re-enactment of the Electoral Act 2025.

The Electoral Act repeal and re-enactment Bill contained far reaching reforms to the electoral system including early voting for certain categories of Nigerians, inmate voting, replacement of elected legislators who either resigned or died before the expiration of their tenure, single day voting for all elections.

It also tends to reduce the period of litigations in electoral disputes, frivolous applications for review of election results, nullification of respected lawmakers and replacing them after inauguration among others.

Parties that field candidates who are not eligible to contest an election or present documents that are false are to be disqualified by the court from such election alongside the offending candidate.

Even though the joint Committee on Electoral Matters has scheduled a single public hearing with a view to fast tracking the process, the Nation observed that there are two electoral acts to repeal and amend bills before the National Assembly, with the Senate and House of Representatives having different versions.

For example, it was discovered that while the House of Representatives version has provision for early voting for certain categories of Nigerians as well as a new method of replacing elected lawmakers who either died or resigned or is incapacitated, the Senate version does not have the same provision.

While the House bill took steps to end series of bye elections arising from resignation and death of elected members of the state and National Assembly, proposing that parties who sponsored the lawmaker who died or resigned be made to produce his replacement, the Senate Bill is silent on it even as INEC and the Inter Party Advisory Council appear to be in favour of it.

It also set aside a date for security personnel; officials of the Commission; accredited domestic observers; accredited journalists; and ad-hoc staff of the Commission to cast their votes under a procedure to be determined by the Commission, adding that ‘a person whose name is on the early voter’s list shall not vote on the official day scheduled for the respective election’.

The proposed law is silent on the use of Permanent Voters cards for accreditation during elections, but states that ‘a person intending to vote in an election shall present himself to a Presiding Officer for accreditation at the polling unit in the constituency in which his name is registered, and shall provide any of ‘(a) an electronically generated voter identification, including a downloadable voter’ card with a unique QR code; or (b) any other form of identification as may be prescribed in section 10 (2).

The Senate Bill is also silent on this provision.

The new law makes it mandatory for funds meant for the conduct of the election to be released to the Commission not later than one year before the conduct of the general election as against the old practice which made it mandatory.

Sources at the Commission said not all funds meant for the 2023 general elections were released to the commission.

Also, the proposed amendment seeks to restrict election expenses by individuals and the parties with Presidential candidates not expected to spend more than N10 billion as election expenses (increased from N5 billion), while governorship candidates are restricted to an election expense of N3 billion, an increase from N1 billion in the 2022 electoral Act.

Those seeking election into the Senate, House of Representatives, state Houses of Assembly, Chairmanship and Councillorship election are restricted to election expenses of N500 million, N250 million, N30 million (for State Assembly and Chairman) and N10 million respectively.

It also states that ‘no individual or other entity shall donate to a candidate more than N500 million’ for the purpose of the election.

The new bill also seeks to amend provisions of the Electoral Act to provide for the disqualification by the court of a candidate who provides false information in the process of filing his nomination paper as well as his political party that failed to do due diligence on the candidate.

The new law provides that where a candidate who contested a party primary has reasonable ground to believe that the information given by his political party candidate or documents submitted are false, he is free to file a suit at the Federal High Court

It said further in the new section 29(6) that ‘where the court determines that any of the information contained in the affidavit is false only as it relates to constio requirements not eligibility, the court shall issue an order disqualifying the candidate and the sponsoring political party.

The new section also states that a candidate who does not meet the qualification stipulated in the law and present himself to the political party shall be liable on conviction to a fine of not less than ?5 million, while the political party that presents such a candidate will be liable to a fine of not less than ?10 million.

To mitigate against litigation arising from missing logos, the bill proposes that INEC shall invite political parties nominating candidates for election to come and inspect its identity appearing on a sample of relevant electoral materials 60 days before the elections and such parties are expected to communicate their observations to the commission within two days in writing.

It said further that unless the political parties disapproves of its identity in writing, it shall not complain of unlawful exclusion from the election in relation to its identity appearing on electoral materials.

The bill is silent on electronic transmission of election results, but said in section 60(5) that ‘the presiding officer shall transmit the results in using the total number of accredited voters to the next level of collation’, while Section 65 vests the power to ask for a review of the election results on the returning officer.

The commission is powered to review when it is satisfied that the results were declared under duress, while section 62(9) seeks to punish a returning or collation officer who intentionally collates and announces false results.

Section 74 makes it mandatory for a Resident Electoral Commissioner to make available certified true copies of documents within 7 days, saying such REC shall be liable on conviction to a two year imprisonment without an option of a fine for refusing to make the CTC available.

Apparently to reduce the proliferation of political parties, the new law increased the administrative fees to be paid by intending parties before their application is considered ?50 million while leaders of such associations that provide false information shall ?20 million.

Clause 27 of the proposed law said elections at all levels shall be held not earlier than 210 (Senate bill says 360 days) days and not later than 30 days before the expiration of the tenure of office of the occupants of the office, adding that ‘where a vacancy occurs in any of the Houses mentioned in subsection (1) more than 90 days before the date of general elections, an election shall be held to fill such vacancy not later than 30 days after the occurrence of the vacancy.’

The 2022 electoral act makes it mandatory for INEC to declare a notice of election 360 days before the conduct of the election with the proposed law saying ‘without prejudice to subsections 1 and 3 above, apart from off-circuit elections, all the elections shall hold the same day’.

It also state that political parties shall not be allowed to change or substitute its candidate whose name has been submitted under section 28 of this Act, except in the case of death or withdrawal by the candidate in accordance with Section 30, provided that in the case of such withdrawal or death of a candidate, the political party affected shall, within 14 days of the occurrence of the event, hold another primary election to produce and submit a new candidate to the Commission for the election concerned.

Clause 40 of the law states that ‘where an elected member of a Legislative house at any level of government resigns, dies or is otherwise unable to continue in office before the expiration of the tenure for which the member was elected, the political party under whose platform the member was elected shall have the mandate to nominate a replacement from within the party in accordance with the procedure for nomination of candidates in section 84 (2).’

The law also required every political party to submit its register of members, both in soft and hard copy to the commission not later than 30 days before the conduct of any party primary, congresses of convention, adding that ‘only members whose names are contained in the register shall be eligible to vote and be voted for in party primaries, congresses and conventions.’

It also states that ‘a party that fails to submit the membership register within the stipulated time shall not be eligible to field a candidate for that election. A political party shall not use any other register for party primaries, congresses and conventions except the register submitted to the Commission’.

The proposed law also provide that ‘a political appointee at any level shall not be a voting delegate or be voted for at the Convention or Congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election’, adding that ‘notwithstanding the provisions of this Act or rules of a political party, an aspirant who complains that any of the provisions of this Act and the guidelines of a political party have not been complied with in the selection or nomination of a candidate of a political party for election, may apply to the Federal High Court for redress’

‘Where a court finds that a political party failed to comply with the provisions of this Act in the conduct of its primaries, its candidate for election shall not be included in the election for the particular position in issue.

‘A person that financially or materially induces a delegate for the purpose of influencing the outcome of the party primaries, congresses and conventions commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment to a term of two years without an option of fine.

‘Nothing in this section shall empower the Courts to stop the holding of primaries or general elections under this Act pending the determination of a suit’.

While requiring that an election petition be filed within 21 days after the date of the declaration of results of the election, the proposed law states that it also says that every pre-election matter shall be filed not later than 14 days from the date of the occurrence of the event, decision or action complained of in the suit.

It said further that ‘the Election Tribunal or court shall deliver its judgement in writing within 90 days (Senate bill says 150 days) from the date of filing the petition, while appeal arising from the decision of an Election Tribunal or court shall be filed not later than 14 days from the date of delivery of judgement appealed against. An appeal arising from the decision of an Election Tribunal or court shall be heard and determined not later than 60 days from the date of filing the appeal.

On pre-election matters, it said, ‘A court in every pre-election matter shall deliver its judgement in writing within 90 days from the date of filing the suit. An appeal from a decision in a pre-election matter shall be filed within 14 days from the date of delivery of the judgement appealed against. An appeal from a decision of a Court in a pre-election matter shall be heard and disposed of within 60 days from the date of filing of the appeal’.

In addition, it said ‘an election tribunal or court shall not declare any person a winner of an election in which such a person has not fully participated in all stages of the election’.

Furthermore, the proposed law states that ‘for the purpose of this section, where there is a natural disaster, war or any State or national emergency or any other ‘force majeure’ that prevents the filing of a pre-election, election petition, sitting of a court over a pre-election matter or the sitting of an election petition tribunal or appellate court, the period of the natural disaster, war or any State or national emergency or any other ‘force majeure’ shall not be reckoned with in the computation of time under subsections (3), (4), (5), (6), (7) (8) (9) and 10) of this section’.

While also listing ground on which an election can be questioned, the bill states that ‘an election may be questioned on any of the following grounds (a) the election was invalid by reason of corrupt practices or noncompliance with the provisions of this Act; or (b) the respondent was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast at the election’.

It however said that ‘an act or omission which may be contrary to an instruction or directive of the Commission or of an officer appointed for the purpose of the election but which is not contrary to the provisions of this Act shall not of itself be a ground for questioning the election’.

In addition, it seeks to deter frivolous election suits, stating, ‘Where the court makes a determination that an election is being questioned by a political party or candidate on grounds outside of those provided for under subsection (1), the court shall impose penalties of not less than N5,000,000 on the counsel and not less than N10,000,000 on the petitioner.’

Philanthropist and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Abdulkareem Shittu, has disbursed ?7.5 million to residents of the Ikorodu Federal Constituency during the second edition of his foundation’s empowerment programme.

The event, organised through the Abdulkareem Shittu Foundation, drew a large crowd as beneficiaries received business grants and direct cash support.

Thirty small business owners received ?250,000 each to expand their enterprises, while about 1,000 participants were given ?5,000. Shittu also distributed food items to all attendees and donated 30 chairs to APC ward offices to strengthen grassroots political activities.

Grateful beneficiaries praised Shittu’s commitment to uplifting the community, describing the initiative as timely and impactful.

‘This is a lifeline at a time I needed it most,’ said one of the beneficiaries, Abidemi Ajumobi.

The Director-General of the Abdulkareem Shittu Foundation, Muhammed Hassan, commended Shittu’s personal sacrifices in funding the scheme and assured residents that more empowerment initiatives would follow in the coming months.

A data analyst and research expert, Anthony Ogbaka, has urged organisations to harness the power of artificial intelligence, agile methods, and predictive analytics to transform how they plan, execute, and sustain projects.

Agbaka said data were not only figures on a dashboard but the cornerstone of insight, vision, and wiser decisions.

Speaking in an interaction with journalists in Benin City, Agbaka said he remained convinced that projects would be successful if evidence-based decisions were made and the decisions were people-centered.

Agbaka urged organisations to consider data as a tool to empower teams and not to restrain them.

He said he has helped organisations predict risks, make more effective decisions, and eliminate waste by applying AI to their lifecycle projects.

According to him, ‘The development of structures that provide a real-time representation of the project’s phases is among the most significant contributions to my work. Such AI-centric systems reveal hidden bottlenecks, identify unequal workloads, and even track stakeholder engagement.

‘Technology must be in the service of people. Digital tools enhance creativity and collaboration, thereby validating the importance of human insight as the primary focus of sustainable project success.

‘I help translate insights into action. Our platforms have helped startups grow with confidence, multinationals undergo complex transformations, and leaders adopt evidence-based approaches. Data is not merely information; it is the guide to change. Decisions made on insight make results endure.’

A northern socio-political group, the Northern Patriots, has called on Nigerians to begin the process of recalling all members of the National Assembly, accusing them of complicity in what it described as ‘a grand betrayal of national trust’ and ‘systematic marginalisation’ of the northern region.

In a statement signed by its president, Alhaji Babagida Muazu, the group alleged that the current legislature has become ‘a rubber stamp in the hands of a few powerful interests within the executive arm,’ enabling the diversion of public funds into projects not captured in the 2025 Appropriation Act-most of which, it claimed, are concentrated in the South-West.

‘The National Assembly has sold out Nigerians for a cup of garri. We are witnessing the most docile and directionless set of lawmakers since 1999. They have surrendered their oversight powers, failed to defend the sanctity of the Appropriation Act, and chosen to look the other way while a sectional agenda is being executed under their watch,’ Muazu said.

He alleged that credible intelligence obtained by the group revealed that several new infrastructure and social projects currently being implemented by the federal government were never approved by the National Assembly but are being deliberately executed in the southern part of the country, particularly the South-West, as part of ‘a covert strategy to divert national resources.’

‘It is a scandal of monumental proportions that the Federal Government is implementing projects not captured in the 2025 Appropriation Act. These projects, worth billions of naira, are being executed outside the budgetary framework and concentrated in one region. Yet, the lawmakers who are constitutionally empowered to check these abuses have gone silent-perhaps because their own pockets are being lined,’ Muazu alleged.

He said the silence of northern legislators, in particular, amounted to ‘a betrayal of the mandate of their people,’ accusing them of failing to challenge what he described as ‘a clear attempt to economically isolate the North.’

‘Instead of defending their constituencies, these lawmakers have turned themselves into errand boys of the executive. They attend oversight visits that end with envelopes instead of accountability. They pass budgets they don’t read. And now, they are watching as the government executes off-budget projects that favour a section of the country at the expense of millions of northern citizens,’ he added.

The Northern Patriots announced plans to mobilise civil society groups, traditional rulers, and youth movements across the 19 northern states to initiate the recall of their representatives in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

‘We cannot continue to tolerate this level of irresponsibility. The North will not be treated as a colony of silence while others feed fat on our collective resources. Every senator and member of the House of Representatives who has failed to raise a voice against this injustice must be recalled. We are taking this message to every ward, local government, and emirate council,’ Muazu declared.

He accused the leadership of both chambers of ‘presiding over a compromised parliament that no longer represents the people but the privileges of a few,’ describing the National Assembly as ‘a marketplace for personal gain rather than a sanctuary for national interest.’

‘The legislature is asleep while the executive rewrites the budget by stealth. If this continues, there will be nothing left to check or balance. The people must take back their democracy before it is completely sold off,’ Muazu warned.

He further disclosed that the group would soon release a detailed report naming the projects and federal agencies allegedly involved in what it called ‘this dangerous distortion of fiscal order.’

Muazu concluded by urging Nigerians across all regions to ‘wake up and defend the republic,’ insisting that the movement was not about regional rivalry but about restoring integrity and accountability in governance.

‘This is not just a northern issue-it is a national disgrace. But it is also a wake-up call. The lawmakers who failed to defend Nigeria’s unity, fairness, and transparency have forfeited their legitimacy. The people must now act,’ he said.

Youths of the Urhobo nation and Kokori community in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State have erupted in jubilation following the release and presidential pardon of Niger Delta ex-agitator and self-acclaimed environmental activist, Kelvin Onirah.

Onirah’s freedom comes after 12 years of imprisonment and rehabilitation.

Community leaders described his story as one of redemption and a reminder of the need for the Urhobo people to stand by their own.

Now a graduate of the National Open University of Nigeria, Onirah is said to be fully rehabilitated and ready for reintegration into society.

President of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) Youth Wing, Comrade Blessed Ughere, described the pardon as ‘worth celebrating,’ calling for wider acceptance of Onirah and recognition of his transformation.

‘Our reaction is positive. It is worth celebrating. Kelvin is a rights activist who fought against degradation and unfair treatment of the people of Kokori community,’ Ughere said.

He added that the community’s excitement over Onirah’s return reflected a broader message of forgiveness and unity.

‘This is something the Urhobo youths are celebrating. You could see the jubilation in Kokori last night. For naysayers, some speak out of hate for development. There are people in Nigeria who have benefitted from similar pardons. We should even ask for more-Amnesty for Kelvin and his followers, and their full reintegration into society,’ he said.

Ughere further described Onirah as an environmentalist who resisted exploitation by oil thieves that impoverished his community, stressing that his efforts should be recognised rather than condemned.

‘Kelvin should be celebrated. He fought against oil thieves who came to steal from his community, leaving his people in abject poverty,’ he said.

He disclosed that the youth wing plans to redirect Onirah’s energy towards positive community initiatives.

‘Now that he is back, we will ensure his influence benefits our society. We will build a strong reference around him and channel his energy towards the development of Urhobo land, Delta State, and Nigeria,’ Ughere stated.

Expressing appreciation to President Bola Tinubu, he said: ‘God bless President Bola Tinubu for his compassion in granting this pardon, cutting short the 20-year prison term. Knowing Kelvin has been rehabilitated and is now a graduate shows he has become a better person.’

Onirah was arrested in September 2013 over alleged links to kidnapping and armed robbery before serving his sentence and undergoing rehabilitation.