News
LP blows hot gives Akpabio 72hrs to declare Senator Onyewuchi’s seat vacant for dumping party for APC
The Labour Party has issued a 72hour ultimatum to Senate President Godswill Akpabio to declare the seat of Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi vacant, following his defection to the All Progressives Congress.
Naijablitznews reports this was contained in a letter to the Senate President, the party warned that failure to comply would lead to legal action to reclaim the mandate given by the Imo East electorates.
The party’s publicity secretary in Imo State, Bright Ofurum, expressed regret over supporting Onyewuchi, who was defeated in the PDP primary election, and accused him of betraying the trust of the party that revived his political career.
The party demands that Onyewuchi’s seat be declared vacant to reflect his change in party affiliation.
The statement partly read: “Yesterday Tuesday 23rd July, 2024, we received unfortunate news that the member representing Imo East in the Senate, Sen. Ezenwa Onyewuchi has shamelessly and dishonourably defected to APC on the floor of the Senate after months of hide and seek romance with APC.
“From the very day Sen. Ezenwa Onyewuchi was sworn into the 10th Senate he has not attended any of our Party’s meetings or functions and have not added any value to our Party, thus our Party will not miss him at all.
“We recalled that the political carrier of the said Sen. Ezenwa Onyewuchi was drowned and dead after he was terribly defeated in the PDP primary election even as a serving Senator, before our great Party took pity on him, picked him from the depth of the ocean where he drowned, gave him life jacket (our Party’s ticket) and revived him politically.”
LP reminded Onyewuchi that defecting from a party that sponsored and supported him at a very difficult time when his political career was drowning amounts to biting the fingers that fed him when he was hungry.
“It is a very big political suicide which has serious consequences,” the party noted.
“Having contested and won the Imo East Senatorial seat on the platform of our great party LP, Sen. Ezenwa Onyewuchi is carrying the mandate of our party as well as that of Imo East Senatorial Zone, suffice to point out crystal clear that the Imo East electorates passionately voted for our Party and not him as a person, he cannot carry our mandate to APC.
“In the light of the current development and in line with the letters and spirit of the 1999 Constitution as amended, we request Sen. Ezenwa Onyewuchi to do the needful and resign immediately from the Senate following his shameful defection.
“Furthermore, we respectfully call on the Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio to immediately declare Sen. Ezenwa Onyewuchi’s seat in the Senate vacant in line with section 68(2) of the Constitution.
“Our party hereby gives the Senate President 3 days to declare Sen. Onyewuchi’s seat vacant otherwise we shall approach the Court to reclaim the mandate freely given to our Party by Imo East electorates who placed their love & support in us.”
The party, however, advised its supporters and party members to remain calm and law-abiding, “as we shall invoke all legal avenues available to us to reclaim our mandate from the ungrateful Senator.”
President Bola Tinubu has assented to the 2026 Appropriation Bill, which provides for an aggregate expenditure of ₦68.32 trillion.
He also signed the bill extending the implementation period for the 2025 budget from March 31, 2026, to June 30, 2026.
This was announced on Friday in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The ₦68.32 trillion budget for this year earmarks ₦4.799 trillion for statutory transfers and ₦15.8 trillion for debt service.
It allocates ₦15.4 trillion to recurrent expenditure and ₦32.2 trillion to the Development Fund for Capital Expenditure.
“With capital expenditure accounting for about 50 per cent, the 2026 budget underscores the administration’s continued commitment to economic stability, national security, infrastructure development, and inclusive growth.
The allocations reflect a strategic balance between statutory obligations, debt servicing, recurrent expenditure, and capital investments critical to driving productivity and improving the quality of life for Nigerians,” the statement read in part.
The President also has assented to the Appropriation (Repeal and Enactment) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which extends the implementation period of the capital component of the 2025 Appropriation Act from March 31, 2026, to June 30, 2026.
The extension, the statement revealed, would ensure the full and effective utilisation of appropriated funds, particularly for critical infrastructure and development projects that are at advanced stages of implementation across the country.
It will enable ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to consolidate ongoing works, enhance project completion rates, and maximise value for public expenditure. With the 2026 Appropriation Act coming into force on April 1, the Federal Government will commence full implementation in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda,” it added.
Additionally, President Tinubu directed MDAs to ensure disciplined, transparent, and efficient utilisation of allocated resources, with a strong emphasis on value for money and timely project delivery.
He commended the National Assembly for its diligence, cooperation, and patriotism in expeditiously considering and passing the budget.
The President reaffirmed the importance of sustained collaboration between the executive and legislative arms of government in advancing national development objectives.
Tinubu also assured Nigerians of his administration’s resolve to deepen fiscal reforms, enhance revenue generation, and prioritise investments that will stimulate economic growth, create jobs, and strengthen social protection mechanisms.
The budget is also expected to be partly financed through external borrowing, following the approval of a foreign loan plan exceeding $21 billion to bridge the fiscal gap.
₦9.85trn Increase
The 2026 budget represents an increase of ₦9.85 trillion over the initial proposal of ₦58.47 trillion that Tinubu submitted to the National Assembly, and ₦13.33 trillion higher than the 2025 budget.
The President had while presenting the 2025 budget proposal before federal lawmakers in December 2025, pegged the capital expenditure at ₦26.08 trillion and the crude oil benchmark at US$64.85 per barrel.
He disclosed that the expected total revenue was ₦34.33 trillion; ₦15.52 trillion for debt servicing.
The proposal was anchored on a crude oil production of 1.84 million barrels per day, and an exchange rate of ₦1,400 to the US Dollar for the 2026 fiscal year.
Amid the growing concerns over insecurity across the country, Tinubu said his administration would “invest in security with clear accountability for outcomes—because security spending must deliver security results”.
“We will take decisive steps to strengthen agricultural markets. Food security is national security.
“The 2026 budget prioritises input financing and mechanisation; irrigation and climate‑resilient agriculture; storage and processing; and agro‑value chains,” he told the National Assembly members.
Nigeria’s budgets in recent years have come under fire with experts critcising the poor implementation and release of funds for the execution of important national projects.
But the Tinubu administration said that the 2026 national budget was well-planned to solidify the gains of its reform agenda.
“Our ‘Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity’ is critical. It is a commitment to double down on what is working, to solidify gains, and to ensure that the shared prosperity we speak of becomes a lived reality for more Nigerians, faster,” Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said in a statement.
Popular sports broadcast journalist with Classic FM 97.3, Temisan Okomi, has died.
A journalist with News Central, Olawale Adigun, confirmed his death in a statement shared on X on Friday.
He wrote on X, “The worst way to go into the weekend is hearing about Temisan Okomi’s passing. I’m so gutted and, at the same time, terrified. This man meant so much to me.”
Recall that news of his death has since stirred reactions on X, with colleagues and fans expressing shock and grief.
The late journalist had worked with Lagos Television, HiTV, and other prominent media organizations in Nigeria.
His last post on X was on April 14, 2026, when he wrote, “The Champions League is hard, man.”
Ibrahim Abdulkarim, a political associate of ex-governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has claimed that the former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has agreed to deputize the Obi in the 2027 presidential race.
He spoke during an interview on Trust TV, said the Obidients and the Kwankwassiyya Movements are already aligning towards Obi/Kwankwaso ticket.
Asked if Obi and Kwankwaso had struck a deal, Abdulkarim said “yes, I can categorically tell you that they have agreed”.
We all know that. Both the Obidients and the Kwankwassiyya Movements are aware of the agreement”.
Recall that Kwankwaso recently decamped from the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP to the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
His move stirred suspicion that the two political gladiators may have agreed to run for the 2027 presidency on a single ticket.
Just in: Tinubu assents 2026 Appropriation Bill, 2025 Budget Extension
BREAKING: Popular sports analystt, Okomi is dead
BREAKING: JAMB set to release first batch of 2026 UTME results today
-
News15 hours agoJust in: Ex-Senate president, Saraki, others to face death penalty charges
-
Economy20 hours agoNigerian stocks rally again as investors gain N1.66tn, market cap crosses N136tn
-
News20 hours agoI Am Ready For 2027 – President Tinubu Declares
-
News20 hours agoSenator Abdulaziz Yari Accused of Using Billions to Secure Vice Presidential Ambition
-
Foreign20 hours agoTrump Says Iran Agrees To Hand Over Nuclear Dust Amid Strait of Hormuz Blockade
-
News20 hours agoADC Reacts To Suspension Of Atiku, Lawal From Party
-
Metro20 hours agoBauchi Govt Sacks Driver Over Road Crash That K!lled Two Journalists
-
Sports20 hours agoFormer Arsenal, Liverpool Legend Dies In Train Crash
You must be logged in to post a comment Login