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PDP knocks Aiyedatiwa as lawmakers get N200m for phone calls
The Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State has criticised Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa over the recently signed 2025 state budget, labelling it a “budget of looting” due to what it described as wasteful and dubious allocations.
Governor Aiyedatiwa signed the N698.6bn budget into law a week after its passage by the state House of Assembly.
The budget allocates N265.04bn for recurrent expenditure and N433.62bn for capital projects.
However, the PDP has questioned the transparency of the spending plan, singling out allocations it considers frivolous.
These include N200m for lawmakers and N280m for the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly for “phone expenses.”
In a statement issued on Tuesday by its Publicity Secretary, Kennedy Peretei, the opposition party described the allocations as outrageous and unnecessary.
“The Ondo State 2025 Appropriation Act, signed by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, is aptly a ‘Budget of Looting.’ Yet, the Governor branded it a ‘Budget of Recovery,’” Peretei said.
The PDP also queried the allocation of N11.5bn to the Ministry of Finance under the subhead of “security vote,” stating that such an amount is unjustifiable and raises serious concerns about accountability.
“Not even budget experts can explain the rationale for a Ministry receiving a ‘security vote,’ which is distinct from what the Governor himself collects monthly under the same subhead,” the statement added.
Critical sectors such as education and healthcare, the party noted, were allocated N77.02 billion and N46.02 billion respectively, amounts it deemed inadequate for meaningful development.
The PDP further called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate what it termed the “brazen looting” embedded in the budget.
But the Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress dismissed the PDP’s allegations as baseless and a misrepresentation of facts.
In a statement by its Director of Media and Publicity, Steve Otaloro, the APC argued that the budget was designed to foster economic growth and development in the state.
“The allocations are in line with the state’s development priorities. The PDP’s claims are nothing more than an attempt to discredit the administration out of bitterness for losing the last governorship election,” Otaloro said.
The controversy highlights a deepening rift between the ruling APC and the opposition PDP over the state’s fiscal policies, with questions raised about the prioritisation of funds amid widespread economic challenges.
Proceedings in the case involving former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, were on Thursday adjourned till May 6, 2026, by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
At the resumed hearing, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, represented the prosecution, while Bello was represented by his lead counsel, Mr Joseph Daudu.
During proceedings, the prosecution informed the court of the need for more time to respond to applications filed by the defence, while Bello’s legal team urged the court to consider their submissions and move the matter forward.
Justice Nwite, in his ruling, adjourned the case to May 6 to allow all parties to adequately prepare and ensure a fair hearing.
Mr Bello is currently facing charges bordering on alleged financial misappropriation during his tenure as governor, allegations he has repeatedly denied.
Nigeria is set to experience one of the highest increases in food insecurity worldwide in 2026, according to the latest Global Report on Food Crises released on April 24, 2026.
The report, compiled by agencies including the Food and Agriculture Organization and World Food Programme, raised fresh concerns over worsening hunger levels driven by insecurity, economic hardship and declining humanitarian funding.
According to FAO findings, about 4.1 million additional Nigerians could fall into acute food insecurity in 2026, placing the country among those with the largest increases globally.
Reacting to the development, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Mr Alvaro Lario, said “the crisis is becoming more prolonged and difficult to contain”.
“We are no longer seeing just temporary shocks, but persistent shocks over time,” warning that the situation is placing growing pressure on global stability.
FAO noted that about 266 million people across 47 countries face high levels of acute hunger in 2025, with conditions expected to remain severe into 2026.
In Nigeria, the situation is being worsened by continued insecurity in key farming regions, rising inflation and limited access to food.
According FAO projections, over 34 million Nigerians may experience crisis level hunger between June and August 2026, during the peak of the lean season.
The FAO Country Representative in Nigeria, Mr Hussein Gadain, said the combined impact of armed conflict, climate shocks, high food prices and cuts in global aid funding is pushing more Nigerians into hunger.
The report called for urgent and sustained intervention, warning that without immediate action, millions more could slide into emergency levels of food insecurity in the coming months.
Prosecutors in Florida, United States, are seeking the d3ath penalty against a woman accused of k!lling both of her ex-husbands on the same day.
Susan Avalon faces charges in the December 17, 2025 k!llings of Timothy Fletcher in Tampa and David Scott in Bradenton, according to authorities.
The Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office said it will pursue the d3ath penalty in the case tied to Fletcher’s d3ath.
The investigators said the case began when Manatee County deputies responded to Scott’s shooting and alerted Tampa police.
Scott was still alive when officers arrived and told them the shooter could have been his ex-wife, authorities said.
Witnesses reported hearing gunshots and seeing a vehicle leave the scene. Investigators later located Avalon in Citrus County.
When questioned about her ex-husband, Avalon allegedly responded, “Which one?” according to authorities.
That response led investigators to request a welfare check on Fletcher, who was found fatally shot at his home in Tampa.
Authorities allege Avalon k!lled Fletcher before traveling to Bradenton and shooting Scott.
Avalon is charged with first-degree premeditated m8rder in Fletcher’s death and two counts of second-degree m8rder in Scott’s k!lling.
She has pleaded not guilty.
Yahaya Bello to know fate on May 6 as Court adjourns financial infractions case
Nigeria set to record largest surge in food insecurity globally in 2026-Reports
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