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PDP knocks Aiyedatiwa as lawmakers get N200m for phone calls
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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.
News
DSS intercepts arms shipment bound for bandit kingpin, nabs suspect
Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested a suspected arms courier in Kano State allegedly transporting weapons intended for delivery to a notorious bandit leader operating in Zamfara.
An operational report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Saturday said the suspect was apprehended on Friday in Gezawa Local Government Area following actionable intelligence.
According to the report, the suspect was intercepted while moving a cache of arms and ammunition from Maigatari Local Government Area of Jigawa to Funtua in Katsina State for onward delivery to criminal elements.
“Items recovered from the suspect include three AK-47 rifles, four rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) tubes and warheads, as well as two empty magazines.”
The report said preliminary investigations linked the consignment to a suspected bandit kingpin believed to be operating in parts of Zamfara.
“The suspect confessed that he was contracted to transport the weapons from Maigatari to Funtua and was promised a payment of N450,000 upon successful delivery.
“Investigations are ongoing to unravel the network behind the arms movement and identify other collaborators involved in the operation,” the report said.
The report described the arrest as a major breakthrough in ongoing efforts to disrupt the supply of arms and ammunition to criminal groups responsible for violent attacks, kidnappings and other security threats in the North-West.
It added that the suspect was in DSS custody and would face further investigation and possible prosecution in accordance with the law.
According to the report, security agencies have continued to intensify intelligence-driven operations aimed at dismantling logistics networks that sustain banditry, terrorism and other forms of organised crime across the country.
(NAN)
News
Chimamanda Adichie alleges cover-up, negligence following son’s death
Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has accused Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital of medical negligence and an subsequent attempt to cover up the circumstances surrounding her son’s death by taking her pursuit of justice for her late son, Nkanu Nnamdi, to the public.
In a four-part series shared on Instagram, Adichie detailed a devastating sequence of events. According to her, her son suffered a hypoxic brain injury caused by improper sedation administered by an anesthesiologist, Dr. Titus Ogundare, which ultimately resulted in his death.
Beyond the medical tragedy, Adichie alleges that the hospital has engaged in a pattern of dishonest practices. These include:
Issuing an inaccurate death certificate that falsely attributed the cause of death to meningitis.
Failing to provide complete or accurate medical records to her family.
Employing heartless language in legal correspondence, including referring to her son’s death as a “dispute”.
Stalling and attempting to obstruct a coroner’s inquest, which was originally initiated by the hospital itself. Describing the immense toll this has taken on her.
She said, “I wake up every single morning with my heart racing… The ultimate and utter loneliness of grief is that only you can know the true depth of your despair. I long for, at least, peace to mourn, but Euracare Hospital has robbed me even of that”.
The author also recounted an encounter with a senior figure in the hospital’s ownership who allegedly attempted to discourage her from pursuing legal action by suggesting her reputation could be dragged in the mud during court proceedings. Adichie said this was a manipulative and threatening message.
“An inquest is a public judicial inquiry designed to establish the circumstances surrounding a death,” she stated.
Adichie explained, that it is not a trial or a claim for damages, but simply a search for the truth. By making these details public, she hopes to demand the accountability and transparency that she feels have been denied to her family.
“I have decided to make this letter public because to keep silent about Euracare’s evil is to enable it”. She stated.
News
Tinubu condemns death of retired general Rabe in kidnappers’ custody
President Bola Tinubu has expressed deep sorrow over the death of retired Major-General Rabe Abubakar, who was reportedly abducted by armed criminals in Katsina State and later died while still in their custody.
According to a State House statement issued on Saturday, the president said he received the news of the former military officer’s death with “shock and sadness,” describing the incident as a tragic reminder of the security challenges facing parts of the country.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed shock over the death of retired Major-General Rabe Abubakar while in the custody of terrorists in Katsina State,” the statement read.
General Abubakar, who had retired from the Nigerian Armed Forces after a distinguished career, was said to have been travelling to his hometown when he was intercepted and abducted by armed men.
“General Abubakar, after a distinguished career in the military, retired a few years ago. He was on his way to his hometown when the hoodlums captured him,” the statement stated.
The presidency also revealed that the late officer’s wife was taken alongside him and is still being held by the abductors, a detail that has further intensified public concern over the incident.
The president extended condolences to the bereaved family, the people of Katsina State, and the military establishment, describing the loss as painful and unacceptable.
He also reiterated the government’s uncompromising stance on terrorism and kidnapping, warning that the state would not be blackmailed into concessions.
While condemning the attack, Tinubu declared: “Bandits, kidnappers, and sponsors of terror should now surrender or face the full force of the Nigerian State. These windows of surrender will not remain open forever. And no mercy will be shown to those who trade in the blood of Nigerians.”
He further stressed national unity and resilience in the face of insecurity, insisting that the country would ultimately prevail.
“As Nigerians, we must stand united and be assured that the enemies of our nation shall soon be history. We will triumph over terror and continue to build a more prosperous nation,” the President said.
On the broader fight against insecurity, Tinubu said the tragedy should serve as a turning point in Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts, rejecting any form of negotiation with armed groups.
“General Abubakar’s death should further serve as a defining moment in our battle against terrorists and insurgents, never to negotiate with them on any terms, but to continue to treat them as the greatest enemies of our dear nation, who should never be spared,” the statement added.
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