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Budget defense: Senators hammer ministers, top civil servants

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Top shots in the executive arm of government, like the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, the Director General of National Orientation Agency ( NOA) Mallam Lanre Issa – Onilu and his counterpart in the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) , Ali Mohammed Ali , were separately put under fire in the Senate during 2025 budget defence sessions .

While the Minister of Finance , Wale Edun and the Minister of Budget and Economic planning , Senator Atiku Bagudu were put on hot seats by the Senate Committee on Appropriation, the DG of NOA and that of NAN , had very tough encounters with the Senate committee on Information and National Orientation .

Trouble came the way of the Minister of Finance when barrage of questions were fired at him by some members of the Appropriation committee on state of implementation of the 2024 budget , particularly the capital component .

Specifically , Senator Abdul Ningi ( PDP Baichi Central) , in the barrage of questions fired at the Minister , asked him to explain how proceeds from fuel subsidy removal were expended in the 2024 fiscal year .

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” What is the budget performance achieved so far , for 2024 fiscal year , particularly in terms of the capital expenditure.

See also FG Approves Loans to Bolster Financial Position
We haven’t heard from the Minister how much has been saved from the removal of fuel subsidy and how much has been expended .

“We also haven’t heard from the Ministers about the debt servicing. How much have we actually used to service our debt in 2004?

” How much are we expecting to service the debt in 2005? Finally ,will the Minister of Finance guarantee that the extension of the capital component of the 2024 budget to June 30, 2025 will give the desired results in terms of implementation that has a very low percentage now ? ”

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Apparently unsettled by the question , the Minister hurriedly requested the committee to accord him a close door session for detailed response to the question .

” Are we in a closed door session ? If we are not in a closed door session , i will humbly seek for that for detailed explanations on the questions asked “, he said .

The Committee Chairman , Senator Solomon Olamilekan ( APC Ogun West ) , according asked journalists to excuse them for the closed door session.

Earlier at the budget defence session the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation had with agencies under its purview , the Director General of National Orientation Agency ( NOA) , Mallam Issa – Onilu and his counterpart in the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) Ali Mohammed Ali , were ordered to re – draft and re – present their budgetary proposals for 2025 fiscal year .

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The committee chaired by Senator kenneth Eze ( APC Ebonyi Central), tackled the NOA DG on the National Identity Project being implemented by the Agency by saying the project is not known to Nigerians , particularly, those residing at the grassroots .

But the NOA DG , held his ground by telling the committee members that the project is very necessary in putting in place , the right value system .

” The challenge we have about value system is about National Identity which is very necessary at galvanising Nigerians for Nation building , national development and growth “, he said .

The Committee however insisted that he should go back for re – drafting programmes of the agency to be captured and appropriated for , in the 2025 fiscal year .

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Similar fate also befell the Director General of News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) , who was told to go and reconcile disnointed figures presented in the 2024 budget implementation before coming for appropriation of projected figures for 2025 fiscal years .

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How Nnamdi Kanu sit-at-home order led to the killing of retired Judge – Witness

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A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu on Thursday, told a Federal High Court in Abuja that, Kanu’s broadcast led to the killing of a former Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak, and others.

In a recorded session played before the trial Judge, Justice James Omotosho, the prosecution witness, an official of the Department of State Services (DSS), led by Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, alleged that Kanu’s broadcast in which he ordered followers to “deal with” anyone violating his sit-at-home directive directly preceded the murder of Gulak on May 30, 2021.

The witness, the second so far called by the prosecution said, he was part of the DSS’ team that investigated the complaint made against Kanu by the then Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, and that, the defendant’s broadcast also led to the killing of a retired judge, Justice Stanley Nnaji and an intending military couple, Sergeant Audu Lucas, Private Glory Matthew.

The witness said Kanu, in one of his broadcasts, ordered his followers to enforce a sit-in at home in all South-Eastern states, and as a result, many people who went out of their houses on that day were killed.
He said investigation revealed that Sergeant Lucas and Private Matthew were not only killed by those who were enforcing Kanu’s sit-at-home order, but they were also beheaded.

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The witness said investigation also revealed that before killing Gulak, those enforcing the sit at home directive by Kanu, blamed him (Gulak) for coming out on a day their leader asked people not to go out of their homes.
Kanu, however, denied responsibility for the violence, insisting that his movement is non-violent and that IPOB cannot be involved in any criminality.

He admitted operating a radio programme but denied that his broadcasts led to killings in Lagos during the End SARS protests, arguing that Lagos is not within the Biafran territory.

The prosecution’s witness, codenamed PWBBB, claimed that the video evidence linked Kanu to violent acts, including the burning of police stations and the beheading of officers in Lagos.

Kanu said he was not directly involved in the day-to-day running of both organisations (IPOB and ESN), which he said were managed by their states’ coordinators.
The defendant also said, in the video, that he made broadcasts in respect of the End SARS protest and other broadcasts on Radio Biafra.

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Kanu, who said he facilitated the establishment of ESN, explained that the organisation was necessitated by the killings of the people of the South East and faulted the invasion of his house by armed soldiers, which he said accounted for why he left the country for fear of being killed.

He argued that the invasion was unnecessary and also faulted the manner he was arrested in Kenya and brought back to Nigeria.

He said the protest in Lagos during the End SARS protest was outside the Biafran territory and that the destruction witnessed during the protest could not have been due to his broadcast.
Kanu said he does not have authority over his members, adding that if he had authority over them, he would not have subscribed to the referendum; he would have just pronounced Biafra into existence.

In the video, Kanu denied that IPOB is responsible for the violent attacks in some parts of the south east and the killings witnessed, adding that “IPOB is a peaceful movement. The IPOB is a non-violent movement.”

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Defence counsel, Paul Erokoro, SAN, objected to the admissibility of the video, requesting time to consult further.
Following agreement by lawyers in the matter, Justice James Omotosho adjourned till May 14, 21 and 22, 2025 for further hearing.

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Nigeria Needs To Focus on Local Solutions to Fight Poverty – Speaker Abbas

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By Gloria Ikibah

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, has said the fight against poverty in Nigeria must start at the community level.

Representatives by the Chief Whip of the House, Rep. Isiaka Ibrahim, at the inauguration of a new House Committee focused on community and social development on Wednesday, Abbas stressed that real change will only happen when policies are designed to meet the everyday needs of people in towns and villages.

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He also called on the government to create people-friendly programmes that reduce the gap between the rich and the poor.

The event, held at the National Assembly in Abuja, marked the official takeoff of the Committee on Community and Social Development Agency/NG-Cares. Abbas urged members of the Committee to approach their work with honesty and a genuine desire to help struggling Nigerians.

He said, “With inflation eroding household incomes and widening social gaps, there is a pressing need for structured, grassroots-driven mechanisms to deliver measurable poverty reduction and enhance economic self-reliance. 
 
“Given the multidimensional nature of poverty in Nigeria, where deprivation extends beyond income to basic infrastructure, there is an urgent need for quick intervention to provide services and opportunities that are both community-sensitive and adaptable. That is the reason for the creation of this committee.  
 
“Community and social development occupy a foundational place in the architecture of national advancement. They serve as primary conduits to actualise inclusive growth, distributive equity, and societal cohesion. 
 
“In a country as demographically diverse and economically stratified as Nigeria, the decentralisation of development initiatives ensures that no region remains a peripheral participant in the nation’s progress.”
 
According to Speaker Abbas, “When strategically harnessed, community-based interventions do more than provide services. They stimulate local agency, fortify social capital, and generate ownership that transcends administrative cycles. 
 
“The direct impact on poverty alleviation, access to education, healthcare penetration, and localised economic activity has been empirically affirmed in multiple National Bureau of Statistics surveys, reinforcing the need for sustained investment in this policy domain.”
 
He further noted that the role of institutions such as the Community and Social Development Agency and the NG-CARES initiative has grown increasingly vital, particularly in a post-pandemic fiscal environment marked by inflationary pressures and fragile livelihoods. 
 
“NG-CARES, supported by the World Bank, has already reached over two million Nigerians with livelihood grants, social transfers, and basic services, a feat that illustrates the efficacy of decentralised interventions in cushioning systemic shocks.
 
“Beyond immediate relief, such programmers function as quiet architects of democratic stability, especially in regions historically marginalised by state infrastructure. By enhancing service delivery in underserved communities, they curtail grievance cycles, reduce dependency on external aid, and re-anchor citizenship in the legitimacy of the state. 
 
“To date, CSDA interventions have impacted more than 23 million Nigerians across 29 states, while NG-CARES continues to cushion economic shocks for vulnerable households through its performance-based financing mechanisms,” he added. 
 
“The Committee,” the Speaker added, “Has been created to recommend measures for consideration by the House in respect of policies, projects, and programs aimed at addressing developmental challenges, rural and suburban communities in the country.”
 
Earlier in his welcome address, Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Abubakar Kusada said the NG-CARES initiative is an opportunity to translate government’s well-intended programs and projects into reflective actions to provide succour to the populace population.
 
He noted that the newly inaugurated Committee has already “Worked out a well-recapitulated work-plan that captures a guide for us to deliver on the mandate, focusing on strategic oversight, legislative support and collaboration with stakeholders to ensure that CSDA fulfills it developmental objectives.”
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White smoke rises, new pope elected at Vatican +Video

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By Francesca Hangeior
 
White smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Thursday, signalling that cardinals locked inside have elected a new leader for the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

Thousands of pilgrims and curious onlookers in St Peter’s Square cheered and applauded as the smoke appeared and bells began to ring, indicating the 2,000-year-old institution has its 267th pope.

All eyes now turn to the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica to see who has been elected to succeed Pope Francis, an Argentine reformer who died last month after 12 years as leader of the worldwide Church.

The new pontiff will be introduced in Latin with his chosen papal name and address the world for the first time.

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He faces a momentous task: as well as asserting his moral voice on a conflict-torn global stage, he faces burning Church issues from the continued fall-out from the sexual abuse scandal to the Vatican’s troubled balance sheets.

Some 133 “Princes of the Church” from five continents — the largest conclave ever — began voting on Wednesday afternoon.

Sworn to secrecy, on pain of excommunication, their only means of communicating their progress to the outside world was by sending up smoke through the chimney of the Sistine Chapel.

On Wednesday evening and then again on Thursday lunchtime, the smoke was black, emitting disappointed sighs from the tens of thousands watching.

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But on Thursday afternoon just after 6pm (1600 GMT) the smoke emitted was white, confirming that the Catholic Church has a new spiritual leader.

By tradition, he now enters the Room of Tears — where freshly-elected popes give free rein to their emotions — to don a papal cassock for the first time, before returning to the Sistine Chapel so the cardinals can pledge their obedience.

He will then appear on the balcony along with a senior cardinal, who will announce to the waiting crowds “Habemus Papem” (“We have a pope”).

The pope will then give a short speech and impart his first “Urbi et Orbi” (“To the City and the World”) blessing.

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The election has come at a time of great geopolitical uncertainty, which was seen as a key voting issue, along with the rifts within the Church.

Francis was a compassionate reformer who prioritised migrants and the environment, but he angered traditionalists who wanted a defender of doctrine rather than a headline-maker.

Some 80 percent of the cardinal electors were appointed by Francis. Hailing from 70 countries around the world, it was the most international conclave ever.

That was no guarantee, however, that the cardinals would pick someone in his vein.

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The question was whether to choose a pastor or diplomat, a liberal or conservative, someone versed in the Curia — the Church’s governing body — or a relative outsider from areas of the world where Catholic faith is thriving.

Before the cardinals were locked into the Sistine Chapel Wednesday, their dean Giovanni Battista Re urged them to choose someone able to protect the Church’s unity.

The next pope must also be able to lead “at this difficult and complex turning point in history”, amid raging conflicts around the world and the rise of ultra-nationalist parties.

The Church has also had difficulty in adapting to the modern world, with declining priest numbers and increasingly empty pews in the West.

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The papal inauguration usually takes place less than a week after the election with a mass celebrated before political and religious leaders from around the world.

The new pope will likely do a tour of St Peter’s Square in his popemobile for the first time, before delivering a homily outlining his priorities.

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