State Police Amendment Bill: ADC alleges constitutional breach by Reps

 

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the House of Representatives to recommit the proposed State Police Constitution Alteration Bill to a fresh legislative process, alleging that the current procedure adopted for its passage undermines constitutional provisions.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party said while it supports the establishment of state police to address Nigeria’s security challenges, it could not endorse a process that allegedly violates the Constitution.

The ADC questioned reports that the constitutional threshold required for the passage of the constitutional amendment was achieved through votes transmitted via WhatsApp by lawmakers who were absent from the chamber and by counting members who had signed the attendance register but were no longer present during voting.

 

According to the party, such allegations raise serious legal and constitutional concerns.

 

“The Constitution is not amended by convenience. It is amended through strict procedures that leave no room for improvisation,” the statement said, stressing that constitutional amendment procedures must be followed irrespective of the merits of the proposed legislation.

 

The party also expressed concern over reports that clause-by-clause consideration of the bill was curtailed during proceedings and that constitutional objections raised by some lawmakers were not adequately addressed.

 

It argued that constitutional amendments require openness, extensive debate and strict adherence to the Constitution as well as the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives.

 

The ADC further contended that the current version of the State Police Bill had not been subjected to sufficient public scrutiny, despite containing what it described as significant policy reforms capable of reshaping Nigeria’s security architecture.

 

While acknowledging that the concept of state police has featured in previous constitutional review exercises, the party maintained that the latest proposal should undergo a dedicated public consultation process before becoming law.

 

According to the ADC, the objective should not merely be to create another policing institution but to establish a framework capable of addressing the country’s worsening insecurity while safeguarding against potential political abuse.

 

The party warned that without broad public engagement, the legislation risked emerging from what it described as “the echo chamber of the ruling party” rather than benefiting from robust national debate.

 

It also cautioned against repeating the mistakes of previous laws and policies that required amendments or reversals after implementation because they were insufficiently scrutinised before passage.

 

The party urged the House of Representatives to recommit the bill to a legislative process that is constitutional, transparent and inclusive, insisting that Nigeria deserves a state police framework that enjoys public confidence because it has been thoroughly debated and strengthened before being incorporated into the Constitution. Authority.

Troops bust terrorist supply network, arrest collaborators

 

 

Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have recorded fresh successes in the fight against terrorism with the arrest of four suspected Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) collaborators, as well as the interception of 20 suspected family members of terrorists in separate operations across Borno and Yobe states.

The operations, carried out through intelligence-led missions, form part of ongoing military efforts to dismantle terrorist logistics networks, cut off supply routes and sustain pressure on insurgents operating in the North-East theatre.

 

Acting Military Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, disclosed the development in a statement issued in Maiduguri on Tuesday, saying the arrests followed credible intelligence and sustained surveillance of suspected terrorist support structures.

 

According to him, troops of the 159 Battalion under Sector 2 conducted a cordon-and-search operation in Geidam, Yobe State, leading to the arrest of two suspected Boko Haram collaborators believed to be involved in supplying hard drugs and other logistics items to terrorists.

 

Recovered from the suspects were a large quantity of suspected Indian hemp, several mobile phones, power banks, torchlights, knives, scissors, lighters, cigarette rolls, Pregabalin capsules, cough syrup, identity cards, ATM cards and cash amounting to ₦14,530.

 

In a separate operation in Monguno, Borno State, troops of Sector 3 Garrison, working in conjunction with the 242 Reconnaissance Battalion, arrested two suspected ISWAP logistics suppliers during a raid targeting terrorist supply channels.

 

The suspects reportedly confessed during preliminary interrogation that they had been transporting food items and other supplies to ISWAP fighters operating in Kwatan Dowoshi Village in Kukawa Local Government Area.

 

Items recovered from them included cartons and sachets of assorted biscuits, milk, sugar, sachet garri, soap, headlamps, lighters, mobile phones, an assault knife, herbal medicines, prayer beads, a charm belt and cash totaling ₦6,600.

 

Meanwhile, troops of the 222 Battalion intercepted 20 suspected family members of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) terrorists during a routine patrol along the Gezuwa axis in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.

 

The group comprised nine women, two men, eight female minors and one male minor. Preliminary investigations revealed that they fled their settlement following intensified military offensives against terrorist enclaves in the area.

 

Military authorities said the intercepted individuals have been handed over to the 21 Military Intelligence Regiment for profiling and further action, while the arrested suspects and recovered exhibits are undergoing detailed investigation.

 

The military noted that the latest operations demonstrate the effectiveness of intelligence-driven counterterrorism efforts aimed at disrupting terrorist logistics and support networks. It also urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to enhance ongoing operations and help restore lasting peace and security across the North-East region. Authority.

State Police: FG inaugurates implementation phase, Executive Bill Sept. 3

 

 

The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Monday formally launched the implementation phase of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, declaring that the Federal Government is preparing a comprehensive legal framework for a dual federal and state policing system ahead of the final constitutional approval for state police.

 

Speaking at the State House Press Centre in Abuja after convening the inaugural meeting of the Presidential Working Group, Gbajabiamila said the reform was designed to create a policing architecture that would bring security closer to communities while preserving national standards, national security and the constitutional rights of Nigerians.

 

He explained that although the National Assembly had made significant progress on the constitutional amendment establishing state police—with the Senate approving the proposal on June 24, 2026, and the House of Representatives passing the Executive State Police Bill on July 23, 2026—the amendment would not become operational until it secured the required approval of state Houses of Assembly and the necessary implementing laws were enacted.

 

Gbajabiamila stressed that the Nigeria Police Force remained the country’s only constitutionally recognised police institution, warning against the misconception that the constitutional amendment alone was sufficient to establish state police services.

 

According to him, the National Policing Bill is intended to address critical operational issues that the constitutional amendment does not cover, including recruitment, training, funding, command structure, jurisdiction, firearms regulation, pensions, data management, complaints mechanisms, transition arrangements and cooperation between federal and state policing institutions.

 

He said President Bola Tinubu constituted the Presidential Working Group to ensure the country was fully prepared once the constitutional process was completed, adding that the group’s mandate was to produce an implementation-ready draft National Policing Bill alongside supporting legislative instruments.

 

“The constitutional amendment creates the authority and broad architecture for federal and state policing. However, it does not, by itself, provide the complete operating system,” Gbajabiamila said.

 

The Chief of Staff disclosed that the assignment also includes a comprehensive audit of the Police Act 2020, Police Service Commission framework and other laws affected by the reform, with recommendations expected on national policing standards, state readiness certification, human rights safeguards, independent complaints institutions, criminal intelligence systems, funding arrangements and the treatment of existing security outfits.

 

He said the Working Group comprises representatives of the Presidency, the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the Nigerian Bar Association, while its secretariat would oversee research, legal drafting, policy analysis and stakeholder consultations.

 

Gbajabiamila also announced that President Tinubu had approved a multidisciplinary Policy Advisory Committee chaired by retired Justice Mohammed Abdullahi Liman. The committee includes members drawn from the judiciary, academia, security agencies, the National Assembly, the Nigerian Bar Association, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, state Attorneys-General, public policy experts and technology specialists.

 

According to him, the committee will provide technical oversight, review successive drafts of the bill, validate implementation proposals and ensure that the reform process maintains public confidence through independent scrutiny.

 

He revealed that the implementation programme would run for seven weeks, from July 27 to September 14, 2026, with the Executive Bill package expected to be submitted to President Tinubu on September 3. Subject to presidential approval, a nationwide public consultation will follow before the legislation is transmitted to the National Assembly.

 

Gbajabiamila said the final package would include not only the proposed legislation but also explanatory memoranda, legal audit reports, implementation plans, fiscal notes, readiness frameworks, risk assessments and other supporting documents required for effective implementation.

 

He maintained that while the government supports stronger local policing, safeguards against abuse remain central to the reform.

 

“State Police cannot mean thirty-six state militias, just as national standards cannot become a disguised method of re-centralising day-to-day state policing,” he said, adding that no political office holder should be able to use state police to persecute opponents or suppress lawful political activities.

 

He further stated that no state police service would commence operations without demonstrating adequate capacity in recruitment, training, welfare, discipline, independent oversight, firearms control, data management and financial sustainability.

 

Gbajabiamila announced an open call for memoranda, position papers and practical proposals from Nigerians, professional bodies, civil society organisations, security institutions and stakeholders both within and outside the country to strengthen the proposed legislation.

 

He acknowledged public concerns over possible political abuse, uneven state capacity, funding challenges and ethnic or sectional capture of state police institutions, but insisted that these concerns underscored the need for a comprehensive National Policing Bill rather than a hurried implementation of the constitutional amendment.

 

While noting that the reform alone would not solve all of Nigeria’s security challenges, Gbajabiamila expressed confidence that the proposed dual policing framework would create a stronger Federal Police Service for national security and inter-state responsibilities alongside capable State Police Services for local security needs, all operating under common national standards.

 

He urged Nigerians to actively participate in the consultation process, describing the reform as a historic opportunity to build a policing system that is more responsive, accountable and suited to the country’s diverse security realities. Authority.

2027: Hungry, insecure Nigerians to decide election result, not Obasanjo – ADC insists

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of focusing on personalities instead of addressing Nigeria’s worsening economic and security challenges, insisting that the outcome of the 2027 general election will be determined by the daily realities faced by Nigerians rather than the opinion of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
In a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party said the APC had become “obsessed” with its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, because it could no longer defend President Bola Tinubu’s record in office.
The ADC alleged that the ruling party had seized on Obasanjo’s recent comments about Atiku as a diversionary tactic after Catholic Bishops criticised the Tinubu administration over rising poverty, insecurity and the high cost of living.
According to the party, rather than respond to the concerns raised by the bishops, the APC chose to attack both the clerics and Atiku while avoiding questions about the country’s economic and security situation.
“The APC wants the 2027 election to be about personalities because it cannot defend its performance. They want this election to be about Obasanjo’s personal opinion of Atiku based on a distant past because they cannot defend Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s record based on current performance,” the statement said.
The ADC argued that the APC had developed a pattern of attacking critics instead of responding to issues affecting ordinary Nigerians.
It maintained that whenever respected Nigerians raise concerns over deepening poverty, worsening insecurity, the rising cost of living or declining public confidence in government, the ruling party resorts to personal attacks rather than addressing the substance of the criticism.
Defending its presidential candidate, the party said Atiku’s record as Vice President during the Obasanjo administration remained a matter of public record, irrespective of the former president’s current political views.
It claimed that during the Obasanjo administration, when Atiku chaired the National Economic Council and coordinated economic planning between the federal and state governments, Nigeria experienced stronger economic growth, greater macroeconomic stability, improved investor confidence and a more affordable cost of living than exists today.
The opposition party also challenged the APC-led government to explain the continued rise in food prices, increasing poverty, unemployment, rising public debt and worsening insecurity across the country.
It questioned why economic growth had not translated into improved living standards, why government borrowing had increased significantly, and why many communities continued to face attacks from bandits, terrorists and kidnappers.
According to the ADC, these are the issues Nigerians expect the ruling party to address as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.
The party maintained that the verdict at the polls would ultimately rest with Nigerians based on their personal experiences under the current administration.
“Ultimately, the election will not be decided by the opinion of any one individual. It will be decided by the lived experience of more than 200 million Nigerians who are poorer, more insecure, and more uncertain about their future than they were before the Tinubu administration took office,” the statement added.
Authority

NYSC introduces mandatory NERD clearance for corps mobilisation

 

 

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has made National Electronic Registration Database (NERD) clearance a compulsory requirement for prospective corps members seeking mobilisation for national service.

 

The directive, announced on the scheme’s official X handle on Monday, means eligible graduates who fail to obtain the clearance will not be mobilised for the next service year.

 

The development comes as the NYSC intensifies preparations for the 2026 Batch ‘B’ mobilisation exercise and tightens its verification process for prospective corps members.

 

In the advisory, the scheme urged eligible graduates to complete the clearance process ahead of time to avoid delays in their mobilisation.

“This is to inform Prospective Corps Members (PCMs) that without NERD clearance, no NYSC. Get your NERD clearance early. Avoid delays in your mobilisation,” the statement read.

 

Reinforcing the directive, the agency added: “NERD clearance is compulsory for all PCMs. No NERD clearance, No NYSC!!!”

 

Although the NYSC did not outline the procedures for obtaining the clearance, the latest requirement signals a more stringent screening process ahead of the forthcoming orientation exercise.

 

The announcement follows the recent commencement of mobilisation activities for the 2026 Batch ‘B’ service year, with the scheme urging tertiary institutions and eligible graduates to complete all necessary documentation before deployment.

 

It also comes days after the NYSC cautioned prospective corps members against travelling at night to orientation camps, advising them to break their journeys where necessary and lodge in safe locations or designated military and security formations instead of risking overnight travel.

 

The scheme said the measures are part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the credibility of its mobilisation process while enhancing the safety of corps members amid prevailing security concerns across the country. CONCLAVENG.

767 factories shut, 335 in distress: Your “economic prosperity” exists only in press statements — Atiku replies Tinubu

Former Vice President of Nigeria and Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has dismissed the State House’s lengthy defence of President Bola Tinubu’s economic record as a desperate attempt to substitute propaganda for performance, insisting that no amount of statistical manipulation can erase the daily suffering of millions of Nigerians.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said it was remarkable that the Presidency devoted thousands of words to attacking the opposition while failing to answer the one question every Nigerian is asking: If the economy is doing so well, why are Nigerians getting poorer?
He said it was even more ridiculous that the same Tinubu administration that is simultaneously implementing the 2024, 2025 and 2026 budgets is now asking Nigerians to forget the consequences of its economic decisions in earlier years.
“As the Yoruba rightly say, the one who defecated yesterday may quickly forget, but the person who cleaned up the mess never does. Nigerians have not forgotten the pain this administration unleashed through the disastrous management of every fiscal year since 2024. Those wounds remain fresh, and no amount of revisionism, selective statistics or government propaganda can erase them.”
Atiku said the Presidency’s response was remarkable not for the strength of its arguments but for the contradictions it inadvertently exposed.
“The State House celebrates macroeconomic indicators while ordinary Nigerians struggle with microeconomic realities. It speaks glowingly about GDP growth while families skip meals. It boasts of debt ratios while businesses shut their doors. It trumpets reforms while millions of citizens slide deeper into poverty. It applauds statistical improvements while market women, artisans, manufacturers, transporters and young graduates confront an economy that has become increasingly hostile to honest enterprise.”
The former Vice President noted that even institutions frequently cited by the Presidency have consistently warned that macroeconomic stabilisation has yet to translate into broad improvements in living standards. The latest IMF Article IV Consultation acknowledged progress in some reform areas but also estimated that 63 per cent of Nigerians now live below the national poverty line, while about 27 million Nigerians faced food insecurity in late 2025. Those are not opposition figures; they are the findings of an independent international institution often quoted by the government itself.
“Governments are not elected to improve spreadsheets,” Atiku said. “They are elected to improve the lives of their people. Nigerians cannot eat GDP. They cannot cook with debt-to-GDP ratios. They cannot pay school fees with statistical projections. The true measure of economic management is whether families are living better today than they were yesterday. On that score, this administration has failed.”
Atiku said his response would therefore address, point by point, the major claims advanced by the Presidency and demonstrate why no amount of official spin can conceal the widening gap between government narratives and the daily realities confronting millions of Nigerians.
THE 2024 EXCUSE CANNOT ERASE THE SUFFERING OF 2026
Atiku said the Presidency’s first line of defence—that the opposition is relying on 2024 figures—is not only intellectually dishonest but an admission that the administration wants Nigerians to develop selective amnesia.
“The Tinubu administration is asking Nigerians to forget the very policies whose consequences they continue to endure every day. That is both convenient and absurd. The economic shocks unleashed in 2024 did not disappear with the turning of the calendar. Their consequences continue to define the lives of millions of Nigerians in 2026.”
“The same government that is simultaneously implementing the 2024, 2025 and 2026 budgets cannot turn around and argue that Nigerians should stop examining the damage caused by its earlier fiscal decisions. Economic policy is not a light switch. The consequences of reckless decisions linger long after the announcements have faded.”
The former Vice President said President Tinubu inherited challenges, just as every administration does, but after more than three years in office, his government must accept responsibility for its own record instead of constantly reaching back nearly two decades to blame previous administrations.
“No serious government can continue governing by looking in the rear-view mirror. Nigerians are interested in today’s realities, not endless excuses about yesterday.”
GDP FIGURES DO NOT FEED HUNGRY FAMILIES
Atiku said the Presidency’s repeated celebration of GDP growth exposes a dangerous disconnect between government statistics and the lived realities of ordinary Nigerians.
“The Presidency proudly announced that Nigeria’s GDP has increased significantly since the exchange-rate adjustment. We ask a simple question: Has the purchasing power of the average Nigerian increased? Can civil servants buy more food today than they could three years ago? Are transport fares lower? Are manufacturers paying less for energy? Have small businesses become more profitable?”
“The answer, tragically, is no.”
He noted that even the International Monetary Fund, whose report the Presidency repeatedly cites as validation of its policies, cautioned that conditions remain difficult for many Nigerians, estimating that 63 per cent of Nigerians now live below the national poverty line, while about 27 million Nigerians faced food insecurity in late 2025.
“Those are not opposition figures. They are the findings of the same institution the government celebrates whenever it commends aspects of its reforms.”
“Governments are not elected to improve spreadsheets. They are elected to improve lives. Nigerians cannot eat GDP. They cannot cook with exchange-rate adjustments. They cannot pay school fees with macroeconomic indicators. Until economic growth translates into fuller stomachs, lower prices, decent jobs and improved living standards, it remains a failure of humanitarian crisis proportion.”
He added that it was telling that the Federal Government itself recently announced plans to begin measuring poverty, household income and inequality in order to prove that reforms are benefiting ordinary Nigerians.
“That announcement is itself an admission that macroeconomic stability alone is not enough. If GDP figures alone told the whole story, there would be no need for a new ‘shared prosperity’ scorecard. Even the government now recognises that the true test of economic policy is whether citizens are actually living better.”
BORROWING IS NOT THE PROBLEM—WASTE IS
Responding to the Presidency’s argument that Nigeria’s debt-to-GDP ratio remains moderate, Atiku said the government had deliberately avoided the real issue.
“No serious economist argues that borrowing is inherently wrong. Nations borrow. The real question is this: what has Nigeria obtained in return for the unprecedented debts accumulated under this administration?”
“A debt-to-GDP ratio is only one indicator. Equally important is whether borrowed funds generate productive investments, improve infrastructure, create jobs, strengthen public services and raise living standards. On these measures, Nigerians have every right to ask difficult questions.”
He noted that while the Presidency celebrates debt ratios, Nigerians continue to grapple with unreliable electricity, worsening insecurity, rising unemployment, collapsing purchasing power and one of the most severe cost-of-living crises in recent history.
“The IMF itself has observed that while macroeconomic stability has improved, poverty and food insecurity remain severe and fiscal transparency must continue to improve. Those warnings cannot simply be edited out because they are inconvenient.”
Atiku said the contradiction at the heart of the Presidency’s argument remains unanswered.
“If revenue has improved so dramatically; if subsidy has been removed; if tax collection has increased; and if debt servicing has supposedly become more manageable, why does this administration continue to borrow at record levels? Why are Nigerians being told to celebrate improved revenues while the government simultaneously accumulates fresh debt?”
“That contradiction goes to the heart of this debate. Nigerians deserve answers—not applause lines.”
THE SUBSIDY MYTH: WHERE ARE THE DIVIDENDS?
Turning to the Presidency’s defence of fuel subsidy removal, Atiku said Nigerians have never opposed difficult reforms. What they reject is hardship without accountability.
“No serious economist disputes that fuel subsidy had become unsustainable. The real question has never been whether subsidy should be removed. The question is: where are the gains?”
He said the Tinubu administration promised that subsidy removal would free enormous resources for infrastructure, healthcare, education, transportation and social protection.
“Three years later, Nigerians are entitled to ask: where are those dividends? Instead of relief, they have experienced the highest fuel prices in history, unprecedented transport costs, soaring food inflation, collapsing purchasing power and an economy where millions now struggle to afford even one decent meal a day.”
“Government cannot ask citizens to celebrate sacrifice while the promised rewards remain invisible.”
The former Vice President said it was ironic that while the Presidency claimed subsidy had been eliminated, it also admitted that substantial crude oil revenues remain tied down by obligations arising from subsidy-related financing arrangements.
“The Presidency cannot simultaneously claim victory over subsidy while explaining away missing oil revenues by pointing to obligations created by subsidy financing. That contradiction speaks louder than any press statement.”
RECORD FAAC ALLOCATIONS, BUT WHERE IS THE IMPACT?
Atiku noted that the Presidency celebrated increased allocations to states and local governments as proof that subsidy removal had succeeded.
“Yes, FAAC allocations have increased significantly. But increased allocations are not an end in themselves. They must translate into visible improvements in the lives of citizens.
“If revenues flowing to all tiers of government have reached unprecedented levels, why are Nigerians still confronted with collapsing purchasing power, worsening insecurity, rising unemployment and deepening poverty?”
He said the Federal Government cannot take credit for higher allocations while distancing itself from the deteriorating living conditions across the country.
“The purpose of public finance is not merely to move money between government accounts. It is to improve the welfare of the people. On that score, Nigerians remain unconvinced.”
THIS IS NOT TRUE FEDERALISM
Atiku dismissed the Presidency’s attempt to describe increased allocations as “true federalism.”
“True federalism is not simply sending more money to states after unleashing inflation on the entire country.
“True federalism means devolving powers, strengthening institutions, respecting constitutional responsibilities and allowing sub-national governments to become genuine centres of economic productivity.
“Passing the burden of economic hardship to states while the Federal Government continues to centralise power is not restructuring. It is merely devolving pain.”
THE TAX REFORMS: GROWTH OR STRANGULATION?
Responding to the Presidency’s claim that its tax reforms are progressive, Atiku said no tax policy can succeed in an economy where businesses are already struggling to survive.
“Government cannot tax its way into prosperity while simultaneously shrinking the productive capacity of the economy.
“Manufacturers are battling record energy costs. Small businesses face multiple taxes, rising electricity tariffs, escalating logistics expenses and declining consumer demand. Families are paying more for virtually every essential service.”
“A tax reform that expands government revenue while ordinary citizens become poorer cannot honestly be described as progressive.”
He added that successful tax systems are built on expanding productivity, creating jobs and widening the tax base through economic growth—not by extracting more from an already distressed economy.
THE PRESIDENCY’S BIGGEST ADMISSION: NIGERIA’S OIL HAS BEEN MORTGAGED
Atiku described the Presidency’s explanation on the so-called oil windfall as the most revealing part of its entire response.
“In attempting to rebut our position, the Presidency inadvertently strengthened it. It admitted that despite higher international crude oil prices, Nigerians cannot fully benefit because substantial volumes of the nation’s crude have already been committed under crude-backed financing arrangements.
“That is not a defence. It is an indictment.”
He said if Nigeria’s future oil earnings have been encumbered to such an extent that citizens cannot enjoy the benefits of favourable international oil prices, then the administration has merely replaced one fiscal burden with another.
“If the proceeds of Nigeria’s most valuable natural resource have already been committed through opaque financing arrangements, Nigerians deserve full disclosure.”
“Who authorised these transactions? How many barrels have been pledged? What are the repayment terms? How much has been received? Which projects have been financed? Who are the counterparties? These are not political questions; they are constitutional questions about transparency and accountability.”
The former Vice President said transparency—not propaganda—is the true test of fiscal responsibility.
“No government that refuses to fully disclose the terms under which future crude oil revenues have been committed can credibly lecture Nigerians about prudence and accountability.”
“If subsidy has truly ended and the reforms are yielding the benefits being advertised, Nigerians deserve to see those benefits reflected not merely in government spreadsheets but in their homes, their businesses and their daily lives.”
HEALTHCARE: BUILDINGS DO NOT TREAT PATIENTS
Responding to the Presidency’s claims of unprecedented achievements in the health sector, Atiku said healthcare cannot be measured by the number of projects commissioned or facilities refurbished but by whether ordinary Nigerians can obtain quality medical care without being driven into poverty.
“The Presidency speaks proudly of revitalised primary healthcare centres, cancer treatment facilities and free caesarean sections. These initiatives are welcome where they genuinely exist and function. But they cannot conceal the broader reality confronting millions of Nigerians.
Atiku said it is important to remind Nigerians that the Federal Ministry of Health itself informed the National Assembly during the 2025 budget implementation review that only ₦36 million had been released to the ministry under the 2025 Appropriation Act. That is not the testimony of the opposition; it is the official position of the government itself. A government that has released such a paltry sum to its health ministry can hardly claim to be leading a healthcare revolution.
He said it was equally astonishing that the Tinubu administration would cite maternal healthcare as one of its signature achievements when Nigeria continues to rank among the countries with the highest maternal mortality burden in the world. With maternal mortality estimates ranging between 993 and 1,047 deaths per 100,000 live births, Nigeria remains in the company of countries such as South Sudan and Chad on one of the world’s most tragic health indicators.
“A government should not measure success by the number of programmes it announces but by the number of mothers who survive childbirth. Until Nigeria ceases to be one of the most dangerous places in the world for a woman to give birth, self-congratulation on maternal healthcare is both premature and insensitive.”
“The ordinary Nigerian is asking a far simpler question: Can I afford to see a doctor? Can I buy prescribed medicines? Can I obtain quality treatment without selling my property or borrowing money?”
He noted that despite government claims, Nigeria continues to battle one of the world’s highest rates of out-of-pocket healthcare spending, while thousands of Nigerian doctors and other healthcare professionals continue to leave the country in search of better working conditions.
“No healthcare system can be declared a success while hospitals continue to lose skilled professionals, patients struggle to afford treatment, and those who can afford it—including senior public officials—still seek medical attention abroad.”
EDUCATION: STUDENT LOANS ARE NOT EDUCATION REFORM
The former Vice President described the Presidency’s reliance on NELFUND as proof of educational transformation as misleading.
“Helping students finance higher education is commendable. But student loans alone do not constitute education reform.”
“Education begins long before university. Millions of Nigerian children remain out of school. Many schools, particularly in conflict-affected communities, operate under the constant threat of kidnapping and violence. Teachers continue to face poor working conditions, while educational infrastructure remains inadequate across many parts of the country.”
He added that while the government celebrates the absence of prolonged university strikes, genuine educational progress must be measured by learning outcomes, access, quality and employability.
“The success of an education system is not measured by whether students can borrow money. It is measured by whether they receive quality education that prepares them for productive lives in a growing economy.”
INFRASTRUCTURE: NIGERIANS JUDGE RESULTS, NOT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Atiku said the Presidency’s extensive list of infrastructure projects could not substitute for measurable improvements in the daily lives of citizens.
“Every administration announces projects. Nigerians are interested in completed projects that reduce the cost of doing business, improve mobility, guarantee stable electricity and stimulate economic growth.
“After record borrowing and record budgets, businesses are still forced to spend enormous sums generating their own electricity. Logistics costs remain among the highest in Africa. Manufacturers continue to struggle under crushing operating costs, while many roads remain in deplorable condition.”
He said infrastructure should be assessed by its economic impact rather than the number of projects announced.
THE INFLATION DECEPTION
Atiku said the Presidency’s argument that inflation has moderated was technically accurate but economically misleading.
“There is an important distinction between lower inflation and lower prices. Nigerians are not buying inflation rates in the marketplace; they are buying food, medicine, transport and other necessities.
“A reduction in the rate of inflation simply means prices are rising more slowly than before. It does not mean they have returned to affordable levels.”
He noted that food prices remain far above pre-reform levels, while transportation, housing and energy costs continue to consume an increasing share of household incomes.
“Government cannot ask Nigerians to celebrate statistical moderation while families continue to skip meals because food remains unaffordable.”
SOCIAL INTERVENTIONS: ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE NOT OUTCOMES
The former Vice President also challenged the Presidency’s reliance on cash transfers and social intervention programmes as evidence that reforms are protecting vulnerable Nigerians.
“We welcome every genuine effort to support vulnerable citizens. But public policy must be judged by outcomes, not announcements.”
“If billions of dollars have indeed been committed to programmes such as NG-CARES, HOPE, SOLID and various cash transfer initiatives, Nigerians deserve transparent data showing exactly who has benefited, where the funds were disbursed, and what measurable impact these programmes have had on poverty, hunger and unemployment.”
He observed that even the IMF, while supporting Nigeria’s reform agenda, noted that poverty remains widespread and that social protection programmes need to be strengthened and better targeted to cushion the impact of reforms.
“The greatest indictment of the government’s narrative is that despite all the celebrated programmes, millions of Nigerians continue to struggle to feed their families. Until economic reforms translate into measurable improvements in household welfare, government cannot reasonably ask citizens to applaud statistics while enduring hardship.”
STOP BLAMING GOVERNMENTS THAT LEFT OFFICE 19 YEARS AGO
Responding to the Presidency’s repeated attempt to attribute Nigeria’s present challenges to the Obasanjo administration, Atiku said the excuse had become both tired and insulting to the intelligence of Nigerians.
“President Tinubu has now been in office for more than three years. By the end of his tenure, the Obasanjo administration would have been out of office for over two decades. No serious government can continue blaming an administration that left office 19 years ago for its inability to deliver on its own promises.
“Leadership is about accepting responsibility, not recycling excuses. Every administration inherits challenges. Great administrations solve them; they do not weaponise them as permanent alibis.”
Atiku recalled that the administration in which he served as Vice President inherited a nation burdened by crippling external debt, weak institutions and a struggling economy, yet chose the path of difficult but productive reforms.
“Under President Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria successfully negotiated a historic Paris Club debt relief package worth approximately $18 billion, ending decades of unsustainable external debt overhang and restoring the country’s international financial credibility. That landmark achievement was not inherited; it was earned through disciplined economic management, difficult negotiations and credible reforms.
“That administration also implemented banking sector consolidation, liberalised the telecommunications industry, established the Excess Crude Account to save oil revenues for future generations, strengthened Nigeria’s anti-corruption institutions, pursued pension reforms, privatised inefficient state enterprises and expanded private sector participation across key sectors of the economy.
“Those reforms attracted investment, created jobs, restored confidence in the Nigerian economy and laid the foundation upon which subsequent administrations built. History records those achievements. They cannot be erased by political convenience.”
He said it was therefore ironic that an administration which has accumulated unprecedented debt in just over three years now seeks to lecture Nigerians about fiscal responsibility while blaming governments that left office nearly two decades ago.
“Governments should be judged by the problems they solve—not by the number of excuses they manufacture. If, after more than three years in office, this administration is still looking backwards for explanations instead of forward for solutions, then it has already admitted the poverty of its own record.”
THE PRESIDENCY’S CONTRADICTIONS
Atiku said the State House statement ultimately collapsed under the weight of its own contradictions.
“The Presidency says revenues have improved dramatically, yet borrowing continues at record levels.
“It says subsidy has been removed, yet admits that crude oil revenues remain tied down by obligations arising from subsidy-related financing arrangements.
“It celebrates GDP growth, yet independent institutions acknowledge rising poverty and widespread food insecurity.
“It boasts of improving living standards, yet simultaneously expands cash transfer programmes because it recognises that millions of Nigerians cannot survive without government assistance.
“It insists the economy has recovered, yet asks Nigerians to endure more sacrifices because the benefits remain somewhere in the future.
“These contradictions expose the difference between government propaganda and the everyday experiences of ordinary Nigerians.”
The former Vice President said Nigerians do not require economic lectures to know the condition of their own lives.
“The market woman knows what she paid for a bag of rice yesterday and what she pays today.
“The manufacturer knows what it costs to keep his factory running.
“The transporter knows what it costs to fill a fuel tank.
“The farmer knows the cost of fertiliser and the danger of reaching his farm.
“The unemployed graduate knows the difference between official optimism and the harsh reality of joblessness.
“No government press release can persuade Nigerians to disbelieve the evidence of their own empty pockets.”
THE FINAL VERDICT: AN ECONOMY CANNOT GROW WHILE ITS FACTORIES ARE DYING
Finally, Atiku said no government can credibly claim that its economic policies are succeeding while the productive engine of the economy is grinding to a halt.
“A government cannot claim its economic policies are working when the country’s industrial sector is actively shutting down. Nations do not build prosperity by celebrating macroeconomic statistics while their factories close their gates.”
He said while the Presidency speaks glowingly about progressive tax reforms, GDP growth and macroeconomic recovery, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has painted a grim picture of an economy under severe distress.
“According to MAN, 767 manufacturing companies have shut down, while 335 others are classified as distressed under the weight of the current economic environment.
“Manufacturers are sitting on approximately ₦2.14 trillion worth of unsold finished goods, not because Nigerians do not need these products, but because millions of citizens have lost the purchasing power to buy even basic necessities.
“Global companies such as Procter & Gamble, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi and Kimberly-Clark have either shut down or exited local manufacturing operations, while indigenous companies, including Jubilee Syringe Manufacturing, have also been forced to suspend production.
“To make matters worse, local manufacturers spent about ₦1.11 trillion on diesel alone to keep their factories running after electricity tariffs for Band A customers increased dramatically, further worsening the cost of doing business.”
Atiku said these are not opposition figures but the findings of Nigeria’s foremost manufacturing body.
“Factories do not shut down because the opposition writes press statements. Manufacturers do not accumulate trillions of naira in unsold goods because critics hold press conferences. Multinational companies do not abandon billion-naira investments because of political rhetoric. They leave because the economic environment has become increasingly hostile to production, investment and enterprise.
“The true verdict on this administration’s economic policies is not written by government spokespersons. It is written in the silent factories, the abandoned production lines, the shuttered warehouses, the unemployed workers and the empty pockets of millions of Nigerians. No amount of propaganda can erase that reality.”
NIGERIANS HAVE THE FINAL SAY
Atiku said the Presidency should spend less time writing lengthy essays defending its record and more time confronting the failures that have made life increasingly unbearable for millions of citizens.
“Governments are not judged by the elegance of their press statements or the sophistication of their economic theories. They are judged by whether families can afford food, whether businesses can survive, whether young people can find jobs, whether communities are secure, and whether citizens have hope for tomorrow.
“No amount of propaganda can substitute for competent governance. No statistical gymnastics can erase hunger. No carefully curated economic indicators can silence empty stomachs. No government can successfully persuade citizens that they are prospering while they struggle daily to survive.
“The true report card of this administration is not written in the corridors of Aso Rock. It is written every day in the markets, on the farms, in the factories, in hospitals, in classrooms and in millions of Nigerian homes.
“That report card is not being written by the opposition. It is being written by the Nigerian people themselves. And its verdict is becoming clearer with each passing day.”
Signed: 
Phrank Shaibu 
Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to Atiku Abubakar, Vice President of Nigeria 1999-2007 and Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress
3rd August, 2026.

2027: Coalition urges Atiku, Obi, others to produce one candidate

 

 

A coalition of 100 prominent Nigerians, under the auspices of the G-100, has warned that the opposition will hand President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) another victory in the 2027 presidential election unless it rallies behind a single candidate.

 

The G-100 position is contained in  a seven-page open letter titled, “The Doctrine of a Necessary Democratic Opposition,” dated August 2, 2026, urging opposition figures—including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso—to put aside personal ambitions and immediately begin negotiations to produce a consensus presidential candidate.

 

The letter, signed by former APC National Vice Chairman (North-West), Salihu Lukman; former House of Representatives member, Nnenna Ukeje; former Kogi State Deputy Governor, Simon Achuba; Professor Anthony Kila; and 96 others, argued that Nigeria’s democracy is under increasing pressure and requires a united opposition to provide a credible alternative to the APC-led government.

 

According to the coalition, Nigeria’s crisis extends beyond inflation, unemployment and poverty, insisting that the country’s greatest danger is the steady weakening of democratic institutions through a fragmented opposition and the concentration of political power.

 

The group accused opposition parties of allowing personal ambitions and internal rivalries to overshadow the national interest while the APC continues to strengthen its political dominance.

 

The G-100 maintained that democracy can only thrive when there is a strong and credible opposition capable of peacefully replacing the government through elections.

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To achieve this, the coalition announced plans to convene a National Council of Opposition Leaders within the next two weeks. The meeting is expected to bring together Atiku, Obi, Kwankwaso, Amaechi, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, former Senate President David Mark, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola and other political leaders to negotiate a common political platform and agree on a single presidential candidate.

 

The coalition stressed that any opposition leader who insists on pursuing an individual presidential ambition would only increase the APC’s chances of retaining power in 2027.

 

The letter reads, “There are seasons in the life of every nation when neutrality becomes a form of consent, and silence becomes an accomplice to decline. Nigeria has entered such a season.

 

“The ruling party grows stronger… while those entrusted with presenting Nigerians an alternative have become divided by ambition rather than united by purpose.

 

“Nigeria cannot be rescued by opposition leaders who march separately toward the same defeat. Personal ambition must submit to national necessity,” the group declared.

It added that the proposed meeting would seek a “solemn covenant” from opposition leaders to place national interest above personal political aspirations and adopt the Ibadan Declaration of April 2026 as the framework for producing a consensus presidential candidate for the 2027 election” It said. Authority.

Atiku using outdated data to criticize Tinubu’s reforms —  Presidency 

 

The Presidency has dismissed criticisms by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over the Tinubu administration’s economic policies, insisting that Nigeria’s reform programme is delivering measurable results despite the initial hardships experienced by citizens.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Atiku’s assessment of the economy was based on outdated 2024 data and failed to reflect developments recorded by the administration in 2026.

Onanuga argued that evaluating the reforms solely by their early challenges ignored the broader objective of correcting long-standing structural distortions in the economy. According to him, Nigeria’s economy has rebounded significantly since the exchange rate adjustment, with dollar-denominated Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rising from about $253 billion after the currency realignment to approximately $377 billion, while naira GDP increased from about ₦314 trillion in 2024 to around ₦530 trillion.

Responding to concerns over the country’s rising debt profile, the presidential spokesman maintained that Nigeria’s debt remains sustainable, stressing that the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio stands at about 40 per cent, which he described as relatively modest compared to several emerging and advanced economies.

He added that the debt service-to-revenue ratio had fallen from nearly 100 per cent in December 2022 to below 60 per cent under the current administration, reflecting improved revenue generation and prudent debt management.

The Presidency also defended President Bola Tinubu’s decision to remove fuel subsidy, describing it as a bold reform that previous administrations, including the one in which Atiku served as vice president, failed to implement. It said the policy had significantly increased statutory allocations to states and local governments, enabling them to invest more in infrastructure, healthcare, education, salaries and social programmes.

On the administration’s tax reforms, Onanuga rejected claims that the government had imposed heavier taxes on Nigerians. He said the reforms were designed to reduce the tax burden on low-income earners and small businesses while improving compliance among higher-income individuals and profitable enterprises. According to him, the reforms aim to create a fairer and broader tax system rather than merely raising government revenue.

Highlighting achievements in key sectors, the Presidency said more than 3,000 primary healthcare centres had been revitalised, over 78,000 frontline health workers retrained, and more than 100 public health facilities now provide free caesarean sections for indigent women. It also noted that three world-class cancer centres are operational in Kubwa, Enugu and Katsina, while cancer treatment facilities have been expanded in 13 states.

In the education sector, the statement said over 11,000 projects had been executed through the Universal Basic Education Commission in partnership with state governments, while the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) had benefited more than 1.64 million students with tuition and upkeep loans worth over ₦303 billion across about 300 tertiary institutions. It also credited the administration with restoring stability to public universities by ending prolonged industrial actions.

The Presidency further cited ongoing investments in roads, railways, power, airports, housing, gas infrastructure and digital connectivity as evidence of sustained infrastructure development. It argued that these projects, alongside stronger fiscal inflows to states, were supporting private sector growth and improving national productivity.

Onanuga dismissed Atiku’s claim that the Federal Government earned an oil windfall of ₦7.98 trillion, describing the assertion as analytically flawed. He explained that although global crude oil prices averaged above the benchmark in the first half of 2026, production remained below projections, while part of the crude output had already been committed to servicing existing obligations.

He added that government oil revenues could not be calculated simply by multiplying crude prices by daily production without accounting for production costs, contractual arrangements and the share accruing to oil companies.

The Presidency maintained that the administration’s reforms had laid the foundation for long-term economic stability and growth, despite the temporary sacrifices required. It said recent social intervention programmes, including the ward-centric NG-CARES, HOPE and SOLID initiatives valued at over $3 billion, alongside cash transfers to 15 million vulnerable households, were designed to cushion the impact of the reforms.

Athority.

Miss world Nigeria seeks NYSC partnership for skills empowerment

The incumbent Miss World Nigeria, Tamunosoye  Karibi-George has appealed for support from the NYSC for her pet project which is targeted towards entrepreneurship for young Nigerians.
The 2026 pageant winner disclosed that her pet project – empowering the youth through skill acquisition, currently has a skill centre in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, where she trains young men and women in fashion design.
She made the appeal during her courtesy visit to the NYSC Director General at the National Directorate Headquarters in Abuja. The beauty queen who is an ex-Corps Member also requested approval for her with her team to pay visits to NYSC Orientation Camps across Nigeria, in order to motivate Corps Members to embrace Skill Acquisition.
Miss Karibi-George used the forum to invite the Chief Executive, NYSC Staff and Corps Members to her national send-forth slated for 5th August, 2026 at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja. “Director General Sir, while in camp at NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Kubwa-Abuja in 2021, I participated actively in SAED training and this gave me the impetus to establish a fashion design centre in Port Harcout”.
“We have been training youth at the centre and giving them start-up kits at the end of their training. We don’t give them money so as to avoid the temptation of them diverting it into another use than the business we train them for”, she stated.
In his remarks, the Director General of National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu commended the reigning Miss Word Nigeria for her efforts in promoting entrepreneurship among the youth.
General Nafiu said her decision to engage in youth empowerment is in line with NYSC’s Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, which is aimed at making Corps Members self-reliant and employers of labour.
While urging her to keep up the tempo, he assured her of the Scheme’s readiness to partner with her in motivating more Nigerian youths to embrace Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship, which he noted as the surest way of pulling the nation out of poverty. “As an institution, we introduced SAED in 2012 having realized that government alone cannot provide jobs for the ever increasing number of young graduates annually”.
“We encourage Corps Members to pick up at least one skill during the Orientation period and nurture same afterwards, in addition to the certificates they obtained from school, in order to have multiple streams of income”, he said.
The NYSC helmsman congratulated Miss Karibi-George on her emergence as the most beautiful and elegant of all ladies that contested to be crowned Miss World Nigeria for 2026, thereby succeeding Joy Mojisola Raimi. He encouraged the beauty queen to brace up for the 73rd Miss World Festival at which she would be representing Nigeria in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam later in the year.
“As we wish you a very successful outing at the global fiesta, we want to assure you of our moral support and prayers. We are particularly proud of you because we see you as a member of the NYSC having passed out from National Service just 4 /5 years ago”, he added.
The Director General concluded by drawing her attention to the fact that her participation in the beauty pageant at a global stage is a noble opportunity for her to showcase and promote Nigeria’s culture, which he described as cultural diplomacy.
Authority.

Catholic bishops are not props or rented cheerleaders — Atiku hits Tinubu

Former Vice President of Nigeria and Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the Presidency’s attack on the Catholic Church and one of its most respected clerics, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, describing it as yet another demonstration of the Tinubu administration’s growing intolerance of dissent and uncomfortable truths.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said it was both unfortunate and dangerous that, instead of reflecting on the substance of the cleric’s message, the Presidency chose the familiar path of intimidation, ridicule and political attacks.
“The Catholic Church has, for generations, stood as one of the moral voices of our nation. Its bishops and priests have consistently spoken for the poor, the oppressed and the vulnerable, irrespective of who occupies Aso Rock. Their duty is not to flatter those in power but to speak truth to power.
“The Catholic Bishops demonstrated rare courage by looking the President in the face and telling him the bitter truth about the state of the nation. That is precisely what patriotic religious leaders are called to do—not to decorate power with praise, but to confront it with truth. We urge other religious leaders, regardless of denomination or faith, to emulate this example by speaking truth to power whenever the nation’s interest demands it.
“The commentary by the Tinubu Presidency against Cardinal John Onaiyekan—a respected voice, elder statesman and beacon of truth within the Catholic Church—was delivered in language that was unbecoming of a government and amounted to sheer arrogance, not only towards the Church but towards millions of Nigerians who hold the Cardinal and the institution he represents in the highest esteem. Such haughtiness betrays a government that has lost respect for independent voices.
“What the media managers of the Tinubu administration attempted to do was to cancel and overwrite the voices of the revered Catholic Bishops by selectively editing and reframing their engagement with the President in order to manufacture a narrative favourable to the government. That cynical exercise amounted to an affront to the integrity, credibility and moral authority of the bishops.
“Cardinal Onaiyekan’s decision to speak to the press after the Presidency sought to dominate and distort the public conversation was nothing more than an effort to place the facts on record. Such a responsible act cannot justify the vile, uncouth and disrespectful reaction that followed from Tinubu’s media handlers. Resorting to insults instead of addressing the issues only exposes the bankruptcy of their arguments.
“It is disappointing that the Presidency has chosen to attack a respected servant of God simply because he refused to join the growing army of sycophants whose only assignment is to applaud failure and defend the indefensible.
“The Presidency is not a secret cult where only approved voices are permitted to speak. In a constitutional democracy, no one needs the permission of Aso Rock to tell the truth about the state of the nation.
“Perhaps the Presidency has become so accustomed to inviting ‘fake bishops’ that it now assumes every cleric can be recruited into political propaganda. But Catholic bishops are different. They are not political props, rented cheerleaders or praise singers. They are shepherds with a moral obligation to speak truth to power, regardless of whose interests are bruised. They cannot be used.
“The cleric merely gave voice to what millions of Nigerians discuss daily in their homes, markets, churches and workplaces. Silencing or attacking him will not erase the harsh realities of hunger, insecurity, rising poverty, unemployment and the unprecedented cost-of-living crisis confronting ordinary citizens.
“A government confident in its record welcomes criticism because it provides an opportunity for reflection and improvement. Only an insecure government wages war against honest voices while rewarding those who tell it only what it wants to hear.
“Nigeria’s democracy cannot flourish if religious leaders, civil society and patriotic citizens are expected to become praise singers before they can exercise their constitutional right to express their opinions. The Church has every right—and indeed a moral obligation—to speak whenever the welfare, dignity and future of Nigerians are threatened.
“The Presidency should stop shooting the messenger and start addressing the message. No amount of attacks on respected clerics will change the lived reality of Nigerians or absolve this administration of responsibility for the hardships its policies have inflicted on the people.”
“The Presidency owes the Catholic Church, Cardinal John Onaiyekan and the entire Catholic faithful an immediate and unreserved apology. The reckless assault on respected men of God was not merely an attack on individuals; it was an affront to one of Nigeria’s most credible moral institutions and an insult to millions of faithful Catholics. Until that apology is offered, the Tinubu administration will continue to stand accused of arrogance, intolerance and contempt for every independent voice that refuses to sing its praises.”