Latest News
Budget Paralysis: Fayemi Accuses Federal Government of Sabotaging Progress
Former Ekiti State Governor and immediate past Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Kayode Fayemi, has expressed deep concern over the federal government’s delay in releasing funds for the 2025 budget, despite the year being nearly halfway through.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Speaking at a media and civil society roundtable in Abuja on Friday, Fayemi criticized the situation as alarming.
“June is just days away, yet not a single naira from the 2025 budget has been disbursed to any ministry, department, or agency (MDA),” he lamented, describing it as a clear indication of the gap between the National Assembly’s appropriation process and the executive’s implementation.
The event, titled “The Relevance of the FOI Act in Electoral Transparency and Accountability,” was organized by the International Press Centre (IPC) with support from the European Union’s Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) Phase II programme. It also commemorated the 14th anniversary of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.
Fayemi took the opportunity to reflect on Nigeria’s democratic evolution and the persistent push for transparency and accountability. He commended civil society groups like the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), and the IPC for championing transparency.
“This movement has been a long time in the making. The CLO provided the foundation from which organisations like MRA and IPC emerged,” he said.
Fayemi recalled his 2010 decision to publicly declare his assets as governor of Ekiti State, a move he said met resistance at the time.
“I asked, what is ‘public’ about an asset declaration that’s kept secret?” he said.
He highlighted the impact of the FOI Act in exposing instances of budget padding, contract inflation, and project insertions. He also praised platforms like BudgIT for using civic tech tools to promote accountability.
However, Fayemi cautioned that access to information alone does not ensure good governance.
“It’s possible to have information without true transparency, and transparency without real accountability. Those in power often know the truth—they just decide when it serves them to acknowledge it,” he noted.
He also cited his time as Chair of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and his role in implementing the State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) programme as key moments in his transparency advocacy.
“Ekiti State was among the pioneers in publishing contract and procurement details online. With SFTAS, we promoted inter-state peer reviews. Anyone could access the Ekiti procurement portal to see who got which contract, at what cost, and under what conditions,” he said.
The 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) began nationwide on Thursday, with over 2.2 million candidates expected to participate across accredited centres.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The exam, conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), will run from April 16 to April 22 in multiple daily sessions.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, urged examination officials to remain highly committed and professional, noting that the success of the exercise depends largely on their dedication.
He gave the charge during a virtual final briefing for technical officers ahead of the examination, where he also praised staff, ad hoc personnel, service providers, and technical advisers for their roles in the successful conduct of the mock exam.
Oloyede said many of the issues recorded during the mock exercise were due to poor assessment of centres by some technical officials.
He further stated that incentive packages would be awarded to teams that perform exceptionally, particularly in handling exam materials and submitting timely reports.
Reiterating JAMB’s zero-tolerance stance on malpractice, he warned candidates against bringing prohibited items into examination halls.
He also disclosed that biometric verification and real-time monitoring systems have been deployed to protect the integrity of the exercise.
Candidates whose biometrics cannot be verified, he added, will be rescheduled to write the exam at approved centres.
Meanwhile, a NAN correspondent monitoring proceedings at Aduvie International School, Jahi, reported that the first session scheduled for 8:30 a.m. began slightly behind schedule at about 8:40 a.m.
The Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, on Thursday inspected security deployments at Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres across Abuja.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
According to the FCT Police Command spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, the inspection is part of proactive measures to ensure a smooth, peaceful, and hitch-free conduct of the ongoing examinations.
The UTME is scheduled to run nationwide from April 16 to 18, 2026.
During the exercise, CP Sanusi assessed security arrangements put in place to safeguard candidates, examination officials, and CBT facilities.
He also engaged with centre supervisors, assuring them of adequate security presence throughout the examination period.
Adeh added that the CP reaffirmed the command’s commitment to maintaining law and order, warning that any attempt to disrupt the examinations would be met with decisive action in line with the law.
Over 700 former terrorists who have undergone deradicalisation and rehabilitation are set to be reintegrated into their communities.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The Nigerian military has also dismissed reports alleging that beneficiaries of Operation Safe Corridor are being recruited into military institutions.
According to African Independent Television, the Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Brigadier-General Yusuf Ali, made this known during a media tour of the Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration Centre in Gombe, North-East Nigeria.
He said many Nigerians still misunderstand the Federal Government’s structured counter-terrorism initiative, which is designed to restore peace in communities affected by insurgency.
Brigadier-General Ali explained that the programme focuses on rehabilitation and peaceful reintegration of repentant individuals into society.
During the tour, some of the participants also shared accounts of their involvement in offences that led to their admission into the programme.
The facility inspection was part of preparations for the graduation of over 700 clients who have completed the deradicalisation and rehabilitation process and are set for reintegration.
-
latest8 months ago“Social Media Erupts As Jim Iyke Declares Rita Dominic Nollywood’s Most Beautiful”
-
latest2 years agoEdo Political Showdown: Oshiomhole Appears At Presidential Villa As Tinubu Hands APC Gubernatorial Flag To Okpebholo (Photos & Video)
-
entertainment2 years agoLove Knows No Age American Woman Defends Marriage To Young Nigerian Man “I’m Not 70”
-
latest2 years agoOlumide Akpata Strikes Again: Drops Killer Track, Sends Edo State Into Frenzy!(Video)
-
Politics2 years agoNigerians React As Pastor Adeboye Foresees Passing Away On A Sunday After Enjoying A Satisfying Meal Of Pounded Yam
-
latest2 years agoFG Identifies 31 States At Risk Of Heavy Flooding In 2024: See Full List
-
Politics2 years agoBREAKING: Inspector-General Of Police Summons Top Police Commanders For Crucial-Security Challenges
-
latest2 years ago5 NYSC Corpers Perish In Fatal Road Accident Returning From Camp