On Tuesday, Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo gave the State House of Assembly a budget estimate of N939,850 billion for 2026.

The budget was reportedly dubbed the “Budget of Hope and Growth.”

According to Okpebholo, the budget is more over N140.03 billion more than the N799,820,058,858,52 billion budget for 2025.

He claims that N302 billion, or 32 percent, is set aside for recurring expenses and N637 billion, or 68 percent, is allotted for capital expenditures.

He clarified that the goal of the 2026 budget projection is to build on the progress made during his first year in office, broaden the government’s influence, and give the Edo people hope for better governance.

The goal of the 2026 Budget of Hope and Growth is to expand upon the groundwork we established in 2025. It is a budget that addresses the demands of our citizens. Security, infrastructure, agriculture, education, employment generation, and healthcare are its main priorities.

“Roads, schools, hospitals, water, housing, and economic initiatives will remain Edo State’s top priorities. According to Okpebholo, “Our people want real development they can see and feel.”

According to the governor, the budget will be financed by N160 billion from internally generated revenue, N480 billion from the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), N153 billion from capital receipts and grants, N146 billion from public-private partnerships, and other state-available revenue streams.

The governor promised that instead of placing undue financial strain on individuals, his administration will enhance mechanisms and prevent leaks.

The economic sector has the largest share of N614.2 billion, followed by the administrative sector with N157.7 billion and the social sector with N148.9 billion, according to the sectoral breakdown allocations.

According to Okpebholo, the budget is based on the government’s SHINE Agenda, which consists of five pillars: education, natural resources/agriculture, infrastructure, health, and security.

He went on to say that the goal of the 2026 budget is to create prosperity and a unified Edo State where all communities are impacted by governance and all citizens have hope.

The late former president Muhammadu Buhari made the contentious “other room” remark on the incorrect stage, according to former first lady Aisha Buhari.

Mrs. Buhari claims that statements like that one frequently don’t translate well internationally.

Charles Omole’s recently published biography of the former president, “From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari,” includes her thoughts on the comment.

The remark “she belongs to my kitchen…and the other room” took on a life of its own after it was spoken in Germany while standing next to Angela Merkel, according to excerpts from the book.

“Aisha Buhari answers with the casualness of someone who is aware of the soldier’s and the man’s propensity for gallows humor.

She claims, “We laughed about it.” However, she acknowledges that the location was inappropriate for such a joke.

Irony travels poorly in the global square, according to the book. When she returned home, her foreign coworkers questioned her, seeing the joke as government policy.

She responded succinctly: both she and he are aware of their roles. The gap between the country he envisioned and the administration he was in charge of occasionally caused them to disagree.

However, they never debated whether or not she should be in areas where authority is used. She just strolled in.

One thing people appreciate about Chief Dr. Philip Agbese is that he doesn’t lead by guesswork. He has a clear purpose in everything he does. From the way he speaks in the National Assembly to the way he engages with his constituency, you can see a man who knows exactly why he is in office. He is not there to pass time. He is not there to make noise. He is there to make a difference that the ordinary person can feel.
When you look at his activities, you notice a pattern of intention. He focuses on areas that matter to the everyday life of the people: education, youth development, community welfare, representation at the national level and the protection of the Idoma voice. These are deliberate steps aligned with the needs of Ado, Okpokwu and Ogbadibo. And this is why people trust him. There is no confusion around his mission. He is simply doing what he promised to do.
Many politicians come into office without direction. They move from one issue to another without any real plan. But Okanga is different. His purpose is rooted in service. He wants to uplift the lives of the people who believed in him. He wants to push the constituency forward. He wants to make sure the next generation does not inherit the same struggles the previous generation faced. This sense of mission is what gives his leadership weight and meaning.
People follow leaders who know where they are going. A leader with purpose brings stability. A leader with purpose brings clarity. A leader with purpose gives people hope because they can see that every decision is leading somewhere better. This is why so many people are comfortable supporting him again in 2027. They have watched his journey and they know he is progressing.
2027 is not just about re-electing someone. It is about maintaining a clear direction for the constituency. It is about building on a foundation that is already strong. It is about trusting a man whose actions match his words.

Ayodele Arise, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a former senator from Ekiti North, has urged President Bola Tinubu to think about using force in Burkina Faso to free the 11 Nigerian troops who are being held there.

Although Nigeria’s military is overburdened with internal security operations, Arise stated on Arise TV on Saturday that a daring move might put pressure on the Burkinabe regime to free the troops.

Arise claimed that history has demonstrated the efficacy of swift military action in such circumstances, citing Israel’s 1976 Entebbe Raid in Uganda.

“I think we should move and do something,” he declared. In fact, since they are our neighbors, I am confident that the individual in charge there will reconsider once they learn that we wish to do that.

“Yes, we should be cordial with our neighbors, but we also need to make it clear that they are not allowed to interfere with our nation.”

Additionally, Arise supported Nigeria’s military response to the recent coup attempt in the Republic of Benin, arguing that President Tinubu acted rationally even before publicly informing the National Assembly.

He refuted claims that the President had violated constitutional procedures, claiming that choices pertaining to national security occasionally call for quick action.

His remarks were made the day after Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, declared that the 11 Nigerian military members were still being held in Burkina Faso.

Tuggar stated that diplomatic attempts were being made to find a solution while speaking at the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja.

“We’re talking about how we can get this delicate issue resolved as soon as possible. Thus, it’s being addressed diplomatically,” the minister stated.

Additionally, he made it clear that the Nigerian Air Force C-130 plane that touched down at Bobo Dioulasso, in southwest Burkina Faso, had nothing to do with the Benin Republic coup.

However, the troops were arrested after Burkina Faso’s Minister of Territorial Administration, Emile Zerbo, claimed the aircraft had failed to secure the necessary approval and had breached national airspace restrictions.

Arise commented on recent Senate screenings of ambassadorial nominees in addition to regional security, criticizing the practice of letting candidates “take a bow and go” without thorough questioning.

“There are two ways to look at that,” he remarked. Either the senators have read the candidates’ biographies, resumes, accomplishments, and contributions to the advancement of the country, or the president and the security services have done an excellent job of investigating the contenders.

Being a senator does not guarantee that you are an expert on everything, so it is a learning process. Thus, there is no longer a chance to educate senators generally, engage the public, or provide information about their professions.

However, a lot of us will prefer that the Senate pose inquiries. Since Mr. President cannot personally know every nominee, let them defend their nomination. He will rely on the security report and the recommendations from his coworkers.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) decision to revoke the bail that was previously granted to former Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami (SAN) has been characterized by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as political politics rather than law enforcement.

According to the ADC’s statement, which was signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Malami, the former Attorney General did not break any of the terms of his original release, according to all available evidence.

The party pointed out that canceling his bail could give the unavoidable impression that the measure was conducted to limit his political activities rather than to seek justice, particularly after he attended a political event in his home state of Kebbi.

The ADC reaffirmed the party’s support for the EFCC and any other anti-corruption agency to carry out its mandate of looking into crimes, but it cautions that selective or weaponized investigations against opposition leaders eventually jeopardize the nation’s real fight against corruption and make anti-corruption organizations complicit in the government’s repression of dissent and opposition.

The complete statement said: “The African Democratic Congress (ADC) believes that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) revoked Mallam Abubakar Malami, SAN’s bail for political reasons.

Malami did not break any of the terms of his original bail, according to the available information. He knows what it means to break bail conditions because he was formerly the nation’s top law officer and a senior attorney. Even though he has completely cooperated with the EFCC’s investigators, he most likely did not realize that going to a political event in support of his desire to become governor of his home state of Kebbi may be the reason for the agency to revoke his bail.

To be clear, ADC considers corruption to be one of the biggest risks to our nation’s basic existence. As a result, we wholeheartedly endorse any sincere attempts to hold public servants responsible. However, we are extremely worried that the EFCC appears to be a political gladiator rather than an unbiased fighter against financial malfeasance due to several of its acts and inactions.

The EFCC’s decision to revoke Malami’s bail only after he had attended a political gathering raises concerns about the agency’s motivations, the political stance it is taking, and whether it is not breaking the very laws it claims to uphold.

“The EFCC gives itself powers it does not have under the Constitution by prohibiting a citizen from participating in politics. No government agency has the authority to redefine political boundaries, suspend political rights, or decide whether or not a citizen’s political interests may be pursued. It is impossible to avoid the conclusion that the EFCC’s true goal is to undermine his political aspirations in the state given that this restriction was limited to Kebbi State.

Once more, ADC is steadfastly dedicated to combating corruption, but we maintain that politicizing the fight against corruption is a significant kind of corruption in and of itself. We would want to draw the EFCC’s attention to the data on corruption in Nigeria from the Afrobarometer survey, which was published earlier this year. According to the research, the National Assembly and the police are the two most corrupt public institutions in the nation, followed by the Presidency (the President and officials).

According to ADC, if the EFCC is genuinely dedicated to combating corruption, studies like this provide it a chance to recognize the scope of its work and reevaluate its goals.

“The ADC supports Mallam Abubakar Malami, SAN, who we think is innocent of the accusations against him until a competent court finds him guilty. More significantly, we call for his prompt release on bail without any restrictions that would restrict his ability to exercise his political rights.

Babangida Hussaini, the senator from Jigawa State North West, has denied rumors that he is getting ready to run for the state’s governorship in the general election of 2027.

The legislator claimed that the reports were intended to incite needless political conflict inside the All Progressives Congress (APC) and characterized them as baseless, untrue, and purposefully misleading.

On Friday, December 12, 2025, the senator personally signed a statement that was made available to reporters in Dutse, the capital of Jigawa State.

Adamu warned against what he described as an increasing trend of false political narratives being spread on radio platforms, claiming that the accusations were cunning and intended to cause strife within the ruling party.

“These claims are completely false and are obviously meant to create needless tension, division, and mischief within our great party, the APC,” he said.

The senator emphasized that these storylines have the potential to deceive the public and erode party cohesion.

The senator also emphasized that he and Jigawa State Governor Malam Umar Namadi are still devoted APC members who collaborate in solidarity and respect for the advancement of the state.

He insisted that both he and the governor were committed to providing the benefits of democracy to the Jigawa people, pointing out that there was no rivalry or covert political objective between them.

Adamu’s response came after someone named Magaji Dogo made remarks on a radio program claiming that the senator intended to run for governor in the upcoming election cycle.

The statement also claimed that the person appeared in a campaign-style T-shirt and cap with Governor Namadi’s and Senator Adamu’s images on them, in what the legislator described as an intentional attempt to misrepresent that the claim came from him.

The senator reiterated his steadfast support for Governor Namadi’s Jigawa State Government and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

He stated that his present priorities remained assisting the APC’s leadership and making a significant contribution to Jigawa State’s ongoing socioeconomic growth.

Adamu urged the APC’s leadership to take the necessary steps to stop the propagation of false narratives that could threaten party unity and discipline.

He emphasized the need for shared responsibility in bolstering the APC and promoting the growth of Jigawa State and Nigeria as a whole, urging party members and the general public to ignore the rumors.