Nigerians want impact, not figures, Natasha speaks on Tinubu’s ₦58.18trn budget
Chukwuemeka Okala
Nigerians want impact, not figures, Natasha speaks on Tinubu’s ₦58.18trn budget
Nigerians want impact, not figures, Natasha speaks on Tinubu’s ₦58.18trn budget
The senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has urged President Bola Tinubu to ensure that the proposed ₦58.18trn 2026 Appropriation Bill delivers a measurable and positive impact on the lives of ordinary Nigerians.
Reacting to Tinubu’s budget presentation at the joint sitting of the National Assembly on Friday, the senator described the session as significant but cautioned against an overemphasis on headline figures at the expense of outcomes.
Akpoti-Uduaghan also warned that fiscal size alone cannot resolve the country’s deep-seated development challenges.
“Of all the lengthy speeches, one line by Mr President struck me deeply.
“It’s not the size of the budget but the quantum of impact felt by Nigerians,” she said.
The lawmaker noted that while the projected ₦58.18trn spending plan reflects the scale of Nigeria’s economic ambitions and structural problems, citizens are far more concerned with how government spending translates into tangible improvements in their daily lives.
According to her, Nigerians expect budgets to deliver improved living standards through sustainable job creation, functional infrastructure, affordable healthcare, quality education and accessible social services, rather than remain impressive projections on paper.
She further emphasised that accountability in governance must be jointly upheld by leaders and the governed, stressing that public scrutiny is essential to achieving meaningful outcomes.
“Leaders must do better, and citizens must demand accountability,” she stressed.
A member of the Senate Committee on Finance, Akpoti-Uduaghan has consistently advocated fiscal transparency, prudent management of public resources and people-centred budgeting – positions that align with growing public demand for governance outcomes that are not only measurable but felt at the grassroots.
Her remarks echoed wider concerns within and outside the National Assembly that Nigeria’s annual budgets, though expanding in size, have yet to deliver commensurate improvements in welfare, productivity and social stability.
The President on Friday presented the 2026 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly, projecting a cautiously improving economy while pledging stricter budget discipline and tougher revenue enforcement across government agencies.
The president also vowed to adopt an uncompromising security posture, declaring that all armed non-state actors would be treated as terrorists under his administration’s security doctrine.
Presenting the proposal—titled “Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity, Tinubu said the fiscal framework was designed to lock in recent macroeconomic gains, restore investor confidence and translate stability into broad-based prosperity.
He defended the administration’s controversial economic reforms, arguing they were beginning to yield results.
Tinubu cited economic growth of 3.98 per cent in the third quarter of 2025, eight consecutive months of easing inflation, improved oil output, stronger non-oil revenues and renewed investor confidence as evidence of progress.
However, as debates over the proposal begin in the National Assembly, lawmakers such as Akpoti-Uduaghan insist that the ultimate test of the 2026 budget will lie not in macroeconomic indicators alone, but in its real-world impact on Nigerian households and communities.
Kayode Adebayo
Kayode Adebayo
Kayode Adebayo
Nigerian govt identifies inflation drop, GDP growth, other economic gains in 2025
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this on Monday during his end-of-year press conference in Abuja.
Idris said the country recorded a trade surplus of N6.69 trillion in the third quarter of 2025, alongside improvements in electricity supply, with maximum daily energy reaching 128,370.75 megawatt-hours nationwide in March.
He also listed Nigeria’s exit from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Grey List and the recapitalization of the Bank of Agriculture with N1.5 trillion as major achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration in 2025.
According to the minister, the economy demonstrated resilience, particularly in the non-oil sector, as GDP grew by about 3.9 percent in the third quarter of the year.
Headline inflation has declined for eight consecutive months, standing at 14.45 percent in November 2025, while food inflation is also on a steady downward trend,” he said.
Idris added that the country’s external reserves had strengthened to about $44.56 billion, providing a buffer to stabilize the naira and boost investor confidence.
He noted that President Tinubu’s approval of the N1.5 trillion recapitalization of the Bank of Agriculture marked the largest single injection into agricultural financing in recent history.
On Sat, Dec 20, 2025 at 8:49 PM, Kayode Adebayo<kayu...@yahoo.com> wrote:
Kayode Adebayo
FULL LIST: EFCC traces 41 properties worth N212bn to Malami
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has traced 41 properties to Abubakar Malami, the former attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice.
TheCable understands that the properties — hotels, residential buildings, lands, schools, and a printing press — are scattered across Kebbi, Kano and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The properties in Kebbi state are valued at N162,195,950,000, while the assets in Kano state are said to be worth N16,011,800,000, and the value of the FCT properties was put at N34,685,000,000.
The federal government has also filed a 16-count charge bordering on money laundering against the former minister and his son, Abdulaziz Malami.
Total valuation: N162,195,950,000.00
Rayhaan University and Education
Rayhaan University Permanent Site: N56,000,000,000.00
Rayhaan University Temporary Site: N37,800,000,000.00
Rayhaan University Third Site: N2,450,000,000.00
Rayhaan University Vice Chancellor House: N490,000,000.00
Rayhaan Model Academy: N11,200,000,000.00
Rayhaan Primary and Secondary School: N8,750,000,000.00
Rayhaan Agro Allied Factory & Commercial
Factory Buildings: N4,200,000,000.00
Factory Machines and Plants Units: N10,500,000,000.00
Factory Mosque: N2,450,000,000.00
Rayhaan Mill Staff Quarters (10 units): N1,487,500,000.00
Rayhaan Bustan Building: N3,150,000,000.00
Printing Press: N1,050,000,000.00
Al-Afiya Energy Tanker Garage: N2,450,000,000.00
Amasdul Oil and Gas Ltd Structure: N1,050,000,000.00
Rayhaan Radio: N78,750,000.00
Azbir Brand Properties
Azbir Hotel: N10,325,000,000.00
Gallery: N581,000,000.00
Gardens: N392,000,000.00
Mosque: N252,000,000.00
Azbir Clothing: N350,000,000.00
Azbir Pharmacy and Supermarket: N175,000,000.00
Residential and Foundations
Malami House GRA: N350,000,000.00
Malami House Behind Mobil: N490,000,000.00
Malami Residence Behind Cemetery: N350,000,000.00
Abdulaziz (First Son House): N1,659,000,000.00
Ahbiru (Second Son House): N2,989,000,000.00
Malami Support Organization Building ADC: N210,000,000.00
Kadi Malami Foundation Building: N56,000,000.00
Rayhaan Security House: N245,700,000.00
Uncompleted 3 Storey Complex: N665,000,000.00
Kano State Properties
Total valuation: N16,011,800,000.00
Zeennoor Hotel: N11,200,000,000.00
Zeennoor Mosque: N84,000,000.00
Zeennoor Old Hotel Building: N280,000,000.00
Rayhaan Hotel Kano: N2,240,000,000.00
Rayhaan Gym Kano: N1,225,000,000.00
Wife’s House (Ahmadu Bello Way, Kano): N982,800,000.00
FCT Abuja Properties
Total valuation: N34,685,000,000.00
Duplex at Amazon Street, Maitama: N5,950,000,000.00
Meethaq Hotel (Jabi Branch): N8,400,000,000.00
Meethaq Hotel (Maitama Branch): N12,950,000,000.00
42 Units of Bungalow at Efab Estate: N385,000,000.00
Harmonia Hotels, Area 11 Garki: N7,000,000,000.00
Grand total valuation: N212,892,750,000
Kayode Adebayo
Dangerous allegations of witchcraft, diabolism destroying communities in Igboland
This is common in Ebonyi State communities. Many innocent people have been paraded naked, beaten and tortured or killed by youths and their properties destroyed on the flimsy allegations of witchcraft and diabolism.
Some of the victims were accused of killing their family members or other members of the community through occultic means. In many cases, mischievous individuals allegedly connived with local prophets, and traditional priests to carry out the ugly act.
On the strength of the frivolous allegations, local mobs in the communities, would torture the victims, subject them to all manner of inhuman treatment, and even make them to take an oath by forcing them to drink harmful and poisonous concoctions which sometimes led to their deaths or destruction of vital organs, ultimately leading to their death.
Some reported cases of citizens dehumanised, banished in the state
Reports from some rural communities in areas such as Izzi, Okposi, Afikpo, Ohaukwu, Ishielu, Ezza North, Ezza South and other places, confirmed that the evil acts occurred.
Joseph Agwu, a native of Ekwashi, Ngbo autonomous community, Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state, was a victim. He was banished from his community on 4th August, 2025 after he was tortured by the villagers who tied palm fronds all over his body and paraded him round the community, including market squares. He was accused of killing his brother’s child as well as other people in the area through diabolism. His belongings, including his two compounds, were said to have been set ablaze. He was banished for five years against the plea of their traditional ruler.
Since that 4th August, the septuagenarian is said to be taking refuge in his maternal home.
He narrated his ordeal: “I am a native of Ekwashi Ngbo autonomous community in Ohaukwu Council of Ebonyi State. I married four wives. One is late and the remaining three have many children and grandchildren for me. This happened on 4th August 2025 and since then, I have been in my maternal home in Umuezeaka autonomous Community. I ran to my maternal home for safety, when my people tortured me to near death against our traditional ruler’s order.
My attackers said I confessed to killing them when I was drunk at a burial ceremony. But to be honest with you, I am a traditional worshiper and not a wizard. I have not killed anybody.
“If I ever killed anybody, let me not see the next day, let moving vehicles kill me on the road as I go on my bicycle, to the extent that vultures feed on my flesh and I will not be given any burial rites.
“One of my brothers accused me of confessing to have killed his child who died years ago and many other people when I was drunk. I am innocent, I am not a trouble maker. I am a good farmer. They just conspired and intimidated me out of my community so as to take over my vast lands and farms.
“When the incident was reported to our traditional ruler, he instructed my accusers to stop beating me but go to my compounds in search of evidence for their claims. He directed them to organise oath-taking process as our tradition demands to prove my innocence or otherwise. But they ignored all his orders.
“My children who tried to stop them from assaulting me were also assaulted. The search parties didn’t find any evidence to back their claims in my compounds.
“I also learnt that they accused one of my wives of hiding my objects of worship and compelled her to take an oath, whereas they stopped me from taking an oath as the prime suspect.They have even come here to threaten my maternal relatives to throw me out.
One of my brothers supplied the fuel used to destroy my property. I demand that government and all people of goodwill help me get justice and return to my home.”
There is also the case of 65-year-old Nnennaya Donatus-Chukwu of Mebiokpa Amaeke, Okposi community in Ohaozara Council who alongside two other community members, suffered agonising inhuman treatment by their village youths who accused her of killing her husband ‘s nephew, one Innocent Chukwu through witchcraft.
The said late Innocent Chukwu reportedly died in a road accident on his way home from Calabar, Cross River State. The woman and two other elders in the family compound were accused of killing him because they had earlier objected to his choice of the building site which they allegedly said was too close to their family deity.
of Innocent Chukwu in collaboration with two others through witchcraft. The protesting youths looted and destroyed everything in both our family compound and that of my first son. They said since Innocent would not be alive to live in his house, that we would not have a house to live in. I thank God my children were not at home because they would have been killed. Before now, I had no quarrel with Innocent, the mother or anybody. The more I tried to explain that I am innocent of the accusations, the more they beat me.
was taken to our traditional ruler who blamed the youths for beating me and destroying my family belongings. He advised them to hand us over to the police at Obiozara for in-depth investigations and prosecution in the court of law. But they refused.
They refused and took me and the other two persons back to our compound. They washed the dead man’s armpits, reproductive organs, mouth and face, added four kola nuts, and forced us to drink the water to prove our innocence. After the oath, they banished us out of the community till after our next new yam festival, if we are still alive.
“I plead with the state government, the wife of Ebonyi State governor, NGOs, National Human Rights Commission, human rights activists, security agencies and other groups to help me get justice. They accused me of killing someone who died in a road accident in the city the same day and time I was preparing palm oil in our village”, she lamented.
In Afikpo, Kingsley Ibeh was also accused of witchcraft. He said that he was accused of causing misfortunes in the community, including being behind the death of some members of the community through diabolism. He said his accusers mixed human excrement and fermented cassava and rubbed the mixture all over his body; and that he was stripped naked, rope tied on his waist and women were instructed to parade him round the market in the area. He said this happened in June this year.
Mrs. Onwe Nwamaka from Ebele village, Umuogudu Akpu Ngbo community in the same Ohaukwu Council and her children, were banished from their place after her husband was banished also for alleged witchcraft.
Nwamaka narrated her ordeal: “I have been married to my husband for nine years. There have many issues in my husband’s family since I married him.
This year, one of his brothers became sick and later died. His brothers alleged that he was the one that killed him. My husband told his brothers that he was innocent. But they still mobilised villagers who beat him to near death and inflicted severe injuries on him. They banished him from the community and also banished me and our children from the community.
“They demolished my husband’s houses and destroyed every property he has. I have no father, I have no mother, I don’t have anyone. I took my children to where I was born. Few months ago, I went to our farm in my husband’s place to harvest crops and the villagers heard of it, came there and beat me to stupor.
They harvested all the crops in our four farms and destroyed the farms. Our traditional ruler has been the one feeding us since they harvested all our crops and destroyed our farms. I have not seen my husband since they banished him in 2022; I have not heard from him. My children have dropped out of school.
Also, Thomas Eze, from Ebele, Umuogudu Akpu also in Ngbo community, was maltreated by the villagers. He was accused of burying a charm in his farm by one of the villagers and that he was responsible for the misfortunes of some members of the community. He was banished from the community.
“Our traditional ruler took me and started taking care of me. I want to go back to my community. The government should come to my aid.”
The traditional ruler of one of the communities, Ngbo community, Eze Godwin Ugadu Ogba, condemned the act and described it “as barbaric, wicked and unconstitutional.” He lamented that despite his appeal to the perpetrators to stop the acts, they have continued to disobey him. He vowed to work with relevant agencies to end the menace in the community.
“Some villagers in Ebele are driving people out of the village on allegation of witchcraft. These people don’t behave like human beings and I have been warning them to stop banishing people because their actions are against the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I brought those they banished back to the community but they refused to allow them to stay.
“I have been telling these people that are doing all these things that there is no law in Nigeria that permits what they are doing. This is why I came to the Human Rights Commission to complain about it, let this ugly trend stop. I will not allow them to continue dehumanizing and banishing people,” he said.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and other NGOs in the state are said to have picked interest in rights abuses and making efforts to tackle them.