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Reps Minority Caucus Slams Tinubu Over Insecurity, Hardship, Alleged Threats to Democracy
The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives on Wednesday delivered a scathing assessment of the state of the nation, accusing President Bola Tinubu’s administration of failing to address worsening insecurity, deepening economic hardship, and mounting threats to democratic institutions.
The opposition lawmakers also alleged that the government is prioritising political calculations ahead of the 2027 general elections over the urgent challenges confronting Nigerians.
Addressing journalists at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, House Minority Leader, Fred Agbedi, said Nigeria was experiencing one of its most difficult periods since the return to democratic rule in 1999.
According to him, persistent insecurity, rising poverty, and growing public frustration have left the country in a precarious situation.
“Nigeria is bleeding, Nigeria is confused, and Nigeria is being deliberately pushed to the brink by a government that has elevated 2027 electioneering above the lives and welfare of citizens,” Agbedi declared.
He said the caucus convened the press conference “with a heavy heart but with unshaken resolve to speak truth to power,” stressing that silence in the face of the nation’s challenges would amount to complicity.
The lawmakers argued that nearly three years into the Tinubu administration, Nigerians were yet to witness meaningful improvements in security and economic conditions despite repeated assurances from government officials.
Security Concerns
A major focus of the briefing was the recent death of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, who was reportedly abducted alongside his wife in Katsina State before dying in captivity.
The caucus described the incident as a tragic reflection of the deteriorating security situation across the country and called for a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
“That a General of the Nigerian Army, who once commanded troops and defended this nation, could be kidnapped alongside his wife and later declared dead under unclear circumstances is a grave indictment of a failed state. It is a national embarrassment,” Agbedi said.
The lawmakers noted that the incident occurred amid a wave of attacks by bandits, terrorists, and criminal gangs across several parts of the country, including the North-West, North-Central, and parts of the South-East.
They lamented that security personnel, traditional rulers, and ordinary citizens have increasingly become targets of kidnappers and armed groups despite ongoing military operations.
“If a General is not safe within the borders of our nation, then who truly is?” Agbedi asked.
He further expressed concern over the growing vulnerability of community leaders and traditional rulers who have become frequent targets of criminal elements.
“Our security is in the mud. Yet, the political class is busy rehearsing new political dance steps, seemingly unbothered,” he added.
The caucus urged President Tinubu, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to immediately present a comprehensive security strategy capable of addressing the multifaceted threats confronting the country.
“At a period in our nation’s long-drawn battle with these insurgents, victory was close by, especially with the presence of mercenaries on the frontlines. Today, no one is sure what the strategy, if any, is,” Agbedi stated.
The lawmakers also called for improved welfare for security personnel, enhanced intelligence gathering, and a comprehensive overhaul of the nation’s security architecture.
They expressed concern over the continued captivity of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oyo State, describing the situation as another example of the state’s inability to guarantee the safety of its citizens.
“As we speak, schoolchildren and their teachers abducted in Oyo State remain in captivity. Their crime? Going to school in Nigeria,” Agbedi said.
The caucus demanded an immediate and coordinated rescue operation, warning that prolonged captivity could expose the victims to grave dangers.
Democracy and Judiciary
The opposition lawmakers also raised concerns over what they described as troubling developments within the judiciary, particularly a Federal High Court judgment ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five opposition political parties.
According to Agbedi, the ruling raises serious questions about the health of Nigeria’s democracy and could undermine political pluralism ahead of future elections.
“This judgment, coming only months before the country’s general elections and after a subsisting Court of Appeal decision on the same matter, is not intended to serve justice. Instead, it appears to be a deliberate ploy to engender judicial chaos weaponised to destabilise the polity,” he said.
The Bayelsa lawmaker described the judgment as “rascality taken too far,” arguing that it sets a dangerous precedent capable of weakening democratic participation and shrinking political space.
He questioned why submissions reportedly made by INEC, indicating that the affected parties had satisfied legal requirements through electoral victories in previous elections, were allegedly disregarded.
The caucus further alleged that opposition parties have increasingly faced institutional barriers, including delays in the registration of new political parties and attempts to frustrate emerging political coalitions.
“From external manipulations and executive meddlesomeness that kept old political structures polarised, to attempts to truncate new alliances through institutional bottlenecks such as the refusal to register new political parties, the whole goal has been to muscle all credible opposition out of the 2027 contest,” Agbedi alleged.
While welcoming the intervention of the Court of Appeal in halting implementation of the Federal High Court judgment, the lawmakers urged democratic stakeholders to remain vigilant.
Economic Hardship
Turning to the economy, the caucus painted a bleak picture of conditions facing Nigerians, citing inflation, rising food prices, declining purchasing power, and widespread hardship.
The lawmakers argued that the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira—key reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration—had imposed severe burdens on citizens without adequate social protection measures.
“From Sokoto to Enugu, from Borno to Lagos, the story is the same: hunger, killings, kidnappings, collapse of the naira, collapse of hope,” Agbedi said.
The opposition lawmakers accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Presidency of prioritising politics over governance.
“Yet what preoccupies the ruling party and the Presidency are 2027 endorsement rallies, defections, re-election strategies, and town hall meetings to discuss tenure security,” he added.
They challenged President Tinubu to temporarily suspend political activities linked to the next election cycle and focus squarely on addressing the nation’s pressing challenges.
“President Tinubu must suspend all 2027 political activities and declare a six-month National Security and Economic Recovery Plan,” Agbedi said, urging the President to “lead or leave.”
Recommendations and Call to Action
As part of its recommendations, the caucus called for:
- An independent and transparent investigation into the abduction and death of Major General Rabe Abubakar;
- Immediate efforts to secure the release of the abducted Oyo schoolchildren and their teachers;
- Urgent reforms within the security sector;
- Intervention by the Chief Justice of Nigeria in controversies arising from conflicting court judgments on political parties; and
- Stronger efforts by INEC to safeguard democratic competition ahead of the 2027 elections.
Agbedi warned against what he described as attempts to weaken opposition voices through judicial and institutional means.
“The attempt to kill opposition parties through judicial ambush, to ignore mass killings while chasing a second term, and to normalise the abduction of children is a declaration of war against Nigerians,” he said.
He vowed that opposition lawmakers would continue to hold the government accountable through constitutional and legislative means.
“We will not be silent. We will not be intimidated. We will use every legislative instrument to hold this government accountable,” he stated.
Addressing Nigerians directly, Agbedi urged citizens not to lose faith in democracy despite the country’s present challenges.
“To Nigerians, do not despair. 2027 will not be decided in Aso Rock or by compromised courts. It will be decided by you, the people.
“The opposition parties will stand with you. The opposition will not be muscled out. Nigeria will be rescued.”
The briefing was attended by House Minority Whip Mansur Soro, Deputy Minority Leader Abdussamad Dasuki, and the leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress caucus in the House, Afam Ogene.
IBADAN — Oyo State Governor and Allied Peoples Movement (APM) presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, has denied claims by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, that the Federal Government provided ₦50 billion to the state for the upgrade of the Ladoke Akintola International Airport, Ibadan.
Makinde made the denial on Tuesday while addressing supporters and stakeholders at the Makinde/Daura 2027 Presidential Town Hall meeting in Katsina.
The governor said the Federal Government did not give either him or the Oyo State Government ₦50 billion for the airport project, insisting that the ongoing expansion and rehabilitation works were being financed entirely by the state.
“My attention was drawn to an interview granted yesterday by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, where he said that the President gave N50 billion to Oyo State to upgrade the Ibadan Airport to international standards,” Makinde said.
“I want to say that claim is false. The President did not give me or Oyo State N50 billion to upgrade the Ibadan Airport. The Ibadan Airport upgrade project is being undertaken 100 per cent with the funds of Oyo State.”
Wike had made the ₦50 billion claim during an appearance on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout programme on Monday, saying the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government had supported the Oyo airport project.
The disagreement centres on the source and nature of funding for the airport’s ongoing upgrade.
Public records from Oyo State indicate that the state had previously identified the Ibadan Airport expansion as one of the projects to be financed through its infrastructure funding plans. The state government has also said that its airport proposal received presidential approval without financial obligations being placed on the Federal Government.
However, the competing claims by Wike and Makinde have not, so far, been accompanied by publicly released financial documents conclusively establishing whether a ₦50 billion Federal Government allocation or transfer was made specifically for the airport project.
The dispute comes against the backdrop of Nigeria’s emerging political alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Makinde seeking the presidency on the APM platform while Wike remains a serving Federal Government minister.
Further clarification from the Federal Government, Oyo State Government, or relevant financial and aviation authorities could help establish the precise source and amount of funding committed to the Ibadan airport project.
Two days after reports circulated online that the Umuahia Premier Club, Umuahia Branch had endorsed the member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency, Hon. Obi Aguocha for a second term, the Club has debunked the report, describing the purported endorsement as unauthorised and a departure from its non-partisan traditions.
In a rejoinder issued on Sunday and signed by its Branch Chairman, Premier Ako Obioma, and Branch Secretary, Premier Chuka Agomoh, the club said its attention had been drawn to a purported endorsement of a candidate contesting for elective political office on the platform of a particular political party.
The leadership said the club is, by its founding philosophy, a socio-cultural, non-partisan and unifying organisation established to foster fraternity, mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, cultural solidarity, and the collective advancement of its members and communities.
“It is therefore not the character, tradition or mandate of the Club to adopt or endorse partisan political candidates,” the statement read.
The club said the purported endorsement constituted a significant departure from its established traditions and ethos, warning that it could generate avoidable disaffection, suspicion, and division among members who are entitled to hold divergent political preferences.
“It is acknowledged that the candidate purportedly endorsed is a member of the Club and is entitled, like every other citizen, to participate in the political process and pursue his legitimate political aspirations. However, membership of the Club cannot, in itself, constitute a basis for transforming the Club into a political platform or committing the collective identity of the Club to the political ambition of any individual member,” the statement said.
The club clarified that the gathering held on Sunday, September 20, 2026, was convened as its monthly general meeting and not as a political meeting or a forum authorised to deliberate upon and endorse a political candidate.
It noted that the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Legal Adviser, and four National officers from the branch were reportedly absent from the meeting, adding that the circumstances under which the purported endorsement was made required careful scrutiny.
“It is particularly disturbing that the meeting took place at the residence of the candidate concerned, thereby creating circumstances in which his political associates and party supporters were able to take advantage of the gathering to introduce and advance a partisan agenda that was neither part of the scheduled business of the Club nor sanctioned by its leadership,” the statement read.
The club further said a considerable number of those present were either relatively new members or persons not yet sufficiently conversant with its established procedures and conventions.
“In view of the foregoing, the purported endorsement, to the extent that it purports to represent the collective position of the Club or its Branch, is hereby expressly repudiated, condemned and declared unacceptable,” the statement said.
It warned that appropriate disciplinary measures would be taken against any member found to have deliberately misrepresented the position of the club, acted without authority, or brought its name into disrepute.
The club also reiterated that only the Chairman, Secretary, and Public Relations Officer are authorised to issue or circulate official publications on behalf of the club or the branch, adding that the Secretary and PRO must obtain the requisite approval of the Branch Chairman before issuing any official publication.
“Therefore, anyone who circulated or posted the purported endorsement should as a matter of urgency pull it down immediately,” the statement directed.
The club declared all publications, statements, endorsements or communications already circulated in connection with the purported endorsement as null, void, and of no effect, advising members and the general public to disregard them.
It called on members to remain calm, exercise restraint, and refrain from any action or publication capable of exacerbating the situation, stressing that the club’s unity, integrity, and continued cohesion remain paramount.
“Our political affiliations may differ; our cultural heritage unites us. Our individual political ambitions may vary; the collective interest of our Club and our clans must remain sacrosanct,” the statement concluded.
Enugu Air has launched a new official website, moving its online services to www.enuguairlines.ng.
The airline announced the development in a statement informing passengers and customers of the change, describing the new platform as a safer and more convenient digital channel for accessing its services.
Announcing the migration, Enugu Air said: “We’ve moved! We’re innovating! We’ve migrated to a better, safer and convenient website to connect you to the world.”
According to the airline, the new website will serve as its digital platform for flight bookings, schedules and operational updates.
Passengers and prospective travellers can now visit www.enuguairlines.ng to book flights, check schedules and access the latest information about the airline’s operations.
Enugu Air urged customers to save the new web address and use it for all online flight-related services.
The airline stressed that the change would not affect its identity or services, stating: “Same Enugu Air. New web address.”
It also warned passengers that its former website, enuguairlines.com, had been discontinued and was no longer in use.
The airline therefore advised customers to use www.enuguairlines.ng for its current online services and flight-related information.
The Enugu State House of Assembly, on Monday, called for urgent government intervention following a landslide that cut off Ugwueme and Nenwenta communities in Awgu Local Government Area from other parts of the state.
The Assembly urged the Enugu State Government, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Ecological Fund to urgently mobilise resources to address the situation and restore access to the affected communities.
The landslide, which occurred on September 18 following torrential rainfall, reportedly blocked the road linking the two communities, forcing residents to pass through neighbouring Abia and Imo states to access other parts of Enugu State.
Moving a motion of urgent public importance, the member representing Awgu South State Constituency, Hon. Anthony Nwankwo, said the disaster had paralysed movement and made emergency response difficult in the affected communities.
Nwankwo also revealed that a family of four reportedly died after a collapsed overhead water tank crushed them, leaving only a four-year-old child who was subsequently rescued.
He lamented that the victims might have been rescued alive if the road leading to the communities had remained accessible.
Nwankwo therefore urged the Assembly to prevail on the relevant authorities to urgently clear the road and restore access to Ugwueme and Nenwenta.
“I move that the House do write the relevant authorities to intervene to open the road leading to Ugwueme and Nenwenta,” he said.
Supporting the motion, lawmakers expressed sympathy with Nwankwo and residents of the affected communities, describing the incident as a serious natural disaster requiring immediate intervention.
Members representing Ezeagu, Nkanu East and Oji River State Constituencies, Hon. Chima Obieze, Hon. Okey Mba and Hon. Osita Eze, respectively, also urged residents to avoid constructing buildings close to hills and engaging in indiscriminate excavation of soil and stones.
They warned that such activities could worsen the risk of landslides.
The lawmakers, however, stressed that government agencies should immediately mobilise resources to clear the affected road and restore access to the communities.
Assembly Confirms Civil Service Commission Nominees
Meanwhile, the Assembly screened and confirmed the appointment of a chairman and four members of the Enugu State Civil Service Commission nominated by Governor Peter Mbah.
The nominees are Prof. Gabriel Ajah as Chairman; Christian Mbah, Member 1; Mrs. Stella Ekweremadu, Member 2; Mrs. Emmanuela Uzonna Ogarabe, Member 3; and Mrs. Theresa Ifeanyichukwu Onyefuzili, Member 4.
The nominees were subsequently confirmed after the lawmakers found them qualified for the positions.
They were asked to take a bow and leave without undergoing prolonged screening after presenting their curriculum vitae and professional records to the Assembly.
Speaking on behalf of the nominees, Ajah pledged that punctuality and discipline would be central to the commission under his leadership.
“We shall lead by example. We must be punctual to work,” he said.
Before his appointment, Ajah had served the Enugu State Government in various capacities, including 19 years as Permanent Secretary and 14 years as Dean of Permanent Secretaries.
He also served as Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Chairman of the Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (ENSUBEB), among other positions.
The Federal Government has sealed a deal for the acquisition of 12 AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters from US-based Bell Textron as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s airpower and security capabilities.
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, led a Nigerian Air Force delegation to a beam-signing ceremony at Bell Textron’s facility in Amarillo, Texas, marking a major milestone in the Nigeria-US defence cooperation programme.
According to a statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the acquisition is aimed at modernising the Armed Forces and enhancing their capacity to respond to security threats.
Aneke described the acquisition as an important milestone in efforts to build a more capable and mission-ready Nigerian Air Force.
He said the programme would support the NAF’s objective of developing a highly motivated and professional force capable of delivering effective airpower in coordination with ground forces.
The Chief of Air Staff also stressed the need to ensure that the newly acquired capabilities translated into improved operational effectiveness and stronger support for Nigeria’s national security objectives.
Aneke thanked President Bola Tinubu for what he described as his strategic leadership and support for strengthening Nigeria’s defence architecture.
He also acknowledged the cooperation of the United States Government, Bell Textron, Programme Management Air 276 and other stakeholders involved in the AH-1Z Viper programme.
During the visit, the Nigerian delegation inspected the AH-1Z Viper production line at the Bell Textron facility.
The development comes six days after the Nigerian Air Force took delivery of five new helicopters—three AW-109 Trekker B helicopters manufactured by Leonardo Helicopters of Italy and two H-125 helicopters manufactured by Airbus Helicopters.
The latest acquisition forms part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to modernise Nigeria’s military airpower and strengthen its response to terrorism, banditry and other security challenges.
Source: Punch Newspapers�
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