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Insecurity: Nothing Wrong With External Intervention, Trump Is Right

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Insecurity: Nothing Wrong With External Intervention, Trump Is Right

The senator representing Bayelsa Central, Senator Benson Friday Konbowei has said that Nigeria’s security challenges, particularly Boko Haram and banditry, and the perceived inadequacy of the national security forces, probably requires an external intervention, such as US President Trump’s call.

US President Donald Trump had ordered the military to prepare for action in Nigeria to tackle Islamist militant groups, accusing the Nigerian government of failing to protect Christians.

While speaking with Journalists in his office, the lawmaker who recently dumped PDP for the ruling APC, also said that he based his decision to leave PDP on what he called “ the protracted leadership crisis, saying that the division that has resulted from the competition for power within the PDP, especially at the national level informed his decision.

Recall that senator Benson had been a member of PDP since 1998, from which he was elected into the 10th Senate.

Benson said that PDP, built on lofty promises for Nigerians, had fallen into the wrong hands, adding that it currently lacked principled leadership.

PDP’s internal conflict deepened after a Federal High Court in Abuja halted its planned national convention, initially scheduled for Nov. 15 and 16 in Ibadan.

Another Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, on Tuesday, also restrained the PDP from holding the convention.

It also barred INEC from supervising, monitoring, or recognising the outcome of the convention; the party went ahead in defiance of the court order.

“Over the years, there has been reasons for me to defect like others have gone, some have even defected twice and thrice, I stayed for 12 years and rose up to become a speaker, and also was there as secretary to state government, and now I am here as a senator from that party. It is very painful that my party could not resolve the issues that they have at the center.

“If those people who are holding the stakes are not able to accept defeat at some point within the party and also to accommodate one another’s interest, to tolerate views that they are opposed to theirs, have decided to go the other way, as it were, to destroy the party or taking the party to an unresolvable moment, What do you expect from people who actually want their areas to develop? I want my people to develop. I don’t want a situation where I will be running from pillar to post, from one law court to the other.

“This morning, they will give one judgment. Next tomorrow, they give another one. In the midnight as you wake up, there is another judgment. Just as I entered the chamber this morning, I have seen another judgment again that INEC should not recognize Damagun as their national chairman, and all of that.

“So it is becoming too worrisome and ugly. You don’t go into a battle with a divided house. There will be serious casualties. This is where we find ourselves, and they have not resolved that issue till this moment, so I had no other option than to take my leave.

Commenting on Donald Trump’s proposed intervention, as Trump designated Nigeria as “Country of Particular Concerns” and threatened military action over alleged Christian genocide, Benson said, “successive governments have made promises, and the promises have never given us Nigerians what we expected. And as it were, every now and then, people are crying, people are being killed, people are buried here and there. And you may not be in all the local government, in all the states and in all the communities, but with the recent improvement of technology, nothing is hidden anymore.

“And so bringing in an external voice into it is long overdue. That is what Nigeria would have done, and not to even wait until somebody or a president from another country raises question. It is an issue that should have
been attended to, frontally and diplomatically”

“African Countries look at us as the largest black country that has the population as the well as mineral resources, and otherwise, that even create a defense for
other countries. And we have been doing that over the years. Our military has been engaging in other country’s crisis to ensure that things are normalized or
brought to a situation where
everybody live in peace. So why can’t we, if we are overwhelmed, also make similar calls,

“We have ECOMOG that ensures peace reigns in Africa, if we are overwhelmed, or subdued, as it were, we have to also extend our hands to ensure that we create absolute peace for ourselves and develop our nation.

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Senator Seeks Constitution’s Alteration For Increased FG Revenue Allocation

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Senator Seeks Constitution’s Alteration For Increased FG Revenue Allocation

Senator seeks constitution’s alteration for increased FG revenue allocation. Mr Karimi said the alteration seeks to increase the federal government’s revenue allocation to address mounting financial obligations and national responsibilities

Afederal lawmaker, Sunday Karimi (APC-Kogi West), on Tuesday presented a constitution alteration bill to the Senate, seeking an adjustment to the 1999 Constitution on the revenue allocation formula.

The bill, entitled “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Alteration) Bill (SB 1016),” scaled the first reading during plenary.

Briefing journalists after the plenary, Mr Karimi said the proposed alteration seeks to increase the federal government’s revenue allocation to address mounting financial obligations and national responsibilities across Nigeria.

He described the current revenue-sharing formula as outdated and unsustainable, stressing that it was placing excessive financial pressure on the federal government amid rising infrastructure decay and insecurity nationwide. According to him, federal roads nationwide have deteriorated badly, while huge resources are committed to combating banditry, terrorism, and other security threats across the country.

He noted that federal road projects awarded since 2014 had remained uncompleted due to inadequate funding, forcing contractors to stage protests over persistent non-payment by the government. He said, “The revenue formula has become too old and no longer sustainable. There is too much financial burden on the federal government.

“All the federal roads all over the country are down. Apart from the roads, a lot of funds are being spent on fighting banditry. “All the federal government roads awarded since 2014 have not been completed because of inadequate funds.”

Senate

Senate

The bill, according to him, seeks an adjustment to the revenue-sharing formula, even as he stressed the need to educate Nigerians to avoid politicising the issue.
“So what I’m asking for is an adjustment in the revenue allocation formula to increase the federal government’s allocation.
“I know that if we are asking for a change, Nigerians will bring politics into it. So we need to educate Nigerians on this development.

“This is why we need this alteration to increase the revenue accruing to the federal government. Under this sharing formula, some states are getting more with no one asking them questions about what they are doing with their allocation,” he stated.

The senator noted that inadequate funding also affected the military’s fight against terrorism, arguing that revenue adjustment was necessary to relieve pressure on the federal government.

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News

APC Inaugurates 73-Member Committee For March National Convention

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APC

APC Inaugurates 73-Member Committee For March National Convention

APC inaugurates 73-member committee for March national convention. The All Progressives CongresAPC inaugurates 73-member committee for March national conventions has unveiled a 73-member National Convention Central Coordination Committee ahead of its March 27–28, 2026 national convention.

Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma will chair the committee, with Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni as secretary, while Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq serves as vice chairman.

APC

APC

The committee, comprising serving and former governors, party leaders, and top federal lawmakers, will oversee preparations for the convention, which will elect new members of the party’s National Working Committee.

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Economy

Ebonyi: Government Sends 47 Students To UK On Scholarship

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Government Sends 47 Students To UK On Scholarship

Ebonyi: Government Sends 47 Students To UK On Scholarship

Ebonyi: Government sends 47 students to UK on scholarship. The governor urged the beneficiaries to be good ambassadors of the state.

No fewer than 47 beneficiaries on Monday departed Ebonyi for the United Kingdom on scholarship with Governor Francis Nwifuru describing their sojourn as a bold step towards human capital investment.

Mr Nwifuru said during the beneficiaries’ departure from the Chuba Okadigbo airport, Ezza, that the prosperity of the state depended on deliberate commitment to youth development.
The governor urged the beneficiaries to be good ambassadors of the state to achieve the overall aim of the investment.
“This event is not just about boarding a flight but destiny taking flight.

“This is about hope leaving the shores of Ebonyi to soar into the future,” he said.
He noted that the scholarship scheme was one of the most financially demanding interventions of his administration, only next to major infrastructure projects.

“We faced strong opposition on it at inception due to its economic pressures.
“Several people called for its suspension, arguing that its resources should be channeled towards roads, hospitals construction among other pressing needs.

“We would however, be mortgaging the future of Ebonyi if we fail to invest in the youths,” he said.
Mr Nwifuru noted that that the programme aligned with his administration’s People’s Charter of Needs mantra which places human capital development at the peak of governance.

“This initiative is deeply personal as the beneficiaries are being offered opportunities I and many others never had.

Government Sends 47 Students To UK On Scholarship

Government Sends 47 Students To UK On Scholarship

“This venture is aimed at making the path easier for the next generation as every fund spent on it is a collective sacrifice of traders, civil servants, artisans and taxpayers,” he said.
The chairman of the Ebonyi Scholarship Board, Chaka Nweze, said the beneficiaries’ selection process was based strictly on merit.

“We concentrated on first class but due to prevailing developments, considered those with Second Class Upper classification (2:1) CGPA 3.0 and above.

“43 other beneficiaries would travel later as they are still awaiting visa clearance.
‘”The beneficiaries signed a bond to return to Nigeria and serve Ebonyi for five years,” he said.

He noted that the beneficiaries would work at the educational institutions being inaugurated in the state and can pursue personal sojourns after the five years.

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