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Anti-graft battle: It’s no longer business as usual, says Soyinka

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President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption battle got a ‘pass mark’ from an unusual quarter yesterday. It was rated above average by Prof Wole Soyinka.

The literary giant, however, scored the President below average on the anti-terror war.

Soyinka spoke on the Bristish Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) programme, Hardtalk, anchored by Zeinab Badawi on Monday.

Appraising the anti-graft battle, Soyinka said:  ”We have this issue of corruption, which is… and I frankly despise those who try to trivialise it in Nigeria simply because they don’t like the face of the man who is behind it.

“But, it’s no longer business as usual in Nigeria because we have bankers who are on trial; we have legislators who are on trial and we have former governors who are on trial. Immediately they step out of the office, they are grabbed by the anti-corruption agencies. On corruption, as far as I’m concerned, he scored the best.”

On the anti-terror war, the literary icon said: “Take for instance, the issue of Boko Haram, if action had been taken at the beginning, and we are not talking about the time of the reign of Jonathan. When the first governor decided to make his state a theocratic state… that was when action should have been taken.

“The President of that time compromised because he was ambitious and he needed the support of the state governor. And when you start a theocracy, a movement will berth and killings will start. They start saying, that you are not holy enough’ and the killings start.”

He said the President should have learnt from the past by nipping in the bud the clashes between herders and farmers.

“Well, he is making progress, but then another problem has sprung up and that is where the problem is. Yes, he is very slow in responding. Buhari has failed in that respect.”

The Nobel laureate also defended his support for Buhari during the 2015 election, saying he was a better option to stop Dr. Goodluck Jonathan who, he said, was not doing enough to pilot the affairs of the country as President.

Soyinka said: “Gen. Buhari didn’t really win…, he won by default, because it was impossible to continue with Jonathan. Yes, I did use that expression, born-again democrat. The reason I used that expression is because when somebody compete in an election first time, second time, third time, fourth time and persists, he must believe in democracy.”

Justifying his support for Buhari, a former military head of state, Soyinka said: “First of all, Nigeria is not peculiar in that respect. We’ve had examples like that everywhere. We’ve had many military people doing that. So, the transition is not impossible.

“On the second circumstance, the fact that Nigeria has shown the military what a huge failure they were, makes it possible for one to identify the possibility of exception. In any case, I keep emphasising that Nigerians had difficulty of making a choice. Like I said, it was between the devil and the deep blue sea.”

Reflecting on his detention in the 60s and how he wrote on toiletries, Soyinka said:  “Yes, it was a solitary confinement. I was deprived of books – writing materials. So, I had to create my own world. So, toiletry paper became my template in which I could create the micro world in which I lived.

“They were supplying toiletries and they were so generous with it. Mostly, I was writing short, short pieces, mostly poetry. Somehow, I did get out. At a time, I have a book smuggled to me. Everything had to be hidden.”

The professor said it was high time the younger generation took the baton from the older generation, who he referred to as fogies.

He said: “I compare today with the dreams, aspiration that we had in those days when we considered ourselves as the ones going to lift the continent to world standard and make it competitive anywhere. But that has not happened.”

On this year’s presidential election, won by incumbent President Buhari, the playwright said: “It was one of the most depressed elections we’ve ever had. For me, it wasn’t possible for me to make a choice. I’m talking for myself. The simple reason is that the two candidates, they both had history. One is immediate, and the other is past, which made one to look for alternative.

“I want us to define the youth very carefully. There are some young people that will still compound or are worst than the rulers. I’m talking about those youths with fresh and good vision. I’m talking about those who felt ashamed of what Nigeria is today. Those who have traversed the world a bit and seen how things are done, and achieved in other countries. And analyse the problems of Nigeria, not contend to the old ideas. I’m talking about those youths that will get their priority right.”

When asked the chances available to the youth in Nigeria, where money plays a great role, Soyinka said: “When we started encouraging young people to come out, there was one person spearheading that movement and they could have come up with a consensus candidate.

 

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Update : 2027 Race: APC Pegs Presidential Form at ₦100m, Unveils Primaries Date

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The All Progressives Congress has released its timetable for the 2027 general elections, fixing its presidential primary for May 15 to 16, 2026.

According to the schedule signed by the APC National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu, on Monday, the party will begin the sale of nomination and expression of interest forms at its National Secretariat from April 25 to May 2, 2026, while submission of completed forms will close on May 4.

The APC pegged its presidential form at ₦100m, comprising ₦30m for expression of interest and ₦70m for nomination.

Governorship aspirants are to pay ₦50m, while Senate, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly forms cost ₦20m, ₦10m and ₦6m respectively.

The timetable indicates that screening of aspirants will hold between May 6 and May 8, while screening results will be released on May 11, followed by appeals from May 12 to May 13.

Photo: X/@OfficialAPCNg

Presidential primaries are scheduled for May 15 and 16, while those for the House of Representatives, Senate, State House of Assembly and governorship will hold on May 18, May 20, May 21 and May 23, respectively.

The party also fixed May 25 for the conclusion of election appeals across all categories.

The schedule shows that all primary elections will be conducted within eight days.

The party, however, granted concessions to female aspirants, youths and persons living with disabilities, who are to pay for only the expression of interest forms and 50 per cent of the nomination fees.

The timetable stated that the schedule was in line with the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the Independent National Electoral Commission guidelines

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Breaking : Tinubu Endorses ₦68.32 Trillion 2026 Budget, Prolongs 2025 Spending Timeline

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President Bola Tinubu has signed the 2026 Appropriation Bill into law, authorising an aggregate expenditure of ₦68.32 trillion for the current fiscal year.

He also signed a separate bill extending the implementation period of the 2025 budget from March 31 to June 30, 2026.

The budget allocates ₦4.799 trillion for statutory transfers and ₦15.8 trillion for debt service.

It further sets aside ₦15.4 trillion for recurrent expenditure and ₦32.2 trillion for capital expenditure through the Development Fund.

The presidency made the disclosure in a statement signed by Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga on Friday.

The statement read, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assented to the 2026 Appropriation Bill, which provides for an aggregate expenditure of ₦68.32 trillion. He has also signed the bill extending the implementation period for the 2025 budget from March 31, 2026, to June 30, 2026.

“The N68.32 trillion budget for this year earmarks N4.799 trillion for statutory transfers and N15.8 trillion for debt service. It allocates N15.4 trillion to recurrent expenditure and N32.2 trillion to the Development Fund for Capital Expenditure.

“With capital expenditure accounting for about 50 per cent, the 2026 budget underscores the administration’s continued commitment to economic stability, national security, infrastructure development, and inclusive growth.

“The allocations reflect a strategic balance between statutory obligations, debt servicing, recurrent expenditure, and capital investments critical to driving productivity and improving the quality of life for Nigerians,” it added.

The 2026 Appropriation Act took effect on April 1, with the Federal Government commencing full implementation in line with what the presidency describes as the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Tinubu also assented to the Appropriation (Repeal and Enactment) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which extends the capital component of the 2025 Appropriation Act by three months to June 30.

The presidency said the extension would ensure the full utilisation of appropriated funds, particularly for critical infrastructure projects at advanced stages of implementation.

“The extension will ensure the full and effective utilisation of appropriated funds, particularly for critical infrastructure and development projects that are at advanced stages of implementation across the country.

“It will enable Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to consolidate ongoing works, enhance project completion rates, and maximise value for public expenditure,” the statement read.

Tinubu directed MDAs to ensure disciplined, transparent, and efficient utilisation of allocated resources, with strong emphasis on value for money and timely project delivery.

He commended the leadership and members of the National Assembly for what the presidency described as their “diligence, cooperation, and patriotism in expeditiously considering and passing the budget.”

“The President reaffirmed the importance of sustained collaboration between the Executive and Legislative arms of government in advancing national development objectives,” the statement noted.

Tinubu also assured Nigerians of his administration’s resolve to deepen fiscal reforms and boost revenue generation.

“He further assured Nigerians of his administration’s resolve to deepen fiscal reforms, enhance revenue generation, and prioritise investments that will stimulate economic growth, create jobs, and strengthen social protection mechanisms,” the statement read.

The budget, titled “The Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity,” was originally presented to a joint session of the National Assembly on December 19, 2025, at a proposed sum of ₦58.47 trillion.

It passed second reading in the House of Representatives on January 29, 2026, before going through further legislative scrutiny and emerging at ₦68.32 trillion at the point of assent.

During the second reading debate in January, House Leader Julius Ihonvbere had urged lawmakers to support the proposal, pointing to a projected 3.98 per cent economic growth rate for 2026, a projected drop in inflation to 14.45 per cent, improved revenues, and foreign direct investment growth.

He also cited a stabilisation of the naira at around ₦1,400 to the dollar and a rise in Nigeria’s external reserves to a seven-year high of approximately $47 billion.

When Tinubu presented the bill to lawmakers in December, he described it as a defining moment in Nigeria’s reform journey, acknowledging the pressures the process had placed on households and businesses while insisting the sacrifices were necessary.

“The path of reform is seldom smooth, but it is the surest route to lasting stability and shared prosperity,” he told the joint session.

He vowed that 2026 would mark a decisive shift to stronger budget execution discipline, announcing an end to the long-standing practice of running overlapping budgets and perpetual rollovers.

The budget’s four stated objectives are consolidating macroeconomic stability, improving the business and investment environment, promoting job-rich growth, and strengthening human capital development while protecting the vulnerable.

Key sectoral allocations include ₦5.41 trillion for defence and security, ₦3.56 trillion for infrastructure, ₦3.52 trillion for education, and ₦2.48 trillion for health.

Minister of Information Mohammed Idris, writing in a January op-ed, described the budget as a commitment to consolidate what was working in the administration’s reform programme and ensure that shared prosperity became “a lived reality for more Nigerians, faster.”

He pointed to expanding business activity, improving investor confidence, easing inflation, and stronger external reserves as early indicators of progress, and highlighted ongoing infrastructure projects including the Coastal Highway, Sokoto–Badagry Expressway, and Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano Gas Pipeline as evidence of the administration’s delivery record.

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Northern Muslim and Christian Youths Warn U.S. Lawmaker Against Fueling Division in Nigeria

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The Coalition of Northern Muslims and Christians Youth For Religious Tolerance in Nigeria has called for the Florida State representative and Chairwoman of the UN-WCD, Kimberly Daniels to not pretend under Christianity faith to create division between Christians and Muslims in Northern region of Nigeria for her Call on the Nigeria authority to redeploy the Honourable Minister of State for Defence Dr.Bello Mohammed Matawalle.

During the Coalition joint emergency press conference which was held in Kaduna Northwest Nigeria, the Coalition Statement which was jointly signed by Secretary General Mr. Bitrus Bahago along with his counterpart the Public relation officer Ustaz Abdullahi Abubakar,
Read: “The statements credited to Florida State representative Kimberly Daniels calling for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to redeploy the Honourable Minister of State for Defence Bello Mohammed Matawalle is not necessary and terrible motive aimed at targeting Norther Muslim public office holder”

“Mrs Kimberly Daniels Should note that Nigeria is not owned by only one faith, therefore we are collectively demanding her unreserved apology for her bigotry which could affect the peaceful Coexistence and religious tolerance between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria”

The Coalition Statement further remind Mrs. Kimberly Daniels that, “even though Matawalle is only overseeing the Nigeria Navy enjoyed a Cordial working relationship with his friend a devoted Northern Christian leader General Christopher Gwabin Musa who in charge of Nigeria army and Nigeria Air force combined.

The Coalition concludes by advising Mrs. Kimberly Daniels to desist from making unnecessary bigotry demand targeting or pointing finger at a particular faith.

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