By Our Correspondent

The 2026 Capacity-Building Workshop of the Senate Press Corps will focus on strengthening legislative oversight and media collaboration as mechanisms for safeguarding Nigeria’s national budget from unlawful insertions and other practices capable of undermining budgetary integrity.

In a statement signed by Chairman Senate Press Corps, Taiye Odewale on Friday, the workshop, scheduled to hold on Monday, September 28, will have as its theme: “Leveraging Legislative Oversight and Media Collaboration to Safeguard the National Budget from Unlawful Insertions.”

According to the statement, the theme of the workshop was carefully chosen in view of the critical role of effective legislative oversight, responsible journalism and public accountability in ensuring that the national budget reflects approved priorities and serves the broader interests of Nigerians.

The statement futher noted,”As part of efforts to provide participants with expert perspectives on the subject, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Rafsanjani; Director of BudgIT, Oluseun Onigbinde; and Publisher of Eagle Times Newspaper, Ikechukwu Chukwunyere, have been invited to make presentations on relevant aspects of the workshop theme.

“The workshop will also feature an intensive training session on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, to be facilitated by London-based instructors from Mass Media TX Limited.”

According to the organisers, the AI session is designed to expose participants to emerging technologies and their practical applications in contemporary media and professional practice.

The event is also expected to bring together key stakeholders from the National Assembly and the National Assembly bureaucracy, with invitations extended to the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio (GCON); Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin (CFR) and Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu.

Others are, Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Olamilekan Adeola; Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa; Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Senator Kawu Sumaila; and the Clerk to the National Assembly, Barrister Kamoru Ogunlana.

The organisers said the participation of lawmakers, budget experts, civil society advocates, media professionals and technology instructors would provide a platform for robust discussions on budget transparency, legislative scrutiny and the role of the media in promoting accountability.

“The workshop is expected to examine practical approaches to strengthening the budget process, improving oversight mechanisms and enhancing collaboration between legislative institutions and the media in the public interest,” it noted.

The organisers expressed optimism that the capacity-building initiative would contribute to improved understanding of budgetary processes and promote stronger professional engagement around issues of transparency, accountability and responsible public expenditure.

The 2026 Capacity-Building Workshop will take place at Hearing Room 231 on Monday.

By Our Correspondent

The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Professor Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe, on behalf of the National Working Committee (NWC) and the SDP family across Nigeria, rejoice with the party’s pioneer National Chairman and leader, His Royal Highness, Oba Samuel Oluyemi Falae, the Olu-Abo of Abo, Akure-North LGA of Ondo State.

In a statement by the SDP national Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, Prof.Gombe said,”The party is very proud to identify with this highly respected elderstateman, who is reputed to be a true and committed patriot, renowned technocrat, and the former presidential candidate of the defunct Allliane for Democracy (AD) in the 1999 general elections.

“The esteemed monach has an eminent reckoning as one of the foremost national patriots of Yoruba extraction of this era and on account of his remarkable contributions to Nigeria in his private and public engagements.

“The party is very proud to identify with this highly respected elderstateman, patriot, renowned technocrat, whose private and public life accomplishments serve as enduring inspiration.”

According to him, Oba Falae has “a highly enviable, unmatched and unblemished record of private and public service as a former permanent secretary, Cabinet Office; former banker who rose to the exalted position as Managing Director of Merchant Bank; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF); former presidential candidate, former delegate and leader of the Afenifere to the 2014 National Conference, and served our great party, the SDP, meritoriously as National Leader, until he retired from active politics in February 2019 at the age of 80.”

He noted,”On the special occasion of his 88 birthday, the party celebarates Baba Falae and prays that he will continue to enjoy good health, peace of God, and all-round fulfilment.

May his good records and monumental lifetime achievements continue to inspire generations to make remarkable contributions to national development and the building of a good Nigerian society.

“Sir, igba odun, odun kan ni fun yin, lase Edumare.”

By George Mgbeleke

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has strongly rejected the directive by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to decorate the First Niger Bridge with photographs of President Bola Tinubu, describing the move as an unacceptable personalisation of a public asset.

HURIWA in a statement signed it national coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko said the First Niger Bridge belongs to the Nigerian people and must not be converted into a platform for political personality promotion.

The rights group said it was particularly concerned by the minister’s statement directing the Senior Special Assistants to the President in the South-East and South-South to beautify and colour the bridge with photographs of the President.

Umahi had said:

“The South-South and South-East SSAs to Mr President, they have to fertilise the bridge. They’ll beautify, they’ll colour it with the President’s pictures.”

According to the minister, the President “deserves to be appreciated” for what he described as the quick intervention and quality of work being undertaken on the bridge.

But HURIWA says rehabilitation of public infrastructure cannot legitimately be presented as a personal favour by the President.

HURIWA says the First Niger Bridge was not built with the personal resources of President Tinubu, neither is its rehabilitation being financed from his private resources. It is a public infrastructure funded through public resources and therefore belongs to the Nigerian people.

The organisation says government has a constitutional and administrative responsibility to provide, protect and maintain public infrastructure for the common good.

HURIWA therefore rejects any attempt to personalise the bridge to President Tinubu or any other political office holder.

Public infrastructure must remain public. The First Niger Bridge should not become a billboard for the President, the ruling party or any individual politician.

Whether the project was initiated by a previous administration or rehabilitated under the present administration, it remains a national asset. No President acquires personal ownership of public infrastructure merely because his administration funds its rehabilitation.

HURIWA says Nigerians should be allowed to see public projects as investments belonging to them and not as political gifts from individual office holders.

The rights group further warned that the display of political photographs on public infrastructure could blur the distinction between government activities and partisan political promotion.

HURIWA says the Ministry of Works should instead focus on ensuring the structural integrity, safety and durability of the bridge.

The organisation noted that Umahi also directed the removal of unauthorised advertisements from the bridge, installation of additional solar lights, completion of CCTV facilities and an assessment of the bridge above and below the water level.

HURIWA says those measures are legitimate responsibilities of the relevant authorities and should be pursued without attaching the personality of any politician to the infrastructure.

The group therefore calls on the Minister of Works to withdraw the directive for the display of President Tinubu’s pictures and ensure that the First Niger Bridge remains a neutral national asset.

HURIWA says Nigeria must move away from the culture of naming, branding and decorating public infrastructure around individual political office holders. Public projects should be remembered for their service to citizens, not for the political personalities occupying office when they are constructed or rehabilitated.