By Our Correspondent

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) says the Auditor-General’s finding that N33.75 billion in cash transfers to 3.29 million households cannot be verified is proof of what Nigerians have long suspected: that under President Bola Tinubu, social investment has become a racket run for the benefit of officials, not the poor.

In a statement on Monday, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said:

“Let us call this what it is. Not mismanagement. Not an oversight. It is an organised racket, which this government has run under the guise of a social intervention programme. They are stealing from the poor and telling them to continue to endure hardship.”

The party recalled that at the beginning of the Tinubu administration, N585 million was reportedly wired to a private account under Betta Edu before she was caught. It said another N44 billion went missing from the National Social Investment Programme Agency under Halima Shehu, before the latest report by the Auditor-General of the Federation that a sum of N33.75 billion cannot be matched to any verified beneficiary.

“At the time, the government made a show of suspending her. Now she is back in the President’s campaign council,” the statement said. “This latest report of an unaccounted N33.75 billion intervention fund, buried inside a larger N78 billion fund, and the historical pattern of corruption that has trailed this kind of programme would suggest that this government has found a way to steal from the poor by turning the social intervention programme into a criminal enterprise.”

Abdullahi said instead of the Federal Government addressing the wanton corruption associated with such interventions in the past, it has announced an even bigger package of $1 billion without demonstrating that it has made any effort to ensure greater transparency and accountability.

“Barely weeks before this audit blew up in their faces, they wheeled out a new $1 billion so-called ‘Renewed Hope Social Protection Programme’ with the usual State House fanfare. Given the familiar history, we are in no doubt that even in the unlikely event that this latest intervention is ever implemented, it would end up like the others before it: another racket.”

While demanding a full probe into the scheme, the ADC noted that interventions such as this became necessary because the APC government has made it impossible for people to earn a dignified living.

“Their twin disastrous policies of fuel subsidy removal and currency devaluation have exploded the population of Nigerians living in extreme poverty and therefore needing cash handouts from the government, which has now become a mere pretext for stealing in the name of the poor.

“This is a government that manufactured hardship with one hand and pocketed the relief with the other. Fuel prices up. Transport costs up. Food prices up. And the one programme meant to soften the blow turns out to be a black hole. Enough is enough.”

The party, therefore, demands the immediate publication of the full beneficiary register, the REMITA payment trail, and the names of every official who obstructed the Auditor-General.

By our Correspondent
The Youth Assembly of Nigeria (YAN), Enugu State Chapter, has condemned what it describes as disturbing reports and viral video footage alleging attacks on members and supporters of opposition political parties in parts of Enugu State.

In statement made avilable to the media by Amb. Chidubem J, Assembly is calling on the Enugu State Government, the Nigeria Police Force, other security agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the Federal Government to take the necessary steps to safeguard political activities and ensure a peaceful, credible and inclusive environment ahead of the 2027 General Elections.

The call was made by the leadership of the Assembly, led by Amb. Chidubem JP, State Ambassador of YAN Enugu State Chapter, following what the organisation described as repeated reports of alleged attacks involving political supporters in Akpugo and Obe communities in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State.

“Democracy Must Not Be Defined by Fear”
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Speaking on the matter, Amb. Chidubem JP expressed concern over the reported incidents and their potential implications for political participation in the state.

“We have seen viral reports and video footage alleging that opposition parties and their supporters have been attacked in parts of Enugu State. We condemn every act of political violence, intimidation or harassment, regardless of the political party or individuals involved.”

According to him, political disagreements are an essential part of democracy, but such disagreements must never degenerate into violence.

He stressed that no political party, candidate or supporter should be prevented from freely expressing political opinions, organising meetings, campaigning or participating in the democratic process through intimidation or violence.

YAN Enugu therefore calls on security agencies to conduct an impartial investigation into the reported incidents, identify those responsible where wrongdoing is established, and ensure that the law is applied fairly to everyone.

YAN: Protect the People’s Choice

The Assembly maintains that the 2027 elections must be about the choices of the people and not about who can intimidate, threaten or overpower political opponents.

YAN Enugu believes that the right of citizens to participate freely in political activities is fundamental to democracy. Any environment where citizens become afraid to attend political meetings, support candidates of their choice or express their opinions threatens public confidence in the electoral process.

The Assembly therefore urges all political parties and their supporters to reject violence, hate speech, provocation and political thuggery, while calling on security agencies to remain neutral and professional in protecting all citizens.

“The people of Enugu State must be allowed to make their political choices without fear. Democracy cannot thrive where citizens are intimidated into silence. We stand for justice, fairness, peace and equity, and we will continue to lend our voice whenever these values are threatened.”

Youth Participation Must Not Become a Luxury

YAN Enugu also expressed concern about the financial barriers surrounding political participation, particularly the growing cost of campaign activities.

The Assembly called attention to reports of very high charges associated with billboards, outdoor advertising and other campaign-related activities in some South-East states, including figures reportedly running into tens or even hundreds of millions of naira.

YAN stressed that such reports should be properly examined by the appropriate authorities, particularly where public regulatory or administrative charges could have the effect of making legitimate political participation accessible only to the wealthiest candidates.

Amb. Chidubem JP said:

“If the cost of simply displaying campaign materials becomes extraordinarily expensive, we risk creating a democracy where only the financially powerful can effectively participate. Democracy should give every qualified citizen an opportunity to participate, not create financial barriers that discourage young people and ordinary citizens from coming forward.”»

The Assembly emphasised that young Nigerians should not be discouraged from political participation by excessive or unexplained financial requirements.

Call for Transparency and Fair Regulation

YAN Enugu is therefore urging relevant authorities to ensure that all fees, charges and regulations affecting political parties and candidates are transparent, reasonable, properly authorised and applied fairly without discrimination.

The Assembly further calls on relevant regulatory authorities to review any charges that may unnecessarily restrict political participation, particularly for young candidates and emerging political movements with limited financial resources.

According to YAN, regulation of political advertising is important, but such regulation must not become an indirect instrument for suppressing legitimate political expression.

Our Demands

The Youth Assembly of Nigeria, Enugu State Chapter, therefore calls for:

Immediate and impartial investigation into reported attacks involving political parties and their supporters in Enugu State.
Adequate security protection for all lawful political gatherings, meetings, campaigns and activities, irrespective of political affiliation.
A level playing field for all political parties and candidates ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
Political neutrality by security agencies, with equal protection guaranteed to all citizens and political actors.
Transparency and fairness in campaign-related charges, including billboard and outdoor advertising fees.
Protection of young people’s political participation, ensuring that financial barriers do not make democratic participation the exclusive preserve of wealthy individuals.
Continuous engagement among government, political parties, civil society and youth organisations to promote peaceful political participation throughout the electoral period.
Our Message to Ndi Enugu

YAN Enugu State Chapter believes that the future of Enugu State belongs to all of us.

The political future of the state must not be built on fear, intimidation or exclusion. It must be built on peace, justice, fairness, accountability and respect for the people’s democratic choices.

We therefore urge all political actors to remember that political power is temporary, but the consequences of political violence can affect communities and generations for years.

As young people, we have a direct stake in the future of Enugu State. We want an Enugu where young people can participate in politics without fear, where candidates can compete fairly, where citizens can freely choose their leaders, and where security agencies protect the rights of everyone equally.

2027 must be an election of ideas, competence and the people’s choice not an election defined by violence, intimidation or financial exclusion.

The Youth Assembly of Nigeria, Enugu State Chapter, remains committed to promoting peace, justice, equity, responsible youth participation and democratic values across the state.

By Uthman Baba-Naseer,Minna

A leader of the North-West People for Bola Ahmed Tinubu (NW-P-BAT), Hajia Ina, says only Nigerians have the constitutional power to determine whether President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will remain in office beyond May 29, 2027.

She said the presidential mandate belongs to the Nigerian people and cannot be extended by any individual, political party or foreign government.

Ina, in a statement, said the 2027 presidential election should be determined by the votes of Nigerians and not by external influence. She said if Nigerians are satisfied with Tinubu’s performance and want him to continue in office, they would express it through their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), while those who are dissatisfied would have the opportunity to vote for another candidate.

She described Nigeria as a sovereign nation and said its political future should not be decided by the United States or any other foreign power.

According to her, anyone who believes that the President has violated Nigerian laws should make use of the country’s constitutional and legal institutions. She also urged opposition parties to stop relying on foreign intervention and instead present credible alternatives to the electorate.

The NW-P-BAT leader said the opposition parties must address their internal divisions if they hope to defeat the incumbent in 2027. She specifically pointed to disagreements among supporters of major opposition figures, including Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, saying a divided opposition would find it difficult to build the broad national support required to win a presidential election.

Ina also said Tinubu had established a significant political presence across the six geopolitical zones, with support from several political stakeholders, including serving governors and elected officials.

She said presidential victory requires a strong national coalition capable of winning votes across the country, adding that the opposition must unite, negotiate and build stronger structures rather than depend on its traditional political strongholds.

On the Tinubu administration, she said the government had introduced policies and programmes which supporters believe deserve recognition, including the student loan scheme, petrol subsidy removal, infrastructure development, efforts towards local government financial autonomy, the establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development and the North Central Development Commission.

She acknowledged the economic difficulties facing Nigerians but called for an objective assessment of both the achievements and shortcomings of the administration, stressing that the final decision in 2027 would belong to the Nigerian electorate.