By George Mgbeleke
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has strongly condemned the Minister of State for Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, for what it describes as a misplaced fixation on President Bola Tinubu’s second-term prospects while Nigerians endure crushing poverty, soaring petrol prices and an escalating cost-of-living crisis.

HURIWA in statement by its national coordinator,Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko,says Oyedele should stop acting like a political promoter for the President and concentrate on the economic responsibilities for which he was appointed. The association observes that Nigerians need urgent answers to their economic problems, not assurances about what international investors supposedly think of Tinubu’s chances in the 2027 election.

HURIWA maintains that the minister’s suggestion that markets and the international community are already pricing in a Tinubu second term is, at best, his own assessment and cannot be presented as a verdict on Nigeria’s political future. The power to elect the country’s next president belongs to Nigerians, not foreign investors, global financial institutions or powerful boardroom interests.

The association says it is disturbing that a senior economic official would use an international economic gathering to project the President’s re-election prospects when he should be explaining how the government intends to arrest worsening hardship, revive productive sectors, create jobs and restore the purchasing power of ordinary citizens.

HURIWA observes that the Nigerian economy cannot be defended with political projections while citizens are being battered by the consequences of policies they can barely survive. The association challenges Oyedele to explain how the administration intends to make life bearable for workers whose wages have been overwhelmed by the cost of food, transportation, electricity and other essential needs.

HURIWA further says the government must confront legitimate concerns about its growing reliance on borrowing. It observes that reports of increased revenue collections by government agencies should provoke questions about expenditure priorities, fiscal discipline and why borrowing remains a recurring feature of public finance.

The association recalls that economic commentator Dele Oye raised serious concerns about the growth of Nigeria’s public debt under the Tinubu administration in a report published by The Guardian on May 25, 2026. HURIWA says the government owes Nigerians a transparent account of its borrowing decisions, the projects financed with the loans and the concrete benefits those debts are delivering.

It warns that borrowing without demonstrable improvements in citizens’ welfare risks transferring an increasingly heavy financial burden to future generations. HURIWA insists that economic managers cannot demand public patience indefinitely while the costs of government policies continue to fall disproportionately on ordinary Nigerians.

On fuel subsidy, HURIWA rejects the argument that every form of subsidy is inherently incompatible with economic development. The association observes that governments in advanced economies provide various forms of public support to protect vulnerable households, sustain essential services and cushion citizens against economic shocks.

HURIWA says the real problem is corruption, waste, poor oversight and the failure to design and implement public interventions transparently—not the principle of helping citizens cope with unbearable economic pressures.

The association maintains that the removal of petrol subsidy without adequate protection for low-income households has aggravated the hardship facing millions of Nigerians. With petrol prices remaining exceptionally high and wages struggling to keep pace, HURIWA says the government cannot simply invoke market forces while ignoring the human consequences of its decisions.

HURIWA cites Professor Pat Utomi’s criticism of the government’s handling of petrol prices and wages, published by TheCable on October 16, 2026. Utomi questioned the President’s response to the suffering of citizens, asking: “But does the President care? How does he even sleep at night, knowing that millions of Nigerians are struggling to survive in a country blessed with abundant natural resources?”

HURIWA says this question captures the anger and frustration of citizens who see a country rich in natural resources struggling to provide economic security for its people. The association observes that economic reforms lose public legitimacy when citizens are repeatedly asked to endure sacrifices without seeing corresponding improvements in their living conditions.

The association therefore demands that Oyedele redirect his attention from political speculation to the urgent task of economic recovery. It calls on the Federal Government to explain how it intends to reduce the cost of living, expand employment opportunities, strengthen household purchasing power, tackle corruption and ensure that public revenue is translated into tangible benefits.

HURIWA insists that the success of economic reforms must be measured by how Nigerians live, not by how international investors assess the President’s re-election chances.

The association warns that no government can sustainably claim economic progress while millions of its citizens struggle to afford basic necessities. It urges the Tinubu administration to demonstrate greater sensitivity to public suffering, embrace transparent fiscal management and consider targeted relief measures that protect vulnerable Nigerians without opening fresh channels for corruption.

HURIWA stresses that Nigeria’s political future will be determined by the electorate, and no amount of international investor sentiment can substitute for the judgment of citizens who must live with the consequences of government policies.

By Our Correspondent

Sequel to the gruesome murder of an All Progressives Congress (APC) member in Ibadan by Allied People’s Movement (APM) hoodlums, the Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation (SSACO) has called on elders across the state to warn Governor Seyi Makinde and the APM governorship candidate, Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi, against foisting violence on the people of Oyo State ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a statement by the organisation’s Director of Media and Publicity Bisi Oladele, the SSACO expressed surprise that Makinde and Adekanmbi have adopted bloodshed as their new campaign method, but insisted that their ambition is not worth the life of any individual living anywhere in Oyo State.

The organisation chronicled attacks and killings of opposition members in the state in the last two weeks, and warned that senseless killings and brigandage must not take over Oyo State in Governor Makinde’s desperation to force his lackey, Hon. Adekanmbi, on the good people of the state in 2027.

The statement read: “The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation (SSACO) was gripped with horror as an APC member in Ward 6, Ibadan South West Local Government, Ridwan, popularly known with the nickname Paul Moor, was machetted to death by APM hoodlums on Friday. The young man was gruesomely murdered for defecting from APM to APC, only 24 hours to his 35th birthday.

“This is the latest in the series of attacks on opposition figures in the last two weeks. Senator Alli’s wife, Alhaja Tawakalit Alli, was attacked during a peaceful free health programme she organised last week. The APC candidate for Ibadan North-West/South-West Federal Constituency Hon. Folake Olunloyo-Oshinowo, was also attacked during a peaceful campaign on the same day. The campaign train of Hon. Remi Oseni, the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, was also attacked on the same day.

“Similarly, the campaign team of Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat, Accord Party’s governorship candidate, was attacked at Molete, Ibadan, during a peaceful campaign.

“These ugly attacks and killing of opposition members in Oyo State are anti-democratic, senseless and unacceptable. The rights of Nigerians to freedom of association and speech are guaranteed in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and remain sacred. Governor Makinde and Hon. Adekanmbi must always remember this fact. The state must not descend to bloodshed by their directive.

“The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation wishes to remind Governor Makinde and Hon. Adekanmbi that Oyo State belongs to all citizens and residents, not just APM members. It is important for the two leaders to tame their fear of losing in the forthcoming election which is responsible for these senseless attacks. We urge them to have a rethink and prevail on their members to desist from the heinous crimes they are committing.

“For emphasis, the people of Oyo State are tired of the Makinde administration, and they have already embraced Senator Sharafadeen Alli, who will run a people-centred governance instead of continuation of a government of deceit. We call on elders across Oyo State to call Governor Makinde and Hon. Adekanmbi to oder.

“We call on the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State and other security agencies to fish out these murderers and bring them to justice. Oyo State people deserve a peaceful campaign. And Senator Alli will sustain his issue-based campaign throughout this period. We urge the APM to take a cue from us.”

By David Owei

Operatives of the Bayelsa State Vigilante Security Service have arrested a 21-year-old Boy, identified as Wisdom Oyanbo, over the alleged rape of a 23-year-old girl, Pereagbe, in the Edepie area of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

The suspect was arrested on Friday following a 48-hour intelligence-led operation launched after the victim reported the incident to operatives stationed at the popular Tombia-Edepie Roundabout.

According to the victim’s account, the incident occurred at about 10 p.m. last Tuesday while she was returning home along the School-to-Land Road in Edepie. She alleged that Oyanbo accosted her with a machete and alongside an accomplice who is currently at large, forcibly took her into an uncompleted building, where they allegedly raped her and dispossessed her of valuables, including her mobile phone.

Despite the trauma of the incident, the victim reportedly summoned the courage to report the matter to the vigilante operatives, who immediately commenced investigations and intelligence gathering to track down the alleged perpetrators.

Following the operation, Oyanbo was traced to a hideout within the area and arrested. During interrogation, he allegedly confessed to his involvement in the crime, attributing his actions to the influence of the devil and cultism.

The suspect reportedly led the operatives to a man identified as Ibrahim, said to be from Gombe State, at Yenezue-Gene in Yenagoa. Ibrahim is alleged to be a receiver of stolen properties from suspected criminals and reportedly bought the victim’s mobile phone. He was subsequently arrested for further investigation.

Further information from the security outfit indicated that Oyanbo allegedly confessed to being a member of the Greenlanders cult group. His alleged accomplice, whom he reportedly identified as a fellow member of the same group, remains at large, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend him.

The suspects have since been handed over to Operation Doo-Akpo of the Bayelsa State Police Command for further investigation.

Speaking on the development, Chairman of the Bayelsa State Vigilante Security Service, Hon. Doubiye Alagba, urged members of the public to promptly report suspicious activities and criminal incidents to security agencies, stressing the importance of intelligence sharing and cooperation between residents and security operatives in combating crime.

Alagba assured the victim that the case would be pursued, adding that the arrested suspect would be charged to court and efforts would continue to ensure that his alleged accomplice is apprehended.

He reaffirmed the commitment of the State vigilante outfit to supporting other security agencies in the fight against rape, cultism, robbery and other criminal activities across Bayelsa State, insisting that justice must prevail.