News
Budget Padding Controversy: Akpabio Knocked, Asked To Immediately Step Aside

The Peoples Democratic Party has asked the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to step aside and allow for an independent investigation into the N3.7trn 2024 Budget padding allegation.
The lawmaker representing Bauchi Central, Abdul Ningi, has been suspended by the Senate for three months.
This decision followed approximately three hours of debate regarding his statements made in an interview where he claimed that the National Assembly inflated the 2024 budget to N28.7 trillion.
In the interview conducted on Saturday, Ningi asserted that while the budget passed by the National Assembly for the 2024 fiscal year is N25 trillion, the one being executed by the Presidency amounts to N28.7 trillion.
READ ALSO:[BREAKING] Budget Padding: Ningi Resigns As Northern Senators Forum Chairman
In response, the PDP, through a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, on Wednesday, expressed its support for the suspended Senator.
The party criticised the Senate leadership for suspending Ningi without conducting a thorough investigation into the matter of budget padding that he brought up.
The party stated: “The Peoples Democratic Party demands that the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, immediately step aside and allow for an independent investigation into the allegation that a staggering N3.7 trillion was discreetly inserted into the 2024 budget for alleged non-existent projects.
“The party also demands that Senator Akpabio immediately reports at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the pending case of alleged looting of N108 billion belonging to the people of Akwa Ibom State under his watch as Governor of the State.
READ ALSO: [JUST IN] Budget Padding: Rowdy Session As Senators Confront Ningi Over Allegation
“Furthermore, the Senate President should speak out on the reported N86bn contract scam in the Niger Delta Development Commission during his tenure as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.”
The PDP described Ningi’s suspension as a desperate move to suppress investigation, conceal, and sweep the facts under the carpet.
It added, “We ask, why did the APC leadership in the Senate not refer the matter to the appropriate Senate Standing Committee for an open investigation in line with the extant Rules of the Senate? What is the APC Senate leadership afraid of and what is it hiding from Nigerians?
“It is even more absurd that instead of recusing himself, the Senate President sat as a judge in the matter; a situation that has the capacity to bring the institution of the Senate to further public disrepute.
READ ALSO: FG Breaks Silence On Alleged Suspension Of Student Loan
“This is especially true as the issues at hand heavily border on alleged gross misconduct and criminal betrayal of public trust which are serious offenses under our laws.
“This apparent inclination towards covering up sleaze in the polity is already pitching the institution of the Senate against Nigerians who are demanding answers on the matter. Of course, the widely condemned suspension of Senator Ningi does not provide answers to the budget padding allegation.
“It is indeed unfortunate and a huge smear on the image of the Senate, as the highest lawmaking and probity Institution in the country, that its Presiding Officer has found himself in a quagmire of alleged sleaze and betrayal of public trust.
“Our party therefore stands with Senator Ningi for his courage in seeking probity and accountability in the polity.”
News
DSS Arraigns Sowore Over Anti-Tinubu Post
The Federal Government is set to arraign human rights activist Omoyele Sowore on a five-count charge for allegedly posting false statements about President Bola Tinubu intended to cause a breakdown of law and order, court papers show.
Sowore was sighted at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ahead of the arraignment.
The suit dated 16th September,2025, was lodged after Sowore allegedly refused to delete the controversial posts about the President.
The Sahara Reporters publisher was accused of using his official X handle to make the post, “This criminal @ official PBAT Actually went to Brazil to state that there is no more corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly!”
READ ALSO:DSS Sues Sowore, X, Meta Over Anti-Tinubu Post
The alleged offending post, said to be contrary to Section 24(2) (b) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition and Prevention Act 2024, was said to have been made on August 25 within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court.
The charges were brought on behalf of the DSS and the Federal Government by M.B. Abubakar, Director of Public Prosecutions at the Federal Ministry of Justice, alongside four other counsel to the DSS –M.E. Ernest, U.B. Bulla, Dr. C.S. Eze, and E.G. Orubor.
Social media companies X Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. are listed as co-defendants.
Confirming the legal action in a Facebook post last week, Sowore wrote, “The State Security Service, alias @OfficialDSSNG today filed a 5-count charge at the Federal High Court in Abuja against ‘X’ (formerly Twitter Facebook, and myself. They claimed that because I called Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu a criminal, I have somehow committed a set of ‘novel’ offences they invented and spread across five counts.
READ ALSO:DSS Gives X Ultimatum To Pull Down Sowore’s Tweet
“It’s hard to believe there’s anyone sensible left in these offices that should be making Nigeria work. Regardless, I will be present whenever this case is assigned for trial. #RevolutionNow.”
Recall that the human rights activist and African Action Congress candidate in the 2023 election vowed not to delete the controversial tweet, despite a request from the DSS to X demanding its removal.
Restating his stance, Sowore wrote, “This morning, X (formerly Twitter) officially contacted me about the despicable threat letter they received from the lawless DSS over my Tweet on Tinubu. One option I will NOT be taking is deleting that Tweet. Thank you, @X.”
News
Lagos Opens Portal For Teaching Job Applications
The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board has opened its official application portal for teaching positions across the state.
In a statement signed on Monday by the Executive Chairman of LASUBEB, the board said the recruitment exercise, approved by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, targets qualified candidates willing to contribute to the delivery of quality education in Lagos State.
The statement partly read, “This is a unique opportunity for NCE holders, B.A (Ed), B.Sc (Ed), B.Ed, HND+PGDE, BA+PGDE, and B.Sc+PGDE graduates to build a career in teaching and contribute meaningfully to qualitative service delivery in the State.”
READ ALSO:FG Specifies TRCN, NTI’s Roles In Teaching Profession
According to the commission, applicants are required to submit applications strictly online via https://subebjobs.lagosstate.gov.ng.
The statement warned that physical submissions would not be entertained and stressed that the board has not authorised anyone to collect money for the exercise, which is completely free.
It stated that the documents for application include, O’ Level Certificate (WAEC, NECO, NABTEB), Degree Certificate or NCE Certificate, and NYSC Discharge or Exemption Certificate, as applicable.
READ ALSO:Job Seekers Protest Alleged Fake Employment Letters For Ondo Teaching Jobs
The board also noted that notifications or statements of results issued beyond two years would not be accepted.
“LASUBEB has not engaged or authorised any individual or group to collect money for this exercise. The application is absolutely free.
“Closing Date: The portal will close on 14th October, 2025,” the statement concluded.
News
FG Approves New NYSC Mandatory Regulations
President Bola Tinubu has approved the compliance with the National Policy for the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) a mandatory requirement for mobilisation into or exemption from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The provides that, effective from Oct. 6, no Nigerian graduate – whether from a Nigerian university, polytechnic, college of education, or an overseas institution would be mobilised for or exempted from NYSC without proof of NERD compliance.
This directive was contained in a circular issued to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) by Sen. George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) on Sunday in Abuja.
The directive does not, however, affect serving Corps members or those enrolled before the enforcement date.
Akume said that the compliance directive was to convey the approval for the adjustment of “NYSC mobilisation criteria in accordance with the President’s regulation requiring proof of NERD Policy compliance for all prospective Corps members, regardless of where they were educated.”
READ ALSO:NYSC Reiterates Provision Of Community Development Services (more…)
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