News
Akpabio Insists on Approving Purchase of New Aircraft for Tinubu, Says No Blackmail Will Stop Decision
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has said that no amount of blackmail from fifth columnists will stop the red chamber from carrying out its lawful responsibilities to Nigerians and President Bola Tinubu, including getting the president new aircraft.
Akpabio stated this on Thursday at an emergency plenary session while reacting to comments by Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, who drew the attention of his colleagues to media reports on the plan to buy a brand new executive jet for Tinubu and the vice president, Kashim Shettima.
Akpabio explained that he was not in the country when the news about him broke, and vowed to approve a new airplane for Tinubu, notwithstanding the current hunger in the land.
The senate president stated, “I was in Zanzibar attending to inter parliamentary union meetings when that information went out that the senate president said he would approve a brand new plane for the president, irrespective of whether they are suffering or no suffering.
“There was never a time such a statement came from me because I’ve never had any correspondence to approve a plan or not approve a plan and I did not want to answer.
“But they went to generate it and then they went around as if I was saying that I did not care about the Nigerian people. I did not do this.
“We care about the president. We care about the Nigerian people. We will approve things that will benefit the Nigerian people. We will approve things that would improve the living standard of the people.
“At the same time, we will also take cognizance of the duties of Mr. President. If his vehicle is bad, we will repair the vehicle. If his plane is bad, we will approve money for the repair of the plane. So, that is not an issue. There is nothing before us.
“The purveyors of the story know very well that maybe there is problem with the presidential fleet and that they will go to the parliament.
“So they are now trying to do anticipated blackmail to tell us if they bring it, we will not look into it. I think that we should ignore them because of what we are doing here.
“I bring the president’s correspondences to us this morning. There was nothing touching on plane or no plane, but I can tell you that when you hear stories such as the death of the Vice President of Malawi as a result of defective plane. You also hear news such as the death of the President of Iran as a result of defective aircraft. In fact, this time it was helicopter and all that.
“We shouldn’t ever dream and allow such to be our portion. It wouldn’t be. The senate is very responsible. The National Assembly is very responsible. We will look into issues that will benefit the governance of the country, irrespective of anticipated blackmail.
“They know very well that something like that might come in future. And if it’s a necessity, the senate will be treat it, but there is nothing like that before us now.”
Senate, House Extend Implementation of 2023 Budget
The upper and lower chambers, yesterday, extended the implementation of the capital component of the 2023 budget until December 31.
The senate also extended the implementation of the N2.17 trillion 2023 supplementary budget until December.
Akpabio announced the extension of the appropriation bills during the emergency plenary after it was read for the first, second and third times and supported by a majority of the senators.
The appropriation bills were separately considered at the senate committee on supply.
The House of Representatives also considered and passed bills seeking to extend the implementation of the 2023 Appropriation Act and the 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Act till December 2024. This was sequel to the passage into law of the 2023 Appropriation Act Amendment Bill 2024 and the 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Act Amendment Bill 2024 by the House.
The executive arm of government presented the two bills via a letter transmitted from Tinubu, which was read on the floor of the House by Speaker, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen.
The bills were titled the 2023 Appropriation Amendment Bill, 2024, and the 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Amendment Bill, 2024.
That would be the second time that the lawmakers will be extending implementation of the 2023 budget and its components since beginning of Tinubu’s administration.
In March, the upper chamber extended implementation of the capital component of the 2023 budget and implementation of the N2.17 trillion 2023 supplementary budget until June.
With the development, the 2023 budget will be implemented for two years, despite the existence of the 2024 budget.
It also means that the federal government was currently implementing two budgets, 2023 and 2024 Appropriation Acts.
ThisDay
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
If you are asked, what your foundation is, what would be your response? In case, you are wondering the kind of foundation meant, consider the following. Foundation means different things to different people and even different organizations. A student’s foundation may be linked to how their parents trained them, through elementary, High school and college. A Christian foundation might be linked to their knowledge of the Bible and encounter with God. The formidability of a house or structure is traceable to its foundation just as an employee’s or Chief Executive Officer’s work ethic can be linked to their foundational years in service.
Foundations are very critical in life. When the foundation is not right, there is bound to be a problem. It is rightly said the journey of a thousand miles begins with a step in the right direction. Did you know that foundation can affect one’s business, education, faith, career, development if success, if not properly aligned.
Let’s take a case study of an entrepreneur who is trying to develop or market a product. Initially, there will be challenge, especially when he has not been able to do his background check very well in addition to adding value to his life. But when he finally gets it right, it will be easy for him to sell the product. Even at that, most people will be concerned to know what inspired the person to develop the product and their trajectory in life, and that’s where foundation comes in.
Furthermore, if anyone wants to contest for an elective position, the electorate will be concerned about what their track record in leadership is, and emphasis will be placed on the relative professional experience that will make anyone vote for them. The same principle is applicable to anyone interested in furthering their education.
Let’s take another case study of anyone interested in earning a Ph.D. The student would have had a background in bachelor’s and master’s degrees, which is relative to the Ph.D. Failure to do this might pose a challenge to the admission process. When a student lacks the requisite educational training, they will be advised to get a post graduate diploma.
When it relates to friends, family and business associates, the ability to select the right people will set the right tone for success. For example, if you have a business, your ability to hire the right people who are more knowledgeable in addition to having expertise will be a great asset to your business. When you hire the wrong people, you are setting yourself up for failure.
It’s instructive to note that every family has a secret they are built on. Yes, every family has a secret which only the family knows. These family secrets serve as the nucleus and foundation upon which the family is built. A family built with a strong value system like prayer, love, patience, and respect stands stronger than families without a value system. That alone is a recipe for disaster in the society.
For married couples to work together, they must share similar values, interests, goals, values, religion, in addition to other related alignments to make the marriage work. Amidst all these interests, it’s instructive to note that what binds them together is more than what separates them. One may be wondering what that means. Well, one of the hallmarks that has sustained a good marriage/relationship is friendship. When two good friends marry, the union is literally blissful because what binds them together is more than what separates them. Imagine, where two friends dated for about three or five years, they would have understood each other very well, and that would be a strong basis for both to always look back on how they started when friction arises.
Every business has an ideology, value, mission and values they hold in high esteem. These ideologies serve as the foundation and inspiration for the business. In some cases, these foundations serve as the stories of why the organization or founding fathers established the organization. The same principle is applicable when it comes to picking a business partner. Both parties must share similar interests and alignments in the business.
Do you have a foundation? If yes, what is it? On a personal note, I am bold to tell anyone who cares to know, God is my foundation. I am very unapologetic about it. Most people believe in other powers, humans or even themselves, but that’s not me. My help comes from God who made the Heaven and earth. I can’t take the glory of God.
Sometimes, when I look at the trajectory of my life, and how far I have come in life, all I can say is glory be to God because I literally know my foundation, strength and limitations. To have reached this stage in life can be attributed to nothing else but God. Yes, I worked hard, I networked well with the right people in addition to being in the right places at the right times because of strategic relationships. I can go on and on, but I know there are people who have done hundred times more than me and yet can’t get the level of result I have produced overtime.
If not for the grace and mercy of God, I don’t know what I would say. For the sake of clarity let me share a few instances. I have been humbled to be interviewed by New York Times, interviewed at least three times on the television by News12, published two books with the third one in view, partnered with United Nations Development Programme in addition to having one of the best talented minds on earth to work with in my organization. I can go on and on. But as a sage will say, a word is enough for the wise.
What’s interesting about these achievements is that none is a result of human factors. They all happened in a way one will attribute the feat to God. So, why will I be ashamed of giving God the glory?
Some may not have the right foundation in life, but that is not a problem. Foundation can be learned. When you meet people or work in a certain environment, please pay attention to their values, lifestyle and more importantly the culture, and pick the right information.
In conclusion, as your journey through life, please note that foundations are critical in life. They can either mar or make you. So, please pay attention to the foundation you are laying down because at the end of the day, the way you make your bed is the way you will lie on it.
Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, on Friday, proceeded with the elevation and coronation of the Alago-Oja of Ago-Oja land and 13 other high chiefs and Baales as crown-wearing Obas, despite a pending motion before the Supreme Court seeking to halt the exercise.
The ceremony, held at Olivet Heights, Oyo, featured the presentation of instruments of office, including staffs and certificates, as well as the formal crowning rites. The Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal, represented Makinde and performed the official rites on his behalf.
The coronation went ahead notwithstanding a motion on notice dated 30 January 2026 and filed in Appeal No. SC/404/2018 before the Supreme Court of Nigeria in Abuja. The suit was originally instituted by the late Lamidi Adeyemi III.
In the motion, brought under Order 2 Rule 28(1) of the Supreme Court Rules 2014 (as amended) and Section 6(6)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, the applicant sought interlocutory and mandatory injunctions restraining the governor and the Attorney-General of the state from creating or re-establishing the Baale Ago-Oja chieftaincy stool; recognising or further recognising Alhaji Ganiyu Busari; elevating the stool from Part III (Minor Chief) to Part II (Recognised Chief); and installing or crowning him as Oloja of Ago-Oja.
The motion also urged the apex court to set aside Oyo State Gazette No. 01, Vol. 50 of 17 January 2025 insofar as it relates to the elevation of the Baale Ago-Oja chieftaincy.
Through his counsel, Adeola Omotunde (SAN), the Alaafin argued that the chieftaincy stool had been declared non-existent by the Oyo State High Court in a judgment delivered on 31 July 2007 in Suit No. HOY/46/2006 — a decision affirmed by the Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division, on 8 December 2017 in Appeal No. CA/I/90/2008.
The High Court had held that the title “Baale of Ago-Oja” did not exist in Atiba Local Government Area and restrained the state government from recognising or dealing with Busari in that capacity. Although Busari appealed, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal. The matter is now pending before the Supreme Court, but has yet to be fixed for hearing.
In a letter dated 8 February 2026 and addressed to the governor, counsel to the Alaafin warned that proceeding with the coronation would amount to illegality and contempt of court, arguing that reviving a chieftaincy declared non-existent by courts of competent jurisdiction would undermine subsisting judgments.
Despite the legal dispute, the state government defended the exercise. In a speech delivered on his behalf, Governor Makinde said the elevation underscored his administration’s commitment to strengthening traditional institutions and promoting peace and grassroots development.
He described the newly crowned monarchs as custodians of culture and partners in progress, urging them to uphold integrity, fairness and inclusiveness in their domains. He added that collaboration between government and traditional rulers remained vital in addressing security challenges and accelerating development.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Otunba Ademola Ojo, described the occasion as historic and culturally significant, saying it reaffirmed Oyo’s rich heritage and enduring traditions.
The newly crowned monarchs include the Alaaguo of Aguoland, Oba David Oyediran; Baba Eyaji of Oyo, Oba Afonja Mukaila; Alajagba of Oyo, Oba Samuel Odurinde; Ona-Isokun of Oyo, Oba Isiaka Tella-Titiloye; Onimileke of Imileke Oyo, Oba Fakayode Alowonle; Onigbudugbu of Gbudugbu Oyo, Oba Salawu Oyeniran; Oloodu of Ojongbodu, Oba Olaniyi Adegboye; Alapa-Ara of Apa-Ara, Oba Tijani Ajeigbe; Onidode of Idodeland, Oba Oyeleke Yusuff; Iba Samu of Oyo Empire, Oba Lamidi Jimoh; Alago-Oja of Ago-Oja Land, Oba Ganiyu Busari; Agbaaki of Oyo, Oba Asimiyu Jimoh; Alakeitan of Akeitan, Oba Jimoh Oyeleye; and Elepe of Iseke, Oba Abel Oyekan.
Dignitaries at the event included the Olubadan of Ibadanland, represented by the Asipa Olubadan, Oba Hamidu Ajibade; former Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu; members of the 10th Oyo Assembly from the Oyo geopolitical zone; and other political leaders.
The appeal and accompanying motion remain pending before the Supreme Court.
The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), in collaboration with the Body of Banks’ CEOs, hosted an engagement with the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, in Lagos.
The meeting, according to a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Ag. ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, and made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), reinforced the shared commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s financial system as a critical pillar of national stability and economic growth.
In his remarks, the IGP underscored the strong nexus between financial security and national security, noting that the resilience of banking operations is central to investor confidence and Nigeria’s global credibility. He highlighted the evolving threat environment, emphasizing that beyond traditional risks such as armed attacks, the sector now faces increasingly sophisticated challenges, including cyber-enabled fraud, identity compromise, insider facilitation, and illicit financial flows.
To address these risks, the Nigeria Police Force continues to advance an intelligence-led approach to protecting financial infrastructure. The IGP referenced recent operations that dismantled violent crime networks, disrupted kidnapping syndicates, and recovered illegal arms, thereby strengthening the enabling environment for business continuity. He further noted his recent engagements with the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Abuja and the Nigeria Exchange Group (NGX), both aimed at enhancing financial system integrity and investor protection.
In line with the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, the Force is enhancing the recruitment, training, and deployment of Supernumerary Police Officers (Spy Police) to meet the specialized security needs of banks and other critical financial institutions.
In conclusion, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D, NPM, reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to working closely with the banking sector as a strategic partner in safeguarding the stability, integrity, and international reputation of Nigeria’s financial architecture.
