By Elijah Oguche, Abuja

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has challenged President Bola Tinubu to identify those who allegedly collected billions of naira from ministers seeking appointments into his cabinet, as the president intensifies his campaign for a second term ahead of the 2027 general election.

Atiku’s demand comes amid renewed political exchanges between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and opposition figures, with Tinubu appealing to Nigerians to renew his mandate while defending his administration’s economic policies and record in office.

The former vice president, who is a presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), raised the allegation in a post on X on Friday, citing remarks attributed to Alwan Hassan, a spokesperson for Tinubu’s Presidential Campaign Council.

“Bola @officialABAT, your campaign spokesman has admitted that ministers paid billions in bribes to secure their appointments. You appointed them, so who received the money? Nigerians deserve names, not silence,” Atiku wrote.

The allegation, which has not been independently established in the material available, has prompted calls for the presidency and relevant anti-corruption agencies to clarify the claims and determine whether any wrongdoing occurred.

Atiku also criticised the administration over the rising cost of living and alleged restrictions on funding to ministries, arguing that the consequences of government decisions were being borne by ordinary Nigerians.

“Your government’s reckless decisions have driven the cost-of-living crisis. And when you withhold funds from ministries because you distrust your own ministers, Nigerians are left paying for a government that has abandoned them,” he added.

In a related statement posted on X, Atiku’s Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the allegation and obtain any evidence available.

Ibe said the allegation was attributed to Hassan, who reportedly made the remarks while defending restrictions on funding to ministries.

He questioned which ministers allegedly paid for their appointments, who received the money, what evidence supported the claim and what Tinubu knew about it.

According to him, allegations that public officials paid to secure appointments raised serious questions about accountability and the purpose of public service.

“The danger is obvious: when public office becomes a purchased investment, public service risks becoming an exercise in capital recovery,” Ibe said.

He argued that, if substantiated, the allegation could undermine public confidence in the administration and raise concerns that some officeholders might prioritise recovering their alleged investments over delivering essential services.

Ibe maintained that restricting ministry funding could not replace a proper investigation into possible corruption, urging the anti-graft agencies to examine the claims and investigate anyone implicated, regardless of political affiliation or position.

He also called on Tinubu to address the matter directly, insisting that Nigerians deserved clarification on allegations involving members of the president’s cabinet.

However, Tinubu, speaking at the flag-off of the APC campaign in Kaduna on Saturday, appealed to Nigerians to give him another term, promising that his administration would continue working towards prosperity, economic recovery, growth and greater opportunities for citizens.

The president urged supporters to vote for the APC at all levels, including the presidency, governorships, the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly.

He accused opposition parties of relying on criticism and hostility rather than presenting credible alternatives to the government’s policies.

Addressing concerns over hunger and poverty, Tinubu blamed previous administrations for creating the conditions his government was now attempting to address.

“I hear my opponents talking about hunger and poverty. Who created it? They did. They created hunger. They created poverty. We are trying to eradicate it,” he said.

The president also defended his administration’s economic direction, calling on Nigerians to support its policies and pointing to efforts to ensure regular salary payments and create opportunities for citizens.

He urged eligible voters to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards and participate in the forthcoming elections.

Tinubu’s appeal for a fresh mandate places the administration’s economic performance, infrastructure projects and social interventions at the centre of the emerging 2027 political contest, as opposition figures intensify scrutiny of its record.

Earlier, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani expressed confidence that Northern Nigerians would support Tinubu for another term, citing federal and state interventions in infrastructure, security, education and healthcare.

Sani recalled Tinubu’s visit to Birnin Gwari during the 2023 presidential campaign, when the area was facing serious security challenges, and said the president had followed through on commitments relating to roads and security.

He cited the ongoing reconstruction of the Zaria–Funtua–Gusau–Sokoto road and the Abuja–Kaduna expressway, which he said was about 95 per cent complete.

The governor also highlighted the reopening of more than 300 schools and over 150 primary healthcare centres previously shut because of insecurity, alongside other interventions aimed at improving access to essential services.

On education, Sani said the North-West had benefited from approximately ₦250 billion in student loans, which he described as part of the administration’s support for young people.

He argued that the region’s political support should be based on the administration’s performance and the impact of its policies rather than sentiment alone.

Sani, however, cautioned APC members against underestimating the opposition, warning that political campaigns were increasingly using artificial intelligence and other digital tools to influence public opinion.

Also speaking at the rally, Senator Abdullaziz Yari, representing Zamfara West and Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, declared that political stakeholders in the North were prepared to work towards Tinubu’s re-election.

Yari argued that the administration’s record in the economy, infrastructure, health, education and human capital development provided grounds for seeking continuity.

He cited the removal of fuel subsidy, changes in the exchange-rate regime, trade performance and social intervention programmes as areas the APC intended to highlight during its campaign.

According to him, party stakeholders had been engaging traditional rulers, religious leaders and other influential figures to build support for Tinubu’s return in 2027.

Yari also rejected suggestions that Northern political leaders would abandon the understanding of power rotation between the North and South, insisting that the region remained committed to the president’s re-election bid.

The rally brought together APC governors and other party leaders, who presented the administration’s projects and policies as evidence of progress and urged voters to support continuity.

The contrasting developments underscore the issues likely to shape political debate ahead of the 2027 elections: economic hardship, public accountability, infrastructure delivery, social welfare and confidence in government institutions.

While Atiku and his associates are demanding answers over allegations of payments for ministerial appointments, Tinubu and APC leaders are seeking to consolidate support by highlighting what they describe as achievements in economic reform and development.

The allegation concerning ministerial appointments remains a matter requiring clarification and, where evidence warrants, investigation by the appropriate authorities.

For Nigerians, the emerging political contest is likely to test not only the competing claims of the ruling party and opposition but also their ability to demonstrate transparency, deliver public services and address the economic pressures confronting households and businesses.

From Attah Ede, Makurdi 

Ex -Nigeria’s Ambassador to Namibia, Terhemen Tarzoor, has warned the immediate past Governor of Benue State Samuel Ortom and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to stop making derogatory remarks about governor Alia and calling Benue people shenanigans.

 He also frown on their recent comments on Governor Hyacinth Alia, the Catholic Church and Federal Allocation accruing to the State.

Tarzoor gave the warning while speaking with journalists in Makurdi, Thursday.

The former speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, described the ex-governor Ortom’s outing on a TV programme, last week, as inappropriate saying the reported remarks by Ortom referring to Alia as a “419”, “a fake Reverend Father” and calling some Benue people “shenanigans” was uncalled for and condemnable.

Tarzoor insisted that political differences should not justify the use of language capable of undermining the office of the Governor and the dignity of the people of the state.

Tarzoor who is Benue State coordinator of Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) campaign for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections, said Ortom should be mindful of his public comments about the incumbent governor.

 “My take is that the former governor is not in the position to call the number one citizen 419. He has no right to call him that.”

“Ortom as an elder brother whom I  respect, made me  worried that political disagreements are being expressed in ways I  consider unnecessary and capable of worsening tensions in the state.

“I Ortom’s reported comments on the administration of the Catholic Church, shows that he is not sufficiently informed about the Church’s financial accountability mechanisms to make such assertions”, Tarzoor said.

He also expressed reservations that the former Governor had the audacity to pontificate on the Catholic Church administration quoting Ortom as saying that “The Reverend Father (referring to Alia) is running Benue State like a Parish where priests just earn moneys, offertories and spend as they want. Invariably, he is saying there is no accountability in the Catholic Church.

“As a Knight of St. John International, I want to disabuse his mind and the minds of people who listened to that programme that there is a high level of accountability in the Catholic Church,” Tarzoor said.

He explained that the Catholic Church vehemently upholds a strong administrative accountability structures, from the priests to the church faithful and reasons why they have church councils, elders and laity councils, to provide oversight and ensure that priests were accountable to the faithful.

“There is no Catholic priest that can just earn money and spend at ease in the Catholic Church and I therefore say Ortom does not have the equipage to pontificate on such a subject matter,” he said, urging him to be cautious about making statements on the internal administration of a religious institution.

Tarzoor maintained that public officials, particularly those who had occupied high political offices, should demonstrate responsibility in their public engagements and avoid comments that could be interpreted as attacks on religious institutions.

The former lawmaker, who also faulted what he described as an unfair comparison between Ortom’s eight-year administration and Alia’s government, which has served for three years plus, argued that any assessment of the two administrations should consider their respective periods in office, resources available and development targets before drawing conclusions about their performances.

Tarzoor further condemned Ortom’s reported description of the people of Benue as “shenanigans,” saying such language was unbecoming of a political leader who had benefited from the support of the state’s electorate.

“I see that as repugnant, I see that as unbefitting of a personality who have benefitted enormously from the votes of Benue people all his life.”

He urged political leaders to distinguish between disagreements with an incumbent administration and the need to respect the people they once governed, saying “If he has issues, he should apply the right language, apply decorum in the manner to address matters. That is the only legacy we can leave for our children, those yet unborn and not to talk down on someone in the person of the Governor because you are bitter.”

On Wike’s reported comments concerning the revenue accruing to Benue State and the need for the state government to disclose its income and expenditure, Tarzoor questioned what he considered the minister’s selective attention to the state’s finances.

The former Ambassador who wondered when Wike became the Minister of Finance or Minister of Information, argued that if the FCT minister’s objective was to promote transparency in the management of public funds, similar questions should be directed at other states rather than concentrating on Benue.

“Has he spoken about the one coming to Nasarawa, or the one going to Rivers State? Has he published the one in Rivers? Has he published the one in Kano?” Tarzoor asked stating that the disclosure of public revenue and expenditure was a legitimate issue but insisted that such demands should be pursued through appropriate channels and applied consistently across the country.

The former governorship candidate of PDP alluded that the Alia administration was open to scrutiny, noting that members of the public could request relevant government records through established procedures, including the Freedom of Information framework.

“Governor Hyacinth Alia is open to all criticisms. The law is clear on freedom of information. You test it; the records will be there for you to see,” he said.

“I must caution people against uncoordinated demands for financial information. Government officials should be allowed to concentrate on governance while legitimate enquiries were handled through appropriate channels.

“The media had an important role to play in promoting accountability by seeking accurate information from relevant government agencies rather than relying solely on political exchanges”, he said.

By Tambaya Julius, Abuja 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has completed nine of the 14 activities on its timetable for the 2027 general elections, while addressing complaints from political parties over alleged omissions and discrepancies in candidates’ lists.

The development emerged at a youth engagement programme in Abuja, where electoral stakeholders also called for measures to protect young voters from violence and strengthen public confidence in the electoral process.

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, represented by the National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Dr.

The event, titled “The Electorate: A Youth Dialogue with INEC,” was organised by Abuja Global Shapers Community (AGC) in partnership with Nigeria Youth Futures Fund, Yiaga Africa Abuja and Enough is Enough Nigeria, under the theme, “Let’s Talk About the 2027 Elections.”

Haruna said the commission had made progress on key activities, including the publication of candidates nominated by political parties for elective positions.

He acknowledged that the publication had generated complaints from some parties over alleged omissions and discrepancies, adding that INEC had invited the affected parties to submit petitions for consideration before finalising the list.

He described the voters’ register as central to the electoral process, noting that it would serve as the basis for identifying and accrediting eligible voters on election day.

Haruna also said INEC had increased the frequency of its meetings to review preparations, assess progress and take decisions necessary for the smooth conduct of the elections.

He explained that the commission comprises a chairman and 12 national commissioners responsible for policy decisions, alongside resident electoral commissioners across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The Curator of Abuja Global Shapers Community, Solape Sonuga, urged participants to engage INEC on its readiness for the elections and the measures needed to ensure credible polls.

Sonuga described the 2027 elections as particularly important to young Nigerians, saying the engagement was designed to promote youth participation, strengthen voter education and encourage civic responsibility beyond election day.

The Programme Manager for Governance at Yiaga Africa, Yetunde Bakare, called for deliberate efforts to ensure that young Nigerians could participate safely and meaningfully in the elections.

Citing Yiaga Africa’s voting intention survey, Bakari said 84 per cent of Nigerians surveyed were likely or very likely to vote in 2027. She said 61 per cent feared electoral violence could prevent them from participating, while only 40 per cent of young respondents said they were very likely to vote.

She described the figures as a concern for electoral stakeholders, stressing that voter mobilisation alone would not be sufficient without a safe and accessible environment for participation.

Bakare commended INEC’s preparations, including online voter registration, printable Permanent Voter Cards, planned nationwide mock accreditation exercises and efforts to strengthen the governance of electoral technology and artificial intelligence.

She urged the commission to communicate promptly with voters when technical or operational challenges arise, ensure transparency in the use of electoral technologies and make adequate provisions for eligible voters in hard-to-reach communities.

She also encouraged young Nigerians to seek credible information, reject electoral violence and misinformation, and hold elected officials accountable beyond election day.

Bakari said transparency, effective communication and credible electoral processes were essential to building public trust and ensuring that the 2027 elections reflected the will of Nigerians.