POLITICS
Benin Community Empowers 65 People with N15m Start-up Materials
Benin Community Abuja (BCA), said it empowered 65 people with relevant start-up materials worth more than N15 million to be self-employed and eventually become employers of labour.
The empowerment is to mark the 2023 Edo Day in Abuja.
The materials are for skills in cake baking, pastries, tailoring, shoe making, professional make-up, hair making, bead making, aluminum roofing, electrical works, satellite installation, graphic design and Edo language class, among others.
President of BCA, Lucky Odigie, a legal practitioner, disclosed this at the community’s celebration (Iselogbe) themed “Making BCA greater for the good of the people”.
Odigie said the event was a time to unite, thank God for the year, strengthen each other, celebrate, pray and to fellowship with friends.
“The unique thing about this year’s celebration is that we have decided to do it differently from the way it has been happening because this association has existed for about 27 years now.
“We decided to present tools of empowerment to members and non-members that we have trained in various areas of skill acquisition to make them entrepreneurs, self-reliant, so they can fend for themselves.
“When I was campaigning to be the president, I came up with seven-point agenda and the key one is the empowerment of our people which I am very passionate about.
“We tried to get jobs for our people but it was not forth coming so we decided to improvise in our own little way to train people in various skills.”
Odigie said equipment were also bought for the trainees, for them to start their lives.
He called on the senators and House of Representatives members representing Edo to come to assist the people to get them employed because an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.
He urged them not to hesitate to help Edo people to secure jobs, to keep youths busy away from social vices, thereby reducing crime.
He also encouraged the NASS members to tailor their constituency projects to address the yearnings of the people, to meet their concrete needs.
He stressed the need for the constituency projects to be infrastructure-based, to develop the state.
Retired AVM Akugbe Iyamu, a guest of honour, commended BCA for the initiative of gathering Edo people together for a progressive course and to rekindle Edo language.
Iyamu said this was necessary because most languages in Nigeria were almost going into extinction, so a deliberate effort had to be put in place to intentionally pull out the language to be able to bring it to the forefront.
“Imagine speaking your language to your children and after the greeting that’s all; so this gathering is to reborn the Benin language in consciousness and awareness among all the Benin children living here.
“Edo has always been at the forefront right from when we were young and we have to bring it to that pride of place, so anybody that is ready to deliver that in the 2024 governorship election is welcomed.
“This is not the time to look at faces; we have to look at credentials and performance.”
Chief Host of the event, Festus Osaigbovodg, Edo Lalison Office Abuja, stressed the need for Edo people to unite for the progress of the state.
Osaigbovodg said the essence of government was to bring development to its people and Gov. Obaseki had succeeded in doing that.
Osaigbovodg commended BCA for the empowerment, adding that it was a gesture in the right direction and it would complement the efforts of Edo Government in the development of people.
Another Special Guest of Honour, Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, Former Chairman, House Committee on Nigeria and U.S. Parliamentary Relations, urged Edo people to continue to be their brothers keepers and love themselves.
Agbonayinma said Edo people seemed to love themselves more when they were outside the country but did not really love themselves back home in Nigeria.
“ So I think we should emulate all that we are doing while we live here.
“We call ourselves brothers and sisters, let’s do that also when we are back home in Edo or in Nigeria, being our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers.’’ (NAN)
POLITICS
Presidency Transmits N43.5trn 2026 Appropriation Bill to Reps
President Bola Tinubu yesterday, transmitted the appropriation (Repeal and Re-enactment Bill 2024/2025 bill to the House of Representatives for consideration and expected approval in accordance with constitutional and appropriation process.
Reading the letter during plenary, the Deputy Speaker, Rep.
Benjamin Kalu said that the appropriation bill is aimed at ending the practice of running multiple budgets concurrently.“Rt Honourable Speaker, the Bill seeks to authorize the issue from the consolidated Revenue fund of the federation of the total sum of N43,561,041,744,507.
“Comprising N1,742,786,788,150 for statutory transfers, N8,270,960,606,831 for debt service, N11,268,513,380,853 for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure and N22,278,780,968,673 for capital expenditure for the year ending 31 December 2025,” the President said.
According to the President, the bill provides a transparent and constitutionally grounded appropriation mechanism.
President Tinubu in the letter said that the appropriation is not only critical but time-sensitive expenditures necessary in advancing the well-being of Nigerians.
He further explained that the bill seeks to strengthen implementation discipline and accountability by requiring that appropriated funds are applied strictly for purposes specified in the schedules.
The House however adjourned to Thursday being 18, Dec for further consideration of the Bill.
POLITICS
2027 Election: Igbo’s Community Promises Votes for Eno
From Christopher Tom, Uyo
Non-indigence in Akwa Ibom State especially the Igbo’s community has promised to give the highest number of votes across the state to Governor Umo Eno come 2027 governorship elections in the state.
The Igbo community said they will not fail to vote massively for the Governor.
The President of Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo Akwa Ibom State Chapter, Hon.
Keyceey Chidiadi made this known while speaking with media practitioners shortly after the Uyo chapter of Igbo community unity day celebration 2025 in Uyo.He said Igbo’s scattered across the 31 local government Area of the state without any doubt seriously doing their businesses without any crisis, showcasing their love, unity among the indigence of the state while also contributing their quotas to boost the state economy.
According to him, the Igbo’s are about five thousand while some have not been recorded because they have not identified with the community and advise others to join the train before it’s too late for them.
He said their vote come 2027 is massively for Pastor Umo Eno without compromise because of his leadership style and developmental strive, showcasing true democracy carrying every individual along not minding the state or religion the people came from but stand on peace, unity among the people to benefit the dividend of democracy.
He called on Igbo’s resident in the state to make sure they vote here without going to their various states to maintain their voting strength as the highest numbers of people across the non-indigence communities in Akwa Ibom State.
He said they are law abiding citizens and not ready to accommodate or entertain any crisis, violence, because of their peaceful nature created by God, especially respect for the government of the day while corporate to preach peace in the state. He commended the community for embracing peace after 27 years of crisis without a leader among them, but now peace has restored to them across the communities in the state.
POLITICS
INEC Begins Display of Preliminary Voter Register in Delta
From Francis Sadhere, Delta
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Delta State Office, has announced the commencement of the display of the Preliminary Voter Register for claims and objections across the state.
According to a press release by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Etekamba Udo Umoren, the exercise will begin on Monday, 15th December 2025 and end on Sunday, 21st December 2025.
The display will take place at all the 25 Local Government Area offices of INEC in Delta State between 9:00am and 3:00pm daily.
INEC explained that the exercise is in line with the Electoral Guidelines and is aimed at correcting any anomalies that may have occurred during the recent voter registration exercise.
The Commission noted that the process is essential to producing a credible and reliable voter register, which remains a key instrument for conducting free, fair and credible elections.
The Commission urged eligible voters in the state to seize the opportunity to visit INEC offices in their respective local government areas to confirm that their names and personal details are correctly captured in the register. Voters were also encouraged to report cases of omission, errors in spelling, or any other discrepancies.
In addition, members of the public were advised to raise objections to the inclusion of names of deceased persons, underaged individuals, or any other doubtful entries found in the register.
INEC reiterated its commitment to electoral integrity and called on all Deltans to actively participate in the exercise as part of their civic responsibility.
The Commission concluded the notice with a call to action, encouraging eligible citizens to register and participate in the electoral process.

