From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bayelsa State, has issued a scathing rebuke of the Bayelsa State government over the proposed ₦100billion proposed ongoing stadium project at Igbogene, Yenagoa Local Government Area.

The opposition party, in a statement by its publicity secretary, Ikaebimo Mark and made available to our Correspondent via email, said it was shocked that a state grappling with widespread hunger, unemployment, poverty, poor healthcare, weak educational outcomes, and a struggling economy commits over 100 billion naira to a stadium project at the expense of investments.

The party stated that while it recognizes the importance of sports development and agrees that sporting infrastructure has a place in the development of any modern society, it is not convinced that the stadium project is worth pursuing at the expense of several graduates without jobs and residents of Bayelsa who cannot afford one meal a day and lack access to clean potable water.

The opposition party also criticised the state government for investing such huge funds in a stadium while the agriculture sector has been starved of funds and several small businesses are collapsing under harsh economic conditions.

It further dismissed the justification for the construction of the stadium by Senator Diri as a form of empowerment for the youth, stressing that youth empowerment involves improving the living conditions of the youths of the state.

‘’The PDP believes that the greatest infrastructure any government can build is the economic well-being of its people. Youth empowerment is not measured by the size of a stadium but by the number of young people gainfully employed, the number of thriving small businesses, the number of skilled entrepreneurs created, the volume of investments attracted, and the opportunities available for young people to build productive and prosperous lives.’’

The PDP lamented the neglect of the existing Samson Siasia Stadium, which has served Bayelsa for years, raising serious questions about the government’s claim that sports is its principal vehicle for youth empowerment.

It challenged the Diri government to make public the number of youths it had empowered for the past six years through sports and the full details of the project funding for the stadium.

The statement reads in part ‘’If sports truly constitute the government’s strategy for empowering young people, why has the state’s flagship stadium not been transformed into a vibrant hub for talent discovery, sports tourism, grassroots development, and sports-based enterprise. We challenge the administration to make public, full disclosure of names and particulars of Bayelsa Youths his administration has empowered in the last six years, using the Sampson Siasia stadium in Yenagoa.

‘’Bayelsans deserve to know the economic justification for multiple stadium projects at a time when the state urgently requires industrial parks, agro-processing centres, technology hubs, vocational training institutes, manufacturing clusters, and investment corridors capable of generating sustainable employment and wealth.

‘’The PDP therefore calls on the Bayelsa State Government to immediately publish the full details of the stadium project, including its procurement process, contract value, funding arrangements, project scope, implementation timeline, and expected economic returns. Bayelsans deserve complete transparency regarding a project of such enormous financial magnitude.’’

The party urged the Diri-led administration to immediately declare a State Economic Recovery, Wealth Creation, Employment Generation, and Food Security Initiative to confront the worsening hardship across the state.

It implored the government to rise to its responsibility and invest in industries, agriculture, skills development, innovation, entrepreneurship, and private-sector growth if it truly desires to empower the youth.

By Eze Okechukwu, Abuja

The Senate yesterday took a firm stand on Nigeria’s worsening security crisis while intensifying oversight of public institutions, rejecting the rehabilitation of terrorists, scrutinising the finances and operations of the North West Development Commission (NWDC), and declining to intervene in the controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) pending a formal petition.

In a debate sparked by a motion sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua (Katsina Central), lawmakers unanimously rejected government policies that rehabilitate and reintegrate former Boko Haram fighters and other terrorists, insisting that perpetrators of terrorism should face justice instead of being rewarded with rehabilitation programmes.

The motion followed the abduction and death in captivity of retired Major General Rabiu Abubakar, former Director of Defence Information, in Katsina State, which senators described as another grim indication of the country’s deteriorating security situation.

The Senate adopted resolutions calling for stronger intelligence gathering, improved surveillance, deployment of modern security technology, enhanced early warning systems and closer collaboration among security agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders and local communities.

The chamber also resolved that the Federal Government should ensure the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the killing of the retired general and other victims of terrorism and banditry.

An additional prayer sponsored by Senator Joseph Igiagbe Ikpea (Edo Central), and strongly backed by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, rejected the rehabilitation of terrorists and other violent criminals.

Oshiomhole argued that reintegrating terrorists into society amounted to rewarding criminality while victims continued to suffer.

“It does not make even common sense to grant pardon, rehabilitate and integrate criminals into society,” he said, insisting that those responsible for killings, kidnappings and the destruction of communities should face the full weight of the law.

Senator Osita Izunaso (Imo West) maintained that Nigerians expected concrete action from security agencies, urging the Senate to mandate the arrest and prosecution of those behind recent attacks, including the killing of Major General Abubakar.

Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele also secured the adoption of a resolution mandating the Senate leadership to meet President Bola Tinubu and formally present lawmakers’ concerns over the country’s worsening security situation.

Throughout the debate, senators lamented the increasing attacks on military personnel, academics and ordinary citizens, with Minority Leader Abba Moro recalling the killing of a university professor near a police checkpoint after refusing to surrender his vehicle to gunmen.

Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, however, defended the Armed Forces, saying personnel were making enormous sacrifices despite the growing regional threat posed by terrorism and banditry across West Africa.

Following the debate, the Senate observed a minute’s silence in honour of Major General Abubakar and all victims of terrorism, insurgency, banditry and kidnapping, while resolving to send a delegation to condole with his family, the Katsina State Government and the Nigerian Army.

Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Regional Development questioned the management and governing board of the North West Development Commission over the expenditure of about N943 million on board allowances, allegations of internal disagreements and the continued absence of executive directors.

During an investigative session with officials of the commission and the Federal Ministry of Regional Development, lawmakers expressed concern that the NWDC remained the only regional development commission without executive directors despite being among the earliest established.

Minister of State for Regional Development, Alhaji Uba Maigari Ahmadu, attributed part of the commission’s operational challenges to disputes over its headquarters in Kano, disclosing that the Kano State Government had since provided a permanent office, operational vehicles and land for the commission.

He said the absence of executive directors had weakened the commission’s management structure and slowed its operations.

Lawmakers also questioned financial records showing that about N943 million out of N1.19 billion spent by the commission went to board allowances, describing the expenditure as inconsistent with the commission’s mandate of driving development, infrastructure and peace-building across the North West.

The committee further queried delays in staff recruitment, implementation of the capital budget and the execution of board resolutions.

Chairman of the Governing Board, Abdullahi Lawal, defended the expenditure, insisting that all board activities were authorised under the North West Development Commission Act, 2024, and explained that the board had held seven meetings, approving governance frameworks and operational policies for the commission.

He, however, blamed management for delays in implementing board resolutions and processing approved expenditures.

The committee later moved into executive session to consider sensitive issues and receive further clarifications from officials.

Separately, the Senate ruled out any immediate intervention in the controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), saying it had no petition before it to warrant legislative action.

Senate spokesman, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, said the allegations and counter-allegations involving the purported agency, its alleged Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew, and the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President remained matters within the Executive arm of government.

He noted that although the agency reportedly had a budget line, the National Assembly neither created the agency nor appointed its leadership.

Adaramodu added that since the matter had become the subject of litigation, the Senate would refrain from commenting unless a formal petition was submitted by any of the parties or concerned Nigerians.

He stressed that any petition received would be subjected to legislative scrutiny in accordance with Senate rules.

Former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has described the attempt to deregister the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), through judicial means,  as  evidence of the desperate determination of President Bola Tinubu to impose a de facto one-party state in Nigeria, against the democratic wishes and aspirations of Nigerians.

In a statement at the weekend by his media office, Atiku said that he was not surprised by the disturbing situation, which may have grave consequences if the sinister plot to weaken opposition parties in order to help Tinubu have his way in the 2027 election, comes to fruition.

According to Atiku, the participation of citizens in a free, fair and credible poll is the soul of democracy and any attempt to stifle such freedom of choice could be a trigger to chaos and anarchy.

The ADC Presidential candidate explained further that “Nigerians are now seeing the true colours of President Tinubu, who pretends to be a democrat, but his body language and the sinister activities of his agents contradict his mouthed commitment to free and fair elections.”

He urged Tinubu to borrow a leaf from the late President Muhammadu Buhari, who despite being a retired military officer turned politician, never deregistered any opposition party. Ditto for former President Goodluck Jonathan,  who lived by a non-violent mantra that political ambition should not be worth the blood of any citizen.

“If you’re truly popular and your policies have positively bettered the lives of the citizens, you shouldn’t be afraid of a free and fair competition,” Atiku reminded Tinubu. 

 “Tinubu cannot be a champion of democracy under military dictatorship and now become the worst enemy of everything that democracy stands for.” 

“You can’t attempt to rule the people against their will and still pretend that you’re committed to free and fair elections in 2027,” Atiku stated.

The former Vice President also advised judges “to resist being used by dishonorable politicians who are bent on destroying the hard-earned democracy in the country.

“Governments will come and go. Hence, the judiciary must guard her integrity as the last hope of the masses. Don’t allow unscrupulous politicians to stain your reputation for their own short-term gain at the expense of justice. The judiciary is the last hope of the people. Let’s avoid anything that is capable of ruining the credibility  and reputation of our courts; not for a messy pot of pottage or love of lucre. 

“There are great judges in Nigeria, but the unchecked excesses of some who allow themselves to become judicial swords on the hands of politicians, are capable of damaging the larger image of the judiciary,” Atiku said.