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 This is a statement issued by Nigerian Ambassador designate Femi Fani-Kayode on the crisis rocking ADC

“I watched a faction of the ADC conducting what they described as their party Convention a few days ago & it was pitiful.

I saw an overcrowded hall filled with hot, sweaty, men & women, most of them looking worne, tired & undernourished.

They wore orange caps & were using pamphlets & brochures to fan themselves because the building had no functional air-conditioning system. 

They sweated profusely, argued loudly amongst themselves, broke into fisticuffs & at a point in the proceedings one of their more elderly leaders got on the stage, took the microphone and screamed “APC” at the top of his voice after which he suddenly remembered that he had left APC years earlier & that he was actually in an ADC Convention!

Clearly senility & cognitive dissonance had set in & his brain was no longer functioning as it once did.

Pin drop silence hit the crowd & one man, who could not contain his anger, shouted out loudly for all to hear that the embattled & confused elder should ask God for forgiveness for his unforgivable faux pas. 

I actually felt sorry for the elder because anyone can make a mistake.

Nevertheless his shame & embarrsament was total & in an attempt to redeem himself & melt the ice he told the astounded & shocked gathering that he was sorry for blurting out the ruling parties initials instead of theirs & that he needed to “take a purgative”.

After him another strange-looking elderly man came on the stage who looked badly ravaged by the rigours of life, who was terribly unkempt & who appeared to be in dire need of  medical attention.

His attire was badly rumpled, his hat was worne & fading & had holes in it & his slippers were peeling on all sides.

He dressed like a man who had not bought new clothes in ten years.

Once on the stage he grabbed the microphone & bellowed in surprisingly good english & with immense force, confidence & the hubris that always comes before a hard fall that “even if we field a corpse we will defeat Tinubu in 2027”.

This was an interesting & rare display of what is commonly referred to as “Dutch courage”: that is the boldness that is often associated with a drunken sailor & those that have had one drink too many & are highly & perpetually inebriated.

There is no doubt that this man is troubled & needs help because he looked more like a tramp or a witchdoctor than a politician.

Whatever it is that is troubling him I wish him well & will remember him in my prayers.

Another curious dimension to the whole thing was watching a fully grown bearded man on the stage with a huge pot belly (which made him look pregnant) wearing what looked like a woman’s beige skirt on top of a pair of beautiful beige trousers whilst sporting a pair of dark sunglasses to cover his eyes.

Some called it a “bold fashion statement” whilst others said it was an expression of his non-binary status & gender fluidity.

Whichever way to wear a man’s trousers & a womans skirt all at the same time at a factional party Convention or anywhere else is a novelty & something few of us have witnessed in a political gathering. I guess times have changed.

Forgive me for saying so but this was indeed a strange gathering of confused, reckless, desperate, cantankerous, quarrelsome & in some cases senile actors from the past who have long lost their glamour, gravitas & steam & who have no sense of purpose, unity or direction.

Is it any wonder that they call them an  ‘Association of Destructive Clowns’.

If that is the best they can do then President Tinubu has already won the 2027 election. By 12.00 noon it will be over.

What we witnessed was more of a gathering of hungry, ragged & desperate jackals & long-rejected souls that are craving for a return to power rather than the Convention of a legitimate & serious political party.

Mr. President rightly described theirs as a “street Convention”. What he failed to add was that it was a street Convention of vagabonds, riggers & wanderers.

Bottom line?

The ADC ain’t going nowhere!

(FFK)

Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lagos State Command, have uncovered a baby factory in Okuju, Ilado, Badagry area of the state.

It was gathered that the operation lasted from late Wednesday to early hours of Thursday.

The operatives reportedly rescued 18 pregnant women and 10 children, and arrested the operators of the facility, Joy Okeke and Raphael Agwu, according to Punch.

The pregnant women, upon delivery, had their children sold and were paid between N500,000 and N1.8m, while some came to the centre with children and infants for sale to willing buyers.

The women, aged between 18 and 30, were paraded at the NSCDC office, Badagry Division, Ibereko, on Friday.

During the parade, the Commandant of the Lagos State NSCDC, Adedotun Keshinro, said operatives swooped on a building following actionable intelligence gathered for three weeks.

“They are operating a baby factory where victims are made pregnant. When the babies are delivered, they are sold. The suspects entice pregnant victims to come and negotiate with them that when they deliver the babies, the babies will be taken from them, and they will be paid off.

“When they deliver the babies, the babies are taken from them to be sold to customers, and the victims are paid off,” Keshinro said.

According to him, 18 victims who were rescued are pregnant, though one was said to have suffered miscarriage. He added that there are other grown babies on negotiation for interested buyers.

He said the operators of the facility have committed a “grievous crime against humanity,”

The NSCDC commandant further stated that the operators would be handed over to the police for prosecution, while the victims would be handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.

Keshinro also noted that the facility will be handed over to the state government for possible demolition.

NSCDC Busts Baby Factory In Lagos, Rescues 18 Pregnant Women, 10 Children is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

ALL roads will lead to Ile-Ife on May 2, 2026, as Olufunso Amosun, wife of former Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, marks her 60th birthday with a celebration steeped in culture, honour and high society significance. The milestone will be headlined by her installation as the Yeye Moremi Oodua, a revered traditional title to […]

Member of the House of Representatives for Osi/Moba/Ilejemeje Federal Constituency of Ekiti State, Hon. Kolawole Davidson Akinlayo, in this interview by KEHINDE AKINTOLA, speaks on various issues, including the back-to-back amendments to the Electoral Act, 2022, concerns raised by the opposition party, the need to reinvigorate the APC reward system to avert defection, insecurity, state […]

Doctors, nurses and other medical personnel in Abia hospitals have been told to first save the life of a patient brought into their facilities under emergency condition, before demanding for payment.

The caution was given during the ongoing training program organized by the Abia State government for doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory technicians and other Abia medical staff in Umuahia.

The programme, which is being used to prepare Patients Liaison Officers, PLOs, for hospitals, also cautioned medical staff in the State against using harsh words against patients and their family members but soft word and close care.

Speaking during the training session in Umuahia, the Chief Executive Officer of Quantus Medical Foundation, Dr. Nnenna Ihekoromadu decried the poor patient-personnel relationship in Nigeria.

She said sick persons in the hospital needed respect, soft words and close care to fasten the healing capacity of drugs, pointing out that doctors, nurses, pharmacists, Lab technicians or other staff on duty should be held accountable for good or bad service rendered to their patients.

She noted that it was wrong to abandon a patient under emergency to fate because no money was deposited by the patient’s family.
“So if a patient cannot afford care and they’ve come into an emergency situation, they will have to be treated.

“Stabilize them, treat them before you start asking about payments,” Ihekoromadu said.

She also urged the Nigerian government to ensure that medical staff in the country get good welfare package to be able to function optimally.

Abia Govt cautions doctors against rejecting emergency patients over money

The signing of the 2026 Appropriation Act by Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with a total expenditure of N68.32tn, represents a significant fiscal milestone and, in many respects, a more deliberate attempt to align public spending with the country’s long-term development priorities.

At the outset, it is important to commend the clear prioritization of critical sectors such as security, infrastructure, education, and health. Allocations of N5.41tn to defense and security, N3.56tn to infrastructure, N3.52tn to education, and N2.48tn to health signal a recognition of the foundational role these sectors play in stabilizing the economy and improving citizens’ welfare.

In a country where insecurity, infrastructure deficits, and human capital challenges have long constrained growth, this focus is both necessary and timely.

Perhaps the most notable structural shift in the 2026 budget is the allocation of N32.2tn, nearly 50 per cent of total expenditure, to capital projects. This marks a welcome departure from previous fiscal cycles where recurrent expenditure dominated, often at the expense of investments that drive productivity and growth.

A capital-heavy budget, if effectively implemented, has the potential to stimulate economic activity, crowd in private investment, and lay the groundwork for sustainable development.

In this context, the decision to extend the implementation of the capital component of the 2025 budget to June 2026 is both pragmatic and justified. Given that many projects are already at advanced stages of completion, this extension provides Ministries, Departments, and Agencies the opportunity to consolidate ongoing works, avoid waste, and maximize value for public expenditure.

Abruptly terminating funding in March 2026 would have risked leaving critical infrastructure projects stranded, thereby undermining both fiscal efficiency and public confidence.

On the revenue side, I am cautiously optimistic that the targets set out in the budget may be realized. Global oil prices have remained above the budget’s reference benchmark, largely influenced by geopolitical tensions, including developments in the Middle East and the continued strategic importance- and recent stability- of the Strait of Hormuz.

For an oil-dependent economy like Nigeria, this presents a potential upside in terms of revenue inflows. However, it also underscores the need for prudence, as such external factors remain inherently volatile.

That said, the fiscal outlook is not without its concerns. The allocation of about N15.8tn to debt servicing is substantial and continues to crowd out resources that could otherwise be deployed to development priorities.

Coupled with a budget deficit in excess of N31tn, this raises legitimate questions about fiscal sustainability and the growing burden of public debt. It is imperative that deliberate steps are taken to reduce both the size of the deficit and the overall debt stock over the medium term.

In this regard, I recommend that any windfall gains from higher-than-expected oil revenues should be judiciously applied toward deficit reduction and lowering borrowing requirements, rather than expanding expenditure. This would not only ease pressure on public finances but also send a strong signal of fiscal discipline to investors and credit rating agencies.

Equally important is the need to ensure that the ambitious capital allocations translate into tangible outcomes. Prioritization will be key. The FG should focus on high-impact, economically viable projects and ensure that funds are released in a timely manner to avoid implementation delays. One of the persistent weaknesses in Nigeria’s budget cycle has been the rollover of capital projects from one fiscal year to another. Breaking this cycle requires not just improved planning, but disciplined execution.

Finally, strong monitoring and evaluation mechanisms must be put in place to track budget performance across MDAs. Transparency, accountability, and value-for-money must be the guiding principles. The President’s directive for disciplined and efficient utilization of resources is commendable, but it must be matched with robust oversight and consequences for non-performance.

In sum, the 2026 budget reflects a more reform-oriented and investment-driven fiscal stance. While the macro-fiscal risks, particularly around debt and deficits, remain significant, the emphasis on capital expenditure and critical sectors provides a solid foundation. The real test, however, will lie in execution. If implemented with discipline and focus, this budget could mark a turning point in Nigeria’s journey toward economic stability and shared prosperity.

Professor Uche Uwaleke is the President of the Association of Capital Market Academics of Nigeria.

OPINION: 2026 Budget: Implementation Is Key is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Oluwakemisola Adeusi is a Nigerian scholar and a doctoral researcher in German Studies and Political Science (minor) at Stanford University in the United States. She recently defended her PhD dissertation and is open to connecting scholarship to broader public conversations and policy making. In this interview by KINGSLEY ALUMONA, she speaks about her work, immigration […]

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board ,JAMB, has released the results of 632,788 candidates who sat for the first day of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, in what observers describe as one of the fastest result releases in the history of the examination body.

JAMB disclosed on Friday night that candidates who wrote the examination on Thursday, April 16, can now check their scores.

In a statement posted on his X handle, JAMB spokesperson, Dr Fabian Benjamin, said candidates are to send “UTMERESULT” via SMS to either 55019 or 66019 using the same phone number used during registration.

He explained that candidates can currently only view their scores, noting that the printing of result slips would be enabled later.

“The results of candidates who sat the 2026 UTME on Thursday, 16 April 2026, have been released and are now available for viewing.

“To check their results, candidates should send UTMERESULT via SMS to 55019 or 66019, using the same phone number used during registration.

“At this stage, candidates may view their results only; printing is not yet available,” the statement said.

The ongoing UTME began on April 16 and is expected to continue until April 22 across examination centres nationwide.

JAMB also issued a strong warning against the falsification or manipulation of examination scores, stressing that tampering with official result messages amounts to a criminal offence.

The Board revealed that it has already arrested two candidates and one parent for allegedly falsifying UTME results using artificial intelligence and other electronic means.

Benjamin said offenders would be prosecuted, warning that any candidate found guilty of examination malpractice or score manipulation would face the full weight of the law.

He added that more results would be released in batches as the nationwide examination continues.

Domestic airline operators under the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have halted their planned nationwide shutdown, choosing instead to pursue dialogue following government intervention.

The decision followed an emergency meeting of the association’s leadership on Friday, where members considered an appeal by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, urging restraint and engagement with stakeholders.

AON had earlier reveald plans to suspend operations from Monday, April 20, over the steep rise in the cost of Jet A1 fuel, which they say has jumped from about N900 to more than N3,000 per litre, placing significant strain on their operations.

In a communiqué issued after the meeting, AON said it would temporarily shelve the action to allow for discussions.

“The planned shutdown action scheduled for Monday, April 20, 2026, is hereby called off, albeit temporarily, pending the outcome of the meeting called by the Honourable Minister,” the association stated.

The group said the decision was taken in good faith to create room for negotiations, with a stakeholders’ meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 22.

However, the operators warned that the suspension hinges on improved conditions within the industry. They raised concerns about what they described as mounting operational challenges, including pressure from service providers demanding upfront payments.

“We further request that these agencies halt the practice of demanding upfront payment for services rendered, as this continues to compound the financial burden on operators,” AON said.

The association also urged authorities to ensure that airlines are not subjected to disruptions or undue pressure while talks are ongoing.

While acknowledging the minister’s intervention, AON maintained that its next move will depend on the outcome of the negotiations.

Nigerian airline operators halt planned shutdown

WHAT would have been a grand, high-society celebration to mark the 50th birthday of Oba Saheed Elegushi was instead observed in a subdued and reflective manner, following the recent passing of a prominent prince of the kingdom, Prince Wahab. Sources within the Elegushi royal household revealed that the monarch made a deliberate decision to scale […]