*** Says he’ll end State, LGA joint account controversy

By Tony Chuddy

Barely one month after his subsidy return pledge raised serious debate ahead of the 2027 general election, former vice president and presidential candidate of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubarkar, has again made another pledge to okay and implement the Supreme Court ruling that granted full administrative and financial autonomy to the 774 local government areas in the country.

Recall that despite the encomiums that greeted the federal government case and victory at the Supreme Court, granting full autonomy for local government administration, the APC-led administration of President Bola Tinubu was yet to implement the order as ruled as governors have continued to determine the fate of the LGs in both financial and administrative fronts. The various state governors still determine who emerges as local government areas chairmen and councillors, as well as the disbursement of funds.

But Atiku has promised to ensure the direct release of funds meant for local governments, immediately after assuming office as President in 2027.

The ADC standard bearer, who made the commitment in a statement issued on Tuesday by his official spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, said he would uphold the rule of law and restore financial autonomy to the third tier of government.

The statement noted that Atiku believes Nigeria should be governed in accordance with the law and that every tier of government should enjoy the constitutional independence guaranteed to it.

The statement cited the July 2024 Supreme Court judgment on local government financial autonomy, which affirmed that funds due to the 774 local government areas should be paid directly to them.

The former vice president further accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of failing to enforce the judgment, alleging that the decision was politically motivated.

He emphasised that financial independence for local governments would help in no small way to reduce poverty and improve security, adding that stronger local councils would be better positioned to respond to crimes and terrorism within their jurisdictions.

“Atiku Abubakar believes that Nigeria should be governed by the rule of law, and as President, he will uphold the rule of law and build a truly federal Nigeria where every tier of government enjoys the constitutional independence it deserves.”

He added that Atiku acknowledged the Supreme Court’s July 2024 ruling but alleged that the Tinubu administration had failed to enforce it.

The former vice president further alleged that the administration was reluctant to confront state governors over their control of local government funds.

He claimed that the funds were being used as political inducements ahead of the 2027 presidential election, an allegation the statement did not provide evidence to substantiate

“This is not the Nigeria we should accept,” he said.

The statement explained further that Atiku’s proposed administration would ensure that court judgments were respected and that public funds reached the level of government for which they were appropriated.

“My administration will respect court judgments, protect local government autonomy, ensure that public funds reach the people for whom they are meant, and restore true federalism.

“This move will ensure that development is brought to the grassroots, reduce poverty at the level of government nearest to the people, and guarantee financial independence to the local governments which will increase their capacity to fight crimes and terrorism at that level,” Atiku said.

The former vice president further maintained that Nigeria’s democratic governance should be anchored on respect for the judiciary and the constitutional responsibilities of each tier of government.

“Nigeria must be governed by laws, not by political convenience,” the statement quoted Atiku as saying.

*** Approves 6 new simulation centres

By Nkem Okereh

Determined to bridge the gap created by the departure of several medical workers from the nation’s hospitals, the federal government has declared that it targets an annual enrollment and admission of about 20,000 Nigerians at the various medical schools within the next three years as part of efforts to rapidly expand the country’s healthcare workforce.

Recall that Nigeria has recorded a good number of medical experts who have left the country in search of better welfare in the United Kingdom, United States of America and Canada, as well as Saudi Arabia.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, made the declaration through a statement from his media aide, Ikharo Attah, on Sunday.

The Minister said while receiving the report of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Medical Simulation Committee that government would establish world-class medical simulation centres across the six geopolitical zones to provide practical training for the growing number of medical, dental, nursing, pharmacy and other allied healthcare students.

He explained that the expansion of healthcare training is necessary to address the country’s growing demand for qualified professionals and ensure that increased enrolment is matched with quality practical education.

Alausa further disclosed that annual admission into medical schools had risen from about 5,000 students when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office to almost 12,000 currently.

“Today, I’m happy to report that we’re admitting almost 12,000 students primarily now. Our goal in the next three years is to increase the number of annual medical student enrollment in medical school to about 20,000,” he said.

The minister said the surge was not limited to medicine, noting that admissions into pharmacy and dental schools had also doubled.

He noted further that nursing enrolment had witnessed an even more dramatic increase, rising from about 38,000 students three years ago to more than 120,000 students across nursing schools in the country, adding that the ultimate goal was to ensure that more Nigerian students gained access to quality professional education while producing the skilled workforce required to strengthen the country’s healthcare system.

“I would like to thank the members of the committee that has worked so hard and assiduously to get us to this point in which we are now talking about building several simulation centres across the country to provide world-class training for our medical students, dental students, nursing students, pharmacy students and other allied healthcare professionals.

Government is committed to providing the best and the highest quality of education to every child in this country. We are seeing it, we are seeing the result now. It’s another manifestation of President Tinubu’s fervent and benevolent belief to the progress and benefit of the future of Nigeria,” he added.

Alausa said the proposed TETFund medical simulation centres would therefore provide an important platform for students to acquire hands-on experience as the government expands access to healthcare education.

The minister said the initiative also aligned with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly the administration’s commitment to expanding Nigeria’s healthcare workforce and improving the quality of education.

Alausa also acknowledged the contributions of key professional and academic stakeholders, including the Registrar of the Medical Emergencies Council, Registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, Registrar of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria and a professor in the Department of Ear, Nose and Throat at the University of Abuja Medical School.

He described the development as another manifestation of the Tinubu administration’s commitment to improving the quality of education and strengthening human capital development.

***APC govt counting trillions in subsidy removal while Nigerians languish in govt-inflicted hardship – ADC

By Nkem Okereh (With agency report)

There seems to be no respite at sight as Nigerians groan into deeper hardship, following the continued rise in energy, leading to a corresponding sharp increase in transportation, food and services across the country.

The situation has raised more concerns as petrol stations continue to hike litre prices of their products on daily basis, with many filling stations across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other cities increasing the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, despite a decline in international crude oil prices from 92 dollars per barrel to 87.31 dollars per barrel.

This is as opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) led federal government of smiling to the banks with record significant increase in revenues since the reforms, while many households continued to struggle with rising food, transportation and other living costs.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Nigeria’s major independent crude refining company, Dangote Refinery increased its gantry price (ex-depot price) from N1,165 per litre to N1,185, and subsequently to N1,200 and N1,265 within the last one week.

The latest adjustment represents a N65 per litre increase from the previous gantry price of N1,200.

The increase has been reflected in pump prices across the FCT and other cities in the country

Despite efforts by independent marketers to import refined petrol from outside the counter, Nigerians, including the federal government rely mostly on Dangote refinery, which accounts for over 80% of petrol that is consumed in the country, since the abandonment of the country’s four national refineries in Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Warri

Checks by NAN on Sunday in Abuja showed that most filling stations, including the government owned Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) had adjusted their petrol prices upward, with motorists paying more.

While the independent marketers sell at between N1275 to N1300 per litre, depending on their locations, the NNPC adjusted its price from N1,250 to N1,270 per litre.

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria had earlier blamed Dangote refinery for the series of adjustments and increase in petrol prices withinmone week

The National Publicity Secretary of IPMAN, Chinedu Ukadike, said in a statement that marketers reviewed their pump prices following a series of adjustments by Dangote refinery.

Ukadike said marketers could not continue to sell petrol below the replacement cost.

He said the frequent price changes were creating uncertainty for both marketers and consumers, as the cost of replacing products could change significantly within a short period.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in a statement on Sunday, challenged the Director-General of the President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign, to explain what Nigerians have gained from the N15.8 trillion generated by fuel subsidy removal before dismissing promises of relief as a “lie.”

ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, in reaction to the Campaign DG’s claim that the removal of petrol subsidy has transformed the country’s economy, said Yari’s position was significant because he is now charged with persuading Nigerians to give President Tinubu another four years.

“If the message of the President’s re-election campaign is that Nigerians must accept today’s hardship as permanent and anyone promising relief is a liar, then Nigerians must be seriously concerned,” the party said.

Citing figures attributed to the Minister of Finance, the ADC said petrol subsidy removal and foreign-exchange reforms generated about N15.8 trillion in additional resources for the Federation between June 2023 and December 2025. Of this, N5.4 trillion went to the Federal Government, N5.4 trillion to states and N3.9 trillion to local governments.

The party noted that states alone received N47.25 trillion in FAAC allocations between 2023 and 2025, rising from N10.09 trillion in 2023 to N15.26 trillion in 2024 and N21.90 trillion in 2025.

Monthly FAAC distributions have also crossed N2 trillion, compared with less than N1 trillion before subsidy removal.

“Yet, while government revenues soared, Nigerians became poorer,” the ADC said.

The ADC regretted that petrol moved from about N185 per litre in May 2023 to N1,300+ in many places by August 2025, while food inflation crossed 40 per cent at points during the period. Transport costs surged, and the promised CNG mass-transit alternative is yet to reach Nigerians at the required scale.

“The contradiction is impossible to ignore. Government is counting trillions while Nigerian families are counting the meals they can afford. If governments are receiving substantially more money, why are Nigerians getting substantially less food to eat?”

The ADC said it was more troubling that increased revenues had led to increased borrowing, with about 20 states reportedly borrowing N458 billion in 2025 despite the surge in FAAC receipts.

The opposition party asked Senator Yari and the APC to answer one question before seeking re-election: “after N15.8 trillion in additional resources, record FAAC allocations and three years of unprecedented sacrifice, are Nigerians better off?

“After N47.25 trillion to states in three years, ‘Nigerians have a right to ask: where are the results? If states received an additional N5.4 trillion from the reforms, let the government publish the projects. Show Nigerians the schools, hospitals, roads, and mass-transit systems that their sacrifice paid for

“Meanwhile, budgets remain unimplemented, local contractors remain unpaid, major public roads remain terrible, and Nigeria became one of the most dangerous places to live in, and home to the highest number of poor people on earth,” the statement said.

“The big lie is in government telling Nigerians that its reforms are working while driving the country towards certain destruction.”

“If Senator Yari says subsidy can never return, then he must tell Nigerians what the President’s campaign is offering instead. What is the plan to dramatically reduce petrol prices and bring down food and transportation costs before 2027? ‘Endure’ is not an economic policy,” the ADC said.

The ADC described it as “disgraceful” that the only thing the APC government has to show for trillions of naira is payment of workers’ salaries that can no longer guarantee food on the table, even as it accused the federal government of plunging the country deeper into loans, despite the subsidy removal windfall

“The 2027 election will not be about who shouted ‘liar’ the loudest. It will be about who can put food on Nigerians’ tables, create jobs, provide security, and reduce the cost of living,” the ADC said.

“Nigerians have sacrificed enough. They need a break.” the ADC stated