Grand Corruption: Nigeria’s Greatest Threat.
The recent report from the IMF consultation further raises concerns about the scale of grand corruption under the Tinubu government. The IMF now reveals that about N8.83 trillion in expenditure undertaken in 2025 is not reflected in the budget. This expenditure is not budgeted and is therefore not under legislative oversight or administrative scrutiny. This is horrible.
N8.83 trillion is as follows:
1.About 2% of our GDP.
2.Over 35% of Nigeria’s 2025 N23.96 trillion capital project budget. In fact, the amount is more than the actual released capital funding for 2025.
https://t.co/Hta3LViCB8 is more than the entire combined budget for education (N3.52 trillion) and health (N2.38 trillion).
If such an amount is properly used and accounted for, it could transform Nigeria’s public health and education sectors. It could create hundreds of cottage industries that can provide jobs for thousands of graduates and build a solid foundation for economic development. But we cannot account for it. This is not an isolated incident.
This is a pattern of grand corruption that has become part of this administration.
We have a lot to worry about regarding the state of corruption under President Tinubu. The sort of corruption that is ingrained in total disregard of elementary rules of public finance management poses a grave danger to national security and the stability of the Nigerian state. The capture of the Nigerian state and the plunder of its resources are actions that undermine the basis of state stability and deepen poverty and state failure.
This recent revelation proves that the APC government is grossly corrupt, incompetent, and insensitive. With the growing poverty and the urgent need for significant upgrades to social and physical infrastructure, a responsible and responsive government would ensure that N8.83 trillion is prudently utilised to address these gaps. But not the Tinubu administration.
A few days ago, I called on President Tinubu to resign from office for incompetence, lack of capacity, lack of compassion, and failure to improve on his campaign promises. Some people thought perhaps the call was excessive. But with the daily revelations of pervasive corruption in this administration and its total lack of commitment to the welfare and security of Nigerian citizens, the only reasonable action is for President Tinubu to resign from office. The collapse of elementary forms of due process under Tinubu and the increased evidence of rampant looting of Nigerian public finances reinforce the need for greater accountability. It is now time for Nigerian citizens to rise within the law and hold this administration to account.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
The coding competition has started for the International STEM Olympiad Grand Finale in Rome, Italy.
It’s beautiful to see bright minds challenge themselves.
Next year we will have our children compete in the coding competition as well.
Voter Registration: The First Step in the Journey to a New Nigeria
Yesterday, while passing through Waru Wazobia in Abuja, I made a chance stop to interact with our people. I seized the opportunity to encourage them, especially our youths and women, to take advantage of the ongoing voter registration exercise.
The power to change Nigeria does not begin on Election Day; it begins with voter registration. Registering to vote is not just a civic responsibility; it is an investment in the future we all desire.
I urge every eligible Nigerian who has not yet registered to do so without delay. Those who already have their voter cards should encourage their family members, friends, neighbours, and colleagues to register as well.
A new Nigeria will not happen through wishful thinking. It will be built by citizens who participate, who believe, and who act. Let us continue to choose hope over despair, participation over apathy, and nation-building over division.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
My Vision for a Productive and Prosperous Nigeria
Today, being the 1st of July, 2026, I wish to humbly recall that when I decided to contest for the office of President of Nigeria, I pledged to place Nigeria on the path of unity and national transformation. Now, as the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, I will, in the coming weeks and months, provide insights into the roadmap that I am confident will help curb abuse in government, halt the decline in the quality of life of Nigerians at all levels, and usher in an era of unity, peace, sustained progress, and prosperity.
This vision is anchored on a commitment to unity, inclusion, social justice, equity, and the freedom of every citizen to pursue lawful dreams.
Central to this proposed roadmap are significant reforms in education and healthcare, which are at the core of human capital development.
Robust human capital is indispensable infrastructure for national progress. It serves as the fundamental capital upon which daily life, economic expansion, and the delivery of essential public services depend.
These are foundational areas that we must reform with energy and determination if we are to reap the demographic dividend of our youthful population.
From the outset of my presidency, we will establish a task force dedicated to drastically reducing the menace of out-of-school children. We will place greater emphasis on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to support our drive for massive industrialisation, anchored on our agricultural endowments and value addition across value chains organised around industrial parks to be located in development zones across the geopolitical regions of the country.
Funding and improving the equipment of TVET institutions, through partnerships among government, the private sector, and social entrepreneurs such as faith-based educators, will facilitate apprenticeship opportunities in the private sector, similar to the German dual education system.
The situation in which unemployment remains high while Nigerian entrepreneurs establish businesses elsewhere because skilled labour is scarce must be confronted decisively. Doing so is essential for the common good and for facilitating our transition from a consumption-driven economy to a production-driven one.
Character and civic education, emphasising the values that foster trust - an essential ingredient for enterprise and leadership - as well as shared national values, will receive significant attention within the tripartite approach to governance that we propose.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
What Truly Should Be Our Priority Now as Leaders of a Nation?
This question has become necessary, given where we are today as a nation and where we are supposed to be.
While completing my INEC nomination form yesterday, Section E, Question 1 caught my attention. It asks: “Have you ever been adjudged a lunatic or been declared a person of unsound mind?” The answer is either Yes or No. That question got me thinking: Can we, as the political leaders of today’s Nigeria, truly say we are exhibiting the characteristics of a sound mind?
When Nigerians, including children and security personnel, are being abducted into the bushes, citizens cannot travel safely on our highways, several million Nigerians are uncertain where their next meal will come from, and several billions are being siphoned frivolously through non-existent agencies and projects, should politics really be our primary preoccupation?
A sound-minded leadership would have declared these existential challenges a national emergency and immediately mobilised all relevant institutions, security agencies, experts, community leaders, and other critical stakeholders to confront them with urgency and resolve. At a moment like this, the survival, security, and stability of Nigeria must take precedence over every other consideration. This is a time for decisive action, not political calculation or the pursuit of partisan advantage.
Further in the same Section E, Question 6, was: “Have you ever presented a forged certificate to INEC?” Again, the answer is either Yes or No. This raises another important question: Why shouldn’t INEC, in the interest of ensuring that our leaders are exemplary in following the rules and to strengthen public confidence in our electoral process, publish the academic certificates and credentials submitted by every candidate seeking elective office?
Transparency strengthens democracy and builds public trust. Nigeria’s problems are too serious for politics as usual. It is time for leadership defined by competence, character, capacity, compassion, and commitment to service.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
Lokoja Judgment: An Unnecessary Serious Setback for Nigerian Democracy
Today was an exceptionally busy day. I left Lagos in the early hours for Emekuku, where I visited the School of Nursing Sciences, an institution I have consistently supported over the years. It was gratifying to inspect projects funded through my previous interventions, including the school’s computer laboratory. Such investments reaffirm my belief that education remains one of the strongest foundations for national development.
From there, I attended the 80th birthday celebration of the Emeritus Archbishop of Owerri, Most Rev. Dr Anthony Obinna, whose commitment to justice, peace, and the common good has inspired many, before proceeding to Madonna University for another engagement.
It was at Madonna University that I received the court news of the Lokoja court rulings through my brother, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Every Nigerian committed to the country’s progress should be deeply concerned. This judgment represents another setback for our democracy and the institutions upon which our future depends.
It is regrettable that some who claim to champion democracy now appear determined to weaken the very institutions that sustain it. In doing so, they are undermining public confidence and endangering the future of millions of Nigerians.
The legislature and the judiciary are increasingly being drawn into this pattern of institutional decline. Democracy cannot thrive where institutions lose their independence and credibility.
Those who seek to weaken Nigeria’s democratic foundations will not ultimately prevail. When a similar situation recently affected the ADC, I condemned it without hesitation. I do so again today because my position has always been guided by principle.
My concern is not about who becomes President. My concern is that Nigeria works. Our politics must move beyond the quest for power and focus instead on building a united nation founded on justice, strong institutions, the rule of law, and equal opportunity. That is the Nigeria we owe ourselves and the one we must leave for future generations.
I therefore urge all well-meaning Nigerians to rise above partisan interests and defend our democracy. The survival of our institutions is inseparable from the survival of our nation. It's when we work together that a new Nigeria of our dream is made POssible. -PO
State Police: Commendable Step, but Disorderly Legislation Raises Concerns of Political Misuse
The recent passage of the State Police Bill by the National Assembly marks a significant legislative milestone in addressing a long-standing demand of the Nigerian people. For years, many of us, alongside security experts and regional stakeholders, have consistently argued that a highly centralised policing structure is fundamentally unsuitable for a country as vast, diverse, and complex as Nigeria. However, the legislative and constitutional implementation appears shaky and raises legitimate concerns.
The process should involve greater community participation. Policing should be more visible at the local government and community levels. The mechanism for passing the law appears highly disorganised, with no public hearing on such a sensitive issue. Indeed, the rush to enact the law without proper legislative procedures fuels suspicion among many observers about the political motives behind it.
The greatest concern does not arise from logistical issues; it stems from history. There is a widespread, justifiable fear that state police forces could become instruments in the hands of governors. The suspicion is that a state-controlled police force could be weaponised to suppress political rivals, disrupt opposition rallies, and manipulate elections.
For state policing to evolve from a risky political gamble into a genuine security solution, the law must not only permit states to establish police forces but also clearly provide for independent oversight bodies, such as a state-level Police Service Commission that is entirely free from executive influence, to ensure that policing serves the public interest rather than the interests of the ruling elite.
Going by what Nigerians have seen so far, there is no guarantee that this administration can resist the temptation to take advantage of state policing to influence the 2027 general election by proxy. In view of that possibility and the danger it poses to the polity, it is necessary to defer its implementation until after the general election.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
Insecurity: Nigeria Cannot Continue Like This
I received with deep shock and sadness the tragic death of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, who reportedly died while in the custody of kidnappers. Earlier, before this heartbreaking news, I also received disturbing reports of renewed bandit attacks in Sokoto and Kwara States.
The armed bandits reportedly blocked a market route in Sokoto and abducted traders, while terrorists invaded communities in Kwara State, kidnapping scores of citizens and killing innocent people, are heartbreaking and alarming. These incidents are not isolated tragedies; they are clear manifestations of the deepening security crisis confronting our nation.
But particularly painful is the reported death of Major General Rabe Abubakar, a distinguished military officer who dedicated a significant part of his life to defending Nigeria and protecting its citizens. It is tragic that a man who served his fatherland with honour, rose through the ranks of the Nigerian Armed Forces, and retired after years of meritorious service, would meet such a heartbreaking end at the hands of criminal elements. His death is a national tragedy and a sobering indictment of the insecurity that has engulfed our country.
When traders can no longer travel safely to markets, farmers cannot access their farms, communities live under constant fear, and even retired senior military officers are not spared from the menace of kidnapping and violent crime, it becomes evident that our nation is facing a grave security emergency.
Security remains the foremost responsibility of any government. Every life lost, every citizen abducted, and every community displaced represent a painful failure of our collective duty to protect the Nigerian people. The recurring attacks in Sokoto, Kwara, and many other parts of the country demonstrate that insecurity is not only persisting but spreading in both scope and intensity.
I once again urge the Federal Government and our security agencies to move beyond rhetoric and adopt a more proactive, intelligence-driven, technology-based, and coordinated approach to tackling insecurity. We must strengthen our security architecture, improve intelligence gathering, secure our borders, equip and motivate our security personnel, and ensure that those responsible for these heinous crimes are apprehended and brought to justice.
A nation where citizens live in fear cannot prosper. A nation where economic activities are disrupted daily by criminal elements cannot attract investment, create jobs, or guarantee a better future for its people. We must urgently reclaim every part of our country from terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, and all criminal gangs threatening our collective existence.
My heartfelt condolences go to the family of Major General Rabe Abubakar, his former colleagues in the Armed Forces, and all Nigerians who have lost loved ones to insecurity. I also sympathise with the families of those killed, those abducted, and the affected communities in Sokoto, Kwara, and across the nation.
The recurring tragedies and embarrassing security failures we continue to witness make the quest for a New Nigeria not only necessary but inevitable. We must build a nation where every citizen can live, work, travel, and pursue legitimate economic activities without fear.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
Together Towards the New Nigeria That Is Possible
On this June 12, Democracy Day, I had useful meetings with my partners in the building of the New Nigeria that is Possible: our great party’s National Leader, H.E. Senator Seriake Dickson, and our party’s Vice Presidential candidate, H.E. Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso. The NDC, as a party that is barely four months old, despite the challenges, remains the party of the future, and the fruitful discussions at the meetings clearly underscore this fact.
The leaders and members of a committed political family must be willing to make sacrifices and show tolerance and accommodation, even in difficult circumstances. This shared understanding is essential for building trust, strengthening unity, and sustaining the vision we collectively hold for national transformation.
We are all committed to this goal. The NDC remains the vehicle that will convey Nigeria through purposeful, compassionate leadership, with firm commitment to productivity and democratic ideals towards the New Nigeria that is POssible. -PO
Despite Three Years of Tinubu's Food Emergency, Nigeria hungriest ranking index declined to among the worst nations globally.
In celebrating his supposed successful three years in office, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu listed some achievements in the agricultural sector, firstly, his declaration of emergency on food security in July 2023, followed by the acquisition of 2,000 tractors and 9,000 farming implements, stated as Nigeria's largest agricultural mechanisation programme.
Yet the outcome of this has been the opposite. Nigeria's hunger index has worsened significantly. Nigeria's hunger index ranking was 103rd out of 123 countries surveyed in 2022/2023, and this figure had since worsened to 115th out of 123 countries surveyed in 2025/2026. Consequently, Nigeria is now classified among the world's most hungry or food-insecure nations in the world, with the World Bank forecasting that 33 million Nigerians could experience severe hunger.
In fact, Nigeria has the highest number of hungry people in the world.
I have always maintained that Nigeria have no reason to be seen among the hungriest nations in the world when we have fast, uncultivated land in the north, which is our greatest asset today.
We must transparently invest in Agricultural production, which will guarantee food security, but create huge employment.
A new Nigeria is POssible. -PO