MONDAY, NOVEMBER 09, 2026
VOL 21 NO 87
• A mammoth crowd of supporters and indigenes of Sokoto who thronged the ADC Presidential Rally held last Wednesday
•Citizens, Watchdogs Question Beneficiaries’ Selection Criteria, Transparency •FG Should Disclose Details of Funds Disbursement - SERAP
W
IDESPREAD cri cism has trailed the Federal Government’s ₦50,000 cash relief ini a ve, with Nigerians ques oning its economic relevance, transparency and capacity to cushion the effects of the country’s rising cost of living. The interven on, introduced under the Naonal Emergency Relief and Stabilisa on Intervenon (NERSI) by the Federal
Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reducon, is intended to provide financial support to vulnerable households affected by the economic reforms of the Federal Government. However, the ini a ve has a racted considerable skep cism, with many ci zens describing the amount as inadequate in the face of rising food prices, transporta on costs and other household expenses.
Across social media pla orms, including X, Facebook and online forums, Nigerians ques oned whether the interven on offers any meaningful relief or merely serves as a temporary distrac on from the deeper economic challenges confron ng households. OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the disbursement relies on the Na onal Social Register and other existing government databases,
with selected beneficiaries expected to receive SMS no fica ons and access the funds through designated USSD codes provided by par cipa ng financial ins tu ons and payment service banks. Some of the concerns raised by many people include absence of an open applica on pla orm, the criteria used to iden fy beneficiaries and the extent to which the process can be
independently verified. An X user, Alonso, @ nonski_55, accused the Federal Government of responding to economic hardship with an intervenon that appeared poli cally mo vated, par cularly with the 2027 general elecons approaching. “If the president had done what he was voted to do, you wouldn’t be here telling Nigerians to apply for a 50k relief fund, it is
even for selected people, maybe APC members I guess. This government has failed in everything and has also failed including every Nigerian to its APC elec on relief program. “Nigerians have been suffering since 2023 as a result of Tinubu’s bad policies, why wait ll two months to elec on to realize Nigerians need help? These things are elec on op cs, everyone knows it,” he wrote. Similarly, another user, •Continued on page 2
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 09, 2026
2
News
2027: ADC Continues Nationwide Campaigns Despite Legal, Political Bottlenecks
T
HE African Democratic Congress (ADC) has con nued its na onwide presiden al campaign despite moun ng legal challenges, poli cal controversies and allega ons of a empts to frustrate its ac vi es, following massive turnouts at its rallies in Sokoto and Kebbi states. OSUN DEFENDER reports that the party’s presiden al candidate, former Vice-President A ku Abubakar, drew thousands of supporters to the two North-Western states on November 4 and 5, respecvely, as the party intensified its mobilisa on ahead of the 2027 general elecons. The rallies came amid a series of controversies surrounding the party’s campaign arrangements, including allega ons of in mida on, a acks on supporters, restric ons on accommoda on and access to public facili es, as well as a fresh Federal High Court judgment nullifying the David Mark-led na onal leadership and the process that produced A ku as its presiden al candidate. Despite the legal setback, the ADC proceeded with its Kebbi campaign, with A ku insis ng that neither the court ruling nor the poli cal challenges would derail the party’s determina on to par cipate in the 2027 elec ons. In Sokoto, the party’s campaign flag-off on Wednesday, November 4, a racted large crowds of
•34-year-old Ugandan woman, Farida Nansubuga, arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle 1.15 kilogrammes of cocaine out of Nigeria Photo: Femi Babafemi/NDLEA supporters who lined the route from the Sultan Muhammad III Interna onal Airport to the party’s state secretariat, where the rally was held. It was gathered that A ku’s motorcade took approximately three and a half hours to reach the rally venue as residents, including men, women, youths and elderly people, trooped out to welcome him. Also, commercial and official ac vi es came to a stands ll in parts of the state capital as residents abandoned their daily engagements to join the procession. Barely 24 hours a er the Sokoto rally, A ku and other ADC leaders moved to Birnin Kebbi, where the party held another cam-
paign rally on Thursday, November 5. The Kebbi gathering was par cularly significant as it proceeded hours a er the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered its judgment nullifying the David Markled leadership of the ADC and the processes through which A ku emerged as the party’s presiden al candidate. At the rally, A ku promised to restore fuel subsidy, improve na onal security and create employment opportuni es if elected president. “The people of Kebbi State, let me ask you a few ques ons. Do you want the return of subsidy? Do you want security? Do you want employment? Therefore you have no op on other
than the ADC,” he told the gathering. The party also formally presented its flag to former A orney-General of the Federa on, Abubakar Malami, who is its governorship candidate in Kebbi State. Reac ng to the court judgment, A ku described
Oluwo: Osun Govt Biased, Must Withdraw Letter Or Write The Same To Ooni, Others - Ta’awunu Leader •Says Ministry Overstepped Its Bounds •Claims Letter Would Have Cost Adeleke Votes If Written Before Poll
T
HE Leader of Ta’awunu Human Rights Ini ave (THURIST), Sheikh Daood Imran Molaasan,
N50,000 Relief Fund Distraction...
•Continued from front page @Simdibenjamin, quesoned why the intervenon was restricted to selected Nigerians when the economic difficul es were being experienced na onwide. “Why won’t everyone qualify????? Aren’t we all in the same county suffering the mess of APC together???? Since your administra on economic policy is sharing money, share to everyone,” the user wrote. Another X user, @ gcoin23, sarcas cally quesoned whether poli cal affilia on was part of the eligibility requirements, asking: “Eligible Nigerian, what are the selec on criteria? Card carrying member?” A user, @Osh_dinero, also challenged the restricon, wri ng: “Why should eligibility ma er? Are we not all Nigerians? And is the money not meant for us all? Other Nigerians quesoned the basis for determining vulnerability, with @ adefajosekayo joking about being excluded despite his
financial difficul es. “Make dem do quick do me that ₦50k o. My account has been in minus for 5 years now and I never see 50k. Abi what the defini on of vulnerable again,” the user wrote. A similar concern was raised by @Makanjuolafemy, who ques oned whether possession of the Na onal Iden fica on Number was sufficient to establish eligibility. “So, are you saying I’m not eligible a er stressing my life for acquiring NIN?” the user queried. On the actual impact of the interven on, @ty_autos argued that the amount was insufficient to address the prevailing cost of living. “50k for what exactly, that will not be enough for fuel money for 2days,” the user wrote. Another user, @blessingofgo, linked the intervenon to the Federal Government’s borrowing, arguing that the money would have been be er deployed towards measures capable of reducing the cost of living. “This is what they do
with the recklessly loan they are borrowing by Tinubu government instead of making life easier for people by reducing cost of living they decided to share 50k before elec on,” the user wrote. Similarly, @prince_ adindu cri cised the government’s reliance on cash transfers, arguing that it was offering temporary assistance a er implemen ng policies that had worsened ci zens’ economic circumstances. “You people keep taking loan to do dash. Why would government be sharing money when they know exactly what to do. A government that will impoverish its ci zens and then turn to give them crumbs because they know if Nigeria is okay no one will care about a loaf of bread and 1000,” the user wrote. Meanwhile, the SocioEconomic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called for greater transparency regarding the interven on, demanding disclosure of its funding arrangements, implemen-
it as an a empt to weaken the ADC and frustrate his presiden al ambi on, insis ng that he would challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal. In a statement issued through the Director of Strategic Communica on of the ADC Presiden al Campaign Council, Phrank
Shaibu, the former VicePresident ques oned the ming of the judgment, which came shortly a er the party’s successful outing in Sokoto. “The people of Sokoto came out in their thousands because they are hungry for change and believe in our promise to make life affordable again. What we witnessed in Sokoto is only the beginning. The people of Kebbi will have their say, and so will Nigerians across the country as our campaign moves forward,” A ku said. He further maintained that his candidacy was not restricted to any geographical region, arguing that the challenges confron ng Nigerians cut across ethnic and regional boundaries. The ADC leadership has also rejected the court’s decision, maintaining that an earlier judgment by another Federal High Court judge had affirmed the legi macy of the David Mark-led Naonal Working Commi ee, maintaining that its campaign will con nue across the country.
ta on framework, service provider contracts and audited beneficiary records. SERAP, through a Freedom of Informa on (FOI) request dated November 7, 2026, and signed by the group’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare charged the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduc on, Dr Bernard Doro, to publish details of the NERSI budget, funds released and expended, eligibility criteria, beneficiary verifica on processes, geographical distribu on of recipients, and whether the ₦50,000 payment is a one-off grant or a monthly interven on. “Beneficiaries must not be required or encouraged to a end poli cal rallies, support poli cal par es or candidates, display poli cal materials or demonstrate poli cal loyalty as a condi on for receiving assistance. “NERSI is a government programme funded with public resources, not a personal gi or poli cal benefit from any office-holder,” SERAP noted.
has demanded the immediate withdrawal of the Osun State Government’s cauon le er to the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, accusing the government of bias, overreach and taking sides in a religious dispute. OSUN DEFENDER reports that the state government, in a le er dated November 2026, with reference number CD.17/1/ VOL.VIII/377 and signed by Wale Alliyu on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chie aincy Affairs, cau oned the Oluwo over alleged inflammatory statements capable of igni ng religious confronta on and inter-town conflicts. The le er, a copy of which was received by the monarch’s secretary on November 3, said the monarch’s ac vi es are raising communal tension, sowing seeds of communal and religious discord and discredi ng tradi onal values. The government said the persistence of such crisis-inci ng ac vi es had reached a level it could no longer ignore. “The administra on wants to put it on record that within the context of the Nigerian Cons tu on, every ci zen has a right to freedom of religious associa on,” the government
stated. It added that as a tradi onal ruler, the Oluwo is bound by the Cons tu on to respect the rights of his cons tuents to hold religious beliefs. “You cannot, and you must not, conduct yourself in any way that can foment religious crisis through serial a acks on people of other faiths,” the le er warned. The government directed the Oluwo to stop any further a acks on people of other faiths, refrain from further a acks on fellow tradi onal rulers to forestall inter-town confronta on, and work to preserve the culture and tradi on of the people which the stool symbolises. It also urged him to be guided by norms and regula ons as spelt out in the Chie aincy Laws and resolu ons of the State Council of Obas. The Ministry said it will be monitoring compliance, while the State Council of Obas has equally been directed to watch and act on recent developments within Iwo land. But addressing congrega on on Friday in Iwo, Molaasan, in a circula ng video, said the Ministry of Local Government and Chie aincy Affairs has no business dabbling in religious ma ers, warned that the ministry could be sued over the le er, and declared that over 30 million Muslims are behind the Oluwo. •Read full story on www.osundefender.com
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 09, 2026
3
A
S Nigeria edges closer to the 2027 general elec ons, the poli cal atmosphere presents a troubling paradox that threatens the very founda ons of compe ve democracy. On one hand, the opera ng space for opposi on poli cs appears increasingly constrained by a combina on of legal controversies, administrave obstacles, in mida on and the growing percep on that the machinery of the state is being deployed, or tolerated, to frustrate alterna ve poli cal pla orms. On the other, the poli cal class, par cularly those entrusted with governing the country, appears to be suffering from an alarming deficit of ideas, preferring the convenience of insults and poli cal theatrics to the difficult business of defending records and presen ng credible alterna ves. The unfolding controversy surrounding the African Democra c Congress (ADC) deserves par cular a en on. What should ordinarily be an internal poli cal disagreement, subject to established party procedures and judicial determina on, has become a ma er of na onal democra c concern. The courts have an indispensable responsibility to interpret the law, and their independence must be protected. However, the frequency with which poli cal disagreements become entangled in protracted legal ba les, especially where the consequences threaten the ability of opposi on par es to organise and par cipate effec vely, raises legi mate ques ons about the health of the democra c environment. Democracy is not merely about holding elec ons every four years. It is equally about preserving the condi ons that make those elecons meaningful. An opposi on party should not have to spend more me defending its right to exist and organise than explaining its poli cal vision to the electorate. Neither should access to public spaces, security protec on and the ordinary privileges of poli cal parcipa on become privileges that depend on one’s proximity to the corridors of power. The reported difficul es surrounding opposi on rallies, including alleged in mida on and at-
“Those seeking public office must understand that the people are not looking for the most entertaining insult merchant but for leaders capable of providing answers to the difficult questions confronting their daily lives”
gies, measurable commitments and evidence of administra ve capacity. A campaign built en rely around the shortcomings of another administraon is not necessarily a programme for na onal renewal. The opposion must offer more than a different set of voices shou ng across the same poli cal marketplace. The tragedy is that the Nigerian electorate is being presented with too much poli cal noise and too li le policy substance. The na onal conversa on has become a contest of personali es when it should be a contest of possibili es. Those seeking public office must understand that the people are not looking for the most entertaining insult merchant but for leaders capable of providing answers to the difficult quesons confron ng their daily lives. More importantly, Nigerians must recognise that democracy cannot be le en rely in the hands of poli cians. Ci zens must resist the tempta on to become spectators in the gradual narrowing of their democra c choices. They must demand transparency, ques on the conduct of public ins tu ons and insist that poli cal differences are se led through lawful processes nents’ backgrounds and poli cal rather than in mida on or ins tuassocia ons. onal manipula on. It is par cularly curious that The 2027 elec ons must not bethose occupying the highest poli - come a corona on disguised as a cal offices, who have the enormous contest. The electoral umpire must advantage of incumbency and ac- demonstrate independence, the jucess to the instruments of public diciary must inspire confidence, and communica on, should appear security ins tu ons must protect more interested in trading insults every lawful poli cal ac vity. The with their cri cs than explaining governing establishment must untheir stewardship. A government derstand that incumbency carries with a convincing record should greater responsibility, not greater have li le difficulty allowing its ownership of the poli cal space. achievements to speak. Where the Ul mately, the ballot belongs to response to ques ons about gover- the Nigerian people. It is neither the nance is an a ack on the ques on- property of the ruling party nor an er, the electorate is le wondering inheritance of the poli cal estabwhy the substance of the argument lishment. Those in power have a has become so difficult to defend. duty to defend the condi ons under Yet, the opposi on cannot claim which they can be challenged, just complete innocence in this intellec- as those seeking power have a duty tual decline. Its responsibility is not to present credible alterna ves. merely to iden fy the failures of A democracy in which the refthe incumbent but to demonstrate eree is suspected of favouring one how it intends to address them. Ni- contestant will inevitably lose the gerians deserve costed economic confidence of the spectators. And proposals, credible security strate- an elec on in which the contestants are more interested in destroying one another OSUN DEFENDER than presen ng their Publisher – Moremi Publishing ideas leaves the people House Ltd. with li le to choose Ac ng Deputy Editor – Sodiq Yusuf from. Deputy Photo Editor – Shola Aderinto Nigeria must not alDeputy Graphics Manager – Zainab Olalere low its next electoral Produc on Controller – Petkola Taiwo Ibitowa contest to become a OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing ba le over who can siHouse Limited, Behind Oranmiyan Building, Gbodofon, lence whom. The country needs fewer poli cal Off Gbongan Road, Osogbo, Osun State. brawls, stronger ins tuISSN : 0794-8050 ons, be er arguments Telephone : 0809-301-9152 and a genuine commitWebsite : www.osundefender.com/index.php ment to the sovereign e-mail : osundefenderhq@gmail.com right of ci zens to make osundefenderbank@gmail.com their choices freely. All correspondence to the above email addresses.
Between State Coercion And An Ideas De cit
tempts to frustrate mobilisa on in Sokoto and Kebbi, further expose the fragility of this environment. That the gatherings proceeded despite these concerns is a reminder that poli cal par cipa on remains a cons tu onal right, not a favour dispensed by those in government. Allega ons of inducement of security personnel or the mobilisa on of non-state actors to disrupt lawful poli cal ac vi es are par cularly serious and deserve impar al inves ga on. No democracy can thrive where poli cal compe on is conducted under the shadow of threats and fear. The security agencies must understand that their uniforms are not party colours, and their statutory responsibili es cannot be subordinated to the poli cal calcula ons of any administra on. Their duty is to protect all Nigerians and guarantee lawful poli cal ac vi es, irrespec ve of the poli cal affilia ons of those involved. The same obligaon applies to public ins tu ons, whose credibility depends on their ability to resist par san pressure and discharge their responsibili es without discrimina on. Unfortunately, the problems confron ng the democra c process are not limited to the treatment of opposi on par es. There is also a disturbing intellectual poverty in the country’s poli cal conversaon. Rather than presen ng compelling arguments on the economy, insecurity, unemployment, educaon, healthcare and the worsening cost of living, poli cal leaders increasingly find refuge in personal a acks, name-calling and the endless examina on of their oppo-
News
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 09, 2026 VOL. 21 NO 87 www.osundefender.com, email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com
A
senior friend and former colleague in the Senate recently asked whom I would vote for as President in the next elec on. “I do not know yet,” I replied. That remains my posi on. I have yet to hear, with sufficient clarity and convic on, how those seeking the office intend to address Nigeria’s most pressing problems. My vote must rest on more than personal affec on, ethnic solidarity or party affilia on. At this stage of my life, with the experience I have acquired, I owe myself—and my country—a considered choice. I need to be persuaded. There is something profoundly troubling about a poli cal class that can organise an elaborate procession towards power but struggles to explain what it intends to do with it. It can assemble governors, procure expensive vehicles, secure endorsements and fill stadiums. Yet ask for a clear, credible account of how it will improve the lives of Nigerians, and the confidence becomes less evident. Across party lines, our poli cs is crowded with personali es and starved of sustained engagement with ideas. Too many aspirants can explain whom they must defeat more convincingly than what they intend to build. Opposi on is not an agenda. Incumbency is not an ideology. Neither excuses in mida on, poli cal violence or the subs tu on of influence for persuasion. Consider Obafemi Awolowo. In the campaign leading to the 1979 elec ons, the Unity Party of Nigeria offered four cardinal programmes: free educa on, free health services, full employment and integrated rural development. I was a young school-leaver then. The appeal was easy to grasp because the programmes spoke directly to the circumstances of ordinary people. A parent understood the value of educa on. A sick person understood
PERSPECTIVE
BY BABAFEMI OJUDU
Big Jeeps, Small Ideas: Nigeria’s Politics Of Mediocrity
the promise of healthcare. A schoolleaver understood employment. A farmer recognised the importance of roads, water, electricity and access to markets. The programmes connected the pursuit of power to the daily business of living. Their affordability could be challenged. Their economic assump ons and administra ve demands could be ques oned. But there was something substan al to debate. Awolowo gave supporters a programme to defend and opponents an argument to answer. Integrated rural development also expressed a concep on of society: rural communi es should offer the services and opportuni es that enable ci zens to live produc vely and with dignity. Development should reach people where they lived. That is part of the work of poli cal thought: connec ng problems, establishing priori es and explaining how public ac on can improve human circumstances. The Na onal Party of Nigeria offered a different poli cal tradi on. Its government became associated with the Green Revolu on and low-cost housing, while its slogan, “One Na on, One Des ny,” expressed an aspira on to na onal unity. Whatever judgment we make about implementa on, agriculture, shelter and na onal cohesion were recognisable elements of its public proposi on. We should not roman cise the Second Republic. It had corrup on, patronage, electoral misconduct and bi er divisions. A programme did not guarantee competence or integrity. Nevertheless, poli cal compe on contained iden fiable arguments about what government should provide and how society should develop. Then there was Aminu Kano. Through the Northern Elements Progressive Union and later the Peoples Redemp on Party, he gave poli cal expression to the aspira ons of the talakawa—ordinary people confron ng entrenched privilege and unequal power.
His poli cs had an iden fiable social purpose. His name endures partly because it s ll evokes an understanding of whom government should serve. How many who claim these poli cal inheritances accept their intellectual obliga ons? How many professed heirs of Awolowo can sustain a serious discussion of public educa on, fiscal priori es and rural development? How many admirers of Aminu Kano will ques on privileges from which they benefit? It has become too easy to wear the cap, display the portrait and repeat the slogan while neglec ng the discipline. We must, however, describe the present failure fairly. It would be inaccurate to suggest that our principal presiden al contenders have never produced policy documents. The 2023 elec on featured manifestos from Bola Tinubu, A ku Abubakar and Peter Obi, among others. The ques on is what happened to those documents a er their presenta on. How consistently have their authors used them to explain decisions, defend priori es and accept scru ny? Can ci zens readily iden fy their central commitments, funding requirements and delivery metables? A manifesto should guide a campaign, discipline a government and give ci zens a basis for judging performance between elec ons. Too o en, it recedes once the launch ceremony ends. Personal modesty, however admirable, cannot by itself establish governing competence. Religious observance cannot subs tute for public policy. Nor can an incumbent secure a convincing claim to another term merely by blaming opponents for the country’s difficul es. Such appeals leave the central ques ons unanswered. There is an even more fundamental ques on: the unity of Nigeria itself. Every promise of prosperity, security and development rests on the con-
P2 nued existence of a country whose people believe they belong together. Yet, at a me of deep ethnic, religious and regional mistrust, I have heard far too li le from those seeking the presidency about how they intend to rebuild that sense of belonging. Who is explaining how to heal our divisions, address legi mate grievances and restore confidence that ci zenship carries equal rights and obligaons, regardless of origin or faith? Na onal unity cannot be sustained by slogans alone. It requires fairness in appointments, equity in public policy, respect for our diversity and ins tu ons that protect every ci zen. It requires leaders whose words and conduct give Nigerians reason to trust one another and their country. Those seeking the presidency must tell us how they intend to undertake this work. The responsibility begins with their campaigns: the language they use, the alliances they build and their willingness to reject appeals that set one community against another. Before asking Nigerians for the mandate to govern, they must explain how they intend to strengthen the naon we share. As another presiden al elec on approaches, Nigerians deserve a clearer account of their choices. President Bola Tinubu, as the incumbent, bears a par cular responsibility to explain his record and the case for con nuing his administra on. What has improved, and for whom? What has fallen short? Which assump ons require revision? What will change? When should ci zens expect improvements in household incomes, employment and personal security? What would another four years deliver, and how would progress be measured? These are reasonable ques ons from ci zens whose mandate is being sought. Every administra on asking people to endure difficult reforms must explain the expected benefits, the metable and the protec on available to those bearing the heaviest costs. Nigeria has the exper se to develop credible answers. Our universi es, professional associa ons, public service, private sector and diaspora contain people capable of serious policy work. A poli cal establishment able to finance extensive mobilisa on can finance the prepara on of a convincing programme. But a programme requires choices. Its sponsors must establish priori es, confront costs and accept limits. They must also accept obliga ons that ci zens can remember and measure. •Read full article on www.osundefender.com •-Ojudu, a former Senator served as Political Adviser to late President Muhammadu Buhari (2015-2023)
OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Behind Oranmiyan Building, Gbodofon, Off Gbongan Road, Osogbo, Osun State. All correspondence to the Acting Deputy Editor, SODIQ YUSUF, Telephone: 0809-301-9152. ISSN: 0794-8050. Website: www.osundefender.com Email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com, osundefenderhq@gmail.com