Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, is facing mounting criticism after the state government distributed branded wheelbarrows to women as part of a rural empowerment initiative.

The items, labeled “Hyacinth Cares,” were distributed last week to women involved in farming and petty trading.

According to state officials, the gesture was designed to ease produce transportation and enhance economic resilience in rural communities facing worsening security conditions.

The wheelbarrows are said to be constructed with steel frames and have a 100-litre capacity, aimed at aiding mobility and supporting local livelihoods.

However, the initiative has sparked outrage on social media and within the state, with many critics arguing that the programme is demeaning and fails to address more pressing needs such as poverty alleviation, insecurity, access to credit, and improved agricultural infrastructure.

The backlash has also revived memories of a similar scheme under former Governor Samuel Ortom in 2017, which involved distributing wheelbarrows to youths, a move that was heavily criticized at the time.

While some have described the wheelbarrow distribution as a symbolic and insufficient gesture, others have called for more meaningful and sustainable interventions, including provision of fertilisers, investment in mechanized farming, and improving access to financial services.

Former Publicity Secretary of the APC in Benue State, Dan-Morgan Ihomun, condemned the initiative, saying the state’s priorities were misplaced.

“On the wheelbarrows saga, I think the Benue State government should have rather provided fertilisers to farmers. Fertilisers are more important at these times,” he said.

In defense of the government, a statement released on July 21, 2025, by Comrade Ngorngor Talento, Media and Publicity Aide to the ALGOVC Chairman, highlighted other components of the empowerment efforts.

The statement disclosed that Deputy Chairman of Vandeikya Local Government and ALGOVC Chairperson in Benue, Rt. Hon. Janet Hembafan Orukuna, also distributed farm inputs under the Renewed Hope Initiative, a nationwide agricultural support programme spearheaded by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

“The Deputy Chairman of Vandeikya Local Government and Algovc Chairman Benue State Chapter, Rt. Hon. Janet Hembafan Orukuna, has successfully distributed farm inputs to beneficiaries in the local government area.

The intervention is part of the Renewed Hope Initiative, a nationwide agricultural support programme championed by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

The distribution took place at the Vandeikya Local Government Secretariat, where the Deputy Chairman emphasised the importance of agriculture in rural development and food security.

She applauded the First Lady’s visionary leadership and expressed her commitment to ensuring that the initiative reaches the grassroots,” the statement read.

The statement added that “Beneficiaries expressed appreciation for the support, describing the gesture as timely and impactful for the farming season.”

Despite attempts to frame the initiative as part of a broader agricultural intervention, public perception remains divided, with many calling for more strategic approaches to rural development and women’s empowerment in Benue State.

The newly redeployed Enugu State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Malachy Agbo, has called on staff of the ministry to renew their commitment to professionalism and effective communication of the government’s initiatives and programmes.

Addressing management and staff during his inaugural meeting at the Ministry, Dr. Agbo underscored the critical role of the Information Ministry in ensuring that citizens remain well-informed about ongoing government interventions aimed at enhancing good governance.

“The Enugu State Government, led by Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, is doing a lot to improve the lot of Ndi Enugu. Therefore, it is our duty to ensure that the people of the state are inundated with good governance news. We must disseminate information across all channels, engage the public, and ensure that facts are not distorted by mischief makers,” he stated.

Highlighting the essence of his reassignment, Agbo said it was to bolster public enlightenment and understanding of the government’s transformative programmes across sectors.

He stressed the importance of the ministry’s mandate and the need to execute it with diligence and unity.

“Everyone in this team has experience and strengths that will enable us to deliver on our mandate. We should strive to leverage our collective strengths to inform the public and set the records straight at all times,” he added.

Dr. Agbo assured staff that the ministry’s structural challenges would be addressed through a thorough evaluation of its operations, including a potential reallocation of duties to optimize performance and maximize individual capacities.

He expressed gratitude to Governor Peter Mbah for entrusting him with the position and pledged to work collaboratively with all ministry personnel to deliver timely and accurate information to the public.

Describing the meeting as interactive, he encouraged staff to remain steadfast, professional, and united in the pursuit of the ministry’s objectives.

Responding on behalf of the staff, the Head of Department for Administration and Supplies, Mrs. Ugochukwu Adimora, welcomed the Commissioner and expressed the ministry’s readiness to support his leadership.

“We pledge our support to the Commissioner in achieving the administration’s goals of keeping the public informed about the state government’s policies and programmes in a timely and accurate manner,” she said.

Senator Monday Okpebholo, Governor of Edo State, declared at a campaign rally in Igueben Local Government Area that his administration will begin commissioning a slew of completed projects, aiming to highlight the shortcomings of his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki.

Thanking APC supporters and new defectors, the governor emphasized renewed confidence in state governance:

“I want to thank all members of APC in Igueben Local Government Area. I want to thank the people who decided to say Edo is working again.”

Okpebholo promised an ambitious project commissioning plan:

“Very soon, we will replicate what Nyesom Wike is doing in the Federal Capital Territory by commissioning projects for a whole month. We are planning that in Edo State. We will soon commence the commissioning of completed projects across the three senatorial districts of the State.”

He didn’t hold back in criticizing the former administration:

“The past government said they were going to do a seaport; they never did a half‑kilometer. But today, we are doing it. We are constructing roads across Edo.”

Setting a bold benchmark, the governor affirmed: “We are going to do what they could not do for eight years in one year. Our work will speak for us.”

Highlighting the growing momentum within APC, Okpebholo interpreted recent defections as a sign of shifting political tides:

“They decided that the only way they can pay us back is to come and join us. Today, the narrative is changing.”

He added: “That means my promise of 2.5 million votes to the President comes 2027 is possible.”

Among the high-profile defectors received were Hon. Eugene Inegbobho (member representing Igueben in the Edo State House of Assembly), Hon. Felix Omi Imoisili (a two‑time council chairman and former PDP state secretary), and Hon. Sylvanus Igbogbo.

They were welcomed by Gen. Cecil Isekhaigbe (rtd), APC leader in Edo Central, and Jarret Tenebe, the party’s state chairman.

Political economist and public affairs analyst, Professor Pat Utomi, has come down hard on the National Assembly for approving a controversial borrowing plan exceeding $29 billion.

The economist warned that such unchecked debt accumulation could jeopardize Nigeria’s future and called for a constitutional overhaul mandating a balanced budget except when projected returns outweigh amortisation costs.

Speaking in Lagos, Utomi pointed to rampant corruption and poor governance as core drivers of Nigeria’s economic decay.

He pushed for “new thinking” in public service, urging the adoption of blockchain technology and the recruitment of individuals with proven integrity.

The borrowing decision has ignited a storm of reactions across the political landscape.

Defending the administration, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, responded to the backlash over the $22.5 billion loan approved by the National Assembly, stressing that the Ministry of Finance had already provided detailed information two months prior.

“Effective opposition requires engagement based on verifiable facts and precise analysis, rather than relying on lies, misleading narratives or unsubstantiated claims,” Onanuga wrote on X.

He described much of the criticism as baseless, arguing that constructive discourse should be rooted in analytical scrutiny, not misinformation.

However, Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi sharply disagreed with the government’s portrayal of the economic situation.

In a statement, he accused the Tinubu administration of manipulating data to obscure the nation’s worsening financial state.

“Tinubu’s administration is attempting to put a positive spin on the deteriorating economic and household conditions in Nigeria,” Obi said, alleging the government is misrepresenting statistics on inflation, unemployment, and GDP rebasing.

He pointed to a 2022 campaign remark by President Tinubu, where he reportedly dismissed data analysis with the phrase:

“Na statistics we go chop? All I want is to put food on the table of Nigerians.”

Obi lamented that despite such promises, Nigeria now ranks among the world’s hungriest countries, with millions facing daily struggles to meet basic needs.

He underscored the qualities he believes are vital for leadership:

“Governance is not rocket science; it’s not a gamble. Like I have always reiterated, it requires sincerity of purpose, character, competence, capacity and compassion.”

Ibukun Fadipe, a prominent chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State, has declared that Governor Ademola Adeleke does not need the backing of the Federal Government to secure re-election in 2026.

According to Fadipe, Adeleke’s impressive performance in office has earned him strong grassroots support across the state.

Speaking during a radio programme monitored by The Guardian, Fadipe, who also serves as Chairman of the State Universal Education Board, made startling claims about President Bola Tinubu’s recent approach to Governor Adeleke.

“President Bola Tinubu begged before the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, endorsed his 2027 re-election bid,” Fadipe revealed.

He added that Adeleke’s decision to support the President was made reluctantly after Tinubu emphasized several development demands for Osun, including refunds for federal road projects handled by the state government and fresh federal interventions.

“The governor accepted to support the President after he stressed the need for Tinubu to refund to Osun State the amount his administration had spent on constructing federal roads in the state, build other deplorable federal roads in the state and embark on other projects that will improve the status of Osun State,” Fadipe explained.

Fadipe also clarified that Adeleke did not require the Federal Government’s assistance to secure victory in the 2026 polls.

“He doesn’t need any support from the Federal Government before winning the 2026 governorship election in the state because he has performed exceedingly,” he said.

He noted that Adeleke’s support for Tinubu faced internal opposition within the PDP, but the governor eventually agreed after persistent efforts by the President’s emissaries.

“The pleadings and entreaties by some emissaries the President sent to the governor overwhelmed Adeleke into accepting Tinubu’s offer,” Fadipe stated.

According to Fadipe, an independent fact-finding mission sent by Tinubu to Osun confirmed the PDP’s dominance in the state, which influenced the decision to seek Adeleke’s political alignment.

“President Tinubu sent an independent team to Osun to find out which political party is popular before discovering that the PDP is the party to beat and so needed Adeleke’s backing,” he disclosed.

Fadipe further alleged that former governor and current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, has not adequately represented Osun at the federal level, prompting Adeleke to consider a political deal with Tinubu for the state’s benefit.

“The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, had failed to represent the state very well at the federal level,” Fadipe alleged.

He stressed that Adeleke’s cooperation with Tinubu should not be mistaken for an intention to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Adeleke’s intention was not to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state,” Fadipe clarified, “he considered Tinubu’s endorsement in the interest of the development of Osun.”

Meanwhile, ahead of the APC’s governorship primaries scheduled for November 2025, the party’s elders caucus convened a closed-door meeting with aspirants on Monday.

The meeting, held at the Ilobu residence of caucus chairman Sola Akinwumi, focused on party unity and preparations for the primaries.

Former Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, has suggested that Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, may soon return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to contest for the 2027 presidential ticket.

Obi, who recently aligned with other key opposition figures to form a political coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has publicly shown interest in running for president again.

The coalition’s primary goal is to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next general elections.

Despite Obi’s recent affiliation with the ADC-led coalition, there is growing speculation that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is also eyeing the PDP’s presidential ticket.

Speaking during an appearance on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, Sheriff disclosed that reliable intelligence indicates Obi’s return to the PDP is imminent.

“Atiku has been the vice president of Nigeria. So for him, (it is) president or nothing. Peter Obi ran under the Labour Party. His ambition is to become President,” Sheriff stated.

“Information available to me is that any moment from now, Obi would go back to the PDP and run as a presidential candidate under the PDP.”

He further argued that the potential PDP contest would likely narrow down to Obi, Atiku, and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi. Sheriff questioned the influence of Obi’s rivals within the party.

“So that leaves Vice President Atiku and (Rotimi) Amaechi. So tell me, which states do they control?” he asked.