Big Gist Africa

The Parliamentary Watch Initiative (PWI) has dismissed allegations that the North East Development Commission (NEDC) operates a N246.77 billion salaries budget, describing the claim as misleading and a misrepresentation of Nigeria’s budgeting process. In a statement signed by its Convener, Amuta Gabriel Amuta, the civic oversight group said it conducted a full-scale investigation into the mandate, operations and financial structure of the NEDC and found the commission to be operating responsibly and within its statutory mandate. According to the group, its extensive forensic review of budget documents, statutory provisions and oversight reports showed that the NEDC under the leadership of its chairman, Major General Paul C. Tarfa (Rtd) and the Managing Director/CEO, Mohammed Goni Alkali is on track and performing beyond expectations for a relatively young development agency. The Parliamentary Watch Initiative explained that the N246.77 billion figure frequently cited in pub...

The All African Students Union (ASSU) has awarded former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari with a distinguished Award in Leadership and Services.  The ward which was presented during the inauguration of the President of the Union, Comrade Osisiogu Osikenyi, in an elaborate ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs auditorium, in Accra Ghana, at the weekend, highlighted the achievements of Senator Yari during his tenure as Zamfara State Governor, Chairman, Nigeria Governor's Forum (NGF), and now a serving senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.  Abdulaziz Yari is being celebrated across Africa as an icon of modern Nigeria, using his contributions towards Humanitarian activities, political development and critical infrastructural improvement as a base for African leadership and mentorship series. The Award which was presented by the African students union leaders led by the President, Comrade Osisiogu Osikenyi from Nigeria, the deputy...

The Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Hon Philip Agbese, has dismissed claims by Senator Ali Ndume.(Borno South) that the tax laws recently passed tax laws were falsified, describing it as “sheer mischief.”  He insisted that due legislative processes were followed and that issues being raised have already been addressed institutionally. Speaking in an interview on Friday in Abuja, Agbese described the allegations by Senator Ndume as misleading and capable of creating unnecessary tension and public distrust in the legislature. He said it was wrong for anyone to suggest that the National Assembly altered or concealed provisions of the tax laws, stressing that both chambers were committed to transparency and accountability. According to him, the House had already taken proactive steps by setting up a committee to examine concerns surrounding the tax legislation, making insinuations of cover-up or legislative fraud unfounded. “It is sheer mischief to sugg...

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)  has said that the commissioning of the Tudun Biri Resettlement Scheme in Kaduna State reflects the Federal Government’s transition from emergency relief to structured post-conflict recovery. The Director-General of NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Umar, stated this on Friday at the inauguration of the Resettlement Scheme for Persons Impacted by Conflict (RSPIC) in Igabi Local Government Area. Umar, who chairs the Project Implementation Unit, said the intervention demonstrates a deliberate focus on planned resettlement, livelihood restoration and social reintegration of displaced persons. She said the project, coordinated by the Office of the Vice President, followed technical assessments and consultations after the Dec. 3, 2023 drone incident that caused casualties and displacement in Tudun Biri community. According to her, the Kaduna component of RSPIC includes several housing sites, with Tudun Biri delivering 133 housing units, follow...

*Demand Minister Uzoka-Anite's resignation for selective payments, favouritism Approximately 500 lawyers, organised under the Concerned Lawyers for Probity and Justice, demonstrated at the Federal Ministry of Finance today in solidarity with indigenous contractors owed an estimated ₦4 trillion for completed capital projects.  The group, collaborating with the Enough is Enough Movement and the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN), accused the ministry of selective payments and favoritism, and demanded the resignation of Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite. The action follows repeated protests by contractors in recent weeks, including blockades of the ministry's entrance that prevented the minister from accessing her office and led to reports of security personnel firing shots into the air to disperse crowds.  Contractors claim that despite partial disbursements after demonstrations in December 2025, the majority of verified debt...

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has called on  African leaders to draw strategic lessons from the Abraham Accords, arguing that peace, economic integration and global relevance can be advanced through pragmatic cooperation even when political disputes remain unresolved. Frank, who made the call in a statement while outlining a policy brief titled, “The Abraham Accords and Africa: Strategic Lessons for Peace, Integration, and Global Relevance,” said the Middle East agreements initiated in 2020 marked a departure from traditional conflict resolution models by prioritising practical cooperation over the settlement of all historical grievances. He explained that the Abraham Accords are a set of agreements brokered by the United States in 2020 that established diplomatic normalisation between Israel and several Arab states, which marked a significant shift in Middle Eastern diplomacy.  According to h...