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By Madu Obi The Anambra State government has proposed ₦757,884,487,705 budget estimate for the 2026 fiscal year. Governor Chukwuma Soludo presented the budget estimate to the state House of Assembly on Tuesday for approval. When compared to the 2025 budget of ₦606,991,849,118, the 2026 budget represents a 24.1% increase, which the governor said, reflects his administration's intensified focus on execution. Details showed that recurrent expenditure is projected at ₦162.6 billion, representing a 16.6% year-on-year growth, while capital expenditure stands at ₦595.3 billion, a 26.3% growth relative to 2025. According to the governor, the capital budget accounts for 79% of the total budget size, with recurrent expenditure at 21%, which is a clear demonstration of the state government's commitment to deliver tangible outcomes for Anambra people. Soludo said the budget deficit is estimated at ₦225.7 billion, representing 29.8% of the total budget size, adding that the deficit is expected to be financed, if necessary, through hybrid financing options, including possible privatization proceeds, bump in IGR collections, and concessionary borrowing mostly for bankable projects. He said: "Since the beginning of this administration, we have not borrowed to finance budget deficits, and depending on the pace of execution in 2026, we may still not need to borrow. "Our fiscal discipline remains firm. Relative to 2025, all key sectors increased year-on-year: Administrative Sector (12.2%), Economic Sector (26.7%), Social Sector (31.4%), Education (46.9%), Health (13%), and Infrastructure Investments (27.7%). These increases reflect our priorities in strengthening human capital, boosting economic growth, expanding critical infrastructure, and securing the well-being of Ndi Anambra. Our focus in 2026 is to deepen and consolidate the foundations laid in our first tenure, while also introducing new legacy projects that will define Anambra’s future for decades to come while delivering across the five pillars of the Solution Agenda." He said that the priorities of his administration remain security, law, and order; infrastructure and economic transformation; and human capital development, adding that at least 70% of the 2026 budget is allocated to these critical sectors, reflecting their importance to the long-term development trajectory. The governor said his government will sustain the momentum of development of transport infrastructure revolution especially building/dualizing strategic roads, bridges, and flyovers that connect the entire state. We will continue major investments in our mass transit systems, expanding buses, developing new jetties, acquiring boats, and facilitating safer, faster transportation along our waterways. We are exploring PPP financing model for our rail master plan. Alongside this, we are progressing with the development of three new cities: Awka 2.0, Greater Niger, and the Aerotropolis/ New Industrial-commercial City. The construction of the Anambra mixed-use industrial city will commence in earnest in 2026. This project signals the next phase of our industrial transformation. Urban planning and regeneration will be accelerated. Furthermore, we will intensify efforts to enhance the ease of doing business in Anambra State, ensuring that our State remains the preferred destination for both local and foreign investors. In 2026, our plan is to deepen ongoing investments in education, sustaining our free and qualitative education and bursary scheme. We will continue constructing new schools, while upgrading and equipping existing ones to meet modern standards. We will commence the construction of new public primary schools in 30 out of the 76 communities that have never had a public primary school, setting a new benchmark for what an ideal school should look like in Anambra State. Alongside this, we will sustain the aggressive upgrade of infrastructure in our primary and secondary schools through multiple schemes, especially the ASUBEB programme, ensuring that learning environments across the State are conducive and equipped. In addition, we will be establishing two specialist tertiary institutions to strengthen our higher education. We will continue to support mission schools, particularly the returned mission schools, the governor said.

By Madu Obi The Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has welcomed the new Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, ,Prof Bond Anyaehie to the Government House, Awka, describing the selection process that brought him to office as transparent. Soludo said that after reviewing the Vice-Chancellor’s impressive curriculum vitae, there is no doubt that he is the right person to lead the university to greater heights. Welcoming the VC to Anambra State, the governor urged individuals interested in public service to emulate the transparency and integrity demonstrated in the appointment of the seventh substantive Vice Chancellor of UNIZIK. Prof Anyaehie received the handover notes from the former Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Carol Arinze-Umobi and promised to take the university to greater heights. He promised to make the welfare of workers and students priority, announcing that all staff of the university who had worked for over five years, would get November and December salaries to enable them celebrate Christmas with others. He also said that the abandoned Vice Chancellor's Lodge will be commissioned in the next few weeks.

By Madu Obi The protracted leadership dispute in Enugwu Agidi, Njikoka local government area of Anambra State, heightened weekend with 87 members of Enugwu Agidi Brothers Union, EBU, announcing the suspension of the President General of the town, Hon Ebuka Onuorah over alleged high-handedness. Among those that signed the suspension letter were the Interim PG, Kenechukwu Okoye, the Assistant Publicity Secretary, Comrade Echezona Egbeonu, and the Legal Adviser, Barrister Justin Obuzo. The decision was taken after the Union carefully considered what it called series of infractions/violations of the EBU Nigeria constitution of 3 April 2010 by Onuorah. Though the estranged PG had received both the soft and hard copies of the removal letter, he is yet to respond. Some of the allegations levelled against the suspended PG include violation of the EBU National Executive Committee (NEC) policy by unilaterally changing the dates of the EBU 2025 December general conference and election, as well as consistent refusal to render the financial accounts of the union’s funds since assuming office on 29 December 2022, as required by Article 10 (2) of its law. They also alleged that since assuming office, the PG has consistently refused to present any written budget for the consideration of the CEC as stipulated on Article 22 (1) (j) and has never rendered any account of his stewardship to Enugwu-Agidi people. Other allegations include: * illegal suspension of Ichie Osita Anameze as the Onowu of Enugwu-Agidi and public humiliation of his good name and professional repute on both state, national, and international print and electronic media. *dissemination of false and malicious information and propaganda to injure the reputation of the Union or its officers or to bring the name of Enugwu-Agidi town into disrepute or ridicule by publicly announcing to the world that Ichie Osita Anameze has been removed as the Onowu of Enugwu-Agidi contrary to Article 36 (1) (a) and 42 (5) of the EBU Constitution; *aiding and abetting of illegal and pervasive grabbing of Enugwu-Agidi lands by inside and outside operators in contravention of Article 36 (1) (f-g); *connivance with some officers of your administration to dispossess a certain group of Enugwu-Agidi people and villages of their ancestral lands in contravention of Article 36 (1) (f-g); and *usurping the powers of the Council of Elders by meddling in land disputes and accepting bribes from parties involved in lend litigation in contravention of Article 32 (1) of the Constitution. He was also accused of sabotaging the development effort in Enugwu-Agidi by refusing to investigate or intervene in the destruction of barricades installed by Enugwu-Agidi Stakeholder Forum (ESF) at the boundary of Enugwu-Agidi - Amawbis Road in contravention of Chapter 10, Article 36 (g ~ h) 6) of the Constitution. He is equally accused of manufacturing and disseminating fake allegation that the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe M.C. Okekeuche, is a partisan politician who belongs to All Progressive Congress (APC) political party in order to bring igwe’s name and Enugwu-Agdi town into disrepute or ridicule with the ultimate goal of causing his dethronement. The new leadership said the suspension shall subsist pending the consideration of a committee set up to Investigate the infractions. "We request, by this notice, that you attend the sitting of the 5-person adhoc disciplinary committee, which would be communicated to you to defend yourself. We also request that you handover properties of the EBU Nigeria in your possession within 72 hours", they told the suspended PG. Onuorah, through one of his aides, however, said he would respond to the allegations at the appropriate time, even as he declined to comment on the allegations.

By Madu Obi Police operatives attached to the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu, Anambra State, have recovered a 3-year-old girl stolen by an apprentice working with her parents. The child, who was rescued at Nnobi, Idemili South LGA, Anambra State, has since been reunited her with her parents. According to the Police, preliminary investigation revealed that the child was stolen by one Miss Chioma Anioma, an apprentice to the victim’s family and upon realizing that operatives were closing in on her, allegedly escaped arrest in Calabar, Cross River State, where the child had been sold to another suspect now on the run. The state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Tochukwu Ikenga said that apparently in a bid to evade Police pressure, Chioma abandoned the child at Nnobi and later contacted the victim’s parents to disclose the location of the child. The PPRO said that intensive efforts are ongoing to trace, identify and arrest all suspects connected to the criminal syndicate responsible for the abduction and trafficking of the child.

By Madu Obi The Anambra State Police command has debunked stories making the round that a fire incident involving many vehicles at Ozubulu, Ekwisigo local government area of the state, was due to armed attack. A social media report had claimed that the attack was caused by gunmen that operated in a bush in the area, a development that had heightened tension in that axis. However, the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the fire incident was as a result of a fatal accident involving a truck and other vehicles. "It was not an attack by any armed group, contrary to false information circulating on social media. The unfortunate incident occurred in the early hours of 21st November 2025, when a tanker truck loaded with PMS (fuel) collided with a Toyota Corolla car. The collision caused the tanker to burst into flames, resulting in the complete burning of both vehicles and some nearby shops. Regrettably, a tricycle (Keke) within the area of impact was also engulfed by the fire, and the rider was fatally burned", Ikenga said. According to the PPRO, the Police Command has since initiated an investigation to establish the identities of the drivers and take other necessary actions. He said the Command strongly frowns at individuals and groups using the unfortunate incident to spread panic, fear, and tension in the state. "The Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, has ordered a probe into the social media publication to identify and unmask the handler responsible for spreading the fake and misleading report. The Command reassures the public of its commitment to ensuring accurate information flow, maintaining public safety, and preventing the spread of misinformation", the PPRO further said.

By Madu Obi The Managing Director/CEO of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), Mr. Mark Okoye, has cautioned against using the potential release of the jailed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, as a tool to influence votes in the South East during the 2027 general elections. In a statement at the weekend, Okoye warned that such narratives risk oversimplifying the region’s deeper challenges. According to him, peace and prosperity are not built on shortcuts, but through sustained investment, stability, and strategic development. Okoye said: "Those insisting that Mr. President must release Kanu to win the South East votes in 2027 risk trivializing the deeper work required. Peace and prosperity are not built on shortcuts. They are built through investment, stability, and a clear pathway to growth. Let us be guided by what we lived through, not by what is convenient to say on social media. We all remember how sit-at-home orders crippled livelihoods. We all remember how fear became a daily companion. We all remember parents praying for their children's safety on the simplest errands." He recalled the region’s recent history of insecurity and economic disruption, including shuttered businesses and communities living in fear, appealing that lessons learnt should guide public discourse, rather than social media sentiment. "What the South East needs is not appeasement. What the South East needs is investment. Our leaders should shift the conversation from political theatrics to measurable progress and development. The crisis that shook the South East did not begin in a courtroom, and it will not end in a courtroom,” Okoye said. He stressed that the region’s real challenge is underdevelopment, noting that lasting solutions lie in infrastructure, industrial parks, youth skills programmes, improved security, and coordinated state-federal development efforts. Okoye further emphasized that President Bola Tinubu’s obligations to the South East are not symbolic gestures, but a delivery on the commitments of the Renewed Hope Agenda, including job creation, industrialization, and agricultural modernization. He maintained that while relative peace has returned, the region must now translate stability into tangible growth.

By Madu Obi The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi has said that Nigeria is more naturally endowed than the United States of America, USA, and the United Kingdom, but continues to lag behind because it has not built the institutions and leadership culture required for development. Speaking at the 2025 Leadership Forum Conference in Abuja, themed “Rethinking Leadership: Uniting a Divided People.” Obi said leadership must be rooted in continuous learning. He say that nations function like families, where people with different perspectives coexist through understanding, noting that Nigeria’s religious and ethnic tensions are symptoms of leadership failure and not inherent national traits. According to him, identity politics thrives in Nigeria because incompetent leaders use ethnic or religious sentiments when they cannot compete on merit, recalling how he urged Nigerians not to vote for him based on his ethnicity or faith, but on competence and character. Obi linked the country’s governance challenges to its weak human development outcomes, saying, Nigeria’s life expectancy of about 54 years places it among the lowest in the world and reflects chronic underinvestment in health care". He criticized the poor treatment of medical professionals and academics, contrasting it with the remuneration of professors abroad who, he said, earn higher salaries than state governors. "In Nigeria, professors earn around ₦400,000 even as political officeholders control budgets running into hundreds of millions", he said. The former governor of Anambra State identified education as the core foundation of national development and argued that countries progress by nurturing talent and creating opportunities, citing Elon Musk’s decision to leave South Africa for the United States as an example of how environments shape potentials. Obi maintained that Nigeria is naturally better positioned than several advanced economies, with superior weather, fertile land, and abundant mineral resources. "The difference is that countries like the US and UK developed strong institutions, while Nigeria failed to build the systems needed to convert resources into national prosperity", he further stated. He warned that decisions being made today, including Eurobond borrowings maturing in 2048 and above will directly affect the youth, who will bear the cost of repayment. Encouraging young Nigerians not to lose hope, he urged Nigerian graduates to take opportunities anywhere in the world, but must remain committed to contributing to Nigeria’s progress. “Your future is tied to the decisions we make today,” he said. Obi also emphasized that law, order, and the rule of law are the intangible assets that drive economic growth in developed countries, noting that Nigeria’s transformation depends on leadership that respects institutions and upholds judicial independence.

By Madu Obi I'm Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has reacted to the conviction of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, arguing that the development could heighten national tension rather than ease it. In a statement, Obi said the news of Kanu’s conviction should compel every well-meaning Nigerian to pause and reflect, especially at a time like this, when the country is grappling with severe economic hardship, escalating insecurity, and the consequences of prolonged poor governance. According to him, Kanu should not have been arrested in the first place, noting that his arrest, detention, and now conviction represent a failure of leadership and a misreading of the real issues at stake. He observed that the concerns Kanu raised were neither unheard of nor insoluble, adding that they required wisdom, empathy, and genuine engagement. He stressed that in functional societies, legitimate grievances are addressed through dialogue, reforms, and inclusive governance—tools he believes were not sufficiently explored by the government. “Coercion becomes necessary only when reason has been exhausted. In this case, reason was not fully explored, if at all,” he said. While acknowledging that some may argue that “the law has taken its course,” Obi insisted that leadership often demands more than the rigid application of legal processes. He cited global examples where nations adopt political solutions, negotiated settlements, and even amnesty when legal outcomes alone threaten national stability. Nigeria, he said, should not be an exception. Obi likened the government’s handling of the matter to “a man trapped in a hole who continues digging instead of seeking a way out,” warning that such an approach only deepens mistrust and compounds the country’s already difficult condition. Calling for calm, Obi urged the Presidency, the Council of State, and respected statesmen to rise to the occasion and work towards sustainable peace, emphasizing the need for healing over hostility, reconciliation over retaliation, and dialogue over division. He, however, expressed optimism that, in the end, peace and reconciliation would prevail, provided Nigeria chooses the path of justice, fairness, and compassion.

By Madu Obi The wife of the Anambra State governor, Mrs Nonye Soludo has commended Vivian Onyinyechi Ebisi from Anambra State for emerging the best South East candidate at the 2025 ICT training and empowerment programme in Abuja. The programmme was organized by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in collaboration with the the first lady's Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI). In a congratulatory message, Mrs Soludo said the success of the state was an indication that investment into ICT by the state government is paying off. She said: "At the closing ceremony of the 2025 Women in ICT Training and Empowerment Program in Abuja, Anambra was, once again, in the limelight. "Our own Vivian Onyinyechi Ebisi, one of the eight incredible ladies that represented Anambra State in the training phase of the programmme, won the best candidate from the South East Zone. The amazing opportunity, which was provided by NITDA in collaboration with the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), has, of course, offered our girls an inspiring platform to learn and prepare better for the future before them. I'm super proud of my girls and the great efforts they have invested into the whole exercise. In the most special way, I deeply appreciate the First Lady of Nigeria and National Chairman of RHI, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, whose strategic partnership with NITDA and passion for the growth and development of women and girls, have made this great opportunity possible."

By Madu Obi The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) has attributed the two-day power outage in Awka and surrounding communities to loss of supply from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) 132KV line in Awada, Onitsha. The Group Head, Corporate Communications of EEDC, Mr Emeka Eze, said in a statement that the company is making efforts to restore power supply to the affected areas. The statement read: "We regret to inform our esteemed customers in Awka and surrounding communities that the current power supply interruption is due to a loss of supply from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) 132KV line in Awada. "We sincerely regret the inconvenience this outage has caused and appreciate your patience and understanding. Our team has been in continuous communication with TCN, and efforts are ongoing to ensure that supply is restored as soon as possible. We remain committed to delivering improved services to our customers."

By Madu Obi The governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has conveyed his sincere condolences to the Awolowo family, friends, and associates of Mr. Segun Awolowo Jnr, who passed away at the age of 62. In his condolence message, Governor Soludo described Segun Awolowo as a renowned lawyer, national patriot and prominent figure within the investment and export sector of Nigeria and Africa, who stood for excellence and dedication in public service. The governor said that as a grandson of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Segun embodied the principles of integrity, service, and leadership that his grandfather championed throughout his life. "He was not only a proud scion of the Awolowo dynasty, but also a vital contributor to Nigeria’s economic landscape, working tirelessly to elevate the standards of trade and investment across the continent", the governor said. According to Soludo, throughout his distinguished career, Segun Awolowo Jnr, who served diligently as the Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council from 2013 to 2021, championed initiatives that helped to foster economic growth and sustainable development in Nigeria. "His commitment to entrepreneurship and innovation inspired countless individuals and businesses, reinforcing the role of the private sector in driving national progress. In July 2021, Mr. Awolowo was unanimously elected President of the National Trade Promotion Organisations for ECOWAS member states, proving that his untiring passion for advancing Nigeria’s position in global markets will be sorely missed. Thus his passing is a significant loss, not only for his family but for our nation and Africa at large", he said. Governor Soludo consoled the Awolowo family, the Ogun State government, friends and associates of Segun Awolowo Jnr on his painful death.

By Madu Obi Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court has sentenced the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to life imprisonment. Kanu has been facing trial in a seven count charge for the past four years after he was brought back to Nigeria from Kenya. Delivering the judgment, Justice Omorosho noted that the gravity of Kanu’s offences ordinarily warranted the death penalty, adding however, that in line with the teachings of Jesus Christ on love and mercy, and given that death sentences are no longer fashionable globally, the court opted to show leniency by imposing a life sentence instead. According to the judge, several broadcasts made by Kanu through Radio Biafra amounted to acts of terrorism, adding that his rhetoric and intentions were anchored on violence. The court further held that Kanu’s sit-at-home directives in the South-East constituted terrorist activity, as they infringed on the freedom of movement of residents. The judge noted that evidence before the court showed that Kanu engaged in preparatory acts of terrorism through broadcasts in which he allegedly ordered the killing of police and military personnel and consequently found the IPOB leader guilty of committing acts of terrorism against the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He subsequently convicted him on all the seven counts, despite his plea of not guilty. The judgment was delivered in Kanu’s absence after he insisted that the court would not proceed with the terrorism case filed against him by the Federal Government. Following a heated exchange, the judge ordered security operatives to remove him from the courtroom for what was described as “unruly behaviour.”