President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday presented a ₦1.78 trillion budget proposal for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to the National Assembly, urging lawmakers to fast-track its passage to facilitate critical development projects.

The ₦1,783,823,708,309 budget was formally submitted in a letter addressed to the National Assembly leadership, which Speaker Tajudeen Abbas read aloud on the House floor.

Tinubu stated that the budget presentation was in compliance with Section 299 of the Nigerian Constitution, which empowers the president to lay the FCT’s budget before the legislature.

In his letter, the president emphasised that the proposed budget would boost key sectors, including health, social welfare, agriculture, and employment.

READ ALSO: FCT achieved 90% performance of N1trn 2024 budget – Wike

“The passage of the budget would facilitate investment in health and social welfare, increase agricultural production, and improve the creation of jobs,” he wrote.

Highlighting the budget’s priorities, Tinubu revealed that 85% of the total allocation would be directed toward completing ongoing infrastructure and development projects, while the remaining 15% would fund new initiatives.

The president concluded his message with a direct appeal to legislators: “I urge the National Assembly to give this budget the urgent attention it deserves, in the interest of accelerating development within the FCT.”

READ ALSO: Wike vows aggressive revenue drive to complete ongoing projects in FCT

The proposed budget is one of the largest ever for the territory and underscores the administration’s focus on preserving the continuity of existing capital projects while gradually expanding new investments.

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The FCT budget presentation comes at a time of heightened national expectations for improved urban services and job creation in the capital city.

Smokey Robinson is facing a major legal challenge after four women filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles on Tuesday, May 6, accusing the legendary singer of repeated s3xual assault and rape during their time working for him and his wife, Frances Gladney Robinson. The four Jane Does allege they were employed as housekeepers for the Robinson household and that their periods of employment overlapped. According to the suit, the alleged abuse spans years, with the earliest incident dating back to 2007. The women claim that while Frances was away, Smokey would summon them to his bedroom or other private areas in the home, where the assaults allegedly took place. Each of the women describes similar patterns of abuse, including forced oral s3x, digital penetration, and full intercourse against their will. The suit claims the victims explicitly told him no during these encounters. Two of the women further allege that Robinson ejaculated inside them without using protection. According to the filing, Smokey would sometimes prepare by laying a towel down before the assaults to avoid soiling bed linens. The women are now suing him for s3xual battery, assault, false imprisonment, and gender violence, seeking damages of at least $50 million. Frances Robinson is also named in the lawsuit, though the plaintiffs do not accuse her of participating in the alleged assaults. Instead, they argue she was aware of prior alleged misconduct by her husband and failed to take action. They also accuse her of contributing to a hostile work environment through the use of racially insensitive language, excessive workloads, and the denial of legally mandated meal and rest breaks. As of now, neither Smokey nor Frances Robinson has responded publicly to the allegations.The post Singer Smokey Robinson sued for s3xual battery by 4 former housekeepers appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.

In a rare display of fiscal accountability, Jigawa State Commissioner for Special Duties, Auwalu Sankara, has refunded the state government ₦301 million in unspent funds from the 2025 Ramadan feeding initiative.

The development was announced during the State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Umar Namadi.

The council commended Sankara for what it described as a “notable display of accountability.”

The Ramadan feeding initiative, which aimed to alleviate hunger during the holy month, was allocated ₦4.8 billion and operated across all 27 Local Government Areas of the state.

READ ALSO: Governor of 3rd poorest state in Nigeria approves ₦4.8bn for Ramadan meals

It featured 700 feeding centres and served meals to over 5,550 residents daily during the 29-day fasting period.

Each centre catered to more than 300 individuals, with support extended to local farmers and business owners to sustain the programme’s food supply chain.

“The commissioner’s action is a commendable demonstration of integrity and transparency in public service.

“This kind of conduct reinforces the public’s trust in government and sets a benchmark for future public office holders,” the executive council stated

READ ALSO: Gov Bago to subsidise food prices for Niger residents during Ramadan

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The decision to return the unspent funds comes as Nigerians increasingly demand higher standards of accountability from public officials.

Observers say the move could signal a shift in how state-level projects are managed and evaluated.

Sankara has not issued a personal statement on the refund, but was praised broadly across government circles for his stewardship.

The state government has yet to disclose how the refunded ₦301 million will be reallocated, but sources suggest it may go toward social welfare or infrastructure projects.

The Ramadan initiative also strengthened local economies by involving community members in food procurement and distribution—an approach observers say added both economic and social value.