Tinubu Pledges All Salaries To Support Wounded Military Personnel, Fallen Heroes’ Families As Birthday Gift

 President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Sunday marked his 74th birthday with a significant gesture of solidarity and support for Nigeria’s Armed Forces, announcing the establishment of a special fund for serving military personnel wounded in the line of duty, as well as the families of fallen heroes.

In a personally signed statement, the President disclosed that he had directed the Accountant-General of the Federation to establish a dedicated account for the initiative, which is aimed at complementing existing insurance and welfare schemes for officers and men of the Armed Forces.

As a personal demonstration of commitment, Tinubu said all his salaries since assuming office as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces would be paid into the special account as seed funding.

The President said the fund would provide direct support for military personnel who have suffered life-altering injuries in active service, particularly those who have lost limbs, as well as widows, widowers, and children of officers and soldiers who paid the supreme price in defence of the nation.

“Today, I have directed the Accountant-General of the Federation to establish a special account for a fund dedicated to those who serve, those wounded in the line of duty, and the families of those who have paid the ultimate price,” Tinubu stated.

“As a personal commitment, all my salaries since assuming office will be paid into this account as seed funding, irrespective of existing insurance and welfare schemes for members of our armed forces,” he added.

The President used the occasion of his birthday to salute what he described as the valiant men and women of the Armed Forces, stressing that the country owes a permanent debt of gratitude to those who daily put themselves in harm’s way to safeguard Nigeria’s peace, unity, and territorial integrity.

He said the initiative must not be seen as an act of charity, but as a solemn obligation owed by the nation to those who bear the burden of its defence.

“This is not charity. It is duty. And we will fulfil it,” the President declared.

Tinubu also called on state governors, members of the National Assembly, the private sector, friends of the administration, and other patriotic Nigerians to support the initiative once details of the account are formally unveiled.

“I call on our Governors, members of the National Assembly, the private sector, my friends and all well-wishers to support this initiative. Details of the account will be made available in due course,” he said.

The President further underscored the need for the country to continually honour the sacrifices of military personnel and the burdens borne by their families, especially those who have lost breadwinners or continue to live with the physical and emotional scars of war and internal security operations.

“We must never forget those who stand in harm’s way for our peace, nor the sacrifices borne by their families,” Tinubu said.

The announcement is expected to resonate widely across the country and may open a fresh chapter in efforts to strengthen post-service welfare, rehabilitation, and long-term support for wounded servicemen and women, as well as the dependants of those who died in active service.

President Tinubu’s gesture comes at a time when calls have continued to grow for more robust support structures for military personnel and their families amid persistent security operations in different parts of the country.

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PDP Moves To Stop Fresh Convention, Seeks Supreme Court Stay On Appeal Court Judgment

The leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a fresh turn on Friday as the party, alongside its National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC), approached the Supreme Court seeking to halt moves toward a fresh national convention scheduled for March 29 and 30 in Abuja. 

In a motion filed before the apex court, the PDP and its key organs asked for a stay of execution of the March 9, 2026 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, which affirmed an earlier Federal High Court ruling nullifying the party’s 2025 national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State. 

The application, brought in Appeal No. SC/CV/166/2026, is seeking an order restraining the respondents and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from giving effect to the appellate court judgment pending the hearing and determination of the substantive appeal. 

The party also urged the Supreme Court to stop all steps toward the planned Abuja convention, warning that if the exercise is allowed to proceed, it could render the pending appeal nugatory and create a fait accompli. 

Among those listed as respondents in the suit are Austin Nwachukwu, Amah Abraham Nnanna, Turnah Alabh George, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Umar Damagum, Ali Odefa, Emmanuel Ogidi, and INEC. 

The fresh legal move follows the March 9 judgment of the Court of Appeal which upheld the decision of the Federal High Court barring INEC from recognising the outcome of the PDP’s November 15 and 16, 2025 national convention in Ibadan. The convention had produced a factional leadership with Taminu Turaki, SAN, emerging as National Chairman. The appellate court held that the party failed to meet statutory requirements before conducting the convention, including valid notice to INEC and compliance with constitutional procedures.

Following the appellate court ruling, the faction opposed to the Ibadan convention insisted that the planned March 29 and 30 national convention in Abuja would proceed as scheduled. A spokesperson of the group, Haruna Mohammed, had said the party had already conducted ward and local government congresses in compliance with the lower court judgment and would continue with arrangements for the convention.

However, the PDP applicants, in the motion now before the Supreme Court, argued that both the trial court and the Court of Appeal lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter, insisting that the apex court must preserve the subject matter of the dispute pending the determination of the appeal. 

The party is specifically asking the Supreme Court for an order staying execution of the appellate judgment, or in the alternative, an injunction restraining INEC from recognising or acting on the judgment as it affects the Ibadan convention. It is also seeking an order stopping the respondents from organising, conducting, recognising or participating in any fresh PDP national convention until the appeal is heard and determined. 

The latest development is expected to deepen the battle for control of the PDP’s national structure, with the outcome of the Supreme Court proceedings likely to shape the future of the opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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NANS Presidency Aspirant Pays Pupils’ Fees, Donates Uniforms In Akure On Birthday

A student leader and aspirant for the office of President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, popularly known as BABTEE, has marked his birthday with an education support initiative for primary school pupils in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

As part of the outreach, the student activist paid the school fees of selected pupils in a number of primary schools and also provided them with new school uniforms, sandals and school bags.

Akinteye, in a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday, said the gesture was inspired by his desire to give back to society and support the growth of basic education.

Quoting former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, he said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give,” adding that he considered it appropriate to use the occasion of his birthday to invest in the future of children through education.

According to him, education remains the foundation upon which nations rise and thrive, stressing that every child deserves a solid start in life through access to quality primary education.

He noted that Ondo State, which he described as the cradle of his student leadership journey, holds a special place in his heart, hence his decision to celebrate the occasion in Akure.

The NANS presidency hopeful said his choice to carry out the intervention in the state capital was also in line with his commitment to educational development as he prepares for what he described as the apex and distinguished office of NANS President.

Afeez explained that the initiative focused on easing the burden on parents while encouraging pupils to remain committed to their studies.

He said primary education is the cornerstone of opportunity and urged stakeholders at all levels to invest more in the sector, noting that education sharpens minds, shapes destinies and helps build a society founded on strong values.

He expressed gratitude to God for the grace to impact lives, describing the outreach as the beginning of a broader mission to make meaningful and lasting contributions to society.

The schools that benefited from the gesture include St. Francis Primary School, Akure; St. Martin’s RCM Primary School, Akure; Ebenezer A/C Primary School, Akure; St. Stephen’s Anglican Primary School, Ijomu, Akure; and Muslim Primary School, Akure.

Afeez, who styles himself as “The Harbinger of The Blessed Era,” said the intervention marks the beginning of what he hopes will become a sustained commitment to supporting education and impacting lives across communities.

He added that nothing would discourage him from pursuing causes that create lasting value and leave what he described as “an impact for eternity.”

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