End Bad Government Protests in Nigeria

The new month of August started with widespread #EndBadGovernance protests in different states in Nigeria.  Banks and other companies were shut and public transport services were suspended in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory and in Lagos, the commercial capital of the most populous country in Africa. Riots were reported in several locations in spite of the presence of both police and military patrols on the major roads and streets to prevent lawlessness and violence.

The majority of people are lamenting the economic challenges of survival caused by the administrative failures of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu since his oath of office on May 29, 2023. 

President Tinubu Welcomes Tribunal Verdict, Calls For Joint Efforts To Build The Nation

 STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

PRESIDENT TINUBU WELCOMES TRIBUNAL VERDICT AND CALLS FOR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS TO BUILD THE NATION

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Wednesday, has assured Nigerians of his renewed and energized focus on delivering his vision of a unified, peaceful and prosperous nation, following the judgment by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja.

President Tinubu welcomes the judgment of the Tribunal with an intense sense of solemn responsibility and preparedness to serve all Nigerians, irrespective of all diverse political persuasions, faiths, and tribal identities.

The President recognizes the diligence, undaunted thoroughness, and professionalism of the five-member bench, led by Justice Haruna Tsammani in interpreting the law.

The President affirms that his commitment to the rule of law, and the unhindered discharge of duties by the Tribunal, as witnessed in the panel's exclusive respect for the merits of the petitions brought forward, further reflect the continuing maturation of Nigeria’s legal system, and the advancement of Africa's largest democracy at a time when our democratic system of government is under test in other parts of the continent.

The President believes the Presidential Candidates and Political Parties that have lawfully exercised their rights by participating in the 2023 general elections and the judicial process, which followed, have affirmed Nigeria’s democratic credentials.

The President urges his valiant challengers to inspire their supporters in the trust that the spirit of patriotism will now and forever be elevated above partisan considerations, manifesting into support for our Government to improve the livelihood of all Nigerians.

Once more, President Tinubu thanks Nigerians for the mandate given to him to serve our country while promising to meet and exceed their expectations, by the grace of God Almighty, and through very diligent hard work with the team that has been put in place for that sole purpose.

_

Chief Ajuri Ngelale
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
September 6, 2023

Speech By Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, President, African Development Bank Group: Inauguration Lecture for the New President of Nigeria

Africa: Speech Delivered by Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina - President, African Development Bank Group: Inauguration Lecture for the New President of Nigeria on 27 May 2023 at Abuja, Nigeria PRESS RELEASE

Speech Delivered by Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina - President, African Development Bank Group: Inauguration Lecture for the New President of Nigeria on 27 May 2023 at Abuja, Nigeria

The African Development Bank was ranked last year by the Washington D.C.-based Center for Global Development as the “Best Multilateral Development Bank in the World”

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, May 30, 2023/ -- PROTOCOLS Your Excellencies, I wish to thank President Muhammadu Buhari for his personal invitation to me to attend the ceremonies for the swearing-in of the incoming President-elect, H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Congratulations Mr. President on Nigeria’s 7th consecutive democratic transition. Congratulations to the incoming President and Vice President. I wish to thank the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Chairman, and members of the Presidential Transition Council, for inviting me to speak at this inauguration lecture for the incoming President of Nigeria. It is such a great honor, to share my views and perspectives, as the nation gets ready to have a passing of the baton between H.E. President Muhammadu Buhari, and the incoming-President, H.E. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It is your turn! I wish to congratulate you Mr. President for your stewardship of Nigeria for the past eight years. Thank you very much for all your strong support for me, as President of the African Development Bank Group. Without your strong support for me in 2015, and then in 2020, I would not have been President of the African Development Bank. There is a saying that “anyone that is sent on an errand must come back and report to the one who sent him or her.” Mr. President, you sent me on an errand, and I am here to give you a report. I am pleased to let you know that the African Development Bank was ranked this year by Publish What You Fund as the “Most Transparent Institution in the World.” The African Development Bank was ranked last year by the Washington D.C.-based Center for Global Development as the “Best Multilateral Development Bank in the World”. Dear Mr. President, as you leave, you can take pride that the mission for Africa is being well executed. I wish to congratulate the incoming President, H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, who will take over the mantle of stewardship of Nigeria tomorrow. I am delighted that my very dear friend and brother, President Uhuru Kenyatta, former President of Kenya was invited to deliver the inauguration lecture. He was a great leader for Kenya. I am sure he must be wondering why there are two Kenyans on the same panel. Well… I lived in Kenya for close to ten years. I remember, one day when then President Goodluck Jonathan visited Kenya and I accompanied him as a minister, as the two Presidents were introducing members of their delegations, President Jonathan said, “Meet Dr. Adesina, Minister of Agriculture”, to which President Kenyatta responded, “Yes, Adesina is the Kenyan on loan to Nigeria as Minister.” We all laughed! Thank you, President Kenyatta, for your incredibly insightful and excellent speech. Your Excellencies, The election of a new President always elicits hope. Nigeria will be looking to you, as President Tinubu, on your first day in office, with hope. Hope that you will assure security, peace, and stability. Hope that you will heal and unite a fractious nation. Hope that you will rise above party lines and forge a compelling force to move the nation forward, with inclusiveness, fairness, equity, and justice. Hope that you will drastically improve the economy. Hope that you will spark a new wave of prosperity. And hope must be brought to the present, as hope deferred makes the heart grow weary. Your Excellencies, The starting point must be macroeconomic and fiscal stability. Unless the economy is revived and fiscal challenges addressed boldly, resources to develop will not be there. No bird can fly if its wings are tied. Nigeria currently faces huge fiscal deficits, estimated at 6% of GDP. This has been due to huge federal and state government expenditures, lower receipts due to dwindling revenues from export of crude oil, vandalism of pipelines and illegal bunkering of crude oil. According to Nigeria’s Debt Management Office, Nigeria now spends 96% of its revenue servicing debt, with the debt-to-revenue ratio rising from 83.2% in 2021 to 96.3% by 2022. Some will argue that the debt to GDP ratio at 34% is still low compared to other countries in Africa, which is correct; but no one pays their debt using GDP. Debt is paid using revenue, and Nigeria’s revenues have been declining. Nigeria earns revenue now to service debt—not to grow. The place to start is to remove the inefficient fuel subsidies. Nigeria’s fuel subsidies benefit the rich, not the poor, fueling their and government’s endless fleets of cars at the expense of the poor. Estimates show that the poorest 40% of the population consume just 3% of petrol. Fuel subsidies are killing the Nigerian economy, costing Nigeria $10 billion alone in 2022. That means Nigeria is borrowing what it does not have to if it simply eliminates the subsidies and uses the resources well for its national development. Rather, support should be given to private sector refineries and modular refineries to allow for efficiency and competitiveness to drive down fuel pump prices. The newly commissioned Dangote Refinery by President Buhari—the largest single train petroleum refinery in the world, as well as its Petrochemical Complex—will revolutionize Nigeria’s economy. Congratulations to Aliko Dangote for his amazing $19 billion investment! Your Excellencies, There is an urgent need to look at the cost of governance. The cost of governance in Nigeria is way too high and should be drastically reduced to free up more resources for development. Nigeria is spending very little on development. Today, Nigeria is ranked among countries with the lowest human development index in the world, with a rank of 167 among 174 countries globally, according to the World Bank 2022 Public Expenditure Review report. To meet Nigeria’s massive infrastructure needs, according to the report, will require $3 trillion by 2050. According to the report, at the current rate, it would take Nigeria 300 years to provide its minimum level of infrastructure needed for development. All living Nigerians today, and many generations to come, will be long gone by then! We must change this. Nigeria must rely more on the private sector for infrastructure development, to reduce fiscal burdens on the government. Your Excellencies, Much can be done to raise tax revenue, as the tax-to-GDP ratio is still low. This must include improving tax collection, tax administration, moving from tax exemption to tax redemption, ensuring that multinational companies pay appropriate royalties and taxes, and that leakages in tax collection are closed. However, simply raising taxes is not enough, as many question the value of paying taxes, hence the high level of tax avoidance. Many citizens provide their own electricity, sink boreholes to get access to water, and repair roads in their towns and neighborhoods. These are essentially high implicit taxes. Nigerians therefore pay the highest ‘implicit tax rates’ in the world. Governments need to assure effective social contracts by delivering quality public services. It is not the amount collected, it is how it is spent, and what is delivered. Nations that grow better run effective governments that assure social contracts with their citizens. Your Excellencies, We must rebalance the structure and performance of the economy. A very common refrain in Nigeria, with every successive government, is “We need to diversify the economy.” But is it so? The economy of Nigeria is one of the most diversified in Africa, with the oil sector accounting for only 15% of the GDP, and 85% is in the other sectors. Nigeria’s challenge is not diversification. Nigeria’s challenge is revenue concentration. This is because the oil sector accounts for 75.4% of export revenue and 50% of all government revenue. The solution, therefore, is to unlock the bottlenecks that are hampering 85% of the economy. These include low productivity, very poor infrastructure and logistics, epileptic power supply, and inadequate access to finance for small and medium-size enterprises. Nigeria must also shift away from import substitution approach to export-focused industrialization. Nations do not thrive through import substitution; they thrive from export-bound industrialization. Your Excellencies, For faster growth, Nigeria must decisively fix the issue of power, once and for all. There is no justification for Nigeria not having enough power. The abnormal has become normal. Nigeria’s private sector is hampered by the high cost of power. Providing electricity will make Nigerian industries more competitive. And it is not brain surgery. Take two examples: Kenya and Egypt. With the support of the African Development Bank, Kenya, under President Kenyatta, was able to expand electricity access from 32% in 2013 to 75% in 2022. What an incredible achievement within 10 years! Today, 86% of Kenya’s economy is powered by renewable energy. And in one project—the Last Mile Connectivity Project—the Bank’s support allowed Kenya to connect over 2.3 million poor households to electricity—that is over 12 million people provided with affordable connection to grid power. In 2014, Egypt had electricity deficit of 6,000 megawatts, but by 2022 it had 20,000 megawatts of surplus power generation capacity. Amazing! I commend the Government of Nigeria on the recent commissioning of the several power projects. But there is still much to do. Nigeria should invest massively in renewable energy, especially solar. The African Development Bank is implementing a $25 billion Desert-to-Power program to provide electricity for 250 million people across the Sahel, including the northern parts of Nigeria. Your Excellencies, For inclusive development, Nigeria must completely revive its rural areas. Nigeria’s rural areas are forgotten and have become zones of economic misery. To revive and transform these rural economies, we must make agriculture their main source of income, a business and a wealth creating sector. To be clear, agriculture is not a development sector. Agriculture is a business. The development of Special Agro-industrial Processing Zones will transform agriculture, add value for agricultural value chains and attract private sector food and agribusinesses into rural areas. Special agro-industrial processing zones will help turn rural areas into new zones of economic prosperity and create millions of jobs. The African Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development are currently supporting the implementation of a $518-million Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones’ program in 7 states and the Federal Capital Territory. We are ready to help expand this to every state in the country. We are equally ready to help revamp agricultural lending institutions to help modernize the food and agriculture sector. Your Excellencies, The best asset of Nigeria is not its natural resources; Nigeria’s best asset is its human capital. We must invest heavily in human capital to build up the skills Nigeria needs to be globally competitive, in a rapidly digitized global economy. We must build world class educational institutions, and accelerate skills development in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, as well as in ICT and computer coding, which will shape the jobs of the future. Your Excellencies, There is an urgent need to unleash the potential of the youth. Today, over 75% of the population in Nigeria is under the age of 35. This presents a demographic advantage. But it must be turned into an economic advantage. Nigeria must create youth-based wealth. We must move away from the so-called “youth empowerment programs”. Youths do not need handouts. They need investments. The current banking systems do not and will not lend to the youth. Special funds, while palliative in approach, are not systemic and are also not sustainable. What’s needed to unleash the entrepreneurship of the youth in Nigeria are brand new financial ecosystems that understand, value, promote and provide financial instruments and platforms for nurturing business ventures of the youth at scale. The African Development Bank and partners including Agence Francaise de Developpement and the Islamic Development Bank launched the $618 million I-DICE program to develop digital and creative enterprises. They will create 6 million jobs and add $6.3 billion to Nigeria’s economy. Your Excellencies, The African Development Bank is currently working with Central Banks and countries to design and support the establishment of Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Banks. These will be new financial institutions, run by young, professional, and highly competent experts and bankers, to develop and deploy new financial products and services for businesses and ventures of young people. Several African countries plan to establish Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Banks. Nigeria should establish the Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank. Your Excellency, Mr. President-elect, Nigeria’s economy needs to soar! You have an opportunity to make history. History by building a resurgent Nigeria. A united and prosperous Nigeria. It is Nigeria’s turn! I wish you all the best for success. May God bless—and help you. And may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB). SOURCE African Development Bank Group (AfDB)

The Quest for Excellence: The Guardian at 39

The Quest for Excellence: The Guardian at 39

The Guardian’s commitment to excellent journalism in the decades ahead is, and shall be, non-negotiable under the enduring stewardship of first class editorial board with some of Africa’s finest brains and business icons

Access Multimedia Content

ABUJA, Nigeria, July 4, 2022/ -- Founded by Mr. Alex Uruemu Ibru (1945-2011), The Guardian’s (https://Guardian.ng) foundational rationale upon inception on July 4, 1983 was simple: to create an intellectually driven, independent newspaper presenting balanced and factual coverage of events comparable with the best in Nigeria and globally. Underpinning that was the philosophy of integrity, good conscience and high ethical standards. Through the highs of lows of press freedom, human rights violations, breaches of the rule of law, by Nigeria’s military dispensation; to the return to multiparty democratic rule in 1999, and its inherent challenges in a complex multi-ethnic Nigeria, The Guardian has remained at the vanguard of the dissemination of knowledge-driven, evidence-based information, education and policy development, embedding the rule of law, proactively advancing women’s right; and straddling the diverse realms of economics, legal research, nation-building, politics, science and sports. These phenomenal achievements have been made possible by a formidable team of experienced and excellent journalists including, but not restricted to, the likes of Lade Bonuola (the pioneer editor), Emeka Izeze, Martins Oloja (the current Editor-in Chief and Managing Director), Sonala Olumese, Professor GG Darah to name a few. It is often said that the constancy of change is non-negotiable. Likewise, the constancy of The Guardian’s commitment to excellent journalism in the decades ahead is, and shall be, non-negotiable under the enduring stewardship of first class editorial board with some of Africa’s finest brains and business icons with impeccable credentials. Happy birthday to The Guardian — Lady Maiden Alex-Ibru As The Guardian Newspaper marks its 39th year on the newsstand today, its publisher, Lady Maiden Alex-Ibru, has commended the tenacity of readers, who have remained steadfast to the brand and also associates of the newspaper, who equally have continued to defend what it stands for. In a statement issued to mark the day, the newspaper publisher also commended the advertisers for remaining loyal to the brand. Her words: “To our advertisers and advertising agencies, we can’t thank you enough for enabling us to keep the flag of our flagship of the Nigerian press flying.” She added, “I would like to thank you for your commitment and loyalty to our brand for 39 years! We have been passing through some economic challenges that have affected our purchasing powers, but you have remained resilient. A load of our hearty thanks.” She also said in the statement, “to all our associates and members of the editorial board, I salute your courage, confidence and grit. You have been wonderful, as you have sustained what we stand for these past 39 years. You have kept the faith by producing an independent newspaper established for the purpose of presenting a balanced coverage of events, of promoting the best interests of Nigeria…” She continued: “As my late husband, the founder of this newspaper Dr Alex Uruemu Ibru always admonished us in discharging our fundamental objective, “good journalism matters to our quest for nation building.” “We should continue to practise journalism as a weapon for mass reconstruction of our broken walls in Africa’s most populous nation, Nigeria. That is a good way of sustaining the legacy of my late husband, which is my passion. “We will be alive by His grace next year to mark our 40th Birthday in style!” Only last year, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had poured encomiums on the paper at the launch of ‘The Making of The Nigerian Flagship: A Story of The Guardian’, a collection of reminisces by earlier Rutamites, compiled by Aaron Ukodie and O’Seun Ogunseitan, Osinbajo had noted: “The story of The Guardian Newspaper is significant, for the redefinition it represents for the print media in Nigeria, and for its uniqueness in bringing public intellectuals and academics into journalism and breeding a generation of talented journalists.” He also said The Guardian upholds “the proud and illustrious tradition of the Nigerian press that practises journalism with a social mission and a commitment to speaking truth to power. It played an important role in the struggles that birthed our democracy, suffering proscription and the firebombing of its business offices at Rutam House.” He noted that to grasp the significance of The Guardian, it is important to situate its odyssey within the larger Nigerian story and particularly in the context of the evolution of the fourth estate in the country. “The Guardian is no longer just a newspaper house, but a public institution – one that has served as an exemplar and a model for generations of media practitioners who replicate its ethos and standards in different ways. “The Guardian has embodied in these past years fidelity to the principle of balance, objectivity and fair-hearing, not only as a corporate culture but also as a moral obligation to the larger society; that insistence by the gatekeeper that leads are well investigated and reports are well researched before the copy is passed for publication,” the vice president added. Birth of The Guardian Though the idea of setting up a newspaper was sown early in Dr. Alex Uruemu Ibru’s life, the birth of The Guardian when he had become a contented businessman, a multi-millionaire with considerable influence in business, changed the narrative of newspapering in the country. Ibru was fascinated by the power of the media as an intermediary between government, the people and business, and how indeed a newspaper could be used to set agenda for society. The idea to launch a newspaper started in 1976 and The Guardian newspaper as a brand in 1978. However, due to the economic recession then, it was shelved, but later realised when it finally hit the newsstand on February 27, 1983. Five months after, on July 4, 1983, the daily edition also came on board. The print media company, after over five years of painstaking incubation began the journey of “providing the best and most authoritative newspaper” as it pursued its philosophical underpinning as “an independent newspaper, established for the purpose of presenting balanced coverage of events, and of promoting the best interest of Nigeria.” It was conceived as a well planned and carefully thought out enterprise, which would present a balanced coverage and projection of news and views, uphold political neutrality and independence and elevate the tone of public discourse. As a liberal newspaper, committed to the best traditions and ideals of republican democracy, The Guardian believes it is the responsibility of the State not only to protect and defend the citizens but also to create the political, social, economic and cultural conditions in which all citizens may achieve their highest potentials as human beings. And as the ‘flagship of the Nigerian press’, The Guardian directed successive governments and reading public on how best to live. When the paper came, it was one addiction that everybody had, considering that Daily Times had sunk in reputation, because of its tilt towards becoming government ‘megaphone’. It was a peculiar taste that many could not wean themselves of. The Guardian transformed the news business, serving the public with rich content in an enriching way. Temperate news presentation with elaborate backgrounding replaced sensationalist news packaging. Elevated prose found its way into news reporting and the front page was no longer the exclusive preserve of politics and political actors. Other less dramatic subjects found access there. There was noticeable effort to woo the discerning reader who enjoyed news beyond the headlines. It was a new and strong voice that changed the standard of journalism in the country. It strove to fulfill that mandate. It gave voice to the voiceless and became the ‘conscience of the nation’. As the ‘flagship of the Nigerian press’, The Guardian directed successive governments and reading public on how best to live. And for the staff, it was all about justice and the public good. For more than three decades-and-a-half, Rutam House has been like the Vatican. With a team of intellectuals, mostly literary scholars (authors, creative writers, critics and academics in humanities), no doubts, the paper had no alternative than to lean towards intellectualism. Stanley Macebuh, arguably one of the best columnists in the country, because of his style, language and logic, led the founding editorial staff of the newspaper, which he served as Executive Editor/Managing Director, while the then Associate Editor was Lade Bonuola. Opinion writing equally enjoyed a renaissance that brought in specialisation. The editorial board attracted eggheads from campuses, thus, enriching the art of informed commentary. Things were structured at The Guardian in such a way that a lot of professionals and statesmen were contributing regularly so that there was no dull moment when going through the Op-ed pages. Beside Olatunji Dare, a lot of seasoned writers like the late Prof. Tam David West, the late Prof. Claude Ake, the late Justice Kayode Eso, Bishop Hassan Kukah, Prof. Green Nwankwo, the late Chief Tony Enahoro, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, the late Alade Odunewu, the late Alao Aka Bashorun, Nnimmo Bassey, the late Prof. Festus Iyayi and a host of others were always sending in their views on diverse issues from time to time. In fulfilling its mandate, The Guardian established itself with the reading public as a newspaper of record and influence and as one of the major platforms for promoting the interest of the voiceless and the disadvantaged in society. The Guardian Newspaper has consistently acted as a watchdog on matters that border on code of conduct for public officials and for private individuals in Nigeria as a whole. The newspaper was a strong force in the struggle against military rule. During the administration of General Muhammadu Buhari, as a military Head of State and when The Guardian was just about a year old, its two reporters, Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor, were both sent to jail in 1984 under Decree No. 4 of 1984, which suppressed journalistic freedom. The paper’s political editor, Krees Imodibie, was killed in the course of duty in Liberia. In his scholarly article titled “Journalism in Nigeria: A Historical Overview” and published in 1996 in “Journalism in Nigeria: Issues and Perspectives”, Prof. Omu wrote further: “The Guardian calls itself the flagship of the Nigerian press and so it really is. It has been indisputably the best newspaper ever produced in Nigeria and its brand of journalism has had a profound and provocative impact on Nigerian journalism. “The principles, which it espouses and the standards which it represents, set it out as a national institution. In the poise and polish of its language, in its cultivated and intellectual approach to argument and controversy, in its penetrating and persuasive analysis and interpretation, in its promotion of ideological pluralism and in its endeavor to place events in their historical perspective, The Guardian has achieved great esteem in and outside Nigeria as one of the most authoritative newspapers in Africa. Its journalistic achievements are bound to influence the newspaper industry for a long time.” Though the media industry, over the years, has gone through turbulent times, with so many publications going down before and after the birth of The Guardian, the publication has continued to be on the newsstand, providing scintillating reports for Nigerians and non-Nigerians. The publication started as a 16-page paper but pre-COVID, it published on the average, 64 pages and sometimes, over 100 pages with increased advert sales. In the last two years, however, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has led to a considerable reduction in pagination by virtually all the print media outlets. In its 39 years of existence, great journalists such as, Lade Bonuola, Femi Kusa, Emeka Izeze, Debo Adesina, Martins Oloja and Abraham Ogbodo have edited The Guardian. The current editor of the paper, Mr. Alabi Williams, assumed duty on June 8, 2020 alongside other professionals who were also elevated to man different posts. They are Kabir Alabi Garba (Editor, The Guardian on Sunday); and Francis Chuks Nwanne (Editor, The Guardian on Saturday). Two insiders had also served as Acting Editors for the newspaper: Jewell Dafinone (January to June 2016) and Dr. Paul Onomuakpokpo (July 1, 2019 to June 4, 2020). These courage and professionalism that The Guardian represent have been bountifully rewarded and the harvest include, the Diamond Award for Media Excellence (DAME), the Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA), Cable News Network (CNN) African Journalist of the Year and many others. The Guardian was one of the early stars of DAME, winning the Newspaper of the Decade in 2001 and joint winner of the same prize in 2011 with The Punch. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Guardian. SOURCE The Guardian

Ideato Federal Constituency and Dr. Pascal Obi: When Continuity Becomes the Only Road To Travel

Ideato Federal Constituency and Dr. Pascal Obi: When Continuity Becomes the Only Road To Travel

- By Clifford Dike 

The legendary British writer C.S Lewis, perhaps had Ideato North and South federal constituency and the exhilarating performance of its representative in the House of Reps, Dr Chigozie Pascal Obi in mind when he uttered the timeless quote:"mere change is not growth. Growth is the synthesis of change and continuity, and where there is no continuity there is no growth.

Conversely, a broad spectrum of Ndi Ideato ultimately shares C.S Lewi's sentiment on continuity judging by the current groundswell of support for his re-election to the House of Representatives

Who would not w.ant a continuation of a quality and people oriented representation? Nobody, of course and this explains why the Ideato nation insists it cannot afford not to return Dr. Obi to the House.

Apart from the need for him to continue with his superlative representation of Ideato people and delivery of dividends of democracy, political leaders and opinion moulders in constituency hing their desire for Dr. Obi's re-election on national interest as regards parliamentary stability and growth of participatory democracy such as ours.

The high turnover of federal Parliamentarians every four years, especially in the Southeast, according to them does not make room for a robust legislative experience as obtained in the United States and other participatory  democracies around the world where some Parliamentarians spend upward of two, three decades in the hallowed legislative chambers.

A beautiful road is the darling of motorists and thus they keep plying it. This maxim finds definitive expression in Dr. Obi whose three and half years legislative journey is replete with quantum achievements.

When he was elected to the House of Reps in 2019 to represent Ideato North /Ideato South federal, his constituents entertained no doubt about his preparedness and capability to perform and he has not disappointed so far.

It is for this reason that the mantra in the constituency today is: Pascal, ga na agara anyi ije na Abuja ( Pascal will continue to represent us in Abuja).

In just three and half years in the House of Representatives, Dr Obi has brought the Ideato nation and indeed Imo state to national consciousness  on the floor of the House through:  

*Urgent call on the federal government of Nigeria to carry out full rehabilitation and reconstruction of Akwakuma - Orlu - Mgbee - Obiohia - Urualla - Akokwa - Uga federal road. It was adopted by the House and equally captured in the 2021 budget.

*A motion urging the federal government of Nigeria to create one more Federal Government College (FGC) in Imo State. Every state has three except Imo. This received instant approval and Obi, a result-oriented Federal Lawmaker insisted that it will be sited in Ideato Nation.

*A motion for the extension of Federal Medical Center Owerri to Ideato. It was also approved and included in the  2021 budget.

*A motion for the total turnaround of the National Orthopedic Hospital Enugu vis-a-vis workforce, facilities and structures. It gained approval.

*A motion for the canalization of river banks. This will protect our communities from excessive flooding during the rainy season.

*A motion urging the federal government of Nigeria to build more Ear/Eye hospitals in other parts of the country since the only Ear/Eye Hospital is located in Kaduna. It was approved, hence Ear Center for Lagos and Eye Center for Owerri, Imo State.

*A motion on the looming reoccurrence of Ebola crises in Nigeria: The need for the federal government to put in place detective measures in our airports, seaports and land borders.

*Calling attention to the need to construct a perimeter fence at the Federal University of Technology (FUTO), Owerri.

All communities in the federal constituency bear witness to Dr Pascal Obi's socio-economic and infrastructural blitz.

This can be gleaned from the total number of boreholes  he has drilled at designated points within the following communities:

URUALLA

OBODOUKWU

DIKENAFAI

UGBELLE

ORIE UMUOBOM

UMUMAISIAKU

AMANATO

NDIANICHE UNO

OSINA

OBIOHIA

He has also either established or upgraded comprehensive Health Facilities situated.

AKPULU, OSINA, OZU - URUALLA, UMUOKWARA, AKOKWA, DIKENAFAI, OBIOHIA, NTUEKE, UMUMAISIAKU, UMUOBOM and OGBOKO.

Phase similar project is also  ongoing at UMUALAOMA, UMUAGHOBE, UMUCHIMA, UGBELLE, UMUESHI, FMC ANNEX UMUEZEALLA - OGBOKO

Ideato is prone to erosion hence Dr Pascal Obi is paying special attention to roads and erosion control in the constituency.

So far, to his credit are a 1.5 Km Road at Akpulu, a 1.5 Km Road at Nneato-Ogwugwu Dikenafai, erosion control at Obiohia,

Solar-powered street lights at Umukegwu- Akokwa, Ozuakoli - Urualla and Obiohia - Umuago road.

A firm believer in human capital development, Dr Obi has established a plethora of various skill acquisition and empowerment programmes and centres across the constituency and has also, through his influence, secured federal jobs for several qualified persons in the constituency.  

A seasoned optometrist who has transversed public life at a relatively young age, Dr Obi was born in 1970. He read Optometry at the Imo state university and later capped it with a Masters's degree in Public Health from the University of Nigeria Enugu campus.

A knight of the Catholic Church, Dr Obi joined the  Imo State Ministry of Health Owerri in 1998.

He would rather rise to become The Acting Director of Public Health and Primary Health Care in the ministry and also the coordinator, of the National Programme for Prevention of Blindness (Vision 2020).

Former  Governor of Imo State Owelle Anayo Rochas Okorocha appointed Dr Obi Permanent Secretary and Principal Secretary to the Governor, a position he held till August 2018 to seek elective office.

As another election year (2023) approaches, the mood in Ideato is that of unwavering determination to travel the Dr Pascal Obi's route once more,this time around through the Labour Party route.

As a deft politician who  correctly guages the mood of his people and weighs their political aspirations and interest, Dr.Obi has keyed into the raging Peter Obi and the Labour Party revolution for the overall interest of the Ideato Nation.

Labour Party and its Presidential candidate, Peter Obi has become a national movement, a moving train every right-thinking politician who wants the best for his people must join hence Dr. Pascal Obi wasted no time in hopping in on board.

From all ramifications,  the people's parliamentarian, the Avatar of Ideato politics, Dr Chigozie Pascal Obi ( Ugwusinachi) is a king awaiting formal crowning. The crowning will of course happen in February next year when the Ideato nation would have resoundingly voted him and the Labour Party for a return to Abuja!

***

Clifford Dike writes from Urualla, Ideato North, Imo State.

Re: 100 Private Jets In Kano For Yusuf Buhari's Wedding

100 Private Jets In Kano For Yusuf Buhari's Wedding

https://www.nairaland.com/6712165/100-private-jets-kano-yusuf/5#105012043

The gathering of the wolves and wolves in sheep clothing;

The gathering of the political crooks and rogues and their apologists and beneficiaries.

The political ruling class of Nigeria that has been using the camouflage of false religion and neocolonial power to divide and rule the majority of Nigerians they have been cheating, hoodwinking and exploiting since the political independence of Nigeria from the British Empire on October 1, 1960.

They exploit the gullibility and stupidity of the poor masses ruled by the herd mentality of their religion.

They don't care about the ongoing emergency of the Cholera epidemic in the country.

They don't care about the increasiing cases of the new deadly variants of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

They don't care about the horrifying kidnappings and killings of the poor and powerless people by the bandits and terrorists and other terrifying  occurrences in Nigeria.

Unfortunately for the gullible and intellectually challenged poor masses, they will still troop out as voters in the general elections to vote for the political title chasers of the ruling class who are not nation builders, but political power brokers and their partners in crime and their greedy beneficiaries of the middle class.

The poor masses are always at their beck and call for cheap labour as domestic staff, low income workers and political stooges in the vicious circle of their corrupt and incompetent Machiavellian administrations.

They have destroyed the education system.

They have destroyed the health system.

They have destroyed the security system.

They have destroyed the civil service system.

They have destroyed Nigeria 

What we need in Nigeria is not any election, but a revolution for the reformation and transformation of the country for the nation building of a New NIGERIA of equity and unity for the commonwealth of all Nigerians regardless of class, religion and tribe.

Only this revolution will save Nigeria from total collapse.

- By EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima,

Publisher/Editor, 

NOLLYWOOD MIRROR®Series 

247 Nigeria (@247nigeria) / Twitter

https://mobile.twitter.com/247nigeria

https://www.amazon.com/author/ekenyerengozimichaelchima

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchimaeyerengozi

https://angel.co/u/michael-chima-ekenyerengozi

SGF Lauds Akokwa Christian Elite Forum's Comittment To Nation- Building

SGF Lauds Akokwa Christian Elite Forum's Comittment To Nation- Building

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha has commended the Akokwa Christian Elite Forum for its contribution to nation-building.

He described the Forum as an assemblage of patriots who have the progress and unity of Nigeria at heart saying the Akokwa nation was lucky to have them as sons and daughters.

The SGF was speaking at the annual Akokwa Eminent Persons Dinner powered by the Forum.

The Akokwa Christian Elite Forum hosted Mustapha to this years.

An apolitical and non-governmental Christian body, Akokwa Christian Elites is made up of businessmen and women, professionals, intellectuals and other categories of peace-loving and socially constructive men and women of Akokwa in Ideato North council area of Imo state who believe in the supremacy of God and who live a life guided by Him through the Christian faith.

The annual dinner attracts eminent personalities. Among highly placed Nigerians who had in the past been hosted to dinner by the body include captains of industry, political leaders, academics, professionals, religious leaders among others.

These include Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa of Neimeth International Pharmaceutical Plc., and former Chairman Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Mr Tony Ewelike, CEO, A. G Homes, Arc. Azike Diribe, a First-class Architect of the Integrated Consortium, Mr Marvel Akpoyibo, retired Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Administration, Professor Pat Utomi of the Lagos Business School, His Excellency  Senator Anyim Pius Anyim (GCON), former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Bar. James Ocholi (SAN), the Pro-Chancellor of Salem University, Kogi State, Arc Ifeanyi Odedo, Managing Director, Sharon Ultimate and Sharon Regency Hotels, Abuja, Dr Uche Ogah(OON), Minister of State, Mines and Steel.

Various speakers at the event praised the dexterity of the brains behind the Forum and paid glowing tributes to them.

Earlier in his address, President of the Forum, Cliff Onyeje said, "we are partners in the socio-economic and spiritual growth of our people.

"Like past dinners, this year's dinner is geared towards this".

 

 

Photos of the Winners of the First #4BetterNigeria Video Contest

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has emphasised that regular dialogue and interactive engagement with Nigerian youths on patriotism for the promotion of love, national unity and peaceful co-existence with one another  will help surmount the current sociopolitical challenges of Nigeria.

Dr. Garba Abari.

The Director General of the Agency, Dr. Garba Abari made this known at the event of the closing ceremony of #4BetterNigeria Video Contest held in Abuja on Tuesday, February 9, 2021.

“Nigeria is not as hopeless as it is defined on social media. We may have developmental challenges and that is part of the building processes that we just have to pass through just like many other countries of the world, perhaps with dire circumstances."

“Challenges are supposed to inspire us; they are supposed to bring out the best of ideas to expand our views and horizon with the view to surmounting them. It requires the hands of all; especially the young. The youth represents a huge part of our demography that cannot be removed,” he stressed.

Of the 200 entries that put in for the #4AbetterNigeria contest, three winners emerged and other outstanding participants. They were rewarded with T-shirts, face caps, mugs, smart phones and certificates of honour. Mr. Waheed Ishola, National Orientation Agency (NOA) Director, Lagos State in the Lagos Office of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) presented the prizes to them in his office in Ikeja, GRA. 

Victory Ashaka who won the second prize.

Pharez and his family.

Pharez Obioha, the youngest winner who won the third prize came with his mother and sister. 

The notable participants  included the popular author and startup evangelist, Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,  Publisher and Editor of 247 Nigeria, Chukwuemeka Benedict Osondu, Abiodun Wisdom Olamide and Tufayl Adelakun.