The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has said nation-building and national transformation would continue to be a mirage without carrying along all segments of the society.
This is as he pointed out that there have been deliberate policies by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that every citizen knows that the country belongs to them.
Mohammed said this while delivering his keynote address at the 2021 Annual Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria Lecture held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja on Thursday.
According to him, “There is no denying the fact that nation building and national transformation would continue to be a mirage without carrying along all segments of the society.
“Since this administration came in, there have been deliberate policies and programmes to ensure inclusiveness, with a view to taking Nigeria into an era in which every citizen will not just feel a sense of belonging, but a pride that they have a country that truly belongs to them and cares for them.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has been so passionate about creating lasting structures and institutions that will drive inclusive social protection beyond the tenure of his administration.
“This explains why, for the first time in the history of Nigeria, this administration has created a ministry to cater for, among others, the vulnerable in the society: the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.
“In addition, it created the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), headed by an Executive Secretary from the community of Persons with Disabilities, in the person of Mr. James David Lalu.
“Another significant step came in January 2019 with the ratification of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018, which has become a major plank towards ensuring Inclusive Social Protection in the country.
“It is instructive to note that in all the various Social Protection Programmes of the present administration, such as the Conditional Cash Transfer, the Government Enterprising
and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), the N-power and the Home-Grown School Feeding programmes, to mention just a few, special consideration was given to the plight of people with disabilities.”
Barring last minutes changes, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will go ahead with the conduct of its states congresses on Saturday amid crises in states and uproar from scores of aggrieved chieftains of the party.
The event, already endorsed by the Malam Mai Mala Buni-led caretaker committee, is billed to create the vehicle for conduct of the party’s national convention, whose date remains a subject of speculations.
Buni, while inaugurating the state congresses committee at the national secretariat of the party, yesterday, said it behooves party faithful to work in concert with stakeholders to ensure the party emerges victorious in the 2023 poll.
Buni, represented by secretary of the caretaker committee, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, said protests against the ward and local congresses held so far should not be seen as a surprising development. He insisted that the party is being taken back to the grassroots.
Buni’s position came against the backdrop of the constitution of the Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led National Reconciliation Committee aimed at reconciling warring members across the country.
Aggrieved chieftains of the party under the aegis of APC Concerned Stakeholders, led by Mr Abubakar Usman, stressed the need for APC to be a viable party that is not owned by powerful individuals or cabals, but rather one whose strength and existence are predicated on its ability to command the loyalty and dedication of its teeming members.
The group thereby demanded that open contestation must be the only option for every position in the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, rather than the imposition of anointed candidates in the name of consensus as was the case with the party’s recent wards and local government congresses.
Their position is informed by the inability of the party to resolve the acrimonious relationship among party faithful in states like Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Enugu, Delta, Ekiti, Ogun, Osun, Lagos, Rivers, Imo, Kwara and Sokoto, where there were parallel congresses during the ward and local council congresses.
In Enugu, where the party is split along the lines of the former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, and the caretaker committee chairman, Dr. Ben Nwoye, the congress produced two different leadership structures in all 17 council areas of the state.
The Delta State chapter of the party is also split along the lines of the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege and Chief Great Ogboru, Festus Keyamo and Chief Victor Ochei. In Osun, there is a crack among the ranks of party chieftains between Governor Gboyega Oyetola and the Minister of Interior, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, over control for the soul of the party.
In Kano, APC stalwarts, mainly members of the National Assembly have perfected the plot to conduct a parallel congress on Saturday over alleged high-handedness of the Abdullahi Abbas-led chapter of the party. Yesterday, Senator Malam Shekarau and four other federal lawmakers from the state petitioned the Buni caretaker committee over crisis rocking the party in Kano.
In Adamawa, the alleged plot by wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, to hijack the party structure is said to be at the heart of the crisis rocking the state chapter of the party.
The aggrieved chieftains, which include Senator Dahiru Binani, warned that if the First Lady is allowed to have her way, the party would lose the 2023 poll in Adamawa. They accuse the President’s wife of assuming full control of the party’s structure to install her younger brother, Mr Mohammed Halilu Modi, as the next governor of the state.
Attempts by PDP to elect its national officers through a consensus arrangement suffered setback last night as the meeting to conclude the move failed in Abuja. Chairman of the PDP convention planning committee and governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, who briefed journalists, explained that the absence of many of the stakeholders was due to poor communication.
The meeting of the Northern PDP stakeholders was called to allow each of the three zones in the North present their candidates for the ratification of the entire Northern PDP leaders.
Although all the five PDP governors from the North were present, many prominent stakeholders like former vice president Atiku Abubakar, and former Senate President David Mark, were absent.
Fintiri heads the 20-man committee appointed by the Northern PDP stakeholders to screen aspirants from the zones. But most members of the committee stayed away from the meeting.
The Adamawa governor, however, disclosed that the meeting will be re-convened on Thursday morning (today).The situation at the botched meeting showed that all the three zones in the North had become very interested in presenting candidates for the chairmanship position.
Two aspirants that have emerged and were supposed to be presented at the meeting are former Senate President Iyorchia Ayu and former Katsina State governor, Ibrahim Shema. The North Central zone had on Tuesday endorsed Ayu as its candidate while the Northwest had equally adopted Shema.
Although the Northeast is yet to endorse any aspirant, it was learnt that the incumbent deputy national chairman (North) of the party, Suleiman Nazif, has vowed to stand as an independent candidate. However, he is yet to formally declare his intention.
After a meeting that ended in the early hours of Wednesday, Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, had explained that the meeting of North Central stakeholders was in continuation of efforts to find consensus candidates for national chairmanship of the party.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, Benue Governor, Dr Samuel Ortom, said the leaders from the six states in the North Central chose Ayu from a number of five aspirants that indicated interest in the race. The other aspirants that stepped down were Senator David Mark, ex-Governor Ibrahim Idris, Prof Jerry Gana and Attah Idoko.
Ortom, however, clarified that the choice of Ayu as consensus candidate of the North Central does not stop the Northeast and Northwest from presenting their candidates.
AMID the gale of defections rocking the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, yesterday, dismissed insinuations of plans by him to return to the APC, saying he cannot contemplate such a move given his integrity.
Recall that the governor joined PDP after he was denied the gubernatorial ticket of APC before the 2020 governorship election in the state.
Speaking to newsmen after he met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja, Obaseki said he could not now jettison the umbrella that gave him cover while he was practically forced out of his former party.
This was some moments after the Anambra State deputy governor, Dr. Nkem Okeke, confirmed his defection from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to the APC and was led to the villa by Governor Buni and Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State to meet with President Buhari.
Obaseki said: “I think I’ve shown that I’m a politician with integrity and I have made it very clear that I didn’t leave the other party on my own, I was pushed out of the party, and someone else gave me cover, gave me an opportunity. It will not be the right thing to do to now leave those who helped you, who gave you the umbrella in your storm, and go back to the person who pushed you out.”
The PDP has, however, called on APC to accept its “mass failures in party management and governance and stop bothering Nigerians with their regular lamentations.” The PDP was reacting to a statement by the APC in which it claimed to have improved the electoral process in the country.
A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, faulted the claim, saying “what abounds in our nation is a painful story of how the APC has destroyed our economy, our electoral process and our national unity, to the extent that life has become despondent to the average Nigerian.
“We accept the fact that the APC lacks the capacity for feedback mechanism, however, the PDP wishes to bring to the attention of the APC that all Nigerians today would wish this administration had come to its end. Notwithstanding, our party counsels that the APC should begin to prepare their handover notes because Nigerians are not ready to endure this anguish beyond May 29, 2023.”
President Muhammadu Buhari has set aside N100bn for constituency projects of National Assembly members in the latest budget proposal.
The projects, under the heading, Zonal Intervention Projects, bring the total to N700bn in the last six years.
The ZIP is a fund under the service wide vote which is used in implementing interventionist projects across all constituencies across the country. The projects mostly include renovation of health centres and schools, drilling of boreholes, road constructions and supply of materials for financial empowerment.
Although the projects are usually executed by Federal Government agencies, the contractors are most times nominated by lawmakers.
Buhari had in 2019 lamented that the constituency fund was just a waste of money, adding that there was nothing to show for it.
He had said, “It is on record that in the past 10 years N1tn has been appropriated for constituency projects, yet the impact of such huge spending on the lives and welfare of ordinary Nigerians can hardly be seen.”
Speaking on Wednesday, the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), said he remained opposed to constituency projects, adding that the legislative arm of government should have no business with such.
The PACAC chairman said, “I have always been opposed to constituency projects because first, National Assembly should not be involved in projects at all. So, it is an invasion of the executive sphere. It is just how to lay their hands on more money. That is the whole idea.
“But we have the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission that is up to the task. So, if they take the money, the ICPC will monitor them. Many of them have been taken to court, either for not utilising the funds properly or misapplying them.
“For example, money that is meant for medical equipment was diverted to the house of a legislator. Same for some farm machines in an attempt to either covert the money or misuse it. So, now that the ICPC is on their trail, they will find it difficult to engage in this adventure of trying to involve themselves in executive duty of awarding contracts and construction of infrastructure.”
On why the President was still imputing constituency projects into the budget, Sagay said the legislative arm of government could frustrate Buhari if he failed to do so.
“It is a Nigeria thing, it is unconstitutional, it is illegal but we do it because they are blackmailing the executive that ‘if you don’t give it to us, we will not approve any other thing you bring into the budget.’ But thank God the ICPC is on their trail,” Sagay added.
Also in a chat with The PUNCH, Head of Research and Policy Advisory Department at BudgIT, Abel Akeni, said the ZIP nominated by lawmakers was an absurdity.
“The Zonal Intervention Projects nominated by lawmakers broadly speaking are an anomaly that should be scrapped immediately for a variety of reasons. Lawmakers’ involvement in designing capital projects across 774 local governments are a distraction from their core functions of lawmaking, especially when there are functions within different MDAs that should be doing so in tandem with relevant national development plans,” he said.
Akeni added that the defence put forward by lawmakers for the project is often that they know the needs of their people better than the executive arm.
“This argument is no more tenable, especially with the advent of participatory budgeting frameworks that allow lawmakers and indeed citizens to mainstream their needs directly into the FG budget.
“Also, the scenarios where ZIPs are situated by lawmakers in government agencies that have no capacity for their implementation or supervision, creates reason to doubt if the funds would be utilized for the intended purposes or diverted,” he said.
The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has stated that it is close to organising its yearly Lagos International Trade Fair on its permanent site.
Indeed, the Organised Private Sector (OPS) stated that it costs the chamber so much to organise the yearly trade exhibition at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), saying that structures built with lots of money for the 10 days event are eventually taken down which the chamber described as “bad business”.
The Chairman, Trade Promotion Board, Gabriel Idahosa, at a press conference to announce the 2021 Lagos International Trade Fair, said the Chamber is working very hard to secure a permanent site for its yearly trade show.
“We are very close to achieving that. Two weeks ago, we had some very critical meetings in getting that permanent site. For us at the Chamber, it cost us a lot of money to bring down the huge investment we put together in organising the ten days event. It is bad business.
“It cost us a lot of money to bring ten 500kva generators to power the TBS. Our competitors around the world organise trade fairs of this size on a plug and play basis.
“We are working hard on this and we certainly do not want to make an announcement until it is all done, but I will tell you that we are closer to it than where we were last year.”
On the Nigeria, Ghana trade war, he said discussions are ongoing with the Consul General of Ghana in Nigeria, noting that the Nigerian High Commission, government officials and the two unions, including the Ghana traders union, and Nigerian Traders in Ghana, have held seven meetings in Accra to resolve the trade disputes.
“According to the latest report, the government of Ghana has told the two unions to maintain peace while doing business as the search for solutions is ongoing by the two countries,” he stated.
He pointed out that the 2021 trade Fair scheduled to hold from Friday, 5th to Sunday, 14th November 2021at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos themed “Connecting Businesses, Creating Value” is expected to attract over 200,000 visitors over the ten-day period.
“Exhibition space of about 28,000 square metres and the number of exhibitors expected are about 1500 exhibitors from about 16 countries,” he said.
Speaking on the African hall, he said the objective of the hall is to bring exhibitors from all African countries under the same umbrella to showcase their goods, services, arts, crafts, and regulatory services and particularly to promote intra-African trade.
“We believe that Africans must grow trade and investment among themselves to give full activation of the AFCTA. The Lagos International Trade Fair (LITF) platform is a great opportunity to do this. In further pursuit of this objective, we will have the Africa special day at the Fair this year. Investment and trade promotion agencies of some African countries have shown interest in this,” he added.
He assured visitors and exhibitors of a hitch free traffic over the 10 days period, commending the Lagos state government for efforts towards improving the ease of movement around the TBS.
“We are particularly impressed with the current facelift given to the loading bays around the Fair venue. With this, our collaboration with various public-sector organizations in various key areas to improve exhibitors’ and visitors’ experiences will no doubt produce improved results,” he added.
“Adequate security is guaranteed in collaboration with all Federal and State Government agencies. This is in addition to the engagement of a private security consultant to coordinate all security activities,” he noted.
The Nigerian Army on Wednesday explained that it is not constructing RUGA settlement in any part of Nigeria especially in the South-East region.
It described as baseless, untrue and false, an allegation that it is currently constructing a RUGA Settlement at Igbo-Etiti community of Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.
In a statement, the acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 82 Division, Major Abubakar Abdullahi, disclosed that its engineers were currently constructing a military training facility at Igbo-Etiti Community of Udi Local Government Area, Enugu State.
He said the facility, when completed, would accommodate troops during training and aid to improve their efficiency in protecting law-abiding citizens across the South-East.
The statement read, “The 82 Division Nigerian Army has noted with utmost concern, a baseless allegation aired through an outlawed online radio that the Division of the Nigerian Army is currently constructing a Ruga Settlement at Igbo-Etiti community of Udi Local Government Area, Enugu State.
“Though this inciting broadcast emanates from a source bereft of any credibility whatsoever, there is need, however, to present the facts clearly for the sake of posterity.
“It must be emphasised that Nigerian Army Engineers are not constructing any Ruga Settlement in any part of Nigeria. Rather, the Engineers are currently constructing a military training facility at Igbo-Etiti Community of Udi Local Government Area, Enugu State.”
The Governor of Zamfara State, Mohammed Matawalle, has said that his administration has reached an agreement to purchase armed drones to tackle the banditry and insecurity in the state.
He disclosed that the drones with high altitude would assist in gathering intelligence to detect the various hideouts of bandits in the state.
The governor spoke about the purchase of drones despite the ongoing military bombardments of bandits’ enclaves in the state, which had largely resulted in the criminals relocating to nearby safer havens.
Matawalle noted that his two weeks’ trip with some of his officials, to the United Kingdom and Turkey was to find lasting solutions to the problem of banditry in Zamfara.
“The trip was to seek assistance in the matters of security, job creation, and invitation of foreign investors for socio-economic growth” he added.
“Zamfara State has become the colony of banditry not only in the northern states but in Nigeria as a whole and the state has suffered from the destruction of socio-economic growth.
“Now, the state government has it in mind to purchase armed drones to access bandits’ hideouts and straighten intelligence gathering to battle the banditry and other criminalities in the state”
The governor stated that the state government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a foreign firm to establish mineral resources and gold refineries to address illegal mining and create job opportunities for the citizens of the state.
He stressed that the gold refineries would be under his supervision and would be established to increase the state Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), adding that there would be more job opportunities while illegal mining is put to rest.
No fewer than 91 out of 147 identified owners and operators of private jets in the country have failed the verification test conducted by the Nigerian Customs Service (NSC).
Of the number of defaulters released yesterday, a total of 62 allegedly refused to show up for the mandatory verification exercise, while 29 others were found liable for default in payment of Customs duty.
The NCS, therefore, issued a 14-day ultimatum for payment of duties and submission of verification papers, or risk sanctions that may include asset forfeiture.
The Guardian had lately reported a myriad of abuses by owners and operators of private jets in the bid to shortchange the system and reduce the burden of operating cost in the face of pandemic challenges. Chief Operating Officer of the association of Private Jet Nigeria, Omotade Lepe, had said the sub-sector lost between $1 billion and $5 billion to the pandemic, which silenced the erstwhile purring luxury market.
Besides avoiding duties due to the Federal Government, more owners were boycotting local rules to retain foreign registration numbers. Most disturbing for the general sector is the illegal use of private jets for commercial operations – an encroachment into the turf of licensed air transport operators.
The apex regulator, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), acknowledged some of the gaps that are consistently explored by some operators, though assured that regulatory efforts were on to block loopholes and check illegalities.
Apparently to check the violation of duties, NSC, in May 2021, commenced verification of import documents for privately owned aircraft in the country.
Citing statutory functions, as provided for in Part III Sections 27, 35, 37, 45, 46, 47, 52, 56, 63 & 64; Part XI Sections 144, 145, 155, 160, 161&164 and Part XII Sections 167, 168, 169 173&174 of the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA), Customs directed all owners of private aircraft to come forward with their relevant importation clearance documents for verification.
On request for verification between June 7 to August 6, were the Aircraft Certificate of Registration, NCAA’s Flight Operations Compliance Certificate (FOCC), NCAA’s Maintenance Compliance Certificate (MCC), NCAA’s Permit for Non-Commercial Flights (PNCF) and Temporary Import Permit (TIP).
Public Relations Officer of Customs, Comptroller Joseph Attah, gave an update yesterday, stating that a total of 86 private jets/aircraft operators showed up for the exercise and presented the relevant documents for verification. Of this number, 57 were verified as commercial charter operators and were duly cleared for operations.
However, he said: “29 other private jets/aircraft were found liable for payment of Customs duty. Their values were assessed, and the appropriate demand notices were issued to their owners for the payment of outstanding duties.
“A total of 62 other private jet/aircraft, whose registration numbers were duly obtained from the appropriate authority were not verified because their owners or designated representatives made no presentations to Customs that could help determine their status.”
He said all 57 commercial charter jet/aircraft operators, who presented their documents for verification, are to come forward to collect their Aircraft Clearance Certificates.
“All 29 private jet/aircraft owners, or their representatives, who have been issued with demand notices have been given 14 days from October 11, 2021, to collect and make payments to the designated Federal Government accounts after which they will be issued with Aircraft Clearance Certificates.
“The owners of the 62 private aircraft, for which no presentations were made for their verification, and whose status remains uncertain, are requested to immediately furnish the Tariff and Trade department of the Service with the necessary documents for verification and clearance. The Nigeria Customs Service implores all concerned to avail themselves of this opportunity as it will not hesitate to activate enforcement procedures on identified defaulters,” Attah said.
Customs noted that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has been put on notice to ensure only privately owned aircraft duly verified, and cleared by Customs, are authorised to operate within the Nigerian airspace.
NCAA records had shown about 95 aircraft in the country, out of which 46 were active as of June. However, of the 95, a total of 72 are still registered abroad, in violation of the extant rules.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulation (NCARs) 2015, Part 8.2.1.9 allows foreign aircraft to operate locally for 2-12 months and an initial renewal of another six months to complete local registration. Operators have, however, found a way around that requirement, going in and out of the country to evade the local registry.
Zamfara House of Assembly on Monday suspended two of its members for their alleged involvement in aiding and abetting banditry in the state.
The two lawmakers are alleged to have aided the kidnap of the Speaker’s father, and the murder of another colleague of theirs.
The suspended members, according to a Press release signed by the Director-General Press Affairs of the House, Mustafa Kaura, are Yusuf Muhammad Anka representing Anka constituency; and Ibrahim Tukur Bakura representing Bakura constituency.
The statement said, “They have been suspended from the state House of Assembly for three months pending the conclusion of investigations on the allegation leveled against them.
“They are to appear before the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges in conjunction with security agencies that are assigned by law to investigate them.
“These are parts of the resolutions reached on Monday night at the House plenary presided over by the Speaker, Hon Nasiru Mu’azu Magarya under matters of urgent public importance.”
During the debate, a member representing Maru North constituency, Hon Yusuf Alhassan Kanoma, told his colleagues that there was a burning issue in the House, of serious allegations leveled against the two members.
Kanoma, therefore, said that “the House should not fold its arms and allow this gross official misconduct by the two members.”
Hon Kanoma further alleged that during the kidnap saga of the father of the Speaker, late Mu’azu Abubakar Magarya, Yusuf Muhammad Anka and Ibrahim T. Tukur Bakura were said to have been jubilating over the issue .
He also alleged that the two members were the brains behind the killing of late Hon Muhammad G. Ahmed, a former member representing Shinkafi constituency in the state House of Assembly through connivance with the bandits by telephone conversation that led to his killing.
While calling on the security agencies to fully track all their telephone lines and listen to all their conversations, Hon Kanoma also called on his colleagues to, as a matter of urgency, suspend the two lawmakers from all House activities for an initial period of three months pending the conclusion of investigations.
Also contributing, a member representing Birnin Magaji constituency, Hon Nura Dahiru Sabon Birnin Dan Ali strongly backed Hon Kanoma on the issue, saying that his efforts of mediating and negotiating with notorious bandit Bello Turji on so many occasions to secure the release of late Mu’azu Magarya should not go in vain, pointing out that detractors of peace in the state should face the full wrath of the law.
In his ruling on the matter, Speaker Nasiru Mu’azu Magarya approved the request of the House by outright suspension of the two members for the initial period of three months .
Speaker Magarya also directed chairman House Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Hon Kabiru Hashimu Dansadau, to fully investigate these members and report its findings to the plenary in the next three months.
While expressing dismay over their alleged involvement in banditry activities, the Speaker also stripped them of their chairmanship of the House standing committees by assigning Hon Yusuf Alhassan Kanoma to oversee works and transport committee chaired by Yusuf Muhammad Anka.
He also directed Hon Nasiru Atiku Gora to take charge of the humanitarian and social development committee formally headed by Ibrahim T. Tukur Bakura.
Nigeria is not in short supply of true leaders. The country’s diversity and generous human resources offer a limitless pool of talents, skills, abilities and character. Nigeria is blessed with all that a nation needs to be a lodestar in the galaxy of nations. But why do misfits end up in the cockpit here? The recruitment process has a bias for ethnic and religious emotionalism. The enlistment process is the snag — fundamentally.
The political recruitment process at the party level is fatally flawed. Candidates for election are selected not on the content of their character, antecedents, abilities, and verifiable records but on the basis of where they represent, where they worship and how much they have to bribe party officials and delegates – in the case of indirect selection.
Our recruitment process at the party level rarely throws up people with discipline and competence for election. In fact, people with some semblance of capacity are rather planted as running mates of very defective standard bearers. Our politics de-emphasises ability, competence, qualifications, integrity, expansiveness, temperance and compassion as primary values for leadership – but accents the geography and religious identity of power instead.
We have to make a bold departure from this path. Nigeria needs healing. 2023 should be for national healing; closing the chasm and forging new bonds. As I said in ‘Nigeria needs a Nigerian president in 2023 – not Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba’, the country needs a doctor to heal the country in 2023, and it needs a carpenter. It also needs a builder and an architect to build the country back better. It needs an all-in-one president. Yes, Nigeria needs healing from six years of hate-slinging, recriminations and animosity.
We have to get it right in 2023, lest we embark on another tortuous journey through the capricious wilderness.
So, I have made my own list of five Nigerians I think can steer Nigeria away from the tempest. These individuals are notable for their integrity, leadership excellence and brilliance. This list is by no means definitive, but it throws up possibilities of what could be and should be if we must make it out of the doldrums. Enough of the predatory politics and recycling of the same political class.
AKINWUMI ADESINA
Adesina is the President of the African Development of Bank (AfDB). He was first elected as the Bank’s president in 2015 and re-elected in 2020. He is an astounding economist. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree (first class) in agricultural economics from the University of Ife in 1981. He went on to earn a PhD in agricultural economics from Purdue University in the US. He has won many awards, and received global recognition and appointments. He also has sterling records on integrity and leadership. He came into the reckoning of most Nigerians when he was appointed as the minister of agriculture in 2011 by former President Goodluck Jonathan. He was named Forbes ‘African Man of the Year’ for his reforms in the agricultural sector. He is widely regarded as one of the best agriculture ministers Nigeria has ever had. No other agriculture minister after him comes close on the performance-meter. I have checked frantically for any dirt on Adesina, but found none. He has no corruption case in Nigeria or anywhere.
Adesina is not a politician. The odds may be against him because he is not in the mould of the wheeler-dealer politician. But it is comforting that his excellence has not gone unnoticed. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is reported to be ‘’drumming support’’ for Adesina to enter the 2023 presidential race. Adesina is 61 years old, and by 2023 he will be 63 — still within a good age bracket.
AMINA MOHAMMED
Mohammed is the deputy secretary-general of the United Nations. She was appointed minister of environment by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 – but she left the position to take up the UN job. Mohammed is one of Nigeria’s lodestars. If Nigerians are desirous of a break from the quotidian, then Mohammed will be that elixir that will spring life into the nation. She’s notable in international circles and has received global acclaim for her work on the environment, education, gender inclusion and the SDGs. She has no corruption case and her leadership style is said to be 21st century compliant. She is 60 years old and will be 62 in 2023. Although coming from a conservative and patriarchal society, the odds are stacked against her; she has the refinement and character to lead Nigeria in this age. Can we give women a chance in 2023?
NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA
Okonjo-Iweala is perhaps the most decorated economist out of Nigeria. Her accomplishments are unmatched by any Nigerian finance minister before and after her. She is the first woman and first African to lead the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as director-general. She became the DG of the WTO after a very competitive process. Leadership at the global level is chaotic with a barrage of interests at war. I believe Okonjo-Iweala can manage Nigeria with all its complexities going by her antecedents. She was once the coordinating minister of the economy, and it is obvious with the current parlous state of the economy her time was a golden era. Nigeria needs a good manager of the economy. Okonjo-Iweala is 67 years old and will be 69 in 2023. Although in Nigeria’s very murky politics, the likes of Okonjo-Iweala do not thrive, we can always chart a different path. After all is 2023 not about breaking the cycle and breaking away from the old order?
MOHAMMED BUBA MARWA
Buba Marwa, chairman of the NDLEA and retired army general, is an accomplished administrator. He has a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard. As governor of old Borno state, he introduced the first joint-military patrol in the country, codenamed ‘Operation Zaki’ to tackle banditry and other forms of criminality in the north. Other states soon followed his novel example. As governor of Lagos, he tackled insecurity with ‘Operation Sweep’, set up a bitumen factory in the state; rehabilitated area boys by setting up skill centres and giving them grants to start bakeries, furniture work, tailoring and other businesses. He was also able to manage the ethnic divergences in Lagos very well. His stewardship in Lagos remains stuff of legends and tales pass down from generation to generation. Marwa is a politician and member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Even though from the north, I believe Marwa can manage Nigeria’s diversity and effectively tackle insecurity.
YEMI OSINBAJO
Osinbajo is a fine gentlemen; a refined politician. He is cerebral, competent, temperate, and disciplined. He is an example of what the avant-garde Nigerian politician should be. But an albatross hangs on Osinbajo’s neck. He shares in the failures of the current administration and has taken a good lashing in the public for them. He is named in areas where the administration is faltering, but not where it is succeeding. Being the brains at the presidency, Nigerians expected much of him. Osinbajo will have to work at dismantling the web around his persona. But I believe he will be a president, with gravitas and character, for Nigeria.
By Fredrick Nwabufo; Nwabufo is a journalist and writer
Tuesday talks in Moscow between Russian and US officials to resolve a diplomatic standoff ended without any breakthroughs, but were still “useful”, Moscow’s deputy Foreign Minister said.
The discussions held behind closed doors saw Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and US Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland discuss a long-running row over embassy staffing limits, among other issues.
The meeting comes with Washington’s ties with Moscow under particular strain over a long list of disagreements including the conflict in Ukraine, which Ryabkov said was not discussed.
He said the two officials had failed to make progress on the functioning of diplomatic missions including visas and rotation of personnel.
“Americans are not heeding our logic or our demands,” state news agency RIA Novosti quoted Ryabkov as saying. “At the same time the talks were useful.”
He also warned that a lack of progress on core disagreements raised the possibility of new areas of conflict.
“There is very little progress when it comes to the substantive part of the problems that exist,” news agency Interfax quoted Ryabkov as saying. “There is a risk of new aggravations.”
Ties between the former Cold War enemies rapidly deteriorated after Joe Biden increased pressure on the Kremlin since becoming US president in January.
As part of tit-for-tat sanctions, Russia earlier this year prohibited the US embassy in Moscow from employing foreign nationals and formally designated the United States as an “unfriendly state.”
Nuland, who is on a three-day visit to Russia, arrived Monday. She is set to meet with President Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy advisor Yury Ushakov during her visit, the Kremlin said.
Nuland was allowed to travel to Russia despite previously having been placed on a sanctions list.
In exchange, Washington issued a US visa to a representative of the Russian foreign ministry.
