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TODAY’S SUPREME COURT VERDICT SAYS IT IS TIME TO FIND SUPPORT AND COLLABORATION FOR TINUBU’S PROMISE OF RENEWED HOPE

Published

11 months ago

October 27, 2023

TODAY’S SUPREME COURT VERDICT SAYS IT IS TIME TO FIND SUPPORT AND COLLABORATION FOR TINUBU’S PROMISE OF RENEWED HOPE

By Moses Okezie-Okafor

The victory of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Supreme Court of Nigeria earlier today (Thursday, 26th October, 2023) calls for congratulations to Mr. President. Although today’s outcome was entirely expected, given my more than 23 years of experience as a lawyer and my direct involvement in the Renewed Hope Campaign, it is still highly gratifying. One thing is sure, this judgment is a significant milestone for both our president and our nation, Nigeria. By confirming his election as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and putting an end to all judicial challenges by his opponents, the apex court of the land has removed all lawful impediments for the President to continue with the task of governing Africa’s largest economy and most complex polity.

While I enjoin all persons of goodwill to extend sincere felicitations to Mr. President, even if only in the spirit of good sportsmanship, I am also quick to remind our president that every constituency in Nigeria, down to the smallest polling unit, is now eagerly anticipating accelerated and proportionate development of the country under his leadership. This expectation is neither unreasonable nor surprising, after all President Tinubu made promises of renewed hope and a future assured to Nigerians when he applied for the job. He committed, through his Renewed Hope Manifesto (a document that I personally consider one of the most comprehensive governance templates by any presidential candidate ever) to do his utmost in the best interests of Nigeria. It is safe to assert that the entire world, not just Nigerians, holds him accountable for these promises.

I will now provide a summary of some of the President’s most outstanding promises to Nigerians, for the records and to emphasize the importance of keeping these promises. I will also be calling on all Nigerians before the end of this article to put aside partisan divisions and give him a genuine opportunity to keep his word.

The president pledged to build a Nigeria where ample employment opportunities with respectable remuneration would enhance the quality of life, especially for the youth. He undertook that the country would manufacture, create, and invent more of the goods and services we require. This implies that his administration will facilitate the necessary conditions to achieve this goal, with the aim of making Nigeria known as a nation of creators, not just consumers. The Renewed Hope Manifesto also commits to enhancing exports and reducing imports, which would fortify both the Naira and our way of life. These two promises, in particular, ring with an urgency that cannot be overemphasized, especially now that his removal of fuel subsidy and harmonizing of the exchange rate has seen the Naira facing significant forex headwinds with little to no support from domestic production, which, admittedly, the President inherited at a very low ebb.

The Renewed Hope Manifesto consists of interconnected commitments, one linked to another. To fulfill the aforementioned promises, the President must also uphold others alongside them. His commitment to transforming Nigerian agriculture into a potent force is a quick-win objective that became long overdue the moment it was made due to carryover expectations from previous administrations. Nigerians are now counting on him to provide the necessary political will to support our ‘ever-toiling farmers’, as he affectionately refers to them, with the practical policies and enlightenment as well as the agricultural tools and inputs to finally succeed. This support is required to boost productivity, secure decent incomes, sustain their families, and feed the nation. The President is well aware that if we can provide the promised assistance to the 70% of our people engaged in subsistence agriculture, they will lift themselves and their families out of poverty, ideally within the four years it takes to complete a first term as president of Nigeria.

The President’s electoral promises also encompass his intention to modernize and expand public infrastructure and utilities so that the rest of the Nigerian economy can piggyback on it for optimal and accelerated growth. This commitment underscores his understanding that inadequate infrastructure and nonexistent utilities lie at the heart of poor domestic production, a key contributor to the country’s balance of trade challenges. Now that the Supreme Court has relieved him of the uncertainty of judicial outcomes concerning his continued stay in office, no doubt Mr. President and his ministers in the relevant sectors are ready to commence the construction of the promised infrastructure and utilities.

The time has also come to uphold another significant promise, namely, the much-anticipated commitment to empower and support our young entrepreneurs of all genders who have embarked on the challenging path of entrepreneurship and are ensnared in a demanding operational environment. Nigeria’s youthful entrepreneurs can be likened to small vessels carrying precious cargo stranded in a fierce storm on a rocky shoreline in pitch-dark night. Mr. President must now devise methods and strategies to deploy his administration like a tugboat and send it into those storm-tossed seas to rescue these struggling vessels and guide them to a safe harbor of his design and defense. This is the only way that emerging sectors led by these young entrepreneurs, such as the digital economy, entertainment, culture, tourism, and others, will have the opportunity to thrive and help us construct the Nigeria of tomorrow, today.

An implication of such targeted investments in these sectors by the administration is that the President’s other commitment to train and offer economic opportunities to the poorest and most vulnerable among us will also be fulfilled. With some time and sustained support, earnest efforts in agriculture and these emerging sectors have the potential to equip sufficient Nigerians with the self-help abilities to lift the 133 million people believed to be in multidimensional poverty out of the wretched state that has confined them. Mr. President has expressed the aspiration of creating a Nigeria where no parent is compelled to send a child to bed hungry, anxious about what the future holds. I emphasize: uphold these promises, sir, and witness these concerns essentially address themselves.

In addition to the promises outlined in the Renewed Hope Manifesto, President Tinubu’s administration has recently articulated eight priority areas through which it intends to realize the electoral commitments of its principal. Mr. President himself enumerated these areas in his speech during the opening ceremony of the 29th NESG Summit this week as food security, poverty eradication, economic growth, job creation, access to capital, inclusion, rule of law and fighting corruption. To my mind, this 8-point agenda presses all the right buttons and it is commendable that Mr. President’s focus remains on these key areas, meaning that he is taking tangible steps to translate words into actions.

As I have advocated on numerous occasions, I firmly believe that this Administration is well-positioned to be a Super Administration, and I am using ‘super’ as an acronym to represent Security, Unity, Prosperity, Equity, and Reconciliation (S.U.P.E.R). Nigerians demand actions and I believe we can get so much mileage out of a few action areas, hence the acronym. Each of these words represents a substantial source of concern for Nigerians, and the President must urgently transform each of them into a tangible reality, accessible in every part of the country, if he aims to alleviate the suffering of his people and deliver the dividends of democracy.

Security is number one and remains paramount. The President must ensure the security of lives and property in the country. He must adequately equip and motivate the security agencies to execute their duties effectively. Marching in double quick time, the President must address the menace of banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism that has become both endemic and devastating in every part of the country, but particularly the South East and North East.

Unity comes a close second and is no less a critical objective for a diverse nation like Nigeria. Our diversity of ethnic groups and religions is undoubtedly one of our greatest assets, but it is a most challenging one. The President’s Muslim-Muslim ticket with Vice President Kashim Shettima raised concerns for many non-Muslims, and the President must work to build trust. Nigeria needs a ‘civil or civic religion’, also known as the shared values of a nation as expressed through public rituals and symbols. They are the bond that unites a people who live under the same laws and rules and help to provide a sense of inclusion, belonging, identity, unity, structure, worth, confidence, transcendence, purpose and pride in the nation. The President must reawaken this long lost ethos for Nigeria while cementing unity and inclusivity in his administration by ensuring that every Nigerian feels a sense of belonging in the country and a shared ownership of her.

Prosperity is a pivotal goal, considering Nigeria’s economic woes despite her abundant natural resources. The President must see to it that these resources are effectively harnessed for the benefit of all Nigerians. He pledged ‘shared prosperity,’ and he must deliver on this promise. The masses must experience his benevolent influence in their livelihoods and overall standard of living. Our President must cultivate an enabling environment for businesses to thrive and create jobs for the vast population of unemployed youths.

Equity is crucial, and the President must ensure that every Nigerian is treated fairly and justly. There should be no discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, or gender. Meritocracy must be the guiding principle for appointments and promotions. The President must confront the issue of inequality head-on, particularly addressing the cries of marginalization and ensuring that every part of the country is included in the development agenda. He must also take decisive steps to combat corruption, which has hindered the country’s progress.

Reconciliation is a pressing need in a country plagued by ethnic and religious conflicts. Ethnic and religious nationalism has gone out of hand in many places and must be reined in. Political campaigns since 2015 have been particularly divisive and Nigerians have left deep wounds on themselves from vicious hatchet-jobs. It is now the President’s unenviable responsibility to craft deliberate policies and initiatives that will facilitate reconciliation and healing in the country. He must ensure that every Nigerian feels a sense of belonging, is treated with respect and dignity, and that social justice is upheld while the rule of law is enforced.

President Tinubu must fulfill his promises to Nigerians. He must provide leadership that propels the country forward. I am one of those who firmly believe that if we in the All Progressives Congress (APC) adhere to the core principles of our manifesto in our interactions with citizens, Nigerians will undeniably witness and recognize the transformational leadership and good governance for which President Tinubu is renowned. These principles form the foundation of our contract with the nation as a governing party and we have no room for foibles or failure.

While it is essential to hold the President accountable and offer constructive criticism when necessary, we must also grant him the benefit of the doubt and support his efforts to propel the country forward. The Supreme Court’s judgment today affirming President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s election, not only put a burden on him to keep his electoral promises to us, but it also signifies that it is time for us to unite and support him in delivering on his promises to Nigerians.

He has pledged to renew hope in Nigeria, create jobs, promote unity, and ensure that every Nigerian is treated fairly and justly. He has also committed to prioritizing security, prosperity, equity, and reconciliation. However, President Tinubu cannot accomplish these things alone. He requires our support, trust, and cooperation. Let us therefore set aside our differences and work together to construct a better Nigeria for ourselves and future generations of Nigerians. Together, we can achieve our goals of Renewed Hope and Future Assured.

Moses Okezie-Okafor, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) writes from Abuja.

TODAY’S SUPREME COURT VERDICT SAYS IT IS TIME TO FIND SUPPORT AND COLLABORATION FOR TINUBU’S PROMISE OF RENEWED HOPE

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Nigeria Enlists Passport in ICAO’s Ranking System

Published

2 days ago

September 6, 2024

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Nigeria Enlists Passport in ICAO’s Ranking System

By: Michael Mike

The Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced Nigeria’s enrollment in the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Public Key Directory (PKD) and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI).

This move, according to the Minister, is aimed at enhancing the global ranking of the country’s international passport, ease of passage as well as beefing up internal security.

Tunji-Ojo had on Wednesday in Montreal, Canada, alongside the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Kemi Nanna Nandap, participated in the Import Ceremony of the Country Signing Certificate Authority (CSCA) led by ICAO officials.

The Minister, speaking shortly after the event, noted that the development was informed by the government’s efforts to modernize border control systems, noting that this is expected to reduce the waiting time at airports and other points of entry within and outside the country.

“Our government is particular about increasing efficiency and enhancing the overall travel experience for Nigerians and international visitors alike,” Tunji-Ojo said.

“With our effort on Border Governance and Management, Nigerians can be assured that the era of endless wait and manual verification at airports across the globe is over. The President is constantly seeking means to enable growth and develop the country. The PKI / PKD is another measure to increase our global ranking and ease of doing business.”

The Minister added that the new development, among other reviewed policies of the government, is expected to have a positive impact on the economy, tourism, and national security.

“While we strongly believe this will impact the tourism ecosystem, it will also play a critical role in facilitating inter-agency collaboration, especially between the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority and the leading implementation agency, the Nigeria Immigration Service.”

Explaining the role of the system, Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), noted that Public Key Directory (PKD), enables the sharing of authentic travel documents among member states across the world.

He stressed, however, that national and international collaboration was vital as the infrastructure required multiple authorities to play their part in the process of verification and authentication of passport and travel document data.

Speaking on the readiness of the service, Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Kemi Nanna Nandap, stated that necessary infrastructure to drive the new technology is in place as full implementation begins.

“The PKD/PKI will be a game changer for us, and we can’t wait to see it transform the face of things. In partnership with IATA, we are currently training our staff so that they understand the full modules of the new technology of API/PNR ” she said.

Managed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the PKD allows countries to check the authenticity of e-passports and other travel documents when travellers cross borders.

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a system that uses digital certificates and public-private key pairs to ensure secure communication, data integrity, and authentication of documents.

Among other things, this development will ensure the enhanced security in strict compliance with international standards, and ease of verification.

Nigeria Enlists Passport in ICAO’s Ranking System

National News

UN Torture Prevention Body to Carry Out Assessment Visit on Nigeria

Published

2 days ago

September 5, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

UN Torture Prevention Body to Carry Out Assessment Visit on Nigeria

By: Our Reporter

The United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (SPT) is set to visit Nigeria from 8 to 19 September.

This second visit aims to assess the treatment of individuals in detention and measure whether the country has strengthened its capacity to protect the human rights of all people deprived of liberty since the Subcommittee’s previous visit ten years ago.

A statement on Thursday by the UN Human Rights Office Media Unit said the SPT delegation will visit various places where individuals are held, including prisons, police stations, and psychiatric institutions, among other facilities. The delegation will also engage with the relevant Nigerian authorities, notably the National Human Rights Commission, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders, to discuss torture prevention measures and mechanisms.

The Head of the delegation, Aisha Shujune Muhammad said: “The SPT’s visit is an opportunity for Nigeria to advance its commitment to torture prevention and to strengthen safeguards in detention places,” adding that: “It is also an occasion to help the authorities set up a National Mechanism for Prevention of Torture (NPM), an obligation under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture that Nigeria ratified in 2009.”

The statement said at the end of the visit, the SPT will present its confidential preliminary observations to the Government of Nigeria. Following the visit, a confidential report detailing the SPT’s concerns and recommendations will be shared with the Nigerian authorities.

The SPT delegation will comprise Aisha Shujune Muhammad (Maldives) Head of the delegation, Satyabhooshun Gupt Domah (Mauritius), Andrew Christoffel Nissen (South Africa), and Victor Zaharia (Moldova), and will be accompanied by two Human Rights Officers from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

To date, the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture , has been ratified by 94 states. States are under the obligation to allow the SPT unannounced and unhindered visits to all places where persons are deprived of their liberty. States Parties should also establish a national preventive mechanism, which should conduct regular visits to places throughout the country where people are deprived of liberty.

The mandate of the SPT is to prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of persons deprived of their liberty, through visits and recommendations to States parties to the Optional Protocol. The SPT communicates its recommendations and observations to States by means of a confidential report and, where necessary, to national preventive mechanisms. However, States parties are encouraged to request that the SPT publish the reports.

The SPT is composed of 25 independent and impartial members who are independent human rights experts drawn from around the world, who serve in their personal capacity and not as representatives of States Parties.

UN Torture Prevention Body to Carry Out Assessment Visit on Nigeria

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Terrorism: ECOWAS Commits $12.6m for Humanitarian Assistance in West Africa

Published

4 days ago

September 3, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Terrorism: ECOWAS Commits $12.6m for Humanitarian Assistance in West Africa

By: Michael Mike

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said it has committed the sum of $12.6 million to humanitarian purpose in the West African region this year 2024.

Speaking in Abuja at the opening of a two-day Strategic Engagement Workshop with Heads of government-owned television stations in West Africa organised by the ECOWAS Commission in collaboration with Media Foundation For West Africa (MFWA), Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Sintiki Tarfa-Ugbe, said Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali and the contiguous countries that are bearing the spillover effects of terrorism got $4 million

The ECOWAS Director said the commission has in place a robust humanitarian response mechanism and has been able to properly monitor and get feedback from its interventions.

She said: “We know that our countries continue to face a number of challenges, conflict, terrorism, climate change, food insecurity. But our organization, the ECOWAS Commission, continues to accompany our member states to strengthen their resilience and recovery to some of these challenges that they continue to face.

“As I did in my presentation, I highlighted that this year, the ECOWAS Commission has committed $2.6 million to support persons of concern within our region, those that are displaced, refugees, asylum seekers, migrants. And also you know that our region, especially the Sahel, continues to battle the terrorist attack and a lot of victims of terrorism.

“And so for our humanitarian response to victims of terrorism, $4 million has been committed to provide support for the frontline states of Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, and also to the contiguous countries that are bearing the spillover effects of terrorism. Of course, you know, Ghana, Benin, Togo, and Cote d’Ivoire.”

She also noted that despite giving the grants to governments, the commission has been able to monitor the implementation.

She explained: “Our implementation is guided by a robust ECOWAS humanitarian response mechanism. And part of that response mechanism has an important element, which is the monitoring and the evaluation.”

Tarfa-Ugbe while citing Togo instance, explained that: “The implementation of our project is between the government of Togo, the Civil Protection Agency, and the World Food Program. So you see we have a solid kind of agreement with the member state and the partners.

“And what we do is that when we give grants, we also go for monitoring and evaluation missions. So far, we’ve gone to four countries. We’ve gone to Togo to really see on the field and speak to the beneficiaries of those programs.

“So we’ve gone to Togo, we went to the northern part of Togo, where we saw that our assistance has made them able to, you know, get funding to cultivate more areas of land, which they couldn’t do as individuals, and also to access fertilizer to grow their crops. We’ve also seen in some of the countries where they’ve been giving cash assistance to, you know, strengthen their livelihood support, either they are small-scale businesses, so that they can recover. This is very important for resilience building for the communities.

“We’ve gone to Gambia, if you see one of my presentations also, we’ve provided food and nutrition support in the Gambia and flood assistance support in the Gambia, all amounting to about $900,000. And our team were there, they saw people being given cash assistance. You know that in all the countries this year, it has been very, very difficult because of the food and nutrition situation.

“We’ve been to Liberia also to see, you know, some of the responses that we have provided. Food nutrition.

In his keynote address, the Director of Cabinet of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Abdou Kolley said in recent years “our Community has endured and continues to endure daunting challenges. The Community is faced with a risk of split with the announced withdrawal of three Member States, threats to regional peace, and numerous terrorist attacks that have claimed hundreds of lives, unemployment among the youth and women, the immediate consequence of which is the migratory crisis and the resulting deaths of our fellow citizens in the desert and in the Mediterranean Sea.”

He added that: “These crises are further compounded by the issues of democratic governance, poverty and natural disasters caused by floods or serious fires in some of our Member States, leading to dire humanitarian crises.”

In his remarks, the Executive Director of Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah, said the partnership and collaboration of MFWA with ECOWAS is happening at a time when the world, and indeed our region, is highly polarised in such a way that it has become difficult, and sometimes impossible, to building consensus around matters of mutual interest. And it is happening at a time when the climate crisis and its associated challenges are escalating.

He said: “Of course, in the midst of all these challenges, community citizens are expecting a lot from their ECOWAS and as expected, some are questioning whether ECOWAS is truly serving the interest of community citizens.”

He noted that “addressing the critical challenges of our time will require that community citizens are provided avenues and opportunities to fully participate in deliberative and governance processes. It requires that community citizens are well informed and have access to factual information on matters of critical importance.

“It also requires that citizens are informed and educated about the activities and impact of ECOWAS as well as the role that they as citizens can play to complement the efforts of ECOWAS in addressing the challenges we face collectively.

“But doing all these will in turn, require the existence of a vibrant, free and professional media as envisaged in the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance and in the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework, among other statutes.

The workshop aims to strengthen the cooperation and partnership between ECOWAS, the media and critical stakeholders in fostering peace, prosperity and democracy amongst ECOWAS Member States and ultimately contribute to the vision of “ECOWAS of the Peoples: Peace and Prosperity for All.

Terrorism: ECOWAS Commits $12.6m for Humanitarian Assistance in West Africa