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Some bandits in large numbers on Saturday night invaded Dahjonu Community in Millennium City of Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State and abducted two journalists -The Nation’s Abdulgafar Alabelewe and Blueprint newspaper’s AbdulRaheem Abdu as well as their wives and children.
Alabelewe is also the current chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Kaduna State Council.
One of the victims’ family member, Taofeeq Olayemi, who confirmed the incident, said the bandits invaded the area around 10:30pm and shot indiscriminately before carrying out their dastardly act.
Olayemi said the bandits kidnapped Alabelewe, his wife and two of his children while Aodu and his wife who was also sick were kidnapped, leaving behind their sick daughter.
He said, “Initially, they picked Abdulgafar,his wife and three of his children and a girl staying with them before asking the girl to return back with one of the children and left with Abdulgafar, his wife and two children.
“They shattered their doors, windows and removed their burglary after scaling the fence.”
Olayemi, who is also a neighbour to the victims, added, “they came around 10:30pm on Saturday night and started shooting sporadically. They first bursted Aodu’s door open and picked him and his wife and left their sick daughter behind.
“Then, they entered Abdulgafar’s house through the fence and jumped into his house. They went straight into his bedroom and picked him, his wife and two of their kids and left immediately, after which the vigilantes arrived and started shooting into the air.”
As of the time of filing this report, the State Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Mansir Hassan, ASP, could not be reached because his telephone was not connecting.
![[PRESS RELEASE] First Lady Oluremi Tinubu Says Women Should Lead The Food Security Campaign](/media/k2/items/cache/0354094d39b085af1cbf639765713bda_L.jpg)
The First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu says women must be seen at the forefront of the Food Security Campaign in the country.
She stated this at the State House Residence while unveiling her vegetable garden which she planted to encourage first time women farmers to join the ongoing Every Home A Garden Competition.
The First Lady who has planted Seven vegetables including spinach, water leaf, bitter leaf, Ewedu, lemon grass, scent leaf and Okro says a little effort on the part of every individual will go a long way in ameliorating food insufficiency.
“This little garden will be able to provide healthy vegetables enough for my house hold and I would definitely be able to let some of my staff have as well. The solution to any problem lies in everyone contributing their own quota to getting that solution. As a leader I must show example and plant my own garden”.
She encouraged first time women farmers all over the country to join the competition by planting a garden in their homes such as the produce will be sufficient to feed them and their neighbours.
“This will also enhance communal living and help drive the food security campaign of the Federal Government. The vegetables are medicinal and the garden is to lead by example for other women to embrace smart gardening”.
She showed off the garden to the Wife of Imo State governor, Chioma Uzodinma and Wife of the Minister of State for Defence Mrs Aisha Matawale.
The Every Home A Garden Competition is open to first time women farmers all over Nigeria. Entries are to be submitted to the Office of the Wives of the State Government of the competitors in the format of a 30 seconds short video with the details of the competitor by the close of work on September 25,2024. The winner would get N25 million naira.
SIGNED
Busola Kukoyi
SSA Media to the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
See Photo Below:
The All Progressives Congress has expressed conviction that President Bola Tinubu will be re-elected in 2027 despite the economic hardship and planned alliance between mega opposition parties.
The lingering economic hardship resulting from ongoing reforms such as fuel subsidy removal and floating of the naira has given rise to palpable fear that Nigerians may vote out Tinubu in 2027.
But the Deputy National Organising Secretary of the ruling party, Nze Chidi Duru, in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, said the ongoing reforms had to come into play to steady the sinking ship of the economy.
He said, “Our party has always recognised the fact that the current challenging economic environment has not in any way got better. When Mr President took over, he asked Nigerians not to pity him. It is an office that he craved and worked hard for before offering himself to provide leadership to Nigeria.
“What gives confidence is that Mr President is very much aware of the expectations of the person on the street. The minimum expectation will be that they need to be comfortable. So, the discussion around 2027 (election) is not out of place. In the life of a country, four years is like yesterday.
“Let me say every political office holder or politician knows that the first date in office is key because the citizens who elected you into office and those who did not elect you will begin to track your performance as a result of that. They can then decide whether or not to re-elect you.
“Concerning whether we will be re-elected, as a democrat and my personal view, we have always canvassed that unless His Excellency President Bola Tinubu will not contest, the APC government is bound to be represented by our candidate in 2027 to fly the flag for the simple reason that I want to bring up. And, of course, there is the incumbency factor.”
- 148 members to work in nine strategy committees
Last Thursday’s judgement on Edo state PDP governorship primary by Justice Inyang Ekwo is a distraction and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has resolved to appeal against it, chairman of the PDP National Campaign Council for Edo State, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has said.
Fintiri who spoke during the inaugural meeting of the campaign council at PDP national headquarters in Abuja where nine strategy committees were constituted to undertake special roles towards actualizing PDP’s victory in the September 21 governorship election, also described the judgement as a ‘child’s play’ that cannot stop PDP’s victory.
During the event, party leaders introduced two defectors – former Deputy Commissioner of Police and ex-National President of the Road Transport Employers’ Association (RTEAN), Alhaji Musa Isiwele who said that he just led 5, 200 All Progressives Congress members to join the Asue Oghodalo campaign along with former Edo State Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Francis Inegbeniki who said that he only knew the APC governorship candidate as a welder in Jos, years ago, as latest additions to the party’s army of experienced campaigners.
In his address to members of the Edo State PDP National Campaign Council and party stakeholders, Governor Fintiri who said that the task ahead of the campaign council won’t be easy further stated that immediately after the launch of PDP governorship campaign in Edo State, many members will remain in the state until election day.
“Like I said, this is not an easy assignment, it requires a lot of sacrifice and commitment on our part and for us to have accepted this appointment, I know also that we have really agreed to do whatever is required of us to win the election.
“We are all politicians, the only thing we understand in politics is to win elections and that is why there is no second position in any election; you either win or you are lost but in this outing, we are out to win.
“And yes, there is a little setback, temporarily but God will see us through it; the court judgement of three days ago, anybody who perused and looks through the entire process, you know that is a child’s play,” Fintiri stated, adding that PDP has resolved to immediately go ahead with an appeal against the judgement.
In his speech, PDP National Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN) who said that the ‘somersault’ done by Justice Ekwo does not invalidate Edo state PDP governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo’s candidature also urged party stakeholders not to feel dismayed.
In a brief speech, PDP governorship candidate in Edo state, Asue Ighodalo who expressed concerns about current indicators and distractions also expressed hope that the capacity and experience of those in the PDP National Campaign Council for Edo state will see things through.
His words: “It is not going to be easy, it is going to be very difficult, we are already seeing the signs; it is going to be a difficult election; not on the issues, but on the distractions but sometimes, the distractions are more difficult to deal with than the issues.
“But I know we have leaders who are more than capable to set the ball rolling and to lift us higher than some others, so, I am truly grateful.”
As Nigeria battles an economic crisis sparked by the government’s twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and unification of FX windows, United Kingdom-based Diageo joined about 15 other multinational companies that have exited the country in the past three years.
Diageo is the latest to announce its departure on Tuesday, June 11 when it said it will sell its 58.02% stake in Guinness Nigeria to Tolaram.
Diageo joins others like Kimberly-Clark, manufacturers of Huggies and Kotex brands of diapers; US-based Procter and Gamble (P&G); GlaxoSmithKline (GSK); Unilever and Sanofi-Aventi Nigeria, who are either exiting completely or reducing their exposure in a country facing its worst cost-of-living crisis in decades.
Unilever Nigeria announced its exit from the home care and skin cleansing markets in Nigeria in November 2023, saying it did so “to find a more sustainable and profitable business model.”
Procter & Gamble was the last to announce its exit from the country the same year.
Similar reasons given by these and other companies include high energy costs, currency depreciation, insecurity etc.
The Federal Government itself acknowledged these challenges in an interview granted by Minister of Finance, Wale Edun on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme, where he said “lack of a liquid foreign exchange market was the major reason why some multinational companies exited Nigeria,” explaining that the inability of the exiting multinationals to access foreign exchange was a major impediment to their operations in the country.
Weighing-in, the Director-General of Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, NECA, Adewale Oyerinde, disclosed that at least 15 multinationals have either divested or partially closed operations in the country in the last three years.
Oyerinde, in his assessment, stated: “Over 15 organisations, with a combined value-chain staff strength of over 20,000 employees, have either divested or partially closed operations,” lamenting that this has “dire consequences not only for organised businesses but also for labour, government revenue and the households; massive job losses across sectors, which would continue to create insecurity challenges”.
Oyerinde added, “When NECA examined the exit of prominent companies like GSK, Sanofi, Procter & Gamble, Nampak, and others, who had been doing business in Nigeria for decades and were huge employers of labour, it was worried about the ripple effect on the broader business ecosystem.
“Within the value chain, numerous enterprises serve as suppliers to these major corporations, and their sustainability is significantly compromised when the primary businesses they cater to face extinction.
“The survival prospects of these secondary businesses are at stake, and their employees are also at risk, as the departure of the main clients could lead to their demise. The crisis within the value chain deserves more attention than it currently receives”.
Other sectoral group leaders and analysts maintain that the continuous exit of multinational firms would dampen Nigeria’s $1trn GDP target of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The President had, at the 29th Nigeria Economic Summit in Abuja, told business leaders and Nigerians that Nigeria’s economy can grow to $1 trillion by 2026.
Analysts believe the persistent exit of multinational companies from the country is set to impact negatively on this target.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that the performance of the GDP in the first quarter of 2024 was driven mainly by the services sector, which recorded a growth of 4.32 per cent and contributed 58.04 per cent to the aggregate GDP, whereas the nominal GDP growth of the manufacturing sector in the first quarter of 2024 was recorded at 8.21 per cent (year-on-year), 9.64 per cent points lower than the figure recorded in the corresponding period of 2023.
Real GDP growth in the manufacturing sector in the first quarter of 2024, on its part, was 1.49 per cent (year-on-year), lower than the same quarter of 2023.
Reacting to this, President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Otunba Francis Meshioye said, “MAN expects the government to frontally address insecurity, improve electricity supply, promote fiscal sustainability and ensure policy consistency.
“Among other priorities, the fiscal authority must also lend supportive measures by adequately incentivising the manufacturing sector and other productive sectors.
“This is very important to boost non-oil export earnings in addition to the increase in oil export proceeds occasioned by increased oil production, rising global oil prices and the coming on stream of the Dangote Refinery”.
Director-General of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Dr. Chinyere Almona, also speaking on the issue, said: “Over the last few months, there has been a consistent increase in exit plans or a reduction in involvement in the Nigerian market by the multinationals, and this trend is worrisome.
“We have seen the likes of Unilever Nigeria, GlaxoSmithKline, and recently now Guinness Nigeria Plc.
“In Nigeria, lingering foreign exchange scarcity, poor power supply, port congestion, multiple taxation, insecurity, and poor infrastructure, among others, have taken a toll on many businesses in the country.”
The chamber recommended that the government should implement measures to stabilise and ensure the availability of foreign exchange for businesses, particularly those operating in dollar-denominated environments, also imploring the government to create a more flexible and transparent foreign exchange policy to address scarcity issues.
“Further, the Chamber urges the government to engage multinational corporations and the business community to understand their challenges and gather input and feedback on policy decisions to collaboratively develop solutions that will forestall the exodus of businesses from Nigeria. The CBN should prioritise the stability of the country’s currency and adopt the right policy mix to ensure price stability,” Almona said.
National President of the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria, ASBON, Femi Egbesola, maintained that multinationals are among the companies that contribute largely to the country’s GDP and earnings.
“We cannot be talking of growing our economy when the real investors are leaving. Assuming they are leaving and the indigenous ones are increasing, it would have been a different thing. But that is not the case. You make income as a nation when you have investments and investors,” he said.
However, since the coming of the Tinubu administration, Tinubu and Edun, among others, have been speaking on efforts being put in place towards revamping the economy, encouraging Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and also making local industries vibrant and competitive.
Whether the assurances of Edun, who, on the Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme, said, “recent executive orders signed by President Bola Tinubu have improved the investment climate … and also disclosed that tax reform proposals aimed at simplifying doing business for local and foreign manufacturers are being considered as part of an Economic Stabilisation Package,” would stem the flow of multinationals exiting the country, only time will tell.
…as Reps plan zonal town hall meetings
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen has reaffirmed the commitment of the parliament to transparency, accountability, good governance and citizens engagement.
Speaking at a dinner to mark the end of the end of the first ever Legislative Open Week, the Speaker disclosed that in response to calls for grassroots engagement, the House will soon roll out citizens’ engagement town hall meetings across the six geopolitical zones in collaboration with the Ford Foundation.
The Speaker stressed that in the face of declining interest and trust in democracy, transparency and regular citizens’ engagement have become more crucial than ever as transparency ensures that government actions are open to public scrutiny and fostering accountability.
He argued that regular engagements with citizens empowers them to voice their concerns, participate in decision-making processes, and feel a sense of ownership over their governance as such mutual interaction strengthens the social contract, rebuilds trust, and revitalizes democratic values.
He said, “Over the past twenty-five years, there have been challenges in ensuring accountability and engagement from leaders and democratic institutions, resulting in a sense of disconnection, cynicism and even distrust among the populace.
“However, through activities like the Open Week, we have a unique opportunity to strengthen our commitment to good governance and re-establish a robust connection with the citizens.
“In the face of declining interest and trust in democracy, transparency and regular citizens’ engagement are more crucial than ever. We strongly believe that transparency ensures that government actions are open to public scrutiny and fostering accountability.
“Regular engagements with citizens, such as we have witnessed this week, empowers them to voice their concerns, participate in decision-making processes, and feel a sense of ownership over their governance. This mutual interaction strengthens the social contract, rebuilds trust, and revitalizes democratic values.
“Our constitutional amendment process will also adopt a citizen-inclusive approach. The onus is now on citizens to actively engage with their representatives. I urge everyone to seize this opportunity to ask questions about governance, participate in public hearings, constituency engagements, town halls, and other forums for engagement. As the saying goes, eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.
“As we look ahead, let us reaffirm our commitment to transparency, accountability, and good governance. The spirit of openness and engagement that defined this week must continue to guide us in all our endeavors”.
Speaker Abbas said the open week has vividly demonstrated the vibrancy and strength of the nation’s evolving democracy and reaffirmed the commitment of the House of Representatives to uphold transparency and accountability.
He described citizens’ engagement as the cornerstone of any effective legislature, adding that the 10th Assembly has embraced the ‘OPEN NASS’ Project, which enhances not only oversight and law-making, but also the transparency of the National Assembly itself, saying “as we hold other branches of government accountable, we must equally welcome scrutiny from the public.”
He maintained that through the House Open Week, the House is reclaiming the legislature for its rightful owners, namely, the citizens and the constituents.
The Speaker said “Over the past few days, in line with the commitments of the House, we have opened our doors to the public, inviting them to witness the workings of the House firsthand. We have engaged in meaningful discussions, welcome feedback, and showcased our dedication to serving the Nigerian people.
“We addressed critical issues such as gender mainstreaming in governance, economic growth and diversification, inclusive political participation, and the constitutional role for traditional rulers. The diverse attendance demonstrated the people’s keen interest and high expectations from the People’s House.
“Our presentation of the House’s performance scorecard in its First Session reassures Nigerians that our commitment to transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement is not merely a duty but a guiding principle of our actions as elected representatives.
“The various activities and discussions during the House Open Week have provided valuable insights into the concerns and aspirations of our people and nation. As highlighted in our scorecard, the essence of representative democracy is that it empowers citizens to choose their leaders and demands those leaders to give a satisfactory account of their stewardship.
Calls on women to lead food security campaign
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has urged women to take the lead in the food security campaign, emphasising the importance of individual contributions to addressing food insufficiency.
Unveiling her own vegetable garden at the State House Residence, First Lady Tinubu encouraged first-time women farmers to participate in the Every Home A Garden Competition.
A statement issued by her Senior Special Assistant on Media, Busola Kukoyi, said the competition, open to women across Nigeria, aims to promote smart gardening and enhance communal living.
The First Lady’s garden, featuring seven vegetables, showcases the potential for individual efforts to make a significant impact.
The vegetables in the First Lady’s garden include spinach, water leaf, bitter leaf, ewedu, lemon grass, scent leaf and okro.
She emphasised that every small contribution can collectively drive the food security campaign forward.
The First Lady said: “This little garden will be able to provide healthy vegetables enough for my household and I would definitely be able to let some of my staff have as well.
Read Also: Blackout in southeast as national grid collapses again
“The solution to any problem lies in everyone contributing their own quota to getting that solution. As a leader, I must show example and plant my own garden.
“This will also enhance communal living and help drive the food security campaign of the Federal Government. The vegetables are medicinal and the garden is to lead by example for other women to embrace smart gardening.”
She showed off the garden to the Wife of Imo State Governor, Chioma Uzodinma, and Wife of the Minister of State for Defence, Mrs Aisha Matawale.
The competition, which closes on September 25, 2024, and offering a N25 million prize for the winner, is open to first time women farmers all over Nigeria
The statement said entries must be submitted in a 30-second video format to the Office of the Wives of State Governors.
Abdourahamane Tiani, Niger Republic’s military leader, says the people of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have “irrevocably turned their backs” on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Speaking on Saturday at the first summit of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) held in Nigerien capital city Niamey, Tiani accused ECOWAS of not doing enough to combat jihadist violence.
The AES was set up after the three Sahel nations pulled out of ECOWAS in February.
The military-run states fell out with the West African regional bloc following the coup d’etat which brought Tiani to power in Niger in July 2023.
ECOWAS imposed sanctions — including border closure and halt of the export of electric power to Niger — against the junta-led countries as part of efforts to reverse the coups in the nations.
The sanctions were however lifted in February, and few days later, the countries pulled out of ECOWAS.
“Our people have irrevocably turned their backs on ECOWAS,” Tiani said.
The AES also alleged that ECOWAS is being manipulated by former colonial ruler France, with Tiani calling for the AES to become a “community far removed from the stranglehold of foreign powers”.
The countries said they would instead turn towards Russia, Turkey and Iran — their “sincere partners”.
“The AES is the only effective sub-regional grouping in the fight against terrorism,” he said.
Meanwhile, ECOWAS is due to hold a summit of its heads of state in Abuja on Sunday.
Part of the agenda to be discussed at the summit is the issue of relations with the AES.
Afam Victor Ogene, the Leader of the Labour Party Caucus of the House of Representatives, has said the victory of opposition Labour Party in the United Kingdom, UK, is a sign that its Nigerian version would triumph in the 2027 general elections.
In a statement made available to journalists in Awka, Friday, Ogene said the election told vivid tales of hope for the opposition, and competence and integrity of the electoral umpires in the UK, in a manner that elicits public confidence and trust in the electoral process.
“Unlike what was witnessed in Nigeria in the last general elections, the process in UK was free of glitches, as about 40 million voters took part. Polls closed around 10 pm Thursday and by daybreak, the results were out.
“There was no judicial ambush, as immediate transition took place to the admiration of all lovers of democracy and free and fair elections.
“If we must practice democracy, we must also love, copy and abide by the transparency and accountability of democratic institutions in nations of the world that allow the rule of law and democratic principles to thrive.
“In deed, one of the potent lessons of the British elections is the fact that, the concept of ‘snatch it, grab it, and run away with it,’ has no place in modern democratic practice,” he said.
Relating the development in the UK to the 2027 election in Nigeria, Ogene said: “I urge the Nigerian Labour Party to draw inspiration from its British counterparts, close ranks, rally the people, and prepare to take the reins of power in 2027.
“Let us work together to build a better future for our nation, guided by the principles of democracy, transparency, and accountability.”
Ogene congratulated Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party in Britain, for his party’s victory over the outgoing UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak and his Conservative Party, in what has been described as the most emphatic election victory by any British political party this century.
The opposition Labour Party won a huge parliamentary majority in the UK general election, unseating the incumbent Conservatives after 14 years.
While the Labour Party got 412 seats, the incumbent Conservatives got just 121
The Certified True Copy (CTC) of the ruling by Hon. Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Abuja Federal High Court in Suit No FHC/ABJ/CS/165/2024 has revealed that the Hon. Judge gave an order for the inclusion of 378 delegates as part of the 3 Ad-Hoc Ward Delegates to participate in the February 22 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election.
The Judge made no pronouncement on the validity or otherwise of the candidature of the PDP, Dr. Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie Esq, as against media reports which misled the public on the validity of the primary election.
The CTC document puts to rest the confusion that had emanated from the judgment delivered by Hon. Justice Inyang Ekwo, clearing all misinterpretations of the ruling.
In his ruling as seen from the CTC document, the judge declared that “the Plaintiffs and the other 378 delegates, whose names and election results appear on Exhibits BID 8A to 8L were elected and to allow the Plaintiffs and the 375 other lawfully elected delegates participate in the primary election of February 22, 2024.”
According to him, “A Declaration is hereby made that by virtue of the provisions of Article 50 (3) of the Constitution of the 2nd Defendant (as amended in 2017), the Plaintiffs together with the other lawfully elected delegates, whose names and election results appear on Exhibits BID 8A to 8L herein, are the lawfully elected Ward Congress Delegates in their respective wards and by virtue of which the Defendants cannot exclude them from participating as 3 Ad-Hoc Ward Delegates at the Governorship primary election of Edo State slated for the 22nd of February, 2024 or any other date.”
He continued: “An Order is hereby made directing the Defendants who are bound by the provisions of Section 82 of the Electoral Act, 2022 and Article 50 (3) of the 2nd Defendant's Constitution (as amended in 2017) to abide by the outcome of the 3 Ad-Hoc Delegates Ward Congress of February 4, 2024, at which the Plaintiffs and the other 378 delegates, whose names and election results appear on Exhibits BID 8A to 8L were elected and to allow the Plaintiffs and the 375 other lawfully elected delegates participate in the primary election of February 22, 2024.
The Judge added: “An Order of Mandatory Injunction is hereby made restraining the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Defendants from unlawfully excluding the Plaintiffs and the other lawfully elected delegates whose names and election results appear on Exhibits BID 8A to 8L herein, from participating as 3 Ad-Hoc Ward Delegates in the Governorship election primaries of the 2nd Defendant slated for the 22nd of February, 2024 or any other date.”
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US President Joe Biden says he is not considering quitting the presidential race.
There has been mounting pressure from within the Democratic Party on Biden to step aside, after a shaky debate performance with Donald Trump, the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party.
Stakeholders have also expressed concerns over the president’s health and mental alertness after that June 27 night.
Speaking in an interview with ABC News, Biden said only the “Lord Almighty” would convince him to drop his re-election bid.
“I mean, if the Lord Almighty came down and said, ‘Joe, get outta the race’, I would get outta the race. The Lord Almighty’s not coming down. I mean, these hypotheticals,” Biden said.
“I don’t think anybody is more qualified to be president or win this race than me.
“Look, I’m running again because I think I understand best what has to be done to take this nation to a completely new level. We are on our way. We are on our way.”
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Biden also dismissed criticisms that he is too old and feeble to run again.
“I see all these stories that say I am too old.. was I too old to create 15 million jobs? Was I too old to erase student debt for five million Americans? Do you think I’m too old to beat Donald Trump?” he asked.
On Wednesday, the White House said Biden is not backing down from the race despite growing concerns.
“The president is clear-eyed, and he is staying in the race,” Karine Jean-Pierre, White House press secretary, said.
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“That is what the president is focused on, continuing to deliver for the American people. This is a president who is strong and resolute.”
President Bola Tinubu has initiated the Resettlement Scheme for Persons Impacted by Conflict (RSPIC) to address the humanitarian crisis caused by internal displacement.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima represented Tinubu at the launch of the pilot phase in Tudun Biri, Kaduna, on Friday.
The president stated that the scheme targets communities affected by conflicts in Kaduna, Katsina, Benue, Niger, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Kebbi, providing long-term rehabilitation and reintegration for displaced victims.
“The conflict we are forced to endure has not only torn communities apart in the past but also political leaders who ought to be unifying models for the people,” he said.
“This history should inspire us to be different, and my optimism thrives on the assurance by our state governors to treat our humanitarian crises as points of unity instead of divisions.
“To those who have been displaced by conflict, I say this: We see you, we hear you, and we stand with you.
“Your strength and resilience inspire us all, and under President Tinubu’s leadership, we commit to bolstering our nation’s security infrastructure and advancing peace.
“This resettlement scheme is a testament to your courage and signals an end to your pessimism. It is an opportunity for each of us to come together and rebuild.
“We are here to assure that the safety of each Nigerian shall be a priority, and we cannot claim to have achieved this until we restore dignity and security to those whose lives have been upended by conflict.
“Our journey to this point has been long and arduous. Today, we converge in this historic city to demonstrate our resolve to overcome adversity and build a future where each person and community sees the other as a friend and where peace and opportunity are the birthright of every citizen.”
The Caretaker Committee Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, has said that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike is the mentor of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
He insisted that Fubara would not have become governor without the backing of the minister.
Okocha described the Rivers governor as the political investment of Wike.
The APC chieftain stated this during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
Naija News reports that Fubara and Wike, the former governor of Rivers State, have been at loggerheads over the control of the oil-rich state.
Reacting to the situation, Okocha said, “The feud between the governor and his mentor, Governor Fubara is Wike’s political investment.
“From civil servant to the candidate of a party and delivering him in 23 local governments out of 23, the first in our history, all of these were Wike’s ability to manoeuvre. The former governor has said, ‘I am not asking you for anything. I am only saying that you are destroying the structure that produced you.’
“If you are a politician, no politician will allow his structure to be dismantled. When you do that, it means that you have no home to fall back to. That is the issue.”
Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), on Friday, gathered in Abuja to advance discussions on the launch of a single regional currency, the ECO.
This significant assembly underscores a collective ambition to drive economic growth and enhance integration across West Africa.
The meeting received a strong endorsement from Nigeria, the region’s largest economy.
In a statement released by the Ministry of Finance, Wale Edun, Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, highlighted the pivotal role the ECO is expected to play in fostering economic development within the community.
“Nigeria is fully committed to the ECO and its potential to improve economic growth and development in the region,” Edun stated.
The Abuja meeting focused on detailed preparations for the introduction of the ECO, marking a crucial step toward the realization of this ambitious currency integration project.
The discussions aimed to lay a robust groundwork to ensure a smooth transition to a single currency system among the fifteen member states of ECOWAS.
The envisioned single currency extends beyond the simplification of monetary transactions—it seeks to become a cornerstone of economic integration.
By streamlining trade and enhancing monetary stability, the ECO aims to transform the economic landscape of West Africa, making it easier for countries to engage in cross-border commerce and investment.
The gathering saw the participation of key economic leaders from the region, including Mr Olavo Correia, Minister of Finance of Cape Verde; Mr Adama Coulibaly, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs of Cote d’Ivoire; and Mr Mohammed Amin Adam, Minister of Finance of Ghana.
These figures, among others, form a collaborative effort dedicated to shaping a prosperous economic future for West Africa.
According to the statement, “The meeting culminated in a renewed sense of purpose surrounding the ECO’s introduction. Participants emerged with a shared belief that the single currency holds immense potential to reshape the economic landscape of the region, paving the way for a more prosperous future for all member states”.