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2019: I’ll Do Everything Possible To Ensure Buhari’s Defeat – Obasanjo
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Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has said that he would do everything ‘humanly’ possible to protect and safeguard the nation’s nascent democracy current under threat in the hands of the All Progressives Congress-led government.
He spoke yesterday at the public presentation of a book, “Politics As Dashed Hopes in Nigeria” authored by Dr Auwalu Anwar, where he was the chairman of the occasion.
He said while President Muhammadu Buhari and APC should be given the credit for the ouster of the former President Goodluck Jonathan and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led government when Nigerians were disenchanted, noted Buhari has failed in all indices of development.
He noted that President Buhari has failed in almost four years into his administration to provide security, fight corruption and create jobs for teeming Nigerians youth as clearly pointed out by the author in his book.
He congratulated the author for the courage, the discipline and the research work he undertook to write the book.
Obasanjo said he attempted to read the book and saw what he termed the author’s frustration which led to a somewhat melancholic title of the book.
He said even though he was not at the occasion to review the book but to speak on some issues since the book is about Buhari Campaign Organisation (BCO) Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Progressives Congress (APC) and Buhari’s political life, up to second years of Buhari’s administration.
He said: “I will touch on three or four points that will be of interest for all of us at this juncture. Dr Anwar pointed out that President Buhari served the purpose of galvanising efforts to get Jonathan and PDP out of office.
“Buhari and APC must get the credit for that have strengthened our democracy. Because democracy without strong opposition is like marriage without the bridegroom to consummate the marriage.
“But on the mid-term scorecard, Dr Anwar pointed out three significant and tangible areas of failure- security, fighting corruption and job. creation. As at today, these three areas are still where they were at mid-term, not yet a success story.
“Dr Anwar also touched on three critical but intangible areas of failure, which includes reciprocal loyalty, exemplary leadership which include character and power for its sake or what I may call power for self-aggrandisement.
“Well, I understand where Dr Anwar is coming from to get the title of his book. But we must replace despair with optimism.
“Only last November at the launching of the Africa Progressive Group (APG), I raised five pillars African development, growth and progress as politics, population, protection, prosperity and partnership.
“Politics which is essentially governance has overarching importance over other four pillars but I am not in despair. And I will ask Dr Anwar and the rest of us not to be in despair because our hope lies in democracy,” he said.
He noted that the hope of the nation lies in a democracy with good governance, which the hallmark is a free, fair, transparent and credible election.
He disclosed that elections would take place in four significant countries in West Africa between now and next year -Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire. In the four cases, the incumbents were in opposition and took over from the ruling parties.
He said that was good for strengthening and deepening of democracy, saying the world was watching how the elections in these countries would cumulatively strength, deepen and stabilise democracy in the four countries.
“As for me, I will do everything humanly possible to safeguard democracy in Nigeria and I believe that is the main purpose of Dr Anwar’s book,” he said.
He warned that there was no need for any Nigerian to stand aloof when evil is perpetrated, saying anybody who cherishes democracy must work hard to safeguard it.
Obasanjo said that the time has come when every Nigerian must have a Nigerian dream where there must be some commonalities, even as he said that in assessing the mid-term government of Buhari, security, fighting corruption and job creation remain where they were when the government started as it was not yet a success story.
According to him, if Nigeria as a country must get it right, especially entrenching good democracy, there must be good governance, free and credible elections.
Speaking, yesterday, at the Public Presentation of a book titled, “Politics As Dashed Hopes In Nigeria”, by Dr. Auwalu Anwar, Obasanjo, however, urged Nigerians to rise and defend the country’s fledgling democracy.
The former President said that he would do everything within him that was humanly possible to safeguard democracy for good governance in Nigeria and for all Nigerians, just as he said that in the next couple of months, four West Africa countries of Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire will be having their elections, adding that one common feature is that the four incumbent presidents were in the opposition and people voted for them.
He said that the world is watching to see how they would strengthen democracy in their respective countries.
Obasanjo, who was the chairman of the book presentation at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, said that democracy without a strong opposition is akin to a marriage without a bridegroom to consummate the marriage.
The book, which is published by Safari Books, is made up of 22 chapters, with 614 pages.
The former President said, “I am not in despair and I would ask the rest of us not to be in despair; our hope lies in democracy with good governance as one of the hallmarks which is free, fair, transparent and credible elections.
“What should be our take home; yes things may be gloomy, things may not be what they should be, yes leadership may be underperforming, we must not lose hope, that is the first thing.
“The second is that I believe we must have some commonalities that we will all hang on to. One our common nationality, Nigeria; this is the time when we must have a Nigerian dream, what is Nigerian dream, what can I hang on to? Yes, I am a Nigerian and because I am a Nigerian I expect this.
“And I believe if we all see ourselves first as Nigerians and then we enunciate for ourselves the Nigerian dream, a land flowing with milk and honey, a land of opportunity, a land that gives you a stake in all that it is, I think, we will have a country that we can all be proud of.
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Fubara, Canadian Envoy Synergise On Health Sector Growth, Investment Relations
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Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has further canvassed the strengthening of the relationship between the State and the Canadian Government in order to attract more investments, promote economic growth while delivering quality healthcare services in the State.
These were part of the focus of the discussion that took place between Governor Fubara and the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr James Christoff, when they met behind closed doors at Government House in Port Harcourt on Monday.
Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, Mr Christoff expressed satisfaction with the issues discussed and mutually endorsed, and expressed willingness to ensure their actualisation, separately and collectively to their benefit.
Particularly, Mr Christoff said: “First of all, let me say what an honour and pleasure it is for me to be here in Rivers State. I had a couple of very good meetings here over the last day, including with His Excellency, the Governor.
“We talked about areas where we know there are some rooms for us to, I think, further entrench our relationship. One of the things I’ll be doing while I’m here in Rivers State is to visit the Medical Oxygen facility that Canada provided significant support to, overseen by UNICEF.
“And, just knowing that health is a priority for His Excellency, I want to see for myself the Medical Oxygen Plant at Eleme General Hospital, to better understand how that’s making a tremendous difference here in the State.”
Mr Christoff also said that the discussion extended to the abundant natural resources in Rivers State, which are evidence of how blessed it is as a State much like Canada.
The envoy pointed to how expressively he divulged the determination of his country to explore areas “where we can always look to take a very good situation and raise the bar in terms of how we benefit.
“In our case, as Canada, from natural resources and what it brings to a community. And so, we shared some insights on that particular issue, and of course, there are the people-to-people ties that are growing between Nigeria and Canada that are very important.
“And we look for ways to, maybe, tap into the many Nigerians who have a foot in both countries, to the benefit of both countries. So, it was a very good discussion. I’m very happy to be here.”
Mr Christoff further said: “Well, I would say that in terms of business development, that’s a two-way street. Of course, it’s part of our job, part of my job as Canada’s High Commissioner to Nigeria to try and unpack the opportunities that reside here for our companies, and I think we’re making great strides in that.
“And so, wherever I go, when I visit, pay visits on governors across the great country of Nigeria, I always look to find the areas where we might bring our companies and the host government to collaborate.
“As I mentioned, the natural resource sector is one such area, and I look forward to further discussions with state governments, and how we might benefit collectively,” he added.
He noted the peaceful and hospitable ambience in the State, stressing that the Canadian government and companies were satisfied with the opportunities that exist in the State, and were tapping into existing policies to further boost mutual collaborations.
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Bill Gates Foundation Highlights Nigeria’s Potential To Transform Agriculture, Health
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) has highlighted Nigeria’s potential to significantly increase its agricultural output, which the foundation described as a transformative opportunity for the country.
Mr Bill Gates, Philanthropist and co-chair of the Foundation, said this in Abuja, yesterday, at the 2024 NutriVision, a Pan African dialogue to discuss innovative solutions to combating malnutrition in Africa.
Gates said that with the right investments in agricultural productivity and healthcare, Nigeria could achieve food security and also become a net food exporter, contributing to economic growth and improved public health.
He pointed out the immense potential for Nigeria to more than double its food output, which would be a game-changer for the nation.
He noted that such a shift would alleviate the need to use scarce foreign currency reserves to import food, particularly given the current exchange rate challenges.
“There is the opportunity for Nigeria to more than double its food output, which would be pretty transformative because it would mean that you would be a net food exporter.
“Nigeria could bring in revenue by exporting food, boosting the economy and improving the livelihoods of those in rural and Northern areas,” he said.
The philanthropist emphasised the importance of embracing digital approach and utilising better seeds to spark what he termed “agricultural miracles.”
He explained that improving agricultural productivity was crucial for addressing equity, empowering women, and tackling nutrition issues in Nigeria.
He called for a concerted effort to implement these solutions, which would not only enhance food security but also contribute to broader social and economic development.
Gates also discussed the crucial role of healthcare in Nigeria’s development, noting that the government must prioritise health as part of its broader strategy.
He highlighted the need for Nigeria to increase government funding for health and education, supported by improved tax collection.
“The actual tax collection in Nigeria is pretty low. As citizens develop confidence in well-run programmes, they will support increased funding for essential services, “he said.
He underscored the importance of efficient primary healthcare systems, where resources are allocated wisely, and services are delivered effectively.
“Our foundation’s involved with a lot of the exemplars that are showing the way in terms of making sure the money is spent well.
“We are running a very efficient primary health care system where the employees are doing great work, the centres are where they should be, you do not have underloaded centres or overloaded centres,” he said.
He expressed optimism that these efforts would enhance the credibility of health programmes, encouraging citizens to prioritise and advocate for better funding of primary healthcare.
He stressed the potential for Nigeria to learn from best practices around the world and adapt them to local contexts, thereby driving progress in both agriculture and healthcare.
He painted a hopeful picture of a future where Nigeria could feed itself and also nourish the world by making the right choices and placing people at the centre of these efforts.
The Tide source reports that the BMGF advocates that solutions to Africa’s greatest challenges can come from within Africa.
The foundation, thus, supports African partners whose bold ideas and creative approaches have the potential to save lives, improve health and help families across the continent.
Since the foundation’s inception in 2000, it has supported partnerships with African regional institutions, national governments, and local communities in 49 countries.
It contributes funding and scientific expertise in support of their agenda for change.
These partnerships have driven the success of numerous health, agriculture, equality, and anti-poverty initiatives.
The foundation has committed more than seven billion dollars through 2026, to support African countries and institutions working to develop and implement innovative approaches to confront hunger, disease, gender inequality, and poverty.
It works with African governments, the private sector, non-profit organisations and civil society.
The efforts are geared towards improving health outcomes, boosting agricultural productivity, expanding access to digital financial services, and empowering women and other marginalised populations with greater economic opportunities.
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No Directive Was Issued To NNPCL To Increase Petrol Price To N1,000, Says Lokpobiri
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The Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, has said that no directive was issued to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) to increase petroleum prices to N1,000.
Lokpobiri, in a statement issued, yesterday, by his Special Adviser, Media and Communication, Nnemaka Okafor, said he did not direct the NNPC Ltd. or any other entity within the sector to manipulate prices.
“The Federal Government has been compelled to address the outright falsehood and malicious claims currently circulating on social media.
“We categorically condemn these claims as baseless, malicious, and a deliberate attempt to incite public discontent.
“We challenge anyone in possession of any evidence-be it written documents, audio, or video recordings-that supports these fabrications to make it public.
“Such a claim is entirely devoid of truth and should be recognised as an intentional effort to mislead the public,” he said.
He explained that the NNPC Ltd. operates as an independent entity under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), with a fully empowered Board of Directors and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources does not, and will not interfere in NNPC Ltd.’s internal decisions, including pricing matters.
“Any suggestion otherwise is not only incorrect but also reveals a profound misunderstanding of the deregulated nature of Nigeria’s petroleum sector,” he said.
He advised the public to dismiss these malicious rumors.
“Any claim to the contrary is nothing more than an ill- conceived attempt to sow discord and confusion.
“We urge all Nigerians to remain vigilant and rely solely on information from verified and official channels,” he said.
The Tide source reports that as at Tuesday, the NNPC Ltd. Retail Stations adjusted their pump price, selling at N897 as against N617 per litre.
Independent marketers are selling between N930 to N1,000.
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