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Tag: BUHARI

  • Buhari to world leaders: emulate Mandela on human dignity

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has urged world leaders to emulate the values of former South African President Nelson Mandela by placing human dignity at the centre of their action.

    This, he said, would build a just, peaceful, prosperous, inclusive and fair world.

    Buhari spoke during the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit on the sidelines of the 73rd United Nations General Assembly in New York.

    According to him, the Centenary celebration of the anti-apartheid icon was an opportunity for the leaders to rededicate themselves to the service of humanity by championing democracy, conflict resolution, disarmament, mutual respect, reconciliation, gender equality and the fight against poverty.

    Even though the world is facing diverse challenges ranging from conflicts, climate change, terrorism, desertification, poverty, arms trafficking and extremism among others, he said it would bring great hope and renaissance if inspiration is drawn from Mandela, whose lifestyle, he noted, symbolised uncommon humility, compassion, courage and forgiveness.

    Buhari quoted Mandela as saying during his trial and when faced with death penalty: “During my life time, I have dedicated myself to this struggle of African people. I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideals of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony with equal opportunity. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and see realised. But if need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

    The President added: “It is within this ethos of the great Mandela that we place this declaration. We must, therefore, make concerted efforts to build a just, peaceful, prosperous and inclusive and fair world and revert to the values for which Nelson Mandela stood by placing human dignity at the centre of our action.”

    He said the centenary celebration provided an avenue to reflect on the legacies of Mandela and his unwavering advocacy for human rights, social justice and peace.

    Buhari said: “It also affords us a rare privilege to rededicate ourselves to the service of humanity by championing democracy, conflict resolution, disarmament, mutual respect, reconciliation, gender equality and the fight against poverty.

    “There is no doubt that in quest to attain peace and development, the world will draw inspiration from the likes of Nelson Mandela,” he said.

    Nigeria, he said, wants all nations to recognise that the United Nations is built on pillars of peace and security, development and human rights which are the foundations for the world’s collective wellbeing which he said also emphasize that “there can be no peace without sustainable development and no sustainable development without peace and full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all.”

    He also added that by the declaration, the world recognises the contribution of women to advancement of society and their contribution to the prevention and resolution of conflicts.

    Buhari said Nigeria is committed to the promotion and protection of the rights of all women as well as providing an enabling environment for them to realise their full potentials.

    The political declaration that was unanimously adopted on Monday has the nearly 100 Heads of State and Government, Ministers, Member States and representatives of civil society paying tribute to the late South African President’s celebrated qualities and service to humanity, committed to redoubling efforts to build a just, peaceful, prosperous, inclusive, and fair world.

  • Buhari at UN: let’s address causes of illegal migration

    On behalf of the Government and people of Nigeria, I congratulate you, Madam President, on your well-deserved election as President of the 73rd General Assembly. As you embark on your assignment, I would like to assure you of Nigeria’s support in no less measure than that which we extended to your illustrious predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Miroslav Lajèák.

    1. We appreciate the effective leadership he gave the 72ndAssembly with such dedication, commitment, and fairness to all member states. I also salute our distinguished Secretary-General, H.E. Mr. Antonio Guterres, who steered the affairs of the Secretariat with focused commitment to the collective United Nations pursuit of global peace and security, equity and justice, inclusiveness, women’s empowerment and human rights.
    2. It is appropriate at this point to remember with deep sadness our late 7thSecretary- General Mr. Kofi Annan who passed away on the eve of his 82nd birthday. Kofi’s significant contributions to the work of our Organisation have been acknowledged in the well deserved tributes that poured in from around the world following his death.
    3. We in Africa, while mourning the loss of this great son of ours and citizen of the world, take pride in the way he served humanity in a truly exemplary manner. He demonstrated, in his calm but determined manner, the virtues of compassion, dedication to the cause of justice, fairness and human rights.  He was a visionary leader who inspired hope even in the face of the most daunting challenges. He devoted his entire life’s career to the UN and the pursuit of its ideals and goals. The world is indeed a better place thanks to his exemplary service.

    Madam President,

    During the past year, the world saw some positive results and encouraging signs from the bilateral and multilateral efforts of the international community to address conflicts, crises and threats to world peace. We particularly commend the efforts of the leaders of the United States, North Korea, and South Korea, to realise our shared goal of a nuclear free Korean Peninsula.

    In this connection, we acknowledge the commitment to peace shown by President Donald Trump and Chairman Kim Jong-Un by initiating a historic Summit. We urge that they continue this positive engagement.

    Regrettably, many of the crises and threats to peace and security around the world which we debated last year as we did over several previous years remain unresolved. In some cases, matters got worse. The continuing plight of the Rohingyas in Myanmar, the protracted Israeli/Palestinian conflict, the wars in Yemen, and Syria, and the fight against international and local terrorism such as Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab come to mind.

    The terrorist insurgencies we face, particularly in the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin, are partly fuelled by local factors and dynamics, but now increasingly by the international Jihadi Movement, runaway fighters from Iraq and Syria and arms from the disintegration of Libya.

    In Myanmar, the carnage appears to have thankfully abated somewhat. We commend the United Nations for staying focussed on the situation of the Rohingya people, to bring their suffering to an end, and hold to account the perpetrators of the atrocious crimes committed against innocent and vulnerable members of this community, including women, children and the old.

    The international community should strengthen its resolve to combat ethnic and religious cleansing everywhere.  We support the UN’s efforts in ensuring that the Rohingya refugees are allowed to return to their homes in Myanmar with security, protection, and guarantee of citizenship. We note the indication by the Government of Myanmar of its willingness to address these issues and we encourage them to do so expeditiously.

    In this context, Nigeria commends the Government and people of Bangladesh in particular and all other countries and organizations that have contributed to shouldering the burden of providing shelter and other vital assistance to the Rohingya Refugees.

    The carnage and the worsening humanitarian situations in Syria and Yemen continue unabated. But the international community cannot afford to give up on the Syrian and Yemeni people. We must pursue all efforts to find peaceful negotiated political solutions to these wars which cannot be won by force of arms alone. Regarding Syria, we hope that the UN sponsored Geneva process and the Sochi initiative, led by Russia, Iran, and Turkey advance this objective.

    The International community must keep up the pressure to encourage the parties to pursue the path of dialogue, negotiations and inclusiveness in resolving their sectarian divides and bringing to an end the immense human suffering in Syria as well as Yemen. We commend Turkey, Jordan, Greece, Germany, Italy and France for hosting the millions of the refugees fleeing these brutal conflicts.

    The situation in the Middle East, grave as it has always been, is now worsened by developments since our last meeting. Nigeria continues to call on the Israelis and the Palestinians to make the necessary compromises in the interest of justice, peace and security, in line with our numerous UN resolutions and applicable international laws.

    Unilateral, arbitrary and insensitive actions only prolong the conflict and undermine world peace and security. The deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza is an appalling result of unrestrained use of power. We urge both parties to re-engage in dialogue on the basis of relevant UN resolutions, the Madrid Principles, the Quartet Roadmap and the Arab Peace Initiative, among others.

    Nigeria reaffirms its unwavering support for a just two-state solution, negotiated without intimidation and with Israel and Palestine existing side-by-side in peace and security.

    The crises in the Middle East have deep roots and have remained unresolved for too long. Yet, we should not fall into self-defeating despair and conclude that they are not amenable to solution.

    We should draw inspiration from the remarkable leadership that got Ethiopia and Eritrea to restore long-lost hope for peace between them, a remarkable show of statesmanship which has now galvanised neighbouring countries, including Djibouti and Somalia to push for peace in the sub-region. I believe that with hard work, commitment, and a disposition to compromise and necessary sacrifices, peace is achievable in the Middle East as well.

    Most crises usually have a variety of festering causes and effects. It is the failure to address them early and effectively that lead to out- of- control conflicts. Addressing them includes national and international collective actions which positively impact on peoples and communities. Hence, ‘Making the United Nations relevant to all people: Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Peaceful, Equitable and sustainable Societies’ which is the theme for this year’s General Assembly, is very apt indeed.

    A topical consequence of the current conflicts around the world is the irregular migration of affected people from the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Africa to Europe. Irregular migration entails huge avoidable loss of human lives, puts strains on services in host countries and communities, and fuels anti- immigrant and racist sentiments in Europe. That is why we welcome the successful conclusion of the negotiations on the first-ever Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, and we look forward to its adoption in Marrakech later this year.  The aim is to protect the rights of migrants worldwide, while addressing the concerns of countries of ‘origin’, ‘transit’, or ‘destination’ alike.

    Migration is a constant in human affairs. We in Africa are grateful to countries who treat migrants with compassion and humanity-notably Germany, Italy and France.

    Irregular migration is not a consequence of conflicts alone, but of the effects of climate change and lack of opportunities at home. Climate Change remains one of the greatest challenges of our time. Very close to us at home, it is our lot in Nigeria, together with our neighbours around the Chad Basin, to live with the Climate change consequences of a drastically shrunk Lake Chad and the parching up of otherwise fertile arable lands.

    The Lake was a major source of livelihood to more than 45 million inhabitants of the region. Its shrinking meant loss of livelihoods and they are now rendered poor and vulnerable to the activities of extremists and terrorist groups. The instability thus caused in the sub-region intensified internal displacements leading, among other consequences, to intense economic competition especially between farmers and herdsmen.

    This is why we continue to call for a rededicated international engagement to accelerate the recovery efforts in the Lake Chad Basin to address the root causes of the conflicts in the region. What is required is continuous and robust UN cooperation with national Governments and sub-regional and regional organisations such as the Lake Chad Basin Commission, the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union, to enhance capacity in conflict prevention, conflict management and peace building.

    With regard to the Lake Chad Basin plight, I extend our heartfelt appreciation to the United Nations, the Governments of Germany, Norway, the United States, Sweden, the United Kingdom, France and a host of other development partners for their laudable support in assisting us to address both the humanitarian challenges and the on-going stabilisation drive in the region.

    Corruption within countries and illicit flow of funds across national boundaries have huge negative impact on the stability, peace, and economic prospects of millions in developing countries. Corruption significantly deprives national Governments of resources to provide meaningful livelihoods to their populations who are predominantly youths, thus giving rise to more irregular migration.

    The fight against corruption, therefore, involves us all. It is in our collective interest to cooperate in tracking illicit financial flows, investigate and prosecute corrupt individuals and entities and repatriate such funds to their countries of origin.

    Fighting corruption or resolving international conflicts, crises and wars; defeating terrorism and piracy; curbing arms trafficking and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons which fuel these conflicts, particularly in Africa; stemming irregular migration by addressing its root causes; and the many other global challenges we are faced with today can only be effectively addressed through multilateral cooperation and concerted action.

    The only global institutional framework we have to address these challenges is the United Nations System. That is why we continue to call for the strengthening of the Organisation and making it more effective by speeding up the pace of progress towards its reform, including that of its principal organ, the Security Council. The reconstitution of the Council to make it more equitable and more representative of our global community is both a political and moral imperative.

    We believe that a reformed Security Council with expanded membership in both the permanent and non-permanent categories, is in accord with prevailing international consensus and it is in our collective interest to do so. It is high time we stopped skirting round the issue and establish achievable benchmarks and time frames for these reforms.

    I assure you all that in this advocacy, I am only reflecting Nigeria’s deep and abiding commitment to our Organisation and its founding principles and goals. From the date we joined in 1960, we have contributed our quota to the fulfilment of the mandate of the UN. We have been active participants in many Security Council and African Union authorised Peace Keeping operations around the world, beginning with the Democratic Republic of Congo operations in 1960.

    Furthermore, Nigeria has always mobilised the required human and material resources to achieve set United Nations goals, including the recently adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We are resolute in complementing the efforts and examples of the United Nations to promote gender equality and youth empowerment as necessary pillars for sustainable development.

    Without these, there can be neither enduring peace nor security. As we set and implement our national policies to achieve these goals, we, in the spirit of international solidarity, will readily cooperate with other nations seeking to achieve similar goals for their own populations to help ensure that no one is left behind.

    • I thank you all for your attention.

    Being the text of a speech by President Muhamadu Buhari to the UN General Asembly

  • Buhari advocates multilateral cooperation to check corruption, illicit funds

    President Muhammadu Buhari says the issue of corruption within countries and illicit flow of funds across national boundaries can only be effectively addressed through multilateral cooperation and concerted action.

    The Nigerian leader stated this while addressing the issue of corruption and illicit assets when he delivered his statement at the opening of the 73rdsession of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA73) in New York, U.S., on Tuesday.

    According to him, the issue of corruption within countries and illicit flow of funds across national boundaries have huge negative impact on the stability, peace, and economic prospects of millions in developing countries.

    The President noted further that, “Corruption significantly deprives national Governments of resources to provide meaningful livelihoods to their populations who are predominantly youths, thus giving rise to more irregular migration.”

    While noting that the fight against corruption was a collective assignment involving all stakeholders, he said, “It is in our collective interest to cooperate in tracking illicit financial flows, investigate and prosecute corrupt individuals and entities and repatriate such funds to their countries of origin.”

    “Fighting corruption or resolving international conflicts, crises and wars; defeating terrorism and piracy; curbing arms trafficking and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons which fuel these conflicts, particularly in Africa; stemming irregular migration by addressing its root causes; and the many other global challenges we are faced with today can only be effectively addressed through multilateral cooperation and concerted action,’’ he added.

    The Nigerian leader, however, reiterated his call for the reform of the United Nations System so as to effectively address the challenges confronting the world.

    He particularly called for the reconstitution of the Security Council to make it more equitable and more representative of the global community.

    He said: “The only global institutional framework we have to address these challenges is the United Nations System.

    “That is why we continue to call for the strengthening of the Organisation and making it more effective by speeding up the pace of progress toward its reform, including that of its principal organ, the Security Council.

    “The reconstitution of the Council to make it more equitable and more representative of our global community is both a political and moral imperative.

    “We believe that a reformed Security Council with expanded membership in both the permanent and non-permanent categories, is in accord with prevailing international consensus and it is in our collective interest to do so.

    “It is high time we stopped skirting round the issue and establish achievable benchmarks and time frames for these reforms.”

    Giving a background to the call, Buhari said, “I assure you all that in this advocacy, I am only reflecting Nigeria’s deep and abiding commitment to our Organisation and its founding principles and goals.

    “From the date we joined in 1960, we have contributed our quota to the fulfilment of the mandate of the UN. We have been active participants in many Security Council and African Union authorised Peace Keeping operations around the world, beginning with the Democratic Republic of Congo operations in 1960.

    “Furthermore, Nigeria has always mobilised the required human and material resources to achieve set United Nations goals, including the recently adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

    “We are resolute in complementing the efforts and examples of the United Nations to promote gender equality and youth empowerment as necessary pillars for sustainable development.”

    He noted that without these, there could be neither enduring peace nor security.

    “As we set and implement our national policies to achieve these goals, we, in the spirit of international solidarity, will readily cooperate with other nations seeking to achieve similar goals for their own populations to help ensure that no one is left behind,’’ he added.(NAN)

  • Buhari urges global action on corruption, security, UN reforms

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in New York addressed world leaders at the ongoing 73rd session of the UN General Assembly, calling for global action on corruption, security and UN reforms.

    Buhari, who was the 14th speaker, while presenting the Nigeria’s National Statement to world leaders during the first day of the General Debate, also unfolded Nigeria’s positions on international matters before the global audience.

    He painted a distressing picture of the Lake Chad, which was a major source of livelihood to more than 45 million inhabitants of the region.

    He said the shrinking of the lake meant loss of livelihoods as people were now rendered poor and vulnerable to the activities of extremists and terrorist groups.

    “The instability thus caused in the sub-region intensified internal displacements leading, among other consequences, to intense economic competition especially between farmers and herdsmen,” he said.

    Buhari reiterated Nigeria’s call for a rededicated international engagement to accelerate the recovery efforts in the Lake Chad Basin to address the root causes of the conflicts in the region.

    “What is required is continuous and robust UN cooperation with national Governments and sub-regional and regional organisations such as the Lake Chad Basin Commission, the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union, to enhance capacity in conflict prevention, conflict management and peace building.”

    He expressed heartfelt appreciation to the UN, Germany, Norway, U.S., Sweden, UK, France and a host of other development partners for their laudable support in assisting Nigeria to address both the humanitarian challenges and the on-going stabilisation drive in the Lake Chad Basin region.

    On corruption, the Nigerian leader called for measures by the international community to stem illicit flow of funds within countries and across national boundaries.

    According to him, corruption has a huge negative impact on the stability, peace, and economic prospects of millions in developing countries.

    “Corruption significantly deprives national Governments of resources to provide meaningful livelihoods to their populations who are predominantly youths, thus giving rise to more irregular migration,” Buhari said.

    He noted that the fight against corruption was a collective assignment involving all stakeholders adding, “it is in our collective interest to cooperate in tracking illicit financial flows, investigate and prosecute corrupt individuals and entities and repatriate such funds to their countries of origin”.

    “Fighting corruption or resolving international conflicts, crises and wars; defeating terrorism and piracy; curbing arms trafficking and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons which fuel these conflicts, particularly in Africa.

    “Stemming irregular migration by addressing its root causes; and the many other global challenges we are faced with today can only be effectively addressed through multilateral cooperation and concerted action.

    “The only global institutional framework we have to address these challenges is the United Nations System,” Buhari stressed.

    He called for the strengthening of the UN and making it more effective by speeding up the pace of progress towards its reform, including that of its principal organ, the Security Council.

    “The reconstitution of the Council to make it more equitable and more representative of our global community is both a political and moral imperative.

    “We believe that a reformed Security Council with expanded membership in both the permanent and non-permanent categories, is in accord with prevailing international consensus and it is in our collective interest to do so.

    According to him, it is high time to stop skirting round the issue and establish achievable benchmarks and time frames for these reforms.

    “I assure you all that in this advocacy, I am only reflecting Nigeria’s deep and abiding commitment to our Organisation and its founding principles and goals.

    “From the date we joined in 1960, we have contributed our quota to the fulfilment of the mandate of the UN.

    “We have been active participants in many Security Council and African Union authorised Peace Keeping operations around the world, beginning with the Democratic Republic of Congo operations in 1960.

    “Furthermore, Nigeria has always mobilised the required human and material resources to achieve set United Nations goals, including the recently adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

    “We are resolute in complementing the efforts and examples of the United Nations to promote gender equality and youth empowerment as necessary pillars for sustainable development,” Buhari said.

    The Nigerian leader expressed regrets about some lingering threats to peace and security around the world, noting that in some cases, matters got worse.

    “The terrorist insurgencies we face, particularly in the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin, are partly fuelled by local factors and dynamics, but now increasingly by the international Jihadi Movement, runaway fighters from Iraq and Syria and arms from the disintegration of Libya”.

    He called on the international community to strengthen its resolve to combat ethnic and religious cleansing everywhere.

    He expressed Nigeria’s support for the UN’s effort in ensuring that the Rohingya refugees are allowed to return to their homes in Myanmar with security, protection, and guarantee of citizenship.

    The Nigerian leader commended the efforts of the leaders of the United States, North Korea and South Korea, “to realise our shared goal of a nuclear free Korean Peninsula.”

    He also acknowledged the commitment to peace shown by U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korea’s Chairman Kim Jong-Un by initiating a historic Summit, urging both leaders to continue with the positive engagement.

    Buhari called on the Israelis and the Palestinians to make the necessary compromises in the interest of justice, peace and security, in line with numerous UN resolutions and applicable international laws.

    He warned that “unilateral, arbitrary and insensitive actions only prolong the conflict and undermine world peace and security,” attributing the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza to the “appalling result of unrestrained use of power.”

    Buhari, therefore, urged both parties to re-engage in dialogue on the basis of relevant UN resolutions, the Madrid Principles, the Quartet Roadmap and the Arab Peace Initiative, among others.

    He also reaffirmed Nigeria’s “unwavering support for a just two-state solution, negotiated without intimidation and with Israel and Palestine existing side-by-side in peace and security”. (NAN)

  • 2019: PDP is now on the right track – Tambuwal

    Sokoto state Governor, Alhaji Aminu Tambwal on Tuesday declared that the People’s Democratic Party is on the right track in providing quality leadership for the nation.

    He acknowledged that he left the PDP because of impunity, clear issues of misgovernance and lack of respect for the tenet of democratic principles adding that he had since discovered that the issue of bad governance is worse in the ruling All Progressive Party (APC).

    Speaking to newsmen after addressing the Peoples Democratic Party PDP delegates to the forthcoming national convention of the party at the PDP Secretariat in Minna, Tambuwal said, ” there were issues of mis-governance that borders on tenets of democracy, in the course of time we began to see clearly that the bad leadership issues in the PDP are rearing their heads in the APC

    “However, the PDP on its part started coming together to reform itself so we see a better PDP than the APC and that is why we left APC.”

    The Presidential Hopeful said his decision to seek for the presidency of the country “is in national interest and a personal sacrifice. I had the opportunity to retain my seat in the APC in Sokoto state but I decided to sacrifice this because the country needs fixing.”

    He then declared that he will convincingly beat President Buhari if he is fielded by the party for the 2019 polls stressing that he had all the advantages to defeat Buhari.

    Read Also: Saraki, Kwara guber aspirants meet in Ilorin

    Tambuwal urged the delegates to vote for a Candidate with experience and capacity in order to bring the much desired change Nigerians are yearning for as there is chaos currently in the country due to vision less leadership.

    Speaking on the state of the nation, the Presidential aspirant said Nigeria is currently in chaos and it requires the collective responsibility of all leaders to come together in order to salvage the Country from crashing as it apparent that the Nation is in grave danger adding that the Country is greatly endowed but lack visionary leadership to harness its abundant resources for the benefit of the vast majority account for the poverty ravaging the country.

    “It is our collective responsibility as leaders to come together to rescue our Nation from disintegration.”

  • Minimum wage strike looms as NLC puts workers on standby

    Barely any last minute change of plans, organised Labour in the country have concluded plans to embark on a warning strike to protest government delay in arriving at a new national minimum wage for the country.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had in November 2017 inaugurated a tripartite committee to discuss and arrive at a new national minimum wage for the country, while the committee began sitting in March 2018.

    Also, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige told the Nation in February during the 40th anniversary celebration of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) that the committee will conclude its report before the end of the third quarter.

    However, at a meeting where the committee was to finalize its work, the Minister reported announced that the government needed more time to consult before arriving at a figure which will be discussed by the committee, while the meeting was adjourned indefinitely.

    The position of the minister angered Organised Labour, promptly accused the minister and the government of delaying the process, and issued a two weeks ultimatum for government to recall the committee and conclude negotiation or face an industrial action.

    Although the Vice President was said to have called for a meeting to address the issue with a view to avoiding any industrial action, The Nation gathered that Organised Labour were not invited to the meeting.

    However, in a two paragraph statement on Tuesday, General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson informed all industrial unions in the country and state councils to immediately begin the mobilization of their members in readiness for the warning strike which May later snowball into a full blown industrial action.

    The statement reads: “This is to inform you that the Organised Labour shall commence nationwide warning strike in respect of the non implementation of the National Minimum Wage effective midnight of Wednesday 26th September 2018.

    “All industrial unions and all state councils are to commence mobilization immediately for an effective strike action nationwide. A formal notification letter will be sent later in the day”.

  • Buhari condoles with family of Justice Ogbuagu

    President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with the family of the deceased and the National Judicial Council over the passing of Justice Francis Ikechi Ogbuagu.

    The President, in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, commiserated with friends and professional colleagues of the late jurist, who served variously in the Federal High Courts in Imo and Abia, before rising to the Appeal and Supreme Court.

    He believed the legal luminary served diligently, and contributed immensely to the strengthening of the judiciary, which remains the bastion of Nigeria’s democracy.

    Read Also: Buhari extols Mandela’s value of humility, compassion

    President Buhari saluted Justice Ogbuagu’s deep sense of patriotism, loyalty and commitment to nation building, which was long sustained after he retired from the Supreme Court in 2010.

    He prayed that God will grant his soul eternal rest, and comfort his family.

  • Buhari extols Mandela’s value of humility, compassion

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday in New York extolled the immense values embodied by the late South African President and Nobel Peace Winner, Nelson Mandela.

    Mr Femi Adesina, the president’ Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday morning, said Buhari stated this at a High Level Meeting on Global Peace in honour of the Centenary of the birth of Nelson Mandela.

    The event is also known as the Peace Summit.

    Adesina said the president, who was speaking on the sidelines of the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, described the anti-apartheid icon as “a man whose lifetime symbolised uncommon humility, compassion, courage and forgiveness.”

    According to the President, the centenary celebration provides an avenue to reflect on the legacies of Mandela and his unwavering advocacy for human rights, social justice and peace.

    He said: “It also affords us the rare privilege to rededicate ourselves to the service of humanity by championing democracy, conflict resolution, disarmament, mutual respect, reconciliation, gender equality and the fight against poverty.”

    Buhari noted that in the quest for peace and development, the world would definitely “draw inspiration from the life of Nelson Mandela.”

    He commended the adoption of the Nelson Mandela Decade of Peace by a Political Declaration.

    The Nigerian leader called for concerted efforts to build a just, peaceful, prosperous, inclusive and fair world, and revive the values for which Mandela stood by placing human dignity at the centre of our actions.

    “As we herald the Nelson Mandela Decade of Peace, Nigeria calls on all states to recognise that the United Nations is built on pillars of peace and security, development and human rights, which are the foundations for our collective well-being,’’ he added.

    According to him, there can be no peace without sustainable development and no sustainable development without peace and the full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all.

    He added that racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance represent the very opposite of the noble purposes of the United Nations.

    Buhari also recognised that the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all peoples of the world were the foundations of freedom, justice and peace.

    He noted that Nigeria also accepted that “tolerance of cultural, ethnic, racial and religious diversities are essential for lasting peace, understanding and friendship among peoples, nations, cultures and individuals.”

    According to the Nigerian leader, the world is currently facing diverse challenges ranging from conflicts, climate change, terrorism, desertification, poverty, arms trafficking and violent extremism, among others.

    He, however, believed that its also “a time of great hope and renaissance,” referring to Mandela’s famous declaration as he faced the death penalty during his Rivonia Trial in April 1964.

    “As Mandela passes into history, we stand with him in his aspirations for a better world.’’

    Buhari added that, “it is our duty to live up to his indelible legacy by collectively holding ourselves accountable to the values and principles of this Declaration by striving for a just, peaceful, prosperous, democratic, fair and inclusive world.’’

  • Buhari condemns xenophobia, discrimination

    President Muhammadu Buhari has commended former South African President Nelson Mandela for his rare virtues, especially in the promotion of peace, unity and reconciliation.

    Buhari spoke on Monday evening at the declaration of Nelson Mandela Decade of Peace at the UN headquarters in New York in commemoration of the centenary celebration of the late anti-apartheid icon.

    According to him, Nigeria is committed to the promotion and protection of the rights of all women as well as providing an enabling environment for them to realise their full potential.

    “We also recognise that inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all peoples in the world is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.

    “We declare that racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance present the very opposite of the noble purposes of the United Nations.

    “We recognise that tolerance of cultural, ethnic, racial, and religious diversities are essential for lasting peace, understanding and friendship among peoples, nations,  cultures and individuals.

    “As Mandela passes to history, we stand with him in his aspirations for a better world,” the Nigerian leader said

    He said the world was  facing diverse challenges such as  conflict, climate change, terrorism, desertification, poverty, armed trafficking and violent extremism.

    The Nigerian leader, however, stated that now was  also a time of great hope and renaissance.

    He stressed the need for the global community to live up to Mandela’s indelible legacies by being  accountable to the values and principles and hope for the  declaration through  striving for a just, peaceful, prosperous, democratic, fair and inclusive world.

    According to him, there is need for  concerted efforts to build a just, peaceful, prosperous, inclusive and fair world and revive the values which Mandela stood for.

    Buhari also said: “This centenary celebration provides an avenue to reflect on the legacies of Nelson Mandela and his unwavering advocacy for human rights, social justice and peace.

    “It also affords us the rare privilege to rededicate ourselves to the service of humanity by championing democracy, conflict resolution, disarmament, mutual respect, reconciliation, gender equality and the fight against poverty.

    “There is no doubt that in the quest to attain peace and development, the world will draw inspiration from the life of Nelson Mandela.

    “As we herald the Nelson Mandela Decade of Peace, Nigeria calls on all states to recognise that the United Nations is built on pillars of peace and security, development and human rights.

    “These are the foundations for our collective wellbeing and emphasise that there can be no peace without sustainable development and no sustainable development without peace and the full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all.’’

    Buhari said by the declaration of the Mandela’s Decade of Peace, Nigeria recognised the contributions of women to the advancement of societies and their contributions to the prevention and resolution of conflicts.

    Member states at the summit adopted the first resolution of the General Assembly’s 73rd session, “committing to demonstrate mutual respect, tolerance, understanding and reconciliation in (their) relations.”

    “We resolve to move beyond words in the promotion of peaceful, just, inclusive and non-discriminatory societies, stressing the importance of the equal participation and full involvement of women and the meaningful participation of youth in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security.

    “Sustainable development cannot be realised without peace and security, and peace and security will be at risk without sustainable development.

    “ We reaffirm our pledge that no one will be left behind,” the resolution read.

    Addressing the summit, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke of the growing pressure against human rights around the world  and urged everyone to draw inspiration from Nelson Mandela’s wisdom, courage and fortitude, to face the challenges.

  • Buhari seeks partnership to fight human trafficking, smuggling

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has called for collaboration among nations to fight human trafficking and smuggling of persons.

    Buhari made the call at the 16th INTERPOL Conference on Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling yesterday in Abuja.

    He was represented by Permanent Secretary, General Service Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Mr. Olusegun Adekunle.

    “Human trafficking, which is destroying the future of our youths, requires our collective efforts to eradicate,” he said.

    The President said Nigeria was among the first set of countries to domesticate United Nations (UN) relevant protocols on trafficking in persons and smuggling of persons.

    Buhari said the protocols were at various times domesticated, resulting in the country’s enactment of the trafficking in persons prohibition law enforcement Act and eradication Act 2003 and the 1963 Immigration Act.

    The Immigration Act, the President said, empowered the service to combat the smuggling of migrants.

    He added that the country had recorded a landmark in the fight against trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants.

    Buhari noted that the collaborative efforts of the country’s security agencies had resulted in several interceptions, arrest and prosecution and conviction of 359 traffickers and smugglers.

    He urged the INTERPOL and relevant agencies to deepen already established collaboration in order to combat this modern day slavery to a standstill.

    Inspector-General Ibrahim Idris said the force was at the forefront in the fight against the ugly trend.

    Idris, who was represented by DIG Agboola Oshodi-Glover, said trafficking and smuggling in persons posed a threat to both the victims and the world.

    Secretary General of INTERPOL Mr. Jurgen Stock said trafficking in human beings and smuggling remained a prominent challenge for law enforcement.

    He noted that the trend had opened the door for the exploitation of those simply seeking improved well-being and opportunities.