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Tag: Geoffrey Onyeama

  • Fed Govt draws line for foreign countries on polls

    THROUGH its Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama, the Federal Government yesterday drew a red line for foreign countries on internal affairs, especially as it concerns the general elections.

    He was raising  concern on the interference of some countries in Nigeria’s internal matters.

    Onyeama spoke at a joint briefing of Heads of Diplomatic Missions and International Organsiations accredited for the general elections alongside the INEC chairman and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).

    The minister said there is no problem for friendly nations to engage the government but the manner of the engagement in some cases have gone beyond the limit.

    Onyeama said: “We welcome very much your engagement, we appreciate very much the support of all other countries in this process, we acknowledge how important your engagement and also in 2015 to help us to deliver probably one of the previous election.

    “We welcome international observers to the country and all other friends and media to be fully engaged, but what we are concerned about, has sometimes been just the way the engagement has been communicated.”

    He further noted that election to choose who to lead Nigeria is the exclusive right of the country and hence, the country would not tolerate a situation where it will be dictated to.

    He also urged them to be unbiased in their assessment of the electoral process.

    According to him:  ”And we have expected  and hope that you  will also be impartial  and just help and observe to see if the election  will be free  fair and credible and not to give any sense of indication  that they might  be preference.”

    He also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a seamless conduct of the rescheduled Presidential and National Assembly election on Saturday.

    The minister reminded the electoral umpire of its constitutional mandate to conduct credible elections, saying that nothing less will be acceptable.

    Demanding an assurance from the electoral body that  February 23 will not suffer the same fate as February 16,  Onyeama said: “Most importantly, Mr. President and all Nigerians absolutely demand that elections be held on Saturday and nothing less will be acceptable to government and to Nigerians.”

    He further added that what is expected from the commission is a total assurance that “this Saturday we will have the elections.”

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    The minister, who also explained President Muhammadu Buhari’s anger over the postponement, said after providing all necessary support and assistance, there was no reason why INEC should fail the country.

    He said: “I think it is absolutely important that the message be communicated that the government is absolutely disappointed and just cannot understand why after three years, the commission was still unable to deliver this process on time.

    “I have never seen him so livid as he did with the postponement.

    “The President objective is to ensure free, fair and transparent elections. Hence, the decision to postpone the elections by INEC is something he could not pardon.”

    The minister added that after investing time and resources into the campaign by going round the entire country, canvassing for votes, you will of course be disappointed.”

  • 2019: FG directs missions to issue visas to foreign media

    The Federal Government ( FG ) has directed all Nigerian Missions abroad to issue visas to foreign journalists willing to cover the 2019 General Elections in Nigeria.

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, said this in a statement issued by the Ministry’s Spokesperson, Mr George Edokpa, on Friday in Abuja.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the 2019 General Elections is scheduled for Feb. 16 and March 6.

    “The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama has directed all Nigerian Missions to issue visas expeditiously to journalists travelling to cover the forthcoming 2019 General elections in Nigeria,” the statement said.The Federal Government has directed all Nigerian Missions abroad to issue visas to foreign journalists willing to cover the 2019 General Elections in Nigeria.

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    The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, said this in a statement issued by the Ministry’s Spokesperson, Mr George Edokpa, on Friday in Abuja.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2019 General Elections is scheduled for Feb. 16 and March 6.

    “The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama has directed all Nigerian Missions to issue visas expeditiously to journalists travelling to cover the forthcoming 2019 General elections in Nigeria,” the statement said.

  • Ohanaeze splits over Atiku’s endorsement

    The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization has split into factions following the endorsement of the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.

    Notable Igbo leaders have described the endorsement as a charade.

    However, the development has drawn the ire of some other Igbo leaders, especially members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), prompting a media briefing late Thursday night.

    Atiku was endorsed same day Buhari had visited Anambra and Enugu States, where he commissioned some projects.

    Those present included the Minister of foreign affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, the minister of Science and Technology, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu, minister of Labour, Senator Chris Ngige, former Senate President, Chief Ken Nnamani, former governor of Enugu State, Barr. Sullivan Chime, the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, Gen. J.O.J Okoloagu (Rtd.) and Prince Richard Ozobu.

    Apart from their claims that over 90 percent of the members of Imeobi were not at the meeting, they equally said the power to carry out such endorsement was vested upon the Ohanaeze General Assembly and not the Imeobi.

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    They equally said the meeting was mischief, having held same time President Buhari was still attending functions in Igbo land.

    Ngige told the media that the President-General of Ohanaeze, Chief John Nnia Nwodo had earlier agreed to move the meeting till 7 p.m, wondering why it was later held by 4 p.m and a decision hurriedly taken.

    “Myself and the Chairman of the Southeast Governors’ Forum had approached the Ohanaeze President and pleaded with him to change the date. He said he cannot do that; he later gave me 4 p.m, but I told him it was not going to work.

    “By 5 p.m, they met and issued an already prepared communique.

    “All of them that met are Ohanaeze PDP. So, it is now Ohanaeze PDP vs Ohanaeze APC. They have factionalized Ohanaeze.

    “I want to say clearly that endorsement has never favoured us; they endorsed Falaye, he failed; they endorsed 3rd term it failed; they endorsed Jonathan he lost. We are not going to continue on this trajectory.

    “We are going to dig up our arsenal and all we need to fight this,” he vowed.

    On his part, the foreign minister, Onyeama said the development would have consequences for years to come.

    “Mr. President was visiting two Igbo States, where he commissioned projects, including the Mausoleum of the great Zik of Africa. So, it was inappropriate to have a meeting of Ohanaeze to discuss such a weighty issue on who to endorse. It was not the time to hold such meeting.

    “I see this as a decision that will have consequences for years to come. This is not decent for the Igbos,” he added.

     

  • FG, UNDP sign MoU on youth employment

    The Federal Government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have signed an agreement on youth employment.

    The implementation of the agreement will see Nigerian youth gain employment with the global body under what is known as Junior Professional Officers Programme (JPO-P).

    JPO-P came into existence in 1963, with several countries participating in the programme.

    There are currently about 150 junior professional officers in various countries across the world.

    The number of youth employed is dependent on individual government who are expected to fund it.

    Nigeria first signed onto the initiative in 2012 but could not utilize the opportunity which expired in 2015.

    By signing this agreement, the ministry of Foreign Affairs has now taken the initiative to reactivate the programme.

    The initiative will not only launch the careers of young Nigerians in the United Nations system, it will also help in building capacity and human resources.

    Speaking at the signing of the MoU, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama said the initiative will positively affect the future of Nigeria’s representation in the UN.

    Onyeama noted that President Muhammadu Buhari attaches so much importance to youth development and hence the government is prepared to implement the initiative; stressing that Nigeria is a country with developmental programmes as it is the core of nationhood.

    He therefore stressed that the JPO-P will give more opportunities for young Nigerians to work within the UN set up, adding that “It will be a win-win agreement for all”.

    He however noted that the 2019 budget will determine the number of youth to be employed.

    In his remark, Mr. Joerg Kuehnel, acting Resident Representative, was delighted that Nigeria is committed to the programme, which he described as very important.

    “For us the participation of Nigeria is important because of the position the country occupy.”

  • 2019:’Presidential election not matter of life or death for Buhari’

    Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, says 2019 election is not a matter of `life or death’ for President Muhammadu Buhari ­ because he will be happy to accept the verdict of the electorate.

    Onyeama in an interview the News Agency of Nigeria said that the entire president wants to do is to create a level playing field for all the political parties.

    “He is fully committed to ensuring that the next election in 2019 is free, fair and transparent and that each vote should count.

    “ I think most importantly for him, it is not a matter of life or death. That is where he is coming from. He is very happy to accept whatever the outcome is and the will of the people.

    “He doesn’t want to interfere with the process; he wants INEC to be totally independent for them to do the right thing.

    “He is ready to invest and provide all the resources for them to be totally independent,” he said.

    He recalled that Buhari almost did not purchase the nomination form but for the intervention of well-wishers.

    Onyeama gave the assured Nigerians that Buhari is going to practice what he preache.

    “He has been to Supreme Court to challenge election, he has been on the other side; he appreciates more than anyone else the importance of free, fair and transparent election.

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    “He always said that the electronic process that has been introduced helping to take away the human element has been the game changer, something that he loves, so he believes in free and fair election,” he said.

    Onyeama said that Buhari would show good example to West African and other countries by practicing what he preaches.

    He said that the president led the intervention of ECOWAS in the Gambia and sent special envoys to Mali, Guinea Bissau and Togo to ensure democratically elected government in those countries

    “He has sent me as a special envoy to ensure that the electoral process in Guinea Bissau is on course; he sent me as a special envoy to Mali gets the opposition to accept the court ruling after the election.

    “He sent me as envoy to Togo to help them to push for a transparent and fair process as they are also preparing for legislative election.

    “He went to the International Criminal Court as a special guest of honour and delivered a speech to the world about the importance and the rule of law and fair election,” he said.

  • Buhari to attend climate change conference in Poland

    President Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to leave Abuja on Saturday for Katowice, Poland, to attend the 24th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP24) under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

     

    The conference is holding from 2nf to 5th of December, 2018.

     

    The COP24 Summit, which will be held at the International Conference Centre (MCK) and the adjacent Spodek Arena in Katowice, is being convened under the Presidency of Poland.

     

    According to the organisers, the conference is expected to finalize the rules for implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change under the Paris Agreement Work Programme (PAWP) – the rule book for implementation.

     

    During the Leaders’ Summit at COP24, a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, said that President Buhari will deliver a national statement highlighting Nigeria’s commitment to addressing climate change by implementing the goals set out in its National Determined Contributions.

     

    He will also use the occasion to accentuate Nigeria’s willingness to work with international partners to reverse the negative effects of climate change in Africa and the world over, while expecting that developed nations scale up their emission reduction activities in order to limit the increase in average global temperatures to well below 2 degrees centigrade between now and 2020.

     

    The Leaders’ Summit is expected to adopt a ‘‘Declaration on Solidarity and Just Transition Silesia,’’ – named after the region of Poland where this year’s climate conference is taking place.

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    As a member of the Committee of the African Heads of State on Climate Change – a group of 10 African countries that meets and takes positions concerning issues of climate change on behalf of the continent – Nigeria has been at the forefront of advancing policies and initiatives aimed at addressing significant challenges occasioned by climate change such as reviving the Lake Chad, halting and reversing desertification, flooding, ocean surge and oil spillage.

     

    “President Buhari will continue to champion these pressing issues at COP24 in Katowice, among others, as well as reiterate Nigeria’s position on the need for African countries to access financial resources, especially the Green Climate Fund to draw up climate change adaptation policies and actions for implementation.

     

    “The Nigerian delegation will also showcase the policy measures and actions of the Federal Government at ensuring environmental sustainability and effectively combating climate change through several side events within the Nigerian pavilion.”

     

    While in Poland, President Buhari will hold an interactive session with the Nigerian community in that country.

     

    He is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with the President of Poland Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.

     

    The President will be accompanied by Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Yahaya Bello and Abubakar Sani Bello of Enugu, Kogi and Niger States, respectively.

     

    Others on his entourage include the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, and the Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jibrin.

  • AU chairperson visits Nigeria on Thursday

    The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki, will begin a two-day visit to Nigeria on Thursday.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Spokesperson, Dr Tope Elias-Fatile, said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Fatile said Faki would be received with members of his delegation by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, at the Ministry on Thursday.

    The Chairman, according to Fatile, would attend a Ministerial Roundtable on “Re-positioning Nigeria in the African Union” at the ministry on Thursday.

    “The Chairperson is expected to pay a courtesy call on Mr President at the State House and would later participate at an interactive session with representatives of the Nigerian Business Community the same day.

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    “By evening, he would attend a cultural engagement at the National Council for Arts and Culture with the Actors Guild of Nigeria.

    “He is scheduled to visit the National Defence College on Friday and deliver a lecture on the theme: “Good Governance and Regional Security: Strategic Options for the African Union,” he said.

    He said that Faki was scheduled to visit the Headquarters of the Economic Community of West African States as well as the Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

    “He is expected to depart Abuja on Saturday, Oct. 27,” he said.

    NAN

  • Nigeria to enhance cultural ties with ASEAN countries – Onyeama

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, said on Wednesday Nigeria would promote cultural relations with member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to improve people-to-people interactions among parties.

    Onyeama stated this at the opening of the ASEAN Film Festival to mark the 51st anniversary of the regional group’s establishment.

    The film festival was organized on Wednesday by ASEAN Committee in Abuja (ACA).

    Onyeama said the level of economic ties between Nigeria and ASEAN member countries had improved but the country had “to do a bit more to attract more people from ASEAN countries.”

    “In the nearest future, we want to increase our cooperation moving beyond trade and economic relations to cultural ties. Our cultural industries need to engage more with them.

    “We are having more joint commissions and what we can do is expand the joint commission we have and add representatives of culture industries to take part and that will probably be the building block of our cultural engagements,” the minister said.

    NAN

     

  • FG tasks African leaders on corruption

    The Federal Government has stressed the need for African countries to continue to strengthen anti-corruption laws and enforcement institutions and systems.

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, made the call at the just concluded 33rd Session of Executive Council of African Union in Mauritania.

    A statement by Ms Sarah Sanda,  the Special  Assistant  to the Minister on Media, on Monday in Abuja, quoted Onyeama as saying “there is need to constantly promote a culture of transparency, credibility and accountability on the continent.

    “The cost of winning the fight against corruption is a price that must be paid by all African countries and governments.

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    “We are convinced that with greater determination and renewed political will, coupled with the required moral obligation and continued support of all Africans, we all will triumph over corruption.”

    Onyeama assured the Executive Council of the unwavering commitment of Federal Government to spearhead the fight against corruption.

    He added that “so far, President Muhammadu Buhari has continued to sustain the anti-corruption fight to ensure Africa’s transformation.“More anti-corruption activities are lined up to be hosted after this summit in Nouakchott in the second half of the year.

    “To this effect, the Champion-Leader for the annual theme will convene the African Youth congress in Abuja in the next quarter.”

    The minister said that Nigeria would work with the Chairperson of the African Union, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda to achieve the objective

     

    NAN

  • Defence Minister, two others to carry out assessment of Boko Haram attack

    Defence Minister, two others to carry out assessment of Boko Haram attack

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday directed the military and other security agencies to take immediate charge of the situation in Government Girls Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State.

    Boko Haram had on Monday attacked the school.

    Briefing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, said that the President also directed the Minister to Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, and himself to proceed to Yobe state on Thursday on fact finding mission.

    He said “Mr. President has directed military and other security agencies to take immediate charge and control of Government Girls Technical College, Dapchi, and informed him of developments.

    “He has released a delegation led by the Minister of defence to Dapchi, to get firsthand information as to what is happening.

    “Others in the delegation are Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Information.” he said

    Asked give more information on the girls apart from the 48 that has returned, he said “That is precisely why Mr. President is in direct contact with military and police and as soon as we get any information we will let you know.”

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