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  • EU-ACT Close-out: CSOs recount takeaways

    EU-ACT Close-out: CSOs recount takeaways

    The five-year British Council implemented European Union-Agents for Citizen-driven Transformation programme (EU-ACT) for Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria recently came to an end last week in Abuja; Gboyega Alaka who was there, reports.

    FOR Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Adamawa, Borno, Edo, Enugu, FCT, Kano, Lagos, Plateau, Rivers and Sokoto; things will never be the same again. This, of course, is speaking in the positive, as a good number of them recently came out of a five-year transformational programme courtesy of British Council-implemented European Union-funded Agents for Citizen-driven Transformation (EU-ACT) programme.

    At the official close-out of the programme held on Tuesday 19th March, 2022, at Hall 2 & 3 of Abuja Continental Hotel, Ladi Kwali, Maitama, themed: Reflecting on Results and lessons Learned, representatives of participating CSOs took turns to regal the august audience with experiences garnered and lessons learnt; some even giving testimonies of success already derived, especially in accessing donor funding.

    Addressing the media in a pre-event Press briefing, Programme Manager, Damilare Babalola said: “The ACT programme, which ran for five years (2019 to 2024), built the organisational and operational capacities of over 200 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and networks to be credible and effective drivers of change for sustainable development in Nigeria.”

    In addition, he said 15 toolkits were developed to help CSOs become effective drivers of change. These toolkits include advocacy strategy, risk assessment and management, developing conflict of interest policy, effective governance, fundraising strategy, and gender and social inclusion.

    Others are legal entity and constitution, logframe development, management and leadership roles, project cycle management, proposal writing, safeguarding policy, and strategic planning.”

    Additionally, he announced that the ACT programme focused on strengthening the system of CSOs, networks, and coalitions to improve their internal, external, and programmatic capabilities, while also focusing on providing a platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue for an improved, efficient, and inclusive regulatory environment for the operation of CSOs in Nigeria.

    Aside from supporting the development of a self-regulatory framework for CSOs, Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Nigeria, Massimo De Luca, who was at the event, said the programme has also been at the forefront of advocacy efforts to ensure that the operational environment remains favourable for civil society operations.

    De Luca, who stated that the project cost the EU over 31million Euro in total, said it was designed to build on the strength and vibrancy of the Nigerian civil society sector and address inherent gaps that existed at the time.

    Read Also: Key takeaways from Tinubu’s meeting with state governors

    “In the 5 years of programme implementation, the programme has trained over 200 civil society organisations and networks, providing them with rigorous coaching and mentoring to support them put into practice lessons learned.

    “Also, 151 grants have been given to civil society organisations and 15 toolkits developed and made available for use by Civil Society Organisations.”

    He added that EU-ACT, from 2020 to date, has engaged the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Economic and Fiscal Crimes Commission (EFCC) to mention a few, and supported dialogues between federal and state government agencies and the civil society sector.

    And just a few days before the closeout ceremony, precisely March 15 and 16, the programme also held training for senators and members of the Federal House of Representatives, to help them understand operations of CSOs and sustain collaboration with them.

    De Luca also disclosed that “Through efforts spearheaded by the EU-ACT programme, the 10th National Assembly (NASS) has committed to re-establishing the CSO liaison desk within the National Assembly to aid engagement between the NASS and CSOs.”

    Little wonder the Red Chamber was copiously represented at the close-out ceremony, with the likes of Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and CSOs, who rendered an account of the successes recorded working with CSOs during the EU-ACT programme.

    Notably, he said he worked with ACT on the CAC Bill passed into law in 2020.

    In appreciation, Oloriegbe was given an award of recognition by the EU-ACT team.

    Other government agencies like the CAC, the EFCC, the FIRS, the Pension Commission and the Federal Ministry of Justice also got award of recognition for their support to the CSOs and the programme..

    The Head of Cooperation also stressed that although the ACT programme has ended, the EU will continue to engage with CSOs, especially regarding its focus areas, including peace, governance, health, education, agriculture, green jobs and climate change.

    CATI, as fallout

    A notable fallout of the EU-ACT programme is the CSO Accountability and Transparency Initiative (CATI), which, according to its Board Chairperson, Dr. Funmi Akinyele, in her address, will build on the good work of the ACT Programme and continue to “collaboratively and inclusively, cultivate an enabling environment where Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria flourish and thrive, contributing sustainably to national development.”

    Expressing gratitude to the entire ACT team, donors, regulators and partners, she added that ACT’s “dedication, hard work, and unwavering commitment have laid the foundation upon which CATI now stands” and will continue to operate.

    We’re definitely not where we were before the EU-ACT Programme -CSOs

    Some of the CSOs who participated in the programme also shared their experience working with the EU-ACR team.

    Harry Udor, chairman, Civil Society National Self-regulation Council said the programme not only strengthened the sector but also helped solidify a foundation for democracy in Nigeria; expressing hope that the success recorded will inspire CSOs to continue to do more.

    Moji Makanjuola, Executive Director, International Society of Media in Public Health plus Development (ISMPH+D) , who made it a point of duty to be present at the occasion in spite of her health challenge, said “this wonderful five plus years’ journey has been an experience for us,” adding that the EU-ACT programme “empowered ISMPH and other partners to change the trajectory  of nutritional efficiency and growth development in the lives of Nigerian children with severe acute malnutrition.

    “The economic empowerment of mothers of these children was key in breaking the hold of SAM ‘severe acute malnutrition’ on the children,” she summed up. …The EU- ACT gave us another push to ensure that our children round are well taken care of.”

    Makanjuoa also said her organisation worked in Gwari and Bwari communities, where they were able to impact 40 families and still counting, adding that the programme built their capacity in terms of what to do going forward.

    Ogbure, who runs a CSO based in Plateau State, gleefully announced that: “We’ve been around for close to 30years and we have received grants from all manners of funders, but significantly, our experience with the ACT project has been quite different, especially with the participatory organisational assessment. With ACT, we are allowed to assess ourselves.

    According to Rev. AdeBola Nuga of the Lagos Civil Society Participation for Development (LACSOP), the EU-ACT programme was a good one in that “it focused mainly on capacity building of CSOs. It identified emerging young and matured organisations, identified their gaps and built their capacities in those areas of gaps.”

    In terms of impact on his organisation’s operations, Nuga said: “It has been positive. It helped us develop some policies, organisation documentation and operations, stressing that his organisation would now find it easier accessing donor funding, particularly with the  capacity built and lessons learnt.

    Nuga said the programme also helped them in linking up so many other CSOs, thereby helping them to start engagement and discussion with the State Ministries (MDAs)on harmonising regulations on CSOs registration in the state. This, he said, has opened a new wave of opportunity for LACSOP .

    Baba Gari Baraya, Executive Director, Murmunchi People Development Foundation, Adamawa regaled the gathering with the good news that the CSOs his organisation trained have been able to access grant even with the short spate of time, stating that “we are definitely not where we were before the programme.

    Founding executive Director, Centre LSD, Dr Otive Igbuzor delivered a keynote address on the topic: Sustaining  and Scaling the Contributions of Nigerian CSOs to National Development, while a panel discussion  involving Wynyfed Achu Egbuson (EUD), Lanre Arogundade (IPC) Atinuke Adekoya (CWHI/CSAG), Harry Udor and Chris Okeke (FCDO). It was moderated by Oyebisi Oluseyi.

  • Takeaways from Thailand cave rescue

    On June 23, 12 young footballers aged between 11 and 16 and their 25-year-old coach ventured into the Tham Luang cave in northern Thailand after completing a session of football practice and became trapped when heavy rains flooded the cave. The boys and their coach who are all members of a local association football team were reported missing a few hours later and search operations began immediately.

    However, attempts to find them were hindered by rising water levels within the cave system and no contact was made with them for about 11 days. The rescue effort expanded into a massive operation amid concerted global public interest. After great efforts that involved delicate maneuvering through narrow cave passages and mucky waters, British divers discovered the missing footballers and their coach to be alive.

    They were found to be on an elevated rock about 3.2 kilometers (2.0 mi) from the cave mouth. As much as finding them was exciting news, rescuing them alive was going to be a tough task. The options available were limited. One of which was to teach the boys and their coach basic dive techniques to enable their early rescue or wait for the floodwaters to subside at the end of the monsoon season.

    After days of pumping water from the cave system and a respite from rain, four of the boys were rescued on July 8. Rescue teams hastened to get everyone out before the monsoon was predicted to resume on July 11, bringing a potential 52 mm (2.0 in) of rainfall. By July 10, all of the boys and their coach had been rescued from the cave.

    Over 1,000 people were involved in the rescue operation, including Thai Navy SEALs, volunteers and technical assistance teams from multiple countries. Such was the diversity of the rescue effort that many have termed it a United Nations coalition. The delicate nature of the operation made a rescue chief at one point dubbed it ‘Operation Mission Impossible’. Conditions were so dangerous that a retired Thai Navy SEAL, 38-year old Saman Kunan died on July 5 while trying to lay out oxygen tanks underwater in a tunnel.

    No wonder wild jubilation erupted across the world upon news of a successful rescue operation. Cable new images of volunteers handing out free apples to journalists in celebration of the boys’ safe return brought great joy to the hearts of keen followers of the event across the world. President Donald Trump of the United States describes the operation as a “beautiful moment” in human history while German Chancellor, Angela Merkel described it as a “a wonderful message” to a hurting world. British Prime Minister, Theresa May, equally expressed her delight at the “amazing” success of the rescue effort.

    On their part, the SEALs, who were central to the rescue effort revealed on their Facebook page that:”We are not sure if this is a miracle, a science, or what. But what is sure is that all the boys and their coach are now out of the cave”.  Also, while congratulating the boys, their coach as well as the rescue team for the success of the operation, Federation of International Football Association, FIFA, the body that governs the running of football all over the world, offers to convey the boys and their coach to Moscow to watch the final game of the Russia 2018 World Cup.

    Presently, the 12 boys and their coach, who are said to be in stable medical condition, are quarantined in a local medical facility where they are being properly observed by medics. Now that the rescue operation is over, it is pertinent to draw a few lessons from this highly intriguing episode.  The first and, perhaps, most vital deduction is what can be achieved in the world when mankind is united, irrespective of language, tribal, cultural and other such differences.

    Though the recue team that embarked on the dangerous and deadly mission was multinational in composition, it had only one mission: to save the boys and their coach alive. To achieve this, their language and cultural barriers never really mattered. What really mattered was their primary mission of rescuing the boys. Indeed, there was such a global agreement on the urgency of the rescue mission that American entrepreneur, Elon Musk, had to fly to Thailand with a mini submarine and an offer to help in any way he could. The lesson herein is that there is no global crisis that cannot be surmounted when the mankind is united to confront it.

    One other equally fascinating lesson that could be taken in from the incidence is the amazing courage and bravery of the boys and their coach to stay alive in the face of such life-threatening condition.  Also tied to this is the courage of the rescue team to dare the odds, even at the risk to their own lives. What a wonderful message of gallantry and perseverance! Incredibly strong is, probably, the best way to describe the boys’ hazardous staying power and eventual escape passage. In an increasingly tough world where socio-economic conditions are becoming quite harsh, the boys have taught us a vital lesson in perseverance and relentless survival instinct.   In-spite of the obvious dilemma they were in, the boys never gave in to gloom or self-pity. It was, indeed, amazing to see them in a flickering video smiling and giving the victory sign when they were found 10 days after they were declared missing.

    The high sense of responsibility demonstrated by their 25-year old coach, who was trapped in the cave for 18 days with the boys, is equally admirable. In a letter he sent to parents of the kids after they were found to be alive, the coach promised to protect and look after them even at the risk of his own life. Not only this, he apologized to the parents for whatever trauma they might have gone through in view of the incidence. This is a huge lesson for political leaders, especially in Africa.

    Back home in Nigeria, one very considerable message that we need to really take home is the need to attach huge value to human lives. Watching the highly delicate and complicated strategy put up by the Thailand government to rescue the kids and their coach couldn’t but made one think what could have happened if the event had taken place in motherland.

    So much blood is being spilled in the land that it seems no longer a big deal to us as a people. Sadly, we seem to be getting used to a stereotyped form of response to bloodletting. First, different people pay visits to sights of gruesome murderous acts, commensurate with those involved, promise heaven and earth until there is another incidence when the whole circle is repeated all over again. The Thailand cave episode is a veritable template for us on the need to review our attitude to the sanctity of human life. The truth is that without the people, there can be no nation.

     

    • Ogunbiyi is of the Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

  • FIFA: Takeaways from Eagles’ ouster 

    LONG after the ongoing FIFA soccer World Cup would have been won and lost in Russia, certain memories will definitely haunt us in Nigeria. One is the ghost of superstition and the other is the limitation of human judgement.

    To say gambling is part of the global football fiesta is to restate the obvious. Of course, this has led to the rise of voodoo and myth-making as stakers bay for the dough. Animal species have been dragged into the racket. In the last World Cup, for instance, we were treated to the fairy of Octopus.

    This time, the ancient Octopus morphed into the mystic pig credited with predicting outcomes with uncanny accuracy, match after match.

    On the eve of the crucial Nigeria Vs Argentina match penultimate Tuesday, the anointing of prophecy apparently transposed to a smaller animal – cat. A short video began to circulate in the social media showing the feline creature tipping Nigeria’s green/white/green flag for victory over Argentina’s.

    Such depiction was enough to sway those easily given to superstition. So, not a few supporters of Super Eagles I know in Lagos made a huge bet and had begun to salivate in anticipation of bumper harvest even before the match kick-off in faraway Russia that fateful Tuesday.

    But one and a half hours later, the tally only meant one thing: the oracle had failed spectacularly. So, it is safe to state that some of those who later wailed bitterly and gnashed their teeth across the country the night Eagles lost did so not only for national pride hurt but also the purse lost.

    In summary, there can only be two possibilities: the cat’s prophecy was made up by fraudsters to con the gullible. Or, the outcome is yet another validation of the extant existentialist argument that nothing is predetermined; that man’s reward is a function of his exertion.

    On the other hand, FIFA’s vaulting claim that its VAR (video assistant referee) recorded 99.3 percent success rate in the prelimary stage will hardly make any meaning to still distraught supporters of Eagles. The promise of VAR was to minimize – if not erase – the possibility of human bias. But we didn’t see that in the moment of doubt over the Argentine player whose left hand clearly touched the ball in their penalty box.

    We all held our breath as the Turkish referee halted the game in the dying minutes to consult the VAR tube on the sideline.

    Alas, our suspicion of bias was confirmed when he returned and ruled out a foul. Had the penalty been awarded, it potentially could have closed the game early for Nigeria.

    The implication: whereas machine may bear dispassionate witness, there is no guarantee man will not be subjective in his judgement.

     

     

  • Five ‘takeaways’ from Anambra governorship election

    Five ‘takeaways’ from Anambra governorship election

    Contrary to expectations, the people of Anambra State trooped out to vote for candidates of their choice during the November 18 governorship poll. Deputy Political Editor RAYMOND MORDI who monitored the poll writes about some of the highlights of the contest and its import on Anambra politics.

    THE Anambra State governorship election has come and gone, but the echoes generated by the contest in still very much in the air. The fears and anxieties occasioned by the threat of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) had been very palpable in major cities like Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi and Ekwulobia and elsewhere in the state. The group had campaigned vigorously, urging the people of Anambra to boycott the polls.

    The fear of violence and bloodletting was heightened by the presence of policemen, soldiers and other security operatives in virtually all over the state. The state had been invaded by not less than 45,000 security personnel, ranging from the army, police, navy and paramilitary outfits.

    But, contrary to expectation, the electorates trooped out to vote for the candidates of their choice and there was no bloodshed. Nevertheless, the election would be remembered because of the following:

     

    PDP’s Achilles’ heels

    In the view of many observers, one of the major reasons why the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost the election was because it exhibited impunity during the primary where its flag bearer, Mr. Oseloka Obaze, emerged and this brought a division within the party. Many of the party bigwigs that could have worked to give it victory at the polls secretly engaged in anti-party activities, to register their grievances.

    The PDP came a distant third in the race, with 70,293 votes; behind the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Chief Willie Obiano, who won the contest with 234,071 votes and his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart, Dr. Tony Nwoye, who came second with 98,752 votes.

    In his reaction, following the declaration of incumbent Governor Obiano as the winner of the election, a member of the PDP’s Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Chris Uba, expressed anger over the development, adding that the PDP failed because former Governor Peter Obi influenced the emergence of a ‘foreigner’ as the party’s candidate.

    Uba, the once dreaded ‘godfather’ of Anambra politics said his heart bled because his efforts in the PDP have gone to the drains. He said the party failed because it did not do the right thing and that more calamities await it, if it continues to allow impunity to reign.

    He recalled that the last time the PDP won an election in the state was in 2003, when he influenced the emergence of Dr. Chris Ngige as the governor.

    Uba said it was painful that the party, which was hitherto dreaded in Anambra, was humiliated at the polls. He warned the party to put its house in order before its national convention, scheduled to hold on December 9.

    Similarly, another chieftain of the party, Sen. Stella Oduah, has hailed the victory of the APGA flag bearer, saying it is a victory for the people of Anambra State. She said the victory would help to end the impunity and imposition within the PDP in Anambra.

    Her words: “I want to congratulate everybody that contributed to the smooth conduct of the Anambra election. For the first time, Anambra people spoke against impunity; this victory signifies liberation. For the first time, Anambra people have been politically liberated; the issue of godfatherism has been finally put to death; the issue of imposition by any party or group has also been put to death.

    “This victory is a victory of hope for Anambra people, it is a victory of progress for Anambra people and it is a victory for development. The joy among the people has no bounds; you can feel it and you can hear it. From the onset, I had always said that what we need above every other thing is not about party; it is about who will give us the development that we require. It is about who will restore the hope of security, governance and the hope that Anambra will have a place in Nigeria.”

    Oduah’s comment comes against the background of the fact that Obiano went into the November 18 governorship election without a godfather. As the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) and leader of the party, he prosecuted the election like an orphan, whereas Nwoye had the backing of the oil and gas billionaire and the founder of Atlas Oranto Petroleum, Chief Arthur Eze, while Obaze was sponsored by former Governor Peter Obi.

    What next for Obi, with his failure to install Obaze as the next governor? A commentator, Ejimonu Udenka, described Obi’s bid as an inglorious dance into oblivion. He said the former governor had hijacked the party machinery, scared away core-PDP members, foisted his lackey as the party’s flag-bearer and proceeded to use the platform for personal vendetta.

     

    Vote for cash

    There were indications that buying of votes has become a permanent feature of Nigerian elections. Like other elections in recent times, there were widespread reports that voters traded their votes for cash during the Anambra governorship contest, as major political parties tried to outdo each other in their quest for the control of the state, which is the commercial and industrial hub of the Southeast. The parties were giving out between N2,000 and N3,000 to each voter.

    Operatives of the Department of States Services (DSS) had arrested an elderly man with a sack stuffed with money at a polling unit located within the premises of the Community Primary School, Amawbia, in Awka, the state capital. He was accused of trying to induce voters to vote for a particular political party, but he was released hours later after he pleaded that the money was meant for party agents.

    The Executive Director of one of the observer groups that monitored the election, the Independent Service Delivery Group (ISDMG), Dr Chima Amadi, expressed dismay at a press conference in Awka the day after the election that there were widespread reports from field-observers, indicating vote-buying and inducement of voters and security agencies by political parties and their agents during the exercise. His words: “Reports from our observers in the field on the widespread open selling of votes by citizens cast a major slur on the integrity of the votes. The trend of vote-buying which has become a major feature of recent elections, sadly repeated itself in Anambra.”

    Indeed, the candidate of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Chief Osita Chidoka, complained bitterly that he lost in the governorship bid not because of paucity of ideas or lack of “structure”, but because of superior financial firepower. Chidoka also said that the people of Anambra State traded their votes during the election because they “doubted we would truly represent their interest,” even though they aligned with their manifesto.

     

    Low turnout

    Contrary to expectations, the people of Anambra State defied the IPOB order in the 21 local government areas by trooping out to vote for the candidates of their choice. The election was held amidst tight security. But, it conformed to the pattern of Nigerian elections in recent times, in the sense that it was characterized by low turn at the end of the day. Less than a quarter of the total number of registered voters actually participated in the election.

    The Returning Officer, Prof. Zana Akpagu, said a total of 2,064,134 residents registered to vote, but only 457,511 or 22.16 per cent came out on the Election Day to be accredited. At the end of the day, only 21.74 of the registered voters actually cast their votes. For example, in Idemili North Local Government Area, which has the highest number of registered voters, only 25,254 out of the 178,938 registered voters or 14.11 per cent came out for accreditation.

    But the low turnout has nothing to do with the IPOB campaign urging residents to boycott the election. Former National Chairman of APGA and the Director-General of the Willie Obiano Campaign Organisation, Chief Victor Umeh, said governorship elections in Anambra since 1999 have always recorded low turnout.

    His words: “The exception was 2003 when there was a large turnout of voters. In 2010, it was low; Peter Obi won the election with less than 100,000 votes. In 2013, it was also low; Governor Obiano won with a hundred and eighty-something votes. The people of Anambra have great apathy to elections; they would rather stay in their homes and rest.

    An expert, the Director, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Idayat Hassan, agrees. She said the low turnout was not something strange, as it followed the pattern of previous elections in the state. Her words: “There is nothing unusual about it. The low turnout followed a pattern that is known about elections in the state. It raises critical questions on what democracy means to the people in the state and the country at large and how they judge the system.”

    Hassan said some of such critical issues include questions of trust in the government by the people. She added: “There are places where the total number of voters that turned out to vote was 14 per cent of the total number of registered voters, which is quite low. What should be the target is how to get people to turn out and vote. If nothing changes, then it means the country is still faced with lots of challenges going forward.”

     

    INEC’s performance

    The commission was rated high by most of the civil society organizations that monitored the exercise. For instance, the Independent Service Delivery Monitoring Group (ISDMG), which deployed 100 observers across the 21 local governments, said materials and personnel were deployed early in most polling units, with the exception of few places. He also acknowledged Smart Card Readers malfunctioned in many polling units, but were promptly rectified by INEC technical team.

    The ISDMG’s Executive Director, Dr Chima Amadi, said: “The practice of simultaneous accreditation and voting contributed immensely in activating voter participation and reduction of tension at voting points. There was improvement in the conduct of personnel — INEC and ad-hoc — which in our view can be attributed to the quality of training, ahead of the Election Day.’’

    Everyone was in agreement that INEC did well. But, it still has a long way to go, as there were numerous incidents of over voting; as the Smart Card Readers reflected smaller figures to what the presiding officers recorded. For instance, The Returning Officer for Ekwusigo Local Government said there were incidences of over-voting in four wards in the council and that 1147 registered voters were affected. In such instances, INEC nullified the results of the affected polling units. As a result, the results of 19 polling units were cancelled in Anambra East Local Government, because of over-voting. There were also reports of harassment of electoral officers during the election in the council, where both Obiano and Nwoye hail from.

    There were also cases of personnel and materials arriving late. For instance, as at 12,53pm, when The Nation left polling unit one, Umuchu Ward 1, located in the town’s civic centre, the polling unit of the Peoples Progressive Alliance candidate, Chief Godwin Ezeemo, INEC officials had not arrived with materials and many of the prospective voters who were waiting to take part in the exercise expressed their disappointment.

    Ezeemo had expressed frustration over the development, saying it was a deliberate attempt to deny him and his supporters the opportunity to exercise their right as Nigerians. He said: “I am not desperate to be governor, but I’m worried about the way we are treating ourselves; I’m worried about this nation. The ruling class wants to impoverish this nation. They are treating our people as if they are idiots. It is a vicious cycle; in my life time I don’t see anything good happening in our country. I will wait until 2pm, if they don’t show up, I will go home.”

     

    New lease of life

    One of the imports of Governor Willie Obiano’s triumph at the polls is that it has given APGA a new lease of life. It may have become the dominant party in Anambra State, because it has governed the state for almost 12 years, but it does not have a foothold elsewhere in the country. When the party was founded the idea was for it to take over the Southeast and gradually make inroads into other regions.

    Today, it is the APC that is slowly gaining acceptance in the region. The philosophy of APGA is such that it would be difficult for it to gain acceptance in other geo-political zones. If APGA had lost the Anambra election, that would have meant the end of the party as a viable political platform. With the landslide victory, it now has a fresh opportunity to reinvent itself to become more relevant in the region and beyond.

     

  • Notable takeaways from Anambra governorship election

    Notable takeaways from Anambra governorship election

    The recently concluded governorship election in Anambra State presents us with a few notable lessons in this era of change, and the generally acknowledged successful conduct of the election should not prevent us from appreciating the lessons.

    First, consistent with the change mantra of the ruling party, there is a new reality of change in electoral politics. The second item on the highlights of APC’s 2015 election manifesto, next to the party’s promise to devolve power to states, is the strengthening of INEC to “reduce/eliminate electoral malpractices.” Many would have cynically brushed off this promise as another political gimmick. They would be wrong. For, there is a clearly observable presidential leadership of a new attitude to the conduct of free and fair elections. We must applaud the approach.

    The explanation for this attitude is not far-fetched. The president’s party has not shied away from trumpeting the integrity of the Commander-in-Chief as the Protagonist-in-Chief for electoral integrity. There is some substance in these cheer-leading efforts for Mr. President. Look at the success rate of APC, the ruling party, in the special and bye elections since 2015, and you will agree that the president has not considered those elections as a “do or die” battle, unlike at least one of his predecessors.

    Another explanation is, however, available. President Buhari himself was a three-time victim of what he and his supporters believed to be electoral malfeasance on the part of PDP, the then ruling party. In at least one instance, the PDP winner of the presidential election all but conceded the charge of rigging with his subsequent setting up of an electoral integrity committee from which nothing came out. It was partly because of this experience of impunity that ACN, one of the legacy parties that formed the APC, made electoral integrity its major assignment post-2007.

    His experience as a victim of electoral malpractice must have sensitized President Buhari to the need for true independence for INEC, the electoral umpire. Did the president give INEC a marching order to ensure perceptible fairness in its work? If he did not explicitly, his body language must have spoken volumes. While it is what we must expect in a decent society, we cannot quickly forget the impunity of the recent past. We must appreciate and commend the efforts to reorient the nation in a positive direction.

    Second, we may, with good reason, affirm that the incumbency factor is a big deal and it worked in favor of Governor Obiano. The impact of four years on the seat is not to be taken lightly. Of course, four years without performance won’t really matter and may have backfired against him. That the Anambra electorates saw him fit for re-election is a credit on the part of the governor. Furthermore, it is significant that Peter Obi’s abandonment of his former protege did not affect the electoral fortunes of the governor. These are interesting times.

    In one sense, it appears clear that without his name on the ballot, Obi was one of the greatest losers of the election. He campaigned intensely against Obiano and for Obaze. Anambra voters refused his entreaties and voted to reelect their governor. Two reasons may be adduced here. First, Anambrans may be nursing a grudge against Obi for jumping the ship of Nkemba’s APGA, the party that gave him a shot at fame for two terms as governor of the state. Second, PDP, his new-found love, has nothing to offer the people of Anambra at a time that it is also struggling to survive as a party. So much for mainstream politics.

    Third, while we may not fully understand what their motivations are, we can agree that the electorates are in control. Whatever reason they have for backing Obiano, it seems clear that the electorates are in charge as they should be. Sure, there are complaints of money changing hands. If it is true, it is a sad reflection of the reality of our poverty-driven politics. But if only money from candidate to voters played a role in Obiano’s victory, it still shows that we have moved from the fraudulent and undemocratic use of security agencies to rig elections and thwart the preference of the voters.

    My conclusion in the last paragraph is not in any way a support for the ugly influence of money in politics. There is still a crying need for the education of the electorate. They ought to know that voting for a crook who offered them one thousand naira amounts to selling their political birthright for a plate of porridge. But if they opened their eyes wide and have their senses operating optimally, and they still prefer a rogue with billions to spread around, then they are surely going to pay for it with their forsaken welfare. Abe Lincoln was right: “Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.”

    The fact remains, however, that APGA’s Obiano won and APC’s Nwoye lost.  It is a stretch to attribute this to the influence of money. If it were true that money played a lot of influence, we should expect that the candidate of the ruling party would have more access to free-flowing money as it used to be. It is too soon to forget, in view of the ongoing investigation and litigation, that a former ruling party all but emptied the treasury and bank vaults in its bid to attract votes and remain in power.

    Fourth, in all of this, we cannot but recognize an ominous note of warning to the ruling party. After the 2015 presidential elections, I expressed delight and hope that the country was getting into an era of a strong two-party system in which electorates have a choice between two competing ideological platforms. The results of the elections since 2015 do not clearly show that we are there. However, the fact that the ruling party has lost elections in areas where it performed well in 2015, including the Southwest, suggests either that the voters are not wholly satisfied with its performance or that the ruling party has some internal issues to resolve. Either way, the party’s performance in special and bye-elections thus far calls for soul searching if it is not going to be embarrassed in 2019.

    In the case of Anambra elections, Governor Okorocha, who as the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum is well-placed to know what the challenges are, offered his advice to the ruling party to get its house in order. In his congratulatory message to Obiano, Okorocha advised other candidates to accept the results of the election and suggested that in-fighting within the camp of APC may have cost the party the election.

    Finally, it appears to me that the most important political takeaway from the election is the collapse of IPOB’s threat. The large turnout of voters in the urban and rural areas of the state was a huge morale booster for the political leaders of the Southeast zone who had placed their political capital on the line, canvassing for Ndigbo’s mass participation in the election against the demand of IPOB for total boycott. Between those establishment leaders and IPOB leaders, the people’s choice was clear on election day.

    The huge turnout for the election was also a lesson for the central government to manage crisis effectively without overreaction to raucous agitation led by itinerant leaders. Surely, Ndigbo, like other nationalities, have genuine grievances against the system, and it is in the interest of the Federal Government to take seriously these complaints with a view to resolving them.

    President Buhari did the right thing by visiting the Southeast shortly before Anambra governorship election and reassuring them of the readiness of the Federal Government to work with the zone on the issues of concern to them. But what just happened with the turnout suggests powerfully that the Igbo are as desirous as other nationalities to resolve issues politically and within the territorial boundaries of Nigeria.

  • Takeaways from Buhari’s engagement in Turkey

    Takeaways from Buhari’s engagement in Turkey

    Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media and Publicity) GARBA SHEHU points out the gains of President Muhammadu Buhari’s four-day trip to Turkey.

    PRESIDENT Recep Tayyeb Erdogan hosted Muhammadu Buhari, the President of Nigeria for a fairly long one-on-one meeting in Ankara, the Turkish capital on Thursday before the bilateral meeting that involved their ministers and members of their delegations.

    This was President BUhari’s first visit to Turkey since his election in 2015, but the second meeting with President Erdogan who as Prime Minister visited Abuja in March, last year.

    Though the meeting of the group, Development Eight, simply “D 8” in Istanbul was what President Buhari set out to attend, he spent an earlier 24 hours in the capital, Ankara to round off the technical meetings of delegates from both governments in what can be summed as a compressed State Visit.

    President Buhari’s overarching objective during this visit for both occasions was to focus on issues of security and anti-terrorism; agricultural cooperation; trade cooperation; education and health; transport and connectivity; energy sector cooperation and increased private sector participation.

    Expectations on major concrete deliverables out of the trip had been loudly suggested by our officials, even before the meetings began and from the early outcomes we got, there is every reason for that excitement. The visit has achieved quite a lot on the stated objectives.

    The meetings have also helped to enhance momentum in ties between Nigeria and the rest of the “G 8” members and the establishment of a positive working relationship especially between Presidents Buhari and Erdogan. This is an added bonus.

    Here are some takeaways from the bilateral meetings between Nigerian and the Turkish government leaders:

     

    Security and partnerships

    on transnational crimes:

     

    The two governments agreed to support each other in the fight against terrorism, human trafficking, drugs trafficking and arms trafficking.

    Turkey specifically mentioned the menace of the Fethullah organization “FETO” which they accused of terrorism and involvement in the abortive coup plot last year which the Turkish population gallantly resisted.

    There are more than 1,000 Turkish citizens in Nigeria, many of them accused of belonging to this organization and for which reason, their passports have been declared invalid by their country.

    Nigeria has her own problems with the Boko Haram terrorist organization which claims ties to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, ISIS and (possibly) Daesh, (two international terrorist organisations which Turkey is up against) in the fight of which we get support from Turkey and we desire more.

    Both countries also have issues with domestic terror organizations for which they need each other’s help.

    There is, equally, the burning issue of the smuggling of illicit arms allegedly from Turkey, which their authorities effectively debunked but nonetheless agreed to enter into agreement with Nigeria that their ports, harbors, airports and territories will not ever again be used as transit points for such trafficking originating from other lands.

    On the issues of the suspected terrorists of Turkish origin in Nigeria, President Erdogan received the the best assurances from our leader that Nigeria will not allow any person or organization to use her territory for any subversive activities. President BUHARI used every given opportunity to denounce the failed coup attempt. The Turkish citizens who have sought and already obtained assistance from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNCHR since they became stateless persons have been warned not to engage in any political activities while they are in Nigeria.

    Turkish authorities for their part gave all assurances that no subversive activities against Nigeria will be permitted of their citizens or on their territory.

    Nigeria and Turkey also discussed the possibility of working together on the challenges brought about by Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs and refugees in the Northeast, especially that Turkey has the experience in handling about five million refugees in her territory.

    On the specific issue of arms smuggling, our team which included the Minister of Interior, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau(Rtd) and the Comptroller-General of the Customs, Colonel Hamid Ali reached conclusions with the Turkish authorities on how to avert future occurrence and to that effect, a negotiated agreement is to be signed by both sides after vetting by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice as a requirement of our own administration.

     

    Industry, Trade, Investment

    and Transportation

     

    The primary objective of the visit by the President was to seek ways to increase the size of trade and investment between both countries had in many ways been realized.

    After the various meetings, the delegations agreed that there are basic complementarities between both countries which should result in more trade and investment relations between them.

    • Turkey serves as a hub and intersection for transport, trade, religion and cultures.
    • Nigeria as a large domestic market and is considered as the access to a West African market (which together is twice its size).

    The volume of trade between both countries fluctuates severely (from Turkey’s perspective) and does not seem to follow a pattern. For instance, there has been swings of 40 percent trade surplus in a year to a trade deficit of 30 percent the next year.

    In addition, the level of trade generally between “D-8” Member States is also low. The proportion of trade between member states is only about 7 percent, while the European Union (EU) has about 65 percent trade relations between member states. It was agreed by them all to boost the amount of trade between the “D 8” member states.

    To achieve this, certain concrete steps aimed at increasing the volume of trade and investment between Nigeria, Turkey and the “D 8” were outlined and these included:

    The setting up of a technical committee to analyze the trade relations between both countries, with a view to increasing the volume. This committee will come up with a roadmap with timelines for defining and measuring key goals.

    Presently, there are Forty-Eight (48) Turkish companies operating in Nigeria, with investment of about $USD600mm, whereas Ethiopia, a smaller economy, has investments of over $USD3,000m from Turkey. Our government is determined to understand why Nigeria with stronger innate complementarities with Turkey, is not attracting similar or larger investment.

    Some of the agreements that both countries agreed that will potentially advance these objectives include a treaty against double taxation, investment promotion and protection agreement, banking regulation, and preferential trade agreement.

    Nigeria also gave commitments to make further efforts to diversify the economy and make the environment attractive for investment.

    Some of these measures include diversifying the economy from relying primarily on Oil & Gas, to developing other areas of comparative advantage; enhancement of initiatives and programs currently being implemented including the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP); creating the enabling for business and investment; industrialisation programs; extensive build-out of hard infrastructure (including roads, rails, power, etc.) and focus on deepening trade relations with strategic partners (including Turkey).

    The team from Nigeria also brought home lessons from Turkey, which included using their Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model for the funding of infrastructure requirements. For instance, the Turkish Government has just completed a $26 BN BOT arrangement with a consortium to build and expand the Istanbul airport into the largest in the world.

    The BOT arrangement does not cost the government anything, as the private sector partner fully funds the financing.

    The Turkish Government recommended the BOT arrangement for Nigeria, especially as government funding takes exceedingly long time and is fraught with a lot of bottlenecks and bureaucracy.

     

    Civil Aviation

     

    In regards to this specific sector, Turkey made a demand for increased slots of air transportation for their airline, the Turkish Airline and in addition made a case for a Turkish Company seriously interested in bidding for the concession of the Abuja Airport. They were informed that the airport concession process in Nigeria is ongoing and Turkish Investors are welcome to participate.

     

    Education and Health Matters

     

    Nigeria and Turkey reached very important agreements on matters concerning education and health. These are key areas in which Turkey has made a lot of progress.

    There are existing Turkish investments in these areas in Nigeria and it is on record that a number of countries in the world, including some in Africa have shut down schools and hospitals on the request of their home government following allegations that they are owned and operated by this organization accused of terrorism.

    The smart thing the owners of some of these businesses did is that they transferred part or full ownership to Nigerian citizens at the onset of the crisis.

    The Nigerian government delegation has accepted offers by the Turkish authorities to support a new group, the Maarif Organization intent on setting up of schools and specialist hospitals as new investors who are not tainted by such accusations.

    It was in this regard that this new organisation, the Maarif Foundation for educational was introduced to the Nigerian delegation. A delegation from the foundation will visit Nigeria to commence the process of registration as well as following the procedures of establishing the new schools.

    The two countries agreed to expand cooperation in exchange of scholars, exchange of students and exchange/sharing of ideas, skills and education technology and to improve scholarships for Nigerians to study in Turkey. They also agreed to resolve the issues relating to Nigerian students in Turkish universities that are facing exclusion due to visa challenges.

    Nigeria and Turkey have equally agreed to strengthen and promote investments in health institutions and this, as promised by the President will proceed quickly, that is as soon as the details of the various agreements reached in the bilateral discussions are laid on his table.

     

    Defence

     

    The two countries agreed to strengthen defence and military cooperation initiated by them a few years ago.

    This had already lead to the establishment of the Defence section in the Turkish Embassy, Abuja in 2013 and Nigeria’s Defence section in Ankara in 2016.

    In the latest rounds of discussions, Nigeria and Turkey penned an agreement on military training.

    They also agreed to collaborate towards the development of the Defence Industries Corporation, DIC in Kaduna into a Military Industrial Complex of Nigeria, which is a key agenda of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

    Furthermore, two Turkish companies have have taken the giant stride to collaborate with the DIC in the production of arms and ammunition.

    Of the two companies, one is establishing a rifles production line and the supply of raw materials, technical assistance and training while the second one is partnering the DIC in the conceptualization, designing, consulting, invention, manufacturing, marketing, sale, exportation and sale of military industrial products.

     

    Ninth Summit of the “D 8”

     

    The ninth summit, which took place in Istanbul on the 20th October also marked the 20th Anniversary of the organization.

    It also witnessed the handover of the baton of its leadership from the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Sahid Khaqan Abbasi to President Recep Tayyep Erdogan of Turkey.

    At the end of the Summit, the Heads of State and Government adopted a communique which spelt out the direction of the organization for the coming two years under Turkey.

     

    Immediate next steps:

     

    • The Turkish Minister of Economy plans to visit Nigeria as part of the Trade Ministers of the D-8 Conference holding in Abuja between November 14 and 17, 2017.
    • Nigeria will consider hosting the Joint Action Committee (JACO) on boosting the volume of trade and investment between Nigeria and Turkey in January 2018. This will also include a business forum with the private sector of both countries. The Turkish Ministry of Economy will send a formal notification to the Nigerian Government in the coming days.
    • The Turkish Government will prepare a case study of the BOT model used to fund airport and other infrastructure projects to Nigeria. Specifically, the case-study on the successful build and expand Istanbul Airport project.
    • Turkey will invite Nigeria for the Turkey-Africa Business Forum that will be taking place in Istanbul sometime in Autumn.
    • Nigeria will work on ratifying the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) of the D-8.
    • Nigeria and Turkey will in the coming weeks sign an agreement with Turkey against against trafficking in weapons, humans and drugs.
    • Nigeria will raise a technical committee to advise her on how to ramp up trade and investment with Turkey as well as with other members of the “D 8.”

     

    Taking everything concerning the trip as a whole, the two meetings, i.e the bilateral between Nigeria and Turkey and that of the “D 8” in which the country participated, it can safely be concluded that this is perhaps one of the best outings by President Muhammadu Buhari in a little over two years of his administration.

    The President was accompanied on this mission by his wife, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs Geoffery Onyeama, Interior, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (Rtd), Defence, Brig-Gen. Mansur Dan Ali (Rtd), Education, Adamu Adamu and that of Industry, Trade and Investment Okechukwu Enelamah.

    The rest included the National Security Adviser, Maj-General Babagana Munguno (NSA),his counterpart in the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Arab Yadam, the Comptroller-General of the Customs, Colonel Hamid Ali (Rtd) and Nigeria’s Ambassador to Turkey, Ilyas Sulaiman Paragalda.

  • Takeaways from Buhari’s engagement in Turkey

    Takeaways from Buhari’s engagement in Turkey

    Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media and Publicity) GARBA SHEHU points out the gains of President Muhammadu Buhari’s four-day trip to Turkey.

    PRESIDENT Recep Tayyeb Erdogan hosted Muhammadu Buhari, the President of Nigeria for a fairly long one-on-one meeting in Ankara, the Turkish capital on Thursday before the bilateral meeting that involved their ministers and members of their delegations.

    This was President BUhari’s first visit to Turkey since his election in 2015, but the second meeting with President Erdogan who as Prime Minister visited Abuja in March, last year.

    Though the meeting of the group, Development Eight, simply “D 8” in Istanbul was what President Buhari set out to attend, he spent an earlier 24 hours in the capital, Ankara to round off the technical meetings of delegates from both governments in what can be summed as a compressed State Visit.

    President Buhari’s overarching objective during this visit for both occasions was to focus on issues of security and anti-terrorism; agricultural cooperation; trade cooperation; education and health; transport and connectivity; energy sector cooperation and increased private sector participation.

    Expectations on major concrete deliverables out of the trip had been loudly suggested by our officials, even before the meetings began and from the early outcomes we got, there is every reason for that excitement. The visit has achieved quite a lot on the stated objectives.

    The meetings have also helped to enhance momentum in ties between Nigeria and the rest of the “G 8” members and the establishment of a positive working relationship especially between Presidents Buhari and Erdogan. This is an added bonus.

    Here are some takeaways from the bilateral meetings between Nigerian and the Turkish government leaders:

     

    Security and partnerships

    on transnational crimes:

     

    The two governments agreed to support each other in the fight against terrorism, human trafficking, drugs trafficking and arms trafficking.

    Turkey specifically mentioned the menace of the Fethullah organization “FETO” which they accused of terrorism and involvement in the abortive coup plot last year which the Turkish population gallantly resisted.

    There are more than 1,000 Turkish citizens in Nigeria, many of them accused of belonging to this organization and for which reason, their passports have been declared invalid by their country.

    Nigeria has her own problems with the Boko Haram terrorist organization which claims ties to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, ISIS and (possibly) Daesh, (two international terrorist organisations which Turkey is up against) in the fight of which we get support from Turkey and we desire more.

    Both countries also have issues with domestic terror organizations for which they need each other’s help.

    There is, equally, the burning issue of the smuggling of illicit arms allegedly from Turkey, which their authorities effectively debunked but nonetheless agreed to enter into agreement with Nigeria that their ports, harbors, airports and territories will not ever again be used as transit points for such trafficking originating from other lands.

    On the issues of the suspected terrorists of Turkish origin in Nigeria, President Erdogan received the the best assurances from our leader that Nigeria will not allow any person or organization to use her territory for any subversive activities. President BUHARI used every given opportunity to denounce the failed coup attempt. The Turkish citizens who have sought and already obtained assistance from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNCHR since they became stateless persons have been warned not to engage in any political activities while they are in Nigeria.

    Turkish authorities for their part gave all assurances that no subversive activities against Nigeria will be permitted of their citizens or on their territory.

    Nigeria and Turkey also discussed the possibility of working together on the challenges brought about by Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs and refugees in the Northeast, especially that Turkey has the experience in handling about five million refugees in her territory.

    On the specific issue of arms smuggling, our team which included the Minister of Interior, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau(Rtd) and the Comptroller-General of the Customs, Colonel Hamid Ali reached conclusions with the Turkish authorities on how to avert future occurrence and to that effect, a negotiated agreement is to be signed by both sides after vetting by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice as a requirement of our own administration.

     

    Industry, Trade, Investment

    and Transportation

     

    The primary objective of the visit by the President was to seek ways to increase the size of trade and investment between both countries had in many ways been realized.

    After the various meetings, the delegations agreed that there are basic complementarities between both countries which should result in more trade and investment relations between them.

    • Turkey serves as a hub and intersection for transport, trade, religion and cultures.
    • Nigeria as a large domestic market and is considered as the access to a West African market (which together is twice its size).

    The volume of trade between both countries fluctuates severely (from Turkey’s perspective) and does not seem to follow a pattern. For instance, there has been swings of 40 percent trade surplus in a year to a trade deficit of 30 percent the next year.

    In addition, the level of trade generally between “D-8” Member States is also low. The proportion of trade between member states is only about 7 percent, while the European Union (EU) has about 65 percent trade relations between member states. It was agreed by them all to boost the amount of trade between the “D 8” member states.

    To achieve this, certain concrete steps aimed at increasing the volume of trade and investment between Nigeria, Turkey and the “D 8” were outlined and these included:

    The setting up of a technical committee to analyze the trade relations between both countries, with a view to increasing the volume. This committee will come up with a roadmap with timelines for defining and measuring key goals.

    Presently, there are Forty-Eight (48) Turkish companies operating in Nigeria, with investment of about $USD600mm, whereas Ethiopia, a smaller economy, has investments of over $USD3,000m from Turkey. Our government is determined to understand why Nigeria with stronger innate complementarities with Turkey, is not attracting similar or larger investment.

    Some of the agreements that both countries agreed that will potentially advance these objectives include a treaty against double taxation, investment promotion and protection agreement, banking regulation, and preferential trade agreement.

    Nigeria also gave commitments to make further efforts to diversify the economy and make the environment attractive for investment.

    Some of these measures include diversifying the economy from relying primarily on Oil & Gas, to developing other areas of comparative advantage; enhancement of initiatives and programs currently being implemented including the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP); creating the enabling for business and investment; industrialisation programs; extensive build-out of hard infrastructure (including roads, rails, power, etc.) and focus on deepening trade relations with strategic partners (including Turkey).

    The team from Nigeria also brought home lessons from Turkey, which included using their Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model for the funding of infrastructure requirements. For instance, the Turkish Government has just completed a $26 BN BOT arrangement with a consortium to build and expand the Istanbul airport into the largest in the world.

    The BOT arrangement does not cost the government anything, as the private sector partner fully funds the financing.

    The Turkish Government recommended the BOT arrangement for Nigeria, especially as government funding takes exceedingly long time and is fraught with a lot of bottlenecks and bureaucracy.

     

    Civil Aviation

     

    In regards to this specific sector, Turkey made a demand for increased slots of air transportation for their airline, the Turkish Airline and in addition made a case for a Turkish Company seriously interested in bidding for the concession of the Abuja Airport. They were informed that the airport concession process in Nigeria is ongoing and Turkish Investors are welcome to participate.

     

    Education and Health Matters

     

    Nigeria and Turkey reached very important agreements on matters concerning education and health. These are key areas in which Turkey has made a lot of progress.

    There are existing Turkish investments in these areas in Nigeria and it is on record that a number of countries in the world, including some in Africa have shut down schools and hospitals on the request of their home government following allegations that they are owned and operated by this organization accused of terrorism.

    The smart thing the owners of some of these businesses did is that they transferred part or full ownership to Nigerian citizens at the onset of the crisis.

    The Nigerian government delegation has accepted offers by the Turkish authorities to support a new group, the Maarif Organization intent on setting up of schools and specialist hospitals as new investors who are not tainted by such accusations.

    It was in this regard that this new organisation, the Maarif Foundation for educational was introduced to the Nigerian delegation. A delegation from the foundation will visit Nigeria to commence the process of registration as well as following the procedures of establishing the new schools.

    The two countries agreed to expand cooperation in exchange of scholars, exchange of students and exchange/sharing of ideas, skills and education technology and to improve scholarships for Nigerians to study in Turkey. They also agreed to resolve the issues relating to Nigerian students in Turkish universities that are facing exclusion due to visa challenges.

    Nigeria and Turkey have equally agreed to strengthen and promote investments in health institutions and this, as promised by the President will proceed quickly, that is as soon as the details of the various agreements reached in the bilateral discussions are laid on his table.

     

    Defence

     

    The two countries agreed to strengthen defence and military cooperation initiated by them a few years ago.

    This had already lead to the establishment of the Defence section in the Turkish Embassy, Abuja in 2013 and Nigeria’s Defence section in Ankara in 2016.

    In the latest rounds of discussions, Nigeria and Turkey penned an agreement on military training.

    They also agreed to collaborate towards the development of the Defence Industries Corporation, DIC in Kaduna into a Military Industrial Complex of Nigeria, which is a key agenda of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

    Furthermore, two Turkish companies have have taken the giant stride to collaborate with the DIC in the production of arms and ammunition.

    Of the two companies, one is establishing a rifles production line and the supply of raw materials, technical assistance and training while the second one is partnering the DIC in the conceptualization, designing, consulting, invention, manufacturing, marketing, sale, exportation and sale of military industrial products.

     

    Ninth Summit of the “D 8”

     

    The ninth summit, which took place in Istanbul on the 20th October also marked the 20th Anniversary of the organization.

    It also witnessed the handover of the baton of its leadership from the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Sahid Khaqan Abbasi to President Recep Tayyep Erdogan of Turkey.

    At the end of the Summit, the Heads of State and Government adopted a communique which spelt out the direction of the organization for the coming two years under Turkey.

     

    Immediate next steps:

     

    • The Turkish Minister of Economy plans to visit Nigeria as part of the Trade Ministers of the D-8 Conference holding in Abuja between November 14 and 17, 2017.
    • Nigeria will consider hosting the Joint Action Committee (JACO) on boosting the volume of trade and investment between Nigeria and Turkey in January 2018. This will also include a business forum with the private sector of both countries. The Turkish Ministry of Economy will send a formal notification to the Nigerian Government in the coming days.
    • The Turkish Government will prepare a case study of the BOT model used to fund airport and other infrastructure projects to Nigeria. Specifically, the case-study on the successful build and expand Istanbul Airport project.
    • Turkey will invite Nigeria for the Turkey-Africa Business Forum that will be taking place in Istanbul sometime in Autumn.
    • Nigeria will work on ratifying the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) of the D-8.
    • Nigeria and Turkey will in the coming weeks sign an agreement with Turkey against against trafficking in weapons, humans and drugs.
    • Nigeria will raise a technical committee to advise her on how to ramp up trade and investment with Turkey as well as with other members of the “D 8.”

     

    Taking everything concerning the trip as a whole, the two meetings, i.e the bilateral between Nigeria and Turkey and that of the “D 8” in which the country participated, it can safely be concluded that this is perhaps one of the best outings by President Muhammadu Buhari in a little over two years of his administration.

    The President was accompanied on this mission by his wife, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs Geoffery Onyeama, Interior, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (Rtd), Defence, Brig-Gen. Mansur Dan Ali (Rtd), Education, Adamu Adamu and that of Industry, Trade and Investment Okechukwu Enelamah.

    The rest included the National Security Adviser, Maj-General Babagana Munguno (NSA),his counterpart in the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Arab Yadam, the Comptroller-General of the Customs, Colonel Hamid Ali (Rtd) and Nigeria’s Ambassador to Turkey, Ilyas Sulaiman Paragalda.

  • Takeaways from Kano APC retreat

    The recently held Sokoto retreat of the Kano chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was unique in so many ways. Unlike previous retreats which was the exclusive preserve of top technocrats and government officials in the state, this particular one was all inclusive as it accommodated grassroots politicians from across board.

    The retreat which was the first of its kind which took place at Giginya Coral Hotel, Sokoto from October 27-29, was attended by over 600 party officials across the 44 local councils of Kano State.

    Among dignitaries in attendance were  Kano State governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, his Sokoto State counterpart, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal who hosted the historic event, the national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie- Oyegun as well as the party executive members from Kano state led by its Chairman Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas,

    The Kano State deputy governor, Professor Hafiz Abubakar, members of the Kano State and National Assembly as well as other party officials from the ward, Local Government and the state levels were also on ground to grace the retreat aimed at institutionalising capacity-building through effective management of party administration.

    Other party dignitaries who graced the event were the vice chairman North-west, the vice chairman South-south, Prince Hillard Eta, Alh. Kawu Sumaila, the Senior Special Adviser to President on National Assembly Matters, the National Organizing Secretary of the party, Mr Osita Izunaso, the National Women leader, Hajia Ramatu Tijjani, and the party Youth Leader, Ibrahim Dasuki Jalo-Waziri among others.

    In all, a total of twelve (12) papers were presented by reputable academics and prominent APC party leaders. Their presentations covered areas such as party leadership, the role of political party in policy making, duties and responsibilities of party officials, internal and external party communication networks, and political party financing, political party leadership in economic recession and the role of political party in balancing between policies and aspirations of the electorate.

    After exposing participants to the art of modern political party management skills, they were resolute on the need to depart from the past way of doing things with the resolve to privately finance the construction of the proposed Kano APC State Secretariat complex building through the party’s Board of Trustees (BOT).

    One of the most telling aspect of the event was the remarks by Odigie-Oyegun who expressed his deep gratitude to the state chapter of the party for the noble initiative even as he called on party officials at all levels to support the policies of the federal government and abide by the constitution of the party.

    A much more striking lesson from the retreat came from its convener, His Excellency Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who stated in unambiguous terms the need to bring the diverse party officials of the APC and its various organs together to reflect on the activities of the party with a view to developing the skills of participants in the management of the affairs of the party.

    For Ganduje, an exponent of internal democracy, it will be disgraceful and unacceptable for party officials to keep running cap in hand to collect handouts to be able to move around the country to make ends meet.

    At the end of the two days event, decisions were taken that could impact positively on the party, Kano State and Nigeria as a whole.

    Participants were unanimous in their support for President Buhari’s resolve to tackle the problems of insecurity, corruption and the economic downturn besetting the polity just as they overwhelmingly passed a vote of confidence on Ganduje as the leader of the party and reiterated their confidence on the existing party leadership under Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas.

    A huge takeaway from the retreat was the resolve to prevent abuse of executive, legislative and public offices through greater accountability, transparency in the scheme of affairs in the corridors of power.

    In the Kano chapter of the party just like in other states of the federation, there are bound to be disagreements within the ranks of the party and participants were conscious of that fact during the retreat. This was why the members hammered on the need by party officials to always maintain harmonious relationship with the government in the state to continue to be responsive to popular demands.

    Conscious of the need to sustain the 100 percentiles winning streak of the party in Kano, the participants also stressed that political party discipline should be kept at the high and lowest levels of the party’s structure in order to promote unity and preserve loyalty among its members, aside the fact that party officials at all levels should be familiar with the party’s constitution and comply with its provisions in their conduct of party activities.

    The retreat observed the need to increase the capacity of political party officials to meet the challenges of managing political party affairs in a state with high population across the 44 Local Government Areas and 484 wards, maintain a disciplined and cohesive party organization with strict adherence to internal democracy.

    It stressed the need to sensitize members of the APC in the state to adhere to the party’s constitution in their daily affairs, consolidate inclusiveness between the party officials and the chief executive of the state on the one hand, as well as between the party members and their officials on the other hand for the smooth running of the state and party and the need for regular interaction between the government and the people of Kano State.

    In addition, it was resolved that political party officials should foster both horizontal and vertical communication networks among members and party’s organization at various levels to ensure effective internal democracy. It was further resolved that the party should undertake continuous party registration of members, hold regular meetings of the executives with members and keep records of all its activities as well as develop mechanisms of safeguarding its integrity uniqueness, coherence and prudence in its use of resources.

    Participants underscored the role of finance in strengthening the party and resolved to see fund raising as a critical activity in beefing up the resources of the local chapter for effective democracy. Furthermore, it was resolved that the party should pay attention to the development of a strategic plan with clear vision and mission to guide its activities and mobilizational capacities and that the party should maintain its cordial relationship with state and national legislative members .

    The need by the party to understand the role that research, documentation and publication plays as a resource base for party activities was also underscored by participants during the retreat. For better understanding of the work of political party officers, it was agreed that there was the need to translate the  constitution of the APC into Hausa language just as women leaders at all levels of party structure need to be engaged in  the mobilization drive of the party in order to promote women participation and support.

     

    • Yakassai is Director-General, Media and Communications to the Kano State governor.

  • Takeaways from Dakar Forum on African Peace and Security

    This year’s Dakar International Forum on Peace and in Security in Africa, the third in the annual series attracted the participation of President Muhammadu Buhari along with some other African leaders. It was an important opportunity to strengthen relations between Africa and its development partners.
    In addition to all things, President Buhari owed to his Senegalese counterpart to be present on account of the visit, at least three times that I know, that President Mackey Sall came here on our government’s invitation. President Buhari was received with a lot of warmth. It was clear from the actions and pronouncements of the hosts, that President Sall and his government were very pleased that President Buhari had at last reciprocated by visiting.
    Besides the diplomatic gains of the visit, what other major gains were made by Nigeria by having our President in attendance?
    As a background, the meeting had in attendance, high-level stakeholders, including, as earlier stated, Presidents and heads of government as well as ministers responsible for internal security, defence and foreign affairs.
    Others were heads of security and defence institutions on the continent, regional and international organizations, business leaders, scholars, experts and the civil society. Dozens of workshops were held on security related issues affecting Africa. It was an intense two-day engagement, and for those who mistake the presidential trips as pleasurable junkets, the President’s plane left Dakar in the dark hours of the second day of the visit, to land in Abuja early the following morning.
    The President had raced back home to swear in the new commissioners he appointed for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and to preside at the Wednesday meeting of the Federal Executive Council, FEC.
    The Forum attached a central importance to experience-sharing.
    Now, this is an area in which Nigeria has the dubious honour of being a leader, given our ongoing engagement with Boko Haram terrorists. Routing the Boko Haram terrorism is one of the priorities of this administration. The President has defined the challenges of terrorism in Nigeria as being Boko Haram in the North-east and militancy in the South-South.
    In the speech he read, and his various responses to questions at an interactive forum, President Buhari offered to the continent this county’s recipe for a lasting solution to the challenge of terrorism. His speech was further expanded in details by officials on the delegation.
    In the series of briefings, African leaders were given the essentials of the two-way approach to fighting terror put in place by the current administration.
    One is that there is a “Soft Approach.” This approach has a blueprint tagged as “National Counter-terrorism Strategy”. As a part of this, government has a de-radicalization programme coordinated by the Counter Terrorism Centre. De-radicalization basically entails the various ways to rehabilitate and re-orientate repentant terrorists and to fight the ideological influence of terrorist organizations.
    An implementation mechanism, the Presidential Committee for North East Initiative (PCNI), for economic empowerment through provision of emergency assistance, social stabilisation, economic reconstruction and redevelopment has also been put in place.
    There is also in place, a Victim Support Fund and a National Trauma Centre to collate data on victims of Boko Haram insurgency, and provide assistance to them.
    Government is also engaging in the sensitization and orientation of the civil populace to disabuse their mind against the negative propaganda of the Boko Haram group.
    There is also a Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Resolution of Security Challenges in the North East to engage the Boko Haram insurgents and win their hearts through dialogue. The committee has engaged the insurgents in various prisons and detention centres with a view to cultivating them to accept the dialogue option. As a result of this engagement, 21 Chibok Girls were released on October 13 through negotiations. Efforts are being intensified to ensure the safe release of the rest of the Chibok Girls and other victims.
    Government has also established a Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PRESCOM) specifically to address the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country.
    Almajiri schools (integrated western and Quranic schools) in the 19 states of the north to facilitate enrolment of street children who are vulnerable to recruitment by Boko Haram and other terrorist groups have established. Through the implementation of Safe School Initiative, SSI, protection of schools in the states affected by Boko Haram is being paid attention to, with an initial funding of US$20million.
    Other measures put in place include wider Foreign Intelligence Cooperation (Liaison Relations) at the regional and sub-regional levels in view of the trans-national and cross-border nature of terrorism and related crimes. In this regard, a Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit (RIFU) and National Intelligence Fusion Centre for coordinated action against terrorism, including intelligence sharing in response to the security challenges posed by Boko Haram insurgency and Terrorism have been put in place.
    As an indication of the success of this experiment, the RIFU achieved 98 per cent increase in intelligence sharing in 2016, with more countries seeking to join the unit.
    The second approach to the threat of terrorism by Nigeria is tagged the “Hard Approach.”
    The Forum was briefed by our officials on ongoing intensification of Air and Ground Military Offensive against the Boko Haram group and its bases.
    President Buhari made it clear that the fight against corruption in his country aims at addressing factors that promote terrorism and violent extremism. “Corruption”, said the President “deprives the citizens including the youth of their right to basic necessities of life including education, health and employment.”
    He informed them that his administration had put in place an empowerment program targeting 500,000 youth, of which 200,000 have been employed in the first instance.
    Following this excellent presentation, many countries expressed their appreciation of Nigeria’s anti-terrorism mechanisms and efforts.
    A major objective of the Dakar Forum is the strengthening of African Unity with a view to finding their own solutions to the problems of security on the continent. This is in line with the theme for this year’s meeting which is “Africa Meets Its Security Challenges: Viewpoints for Efficient Solutions.”
    To achieve this, the leaders agreed to use common security platforms to achieve the goal of a unified African approach.
    Some of these will hopefully see African Navies and Maritime agencies working together to secure international waters. It has since been recognized that a stable maritime environment is critical for regional and global security and that states acting in isolation of one another have tended to achieve very little.
    The threat of sea-borne terror and piracy continues to pose a strong challenge, with pirates moving from Somalia to the Gulf of Guinea. The meeting recognized the efforts of Nigeria and her maritime neighbours to counter the situation. Going forward, African navies should be working more closely with each other.
    The meeting also provided an opportunity to learn from each other on how best to get international partnerships to work together for common solutions to shared problems. To this end, defence and security establishments will march together to confront the new challenges facing the continent and will cooperate with one another by sharing intelligence, training and synergy.
    The model of cooperation put in place by the leaders of the Lake Chad Basin Commission Countries, and the impressive success recorded by the Multinational Joint Task Force, MNJTF will serve a strong motivation for the actualization of a continent-wide mechanism for military intervention in crisis situations. Each country has however been implored to start by taking charge of their territories and resources to avoid their falling into the hands of terrorists.
    To confront the threat of the spread of hate speech, radicalisation and violent extremism, the Africa leaders will each in their countries keep an eye on the internet. In an important decision taken, the forum noted that rising connectivity has helped the growth of extremism and radicalization, and leaders were urged to make state institutions to be more mindful of those seeking to incite violence using social media platforms.
    African private sector has equally been urged to key into the efforts to build new pillars of economic activities on the continent to reduce joblessness and crime. Participants agreed that the private sector is an equal stakeholder in peace and security in Africa and for this reason, businesses on the continent must brace up for more involvement in this regard as part of their corporate social responsibility.

  • My World Economic Forum (WEF) takeaways, by Fashola

    My World Economic Forum (WEF) takeaways, by Fashola

    Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola shares his thoughts on the World Economic Forum (WEF).

    As we expect life in Abuja to return to normal, hopefully for the better, I feel the urge to share my thoughts about the World Economic Forum.

    Although security concerns and discussions were constant mentions at a Forum to discuss Africa’s economy hosted in Africa’s largest market (by population), that may as well not be a very bad thing when all is finally said and done.

    This is because I find it difficult to imagine that any kind of serious economic activity can be sustained in an atmosphere of insecurity.

    So the focus on security may well turn out to be ablessing in disguise because I have always believed that the difficult times bring on an opportunity if those who experience it look for lessons to belearned so that the difficult times never repeat themselves.

    That said, I will return to my WEF takeaways and they are simple things that have far-reaching consequences for us, depending on what we do.

    TAKEAWAY ONE

    Although I did not attend the forum, I followed closely as it was covered on Channels and TVC. One thing I noticed was that there were no opening and closing prayers in Christian and Moslem ways; or were they deliberately not broadcast? I doubt that this was the case. The more likely inference is that they were not part of the programme.

    The reason is that this was not a Nigerian event; it was a global franchise hosting in Nigeria.

    Think of how many minutes we have spent on prayers at economic and business meetings that are Nigerian. Now multiply them into hours and days and calculate how much productive time we have lost.

    My conclusion is that prayers and religion are necessary to shape values, they do not run an economy. It is serious people who do. I hope the lesson will remain beyond WEF.

    TAKEAWAY TWO

    Unless the broadcasters screened off all these parts, then I must have been the only one who did not see the introduction of our countless VIPs and them being ushered to the high table.

    I did not see sessions being interrupted to announce the ‘late arrival’ of a VIP who was being led to a front seat where somebody who is not a VIP, but who arrived on time, will have to yield his seat for a person who at best should have been kept out of the venue for tardiness or, at worst, given a vacant seat the BACK of the hall.

    TAKEAWAY THREE

    Again, I repeat, unless the broadcasters were extremely ingenuous, I did not see any Ipad and camera-phone totting Mamarazzi and Paparazzi and their better equipped competitors standing in front of particpants and panellists in the ‘Nigerian Way’ and obscuring the view of the audience in the hall.

    In spite of this, the event was well reported on local and global television. There was also very generous print coverage and there were clear photographs.

    The lesson is simple. Our journalism practice can do with a massive dose of professionalism and the use of appropriate equipment, which will raise standards and EVERY journalist MUST either be accredited to cover an event or be politely asked to leave.

    The picture quality on the electronic platform was merciful to the eyes and pleasantly so.

    The WEF franchise will not have settled for anything less. Are we Nigerians going to keep these lessons?

    TAKEAWAY FOUR

    If I was not living in Nigeria, I would be tempted to think that the Transcorp Hilton Hotel had always looked like that.

    Even the organisers, through one of their representatives in her closing speech, whilst thanking the hotel group let it slip that they “pushed” them to meet, what I believe she described as “Swiss Standards.”

    Now that they have attained those standards, I hope they will not let it drop again.

    They must choose whether they want to be part of the global Hilton brand name or a bad imitation where all types of stragglers roam about the reception, lobby and even corridors of what should be a hospitality facility of the highest repute.

    TAKEAWAY FIVE

    One of the most important takeaways was also not directly economic, even if it has a consequential impact on the economic fortunes of individuals, families, states and Nations. It is Education.

    Prime Minister Gordon Brown and a group of businesses committed $10 Million towards achieving safety in 500 schools in Northern Nigeria.

    Why is this a take-away? Partly because the $10 Million was not from our own tax-payers or oil money [we are yet to satisfactorily account for $10 Billion as we await the outcome of an audit to look into the matter] rather it came from the private sector – and I believe it is foreign.

    $10 Million is N1.63 Billion and if you spread it across 500 schools, the per capita allocation will be roughlyN3.3 Million per school to keep schools safe for scores of children in each of those schools, if not hundreds of them.

    The lesson is simple. That money may not be a lot, but its message to all of us is profound.

    The problem is not that of foreigners – it is ours. We can have a lot of money, but if there are no ideas to pursue with the money, the value of money is not manifest.

    $10 Million at N3.3 Million per school can have an enduring effect if it is used to pursue the idea and ideal of safe schools, where our national budget may not have made a similar impact.

    I hope we will latch on to the idea and pursue it for its ideal, in the purest sense and not in a Sure-P way.

    In the end, it seems that the WEF has focused our attention on small things that have aggregrated to cause us big problems because we did not focus on them.

    It has shown us that we can be orderly, that we can cover and report events properly, that we are not sinners because we don’t pray at business meetings, that we can keep time and most profoundly; that hotel brands like the Hilton and many other Nigerian brands can compete globally if they are challenged and supported.

    The forum has taught us that we are the ones who limit ourselves and that we do not need protection from competition; but rather a fair chance to compete and the inspiration to do so.

    I will conclude by issuing a caveat before the “Transformations” spin doctors begin to re-base this summit as their success.

    This is an acknowledgement of what WEF “forced” us to do.

    They held our hands all the way, they set targets and deadlines for us, they pushed and prodded.

    It need not have been this way; but it is.

    Now WEF has gone, we must prove that we can transform and make these takeaways and many others that I did not observe as a WAY OF LIFE that Nigerians can take for granted.