Tag: tinubu

The leaders and elders of the southeast, southwest, south-south, and Middle Belt Regions have urged President Bola Tinubu to as a matter of urgency address the continuous fall of the naira.

The leaders of thought under the umbrella South and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) also charged the president to restructure the country to reflect true Federalism.

The group also called for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

These were some of the decisions reached at its meeting on Thursday, October 27, according to the communique issued at the end of the meeting.

The communique was signed by Chief (Dr.) E.K. Clark – Leader; Chief Ayo Adebanjo – Leader, Afenifere Chief Dr Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, President-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide; General Zamani Lekwot rtd – Chairman, Middle Belt Elders Council, and Former Military Governor, Rivers State; Dr. Pogu Bitrus – President, Middle Belt Forum and Senator Emmanuel Ibok-Essien, – National Chairman, PANDEF

The group, according to the communique called for redoubled efforts to cushion the effect of naira depreciation on the masses.

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It stated: “SMBLF urges that efforts be redoubled to assuage the daily depreciating living standard of Nigerians; calls on the Federal Government to urgently salvage the Naira, which continues to depreciate daily.”

The group also called on the federal government to prioritise the restructuring of the country, saying it is necessary for the development and growth of the country.

The group added: “That the Federal Government should, as a matter of urgency, and priority, work towards the Restructuring of the country and enthrone True Federalism as was originally entrenched in the 1960 and 1963 constitutions;

“That, without restructuring, the future of Nigeria and democracy remain bleak and must, therefore, be carried out immediately.”

The group further urged the government to take an urgent look at the 2014 National Conference Report, concluded by 494 of the Country’s leaders, as well as the All Progressives Congress (APC) Report on True Federalism.

The group also offered to set up a Strategic Committee on Restructuring and expressed readiness to interface with the federal government, the National Assembly, and all other stakeholders, on the enunciated issues.

It expressed great concern and total rejection of the trend where certain sections of the country are continually marginalized in the number of states, local governments, and even appointments to the Federal Executive Council.

“Particularly requests that the South-East be appropriately represented on the Federal Executive Council, similar to other Geo-Political Zones.

“Insists that Nigeria must always remain a country where all citizens and sections enjoy a full sense of belonging and equality.”

The group also commended the political class, especially the leading Presidential candidates in the 2023 Presidential Election for their recourse to constitutional means in redressing their grievances.

On Nnamdi, the group advised that the federal government should take urgent steps to release Nnamdi Kanu since a court of competent jurisdiction has ordered so. We believe that doing so will promote peace and security in the southeast.”

The journey to victory has never been smooth anywhere in the world. Even when he prepared for it over two decades. His road was very rough and tough.

Adjudged as one of the country’s political shining lights, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s deft political calculations and strategy have become a case study in politics. But his political journey that spanned over four decades never experienced the turbulence of the last 18 months.

The race for the ticket of the party was as competitive as the February 25 presidential election. No fewer than 22 other aspirants defied the exorbitant N100 million price tag for the party’s ticket, but like a Colossus, Tinubu weathered the storm and became the last man standing at the well-contested party primary of June 8, 2022. He garnered overwhelming votes from all the delegates.

The victory did not come without many hurdles.  Political watchers described some of such challenges as self-inflicted by the ruling party. The first threat came from the former APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, who engaged the instrument of his office to foist the then Senate President, Ahmed Lawan as the party’s consensus candidate,  to a conspiracy of the Naira redesign policy of the    Central Bank of Nigeria and to fuel scarcity. 

In all these,  Asiwaju held his ground and remained focused on pursuing his aspiration. The internal conspiracies got to the hilt, leading to his popular and prophetic Abeokuta declaration, “Emi lokan”. The declaration further drew the rebuke of a cabal bent on making him buckle down. But the former Lagos State governor remained resolute. 

The presidential election did not go without its hiccups, but in the end, Tinubu dusted his closest rivals – Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter  Obi of the Labour Party(LP).

But typical of Nigerian politicians,  Atiku and Obi headed for the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) where they were roundly defeated. All five Justices of the tribunal did not waste time dumping all their petitions into the dustbin of political history.

Not satisfied with the outcome of the tribunal, Atiku and  Obi not only appealed the PEPT verdict but also embarked on local and international campaigns to damage the image and integrity of President Tinubu. They also launched a fierce social media campaign against the judiciary and surreptitiously ventured to smuggle the controversial California State University certificate into their case at the apex court.

But like a pack of cards, the duo again failed. The seven Justices of the Supreme Court led by Justice Inyang Okoro threw out all their applications for lack of merit. Again Tinubu recorded another knockout  against his opponents

Like a cat with nine lives, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu remained unperturbed. He has since May 29, kept faith with his resolve to deliver the “renewed hope agenda”.

The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has appealed to President Bola Tinubu for the unconditional release of withheld salaries of university workers. 

The union made the appeal in a statement yesterday by its President, Ibeji Nwokoma.

While welcoming the decision to grant a partial waiver for the release of four months withheld salaries subject to a Document of Understanding (DoU), the union rejected the DoU condition. 

It argued that the condition was draconian and undermined the Right to Freedom of Expression and Association guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution.

The statement reads: “It is important to make this statement in view of the recent statement that President Bola Tinubu has granted a partial waiver to workers of tertiary institutions based on the principles of presidential prerogative of mercy, subject to Federal Ministry of Education and that of Labour and Employment developing a Document of Understanding (DoU), before payment of the withheld salaries can be effected, as reported by the media.

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 “The NAAT considers this as worrisome. While we want to thank the President for his magnanimity in granting the partial waiver, we view the condition of DoU as draconian and undermining of our Fundamental Human Right to freedom of expression and association. Hence, NAAT rejects the DoU as a pre-condition for payment of the withheld salaries of our members.

“We also appeal to Mr. President to rescind his decision and approve unconditional payment of the withheld salaries immediately. The work loss as a result of the strike has since been covered through extra work hours and students graduated, currently undertaking their mandatory National Youth Service programme, nothing has been lost 

“NAAT calls on well-meaning Nigerians to intervene and ensure payment of our withheld salaries in full for sustainable industrial harmony.”