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BREAKING: What Tinubu Doesn’t Want Nigerians To Know About Meeting With ‘The Patriots’ – Moghalu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu admitted before The Patriots that he was overwhelmed by the economic crisis confronting Nigeria, for which he would not delve into constitutional reforms in for now, but doesn’t want Nigerians to know this.
Former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kingsley Moghalu, himself a member of The Patriots, disclosed this in a series of tweets in his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X, on Monday.
To drive his points home, Moghalu openly copied President Tinubu and former Commonwealth Secretary, Chief Emeka Anyaoku in the statements.
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He noted that President Tinubu “asserted that economic reform (and the crisis that it has created in the country) is his priority right now”.
Moghalu wrote, “I respectfully disagree with President @officialABAT’s response to the visit to him by The Patriots, led by former @commonwealthsec Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku, during which the group (of which I am a member) pressed for a new Constitution for Nigeria as a matter of urgency, and recommending specific steps to achieve this.
“While PBAT received the eminent elder statesman and his colleagues with the appropriate dignity and protocols (“this is a group I cannot ignore”, Tinubu noted), the President asserted that economic reform (and the crisis that it has created in the country) is his priority right now, but that his government would of course study the recommendations of The Patriots and respond (hopefully with action and not merely words).
“What Nigeria’s leaders fail to understand is that it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to bring a fundamental fix to Nigeria’s economy in the absence of a new constitution that is anchored on real federalism, and preferably anchored on a regional structure of 6-12 regions. The reason is that Nigeria is a country but not yet a nation.
“There is no unity of purpose, no cohering worldview. And this is because the country means different things to different groups. The very essence of Nigeria, what it is in reality (as opposed to the “one indivisible entity” parroted by its leaders for decades) is fundamentally contested.
“As examples of economically successful nations all over the world show, real nationhood is a fundamental requirement for an economic rise based on productivity-driven transformation. I have stressed this in many of my writings, speeches, and other interventions.
“The longer this matter is delayed (presumably because it is a sensitive and politically challenging matter) the more we will continue to struggle. Even more fundamentally, as the eminent diplomat reminded President Tinubu (essentially), Nigeria as a pluralistic country that refuses to turn its plurality into a workable nationhood through an appropriate federal constitution, runs the risk of disintegration in the medium to long term. This is not “alarmism” (for those who have not studied the history of nations). It is a historical fact.
“Anyaoku recalled the success of countries like Canada and other real federations as opposed to the former Yugoslavia, Sudan, and Czechoslovakia. The latter was broken up peacefully and in a mature manner into Czech Republic and Slovakia, two separate nations. The earlier two disintegrated through conflict.
“Nigeria’s economy has remained a natural-resource driven, unproductive, and rent-seeking one for decades because the absence of stable nationhood means that the contention for political power by essentially narrow groups and vested interests is for the purpose of state capture of economic rents, and not anchored on a shared vision of a common future and destination. For as long as this motive is the driving force in Nigerian politics, the economy cannot be transformed.
“There is a reason for the phrase “political economy”, the study of how the political processes and institutions of a state (country) interact with economic ones and the marketplace, and the resulting realities this interaction creates. I urge President Tinubu to take this matter with the seriousness it deserves.
“6 yrs ago in my book Build, Innovate and Grow (BIG), I wrote: “Nigeria today appears rudderless, with no particular direction. Our country has no purposeful destiny that we can say with conviction is our lodestar. Our citizens are increasingly unsure, what being a Nigerian means”.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Sunday, January 26, 2025, to participate in the Africa Heads of State Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The two-day summit, scheduled for January 27-28, 2025, is aimed at advancing “Mission 300,” a pan-African initiative to provide electricity to 300 million people across the continent by 2030.
Hosted by the Tanzanian government in collaboration with the African Development Bank Group and the World Bank, the summit will bring together African leaders, private sector stakeholders, development partners, and civil society organizations.
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The goal is to develop strategies for accelerating energy access in underserved regions, increasing renewable energy adoption, and mobilizing private sector investment.
According to a statement released on Saturday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President, the summit will serve as a platform for sharing expertise, knowledge, and resources to address Africa’s energy challenges.
The first day of the summit will feature ministerial-level discussions, during which participating nations, including Nigeria, will present their national energy strategies, or “compacts,” detailing their plans to achieve universal energy access within five years.
On the second day, African Heads of State will sign the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration, a unified roadmap for achieving the goals of Mission 300.
President Tinubu is expected to deliver a national statement reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to universal energy access and its leadership role in the continent’s energy sector.
He will also highlight Nigeria’s ongoing clean energy initiatives and integrated energy delivery strategies aimed at fostering sustainable development across Africa.
Accompanying the president will be key government officials, including Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu, and Special Adviser to the President on Energy Olu Verheijen.
President Tinubu is set to return to Abuja immediately after the summit concludes.
The menace of illegal migration is getting diplomatic attention from the Italian authorities and the Edo State Government.
The Chief Press Secretary to Edo State Governor, Fred Itua divulged this in a government house statement issued in Benin City on Saturday.
He explained that the Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Edesili Anani had expressed the readiness of the Governor, Monday Okpebholo-led administration to tackle the menace of irregular migration among youths in the state.
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It was gathered that Anani made the stance public on Friday in Government House, Benin City, when Dr. Alberto Cilala, a consultant to the European Union and President of Mattei Africa for Humanitarian Aids Initiative in Italy, led a delegation to her office.
Welcoming the delegation, she highlighted the importance of collaboration to address the challenges posed by irregular migration.
The Coordinator expressed her gratitude to the delegation, and emphasized the transformative impact the partnership will bring to Edo State.
In her words, “This initiative will reduce unemployment, create job opportunities, and address human trafficking and irregular migration. It will also enhance education, skills acquisition, agricultural investment, and infrastructural development for our people.”
On his part, Dr. Cilala emphasized that the Mattei Plan would provide valuable skills to Edo State residents, including tailoring, furniture-making, shoemaking, and more.
“The Mattei Plan was launched by the Italian Government with a focus on six key sectors: education and training, health, security, agriculture, and renewable energy. The goal is to promote integrated development and improve living conditions, particularly in rural areas.
“These projects will be fully funded by the Italian Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Labour,” he stated.
Former Senior Special Assistant to the Edo State Government on Anti-Human Trafficking and Irregular Migration, Solomon Okoduwa, in his remarks, said the Mattei Plan prioritizes practical measures to reduce irregular migration and human trafficking.
“Although nine African countries are involved in this initiative, Edo State is a crucial partner for Italy. This partnership will strengthen bilateral relations under the leadership of His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo,” he said.
Brand Ambassador of the Mattei Plan, Olorogun John Paul, popularly known as Daddy Showkey was at the event and lauded the initiative.
He noted, “This program provides an opportunity for Edo State beneficiaries to gain training in various skills, equipping them for sustainable livelihoods.”
Supporters of the impeached Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, on Saturday morning stormed the Speaker’s Lodge located at 47 Joel Ogunnaike Street, GRA Ikeja, Lagos.
The supporters, dressed in pro-Obasa vests and caps, arrived in large numbers at the premises.
According to multiple sources, the group was planning a “heroic welcome” for the former Speaker, who was recently removed from office by a majority of lawmakers in the House.
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Obasa, who was out of the country at the time of his impeachment, was replaced by the former deputy speaker, Mojisola Meranda.
Since her emergence as Speaker, Meranda has presided over two sittings, with Obasa absent from both.
The choice of the Speaker’s Lodge as the location for Obasa’s supposed welcome sparked controversy, as he is no longer officially entitled to the property following his removal.
A resident in the area expressed surprise over the situation, saying, “I didn’t expect that the lodge would be opened for them.”
Armed security personnel, including police officers, were deployed to the area to maintain order and prevent any potential disruption.
As of the time of filing this report, Obasa had yet to arrive at the lodge.
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