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Wike allies, G-5, meet in Enugu on PDP
After another fence-mending session at the weekend between presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, who has remained estranged since the party concluded its convention in May, five PDP governors now famously known as Wike allies met, yesterday, in Enugu State.
The group of five governors (G-5) – Wike, Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and host, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) were locked in a closed-door meeting, which observers say was to push for the final way forward in the intractable crisis confronting the party ahead of the 2023 general elections.
PDP had been enmeshed in crisis after the national convention that saw the emergence of Atiku as its presidential flag-bearer.
Wike, who contested in the presidential primary, had alleged foul play, insisting the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, compromised the integrity of his office by using its instrumentality to ensure the emergence of Atiku. He, alongside other governors demanded the resignation of Ayu as the only panacea to peace in the party.
The G-5 team at their last meeting held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, opted out of Atiku’s campaign council and vowed not to play any role in the campaign pending the resignation of Ayu. The Enugu meeting is holding hours after Wike met with Atiku, who was reportedly said to have promised to back him for the presidency in 2027.
Wike had also at the weekend received the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in Port Harcourt. Though details of their discussions were not disclosed, it was gathered that the duo held talks on possibilities of backing Obi, currently riding on the momentum of an unprecedented youth enthusiasm.
Obi, who has been shopping for support across the country, was said to be particularly interested in getting Wike to queue behind him to boost his chances in the South-south.
Since he declared his presidential interest, Obi had visited Wike three times in Rivers to plead for his support. The LP candidate, accompanied by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, also paid Wike and his team a visit in London to plead for their support.
MEANWHILE, both Atiku and presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, took to their social media handles to display their fitness level in a ‘show of strength’ to their teeming fans to demonstrate capacity to handle the challenges of office.
While Atiku danced to Davido’s ‘Stand Strong’ as he unveiled his five-point recovery plan for Nigeria, Tinubu was seen exercising on a bike in a gym to prove his fitness.
In a video he shared via his Twitter handle, Tinubu dismissed naysayers, saying: “Many have said I have died; others claim I have withdrawn from the presidential campaign. Well… Nope. This is the reality: I am strong, I am healthy and I am ready to serve Nigerians from day one.”
Apparently poised to assuage aggrieved APC members over the composition of the party’s presidential campaign council, Tinubu has appointed Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni, as special adviser on party integration and reconciliation for the campaign team.
Buni’s appointment is coming one week after secretary of the presidential campaign council, James Faleke, released a list of 422-member council, with President Muhamadu Buhari as chairman; Tinubu and Abdullahi Adamu, the party’s national chairman, as deputy chairmen, as well as Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong, as director-general.
The list was, however, greeted with bickering from governors under the party’s platform on grounds that the candidate ignored their nominations and replaced them with others from their respective states.
It was gathered that Buni, who was chairman of the APC caretaker committee from June 2020 to June 2022, was engaged by Tinubu following the success he recorded in reconciling members of the party after the ouster of the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC).
Tinubu, in a separate letter, also appointed Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State, as his adviser on administration and government in the campaign council.
A letter dated August 8, 2022, personally signed by the candidate and made available to newsmen in Abuja, said Buni’s impressive political achievement and the exemplary leadership he has demonstrated as governor of Yobe state and as a party member qualified him for the responsibility.
“We are grateful that you have joined our campaign team. We know you will do your utmost in this new responsibility so we conduct an effective, message-driven campaign leading us to victory in the 2023 presidential election.
Tinubu described Masari’s appointment as fitting and appropriate given his impressive political achievement and the exemplary leadership he has demonstrated as governor of Katsina.
Also, the ruling party has constituted the women’s campaign team for its presidential campaign with Aisha Buhari, wife of President Buhari, as the grand patron.
The APC women campaign team comprises 1,200 strong members, which also comprises Senator Oluremi Tinubu, wife of the party’s presidential candidate and Hajiya Nana Shettima as chairperson and co-chairperson of the women’s campaign team respectively.
A former member of the House of Representatives from Borno State, Asabe Villita, was appointed the National Coordinator of the team with Lauretta Onochie, an aide to President Buhari, as her deputy.
However, Dolapo Osinbajo, wife of Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, is noticeably absent from the campaign list released yesterday in Abuja by Rinsola Abiola, daughter of late Chief MKO Abiola, who is also named in the media and administrative committees of the campaign team.
Recall that Prof. Osinbajo was excluded from the list of APC Presidential Campaign Council released by the party a week ago. Osinbajo lost the APC presidential primary to his former boss, Tinubu at the convention in June. While other aspirants have been drafted into the campaign, the vice president was excluded from the campaign council.
To debunk speculations of a rift between Tinubu and Osinbajo, the ruling party had in a statement claimed that President Buhari requested the exclusion of his Vice and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, to allow them focus on governance.
The Federal Government has signed a Programme for Country Partnership (PCP) agreement with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) to drive Nigeria’s industrial transformation.
At the signing ceremony in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister of State for Industry, Sen. John Enoh, emphasised the significance of the agreement in repositioning the country’s industrial sector.
Enoh said that the partnership aligned with Nigeria’s commitment to rebuilding its industrial base to achieve structural economic transformation.
He said that the Industrial Revolution Work Group (IWG) had been inaugurated to coordinate the revitalisation of key industrial assets and value chains.
According to Enoh, the partnership comes at a time when Nigeria is moving with clarity and urgency to rebuild its industrial base.
He said that it would boost economic growth, and also ensure structural transformation that empowers the people and reduces dependency on primary exports.
Enoh said that the IWG, which he co-chaired with the President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Francis Meshioye, was a stakeholder platform designed to address systemic bottlenecks and fast-track industrial zone development.
The minister said that the PCP aligned with the objectives of the IWG, focusing on agro-industrial transformation, SME development, green and digital transition, and skills for industrial competitiveness.
He expressed optimism that UNIDO’s technical expertise and global perspective would enhance Nigeria’s industrialisation efforts through infrastructure development and catalytic interventions.
“We welcome your presence at the table and look forward to integrating your insights into the group’s core operations.
“Nigeria is laying the foundation for the next chapter in its industrial history by modernising institutions, reforming policies, and strengthening coordination across all levels of government,” he said.
Enoh reiterated the government’s commitment to fostering multilateral and bilateral cooperation, urging all stakeholders to transition from agreements to tangible execution.
“As we sign today, we do so with resolve not for the ceremony, but for community-medium impact.
“Let us move together from potential to productivity, from agreement to execution, and from policy to prosperity,” he said.
The Minister Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Abubakar Bagudu, said that the PCP was expected to boost manufacturing, enhance access to renewable energy, and create opportunities for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Bagudu said that it would also strengthen Nigeria’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring the successful implementation of the programme, adding that Nigeria remained open to international investments and partnerships.
“Nigeria is determined to achieve its economic vision, and we will stay the course,” he said.
The UNIDO Director-General, Gerd Müller, described the PCP as a new phase in Nigeria’s longstanding partnership with the organisation, which dates back 40 years.
“This initiative focuses on six key areas, including industrial policy, innovation and technology, value chain development, and sustainable energy solutions.
“It will directly support Nigeria’s National Development Plan and the African Union’s Agenda 2063,” Müller said.
The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mohammed Fall, emphasised that the signing of the PCP marked the beginning of a long-term collaboration to drive Nigeria’s sustainable development.
Fall acknowledged the challenges facing the country but reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to working alongside Nigerian authorities and development partners to implement impactful initiatives.
He highlighted the role of UNICEF and other UN agencies in supporting Nigeria’s economic and humanitarian efforts.
He assured stakeholders that the UN remained dedicated to helping Nigeria transition toward a more resilient and self-sufficient economy.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the signing ceremony was attended by representatives of Government, the European Union, UNIDO, and other key stakeholders in Nigeria’s industrial sector.
The National Park Service (NPS) has assured Nigerians of its ongoing efforts to mitigate climate change through carbon reduction.
Dr Ibrahim Goni, the Conservator-General (C-G) of the NPS, made this commitment in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.
The C-G stated that the approval for the establishment of 10 new national parks in the country would contribute to carbon reduction.
“The seven national parks provide a total area of vegetation of 20,000 square kilometres, and we are confident that it would sequestrate carbon by 4.8 million parts.
“This means that with the introduction of the new 10 national parks, carbon dioxide is going to be sequestrated”.
Goni further advised residents to engage in afforestation to reclaim lands that have been degraded due to erosion.
He commended the Federal Government for its efforts in carbon mediation and for planting 25 million trees to cushion the effects of climate change in the country.
Goni also expressed satisfaction with the federal government’s tree-planting efforts, describing it as a huge step towards conserving the country’s natural resources.
“In 2020, the federal government approved the establishment of 10 new national parks”.
NAN reports that the 10 new national parks are located in Alawa National Park in Niger, Apoi and Edumenun National Parks in Bayelsa, Galgore National Park in Kano state, and Hadejia Wetland National Park in Jigawa.
Others are Kampe National Park in Kwara, Kogo National Park in Katsina, Marhi National Park in Nasarawa state, Oba Hill National Park in Osun and Pandam National Park in Plateau.
The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has commended President Bola Tinubu for appointing seasoned professionals to lead the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).
NSE’s President, Margaret Oguntala, stated this in a statement on Wednesday, in Abuja, describing the move as “putting the right peg in the right hole.”
Oguntala praised Tinubu for ensuring that individuals with vast engineering, technical and leadership experience would manage affairs in the NNPC Ltd.
She emphasised that the new leadership would usher in a transformative era for NNPC Ltd, fostering efficiency, transparency, and innovation in the oil and gas sector.
“NSE extends heartfelt congratulations to President Tinubu, on the appointment of Bashir Bayo Ojulari, as the new Group Chief Executive Officer.
“Ahmadu Musa Kida, as Non-Executive Chairman of NNPC Ltd and other board members.
“This significant decision underscores the President’s unwavering commitment to revitalising NNPC Ltd and enhances the energy security of Nigeria through the oil and gas sector.
“I commend President Tinubu for ensuring that individuals with vast engineering, technical, and leadership experience are at the helm of NNPC Ltd,’’ she said.
She said that the move aligned with global best practices in energy governance.
Oguntala said that the strategic appointment was pivotal to achieving sustainable energy security, infrastructural growth, and economic development.
She further expressed optimism that the new leadership would usher in a transformative era for NNPC Ltd, fostering efficiency, transparency, and innovation in the oil and gas sector.
She said that NSE remained committed to supporting the administration’s drive toward national development and energy sustainability.
According to her, NSE looks forward to a fruitful collaboration with NNPC Ltd under its new leadership.
FG, UNIDO partner to strengthen Nigeria’s industrial future
National Park advocates carbon reduction for climate action
NSE lauds Tinubu on appointment of seasoned professionals at NNPC Ltd
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