President Bola Tinubu on Monday launched a campaign to promote inclusive education, skill development, and gender equity.

The campaign tagged, #WeAreEqual, is an initiative of the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD).

The campaign has been launched in 15 African countries in different iterations, focusing on health, education, economic empowerment, and gender-based violence.

The Nigerian component of the programme is tagged, ‘Education as a Powerful Tool for Change’, championed by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON.

Speaking at the launch of the campaign at the State House, President Tinubu saluted the commitment of African First Ladies, as members of OAFLAD, to advance gender equality and narrow the gender gap across the continent.

“This campaign holds significant importance for us in Africa. I, therefore, congratulate you all, particularly my dear wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the First Lady of Nigeria, who has chosen education as a primary tool to champion this campaign nationwide.

“The focus of the launch of this campaign in Nigeria, ‘Education as a Powerful Tool for Change’ is critical for Africa’s development, if we are to attain gender equity and ensure equal opportunities for all.

“We must continue to create opportunities for all our children to access quality education without leaving anyone behind, particularly the girl child. We must engender a society where everyone has the same opportunities, regardless of who they are, because doing that leads to a stronger and more peaceful society for all,” the President said.

President Tinubu noted that the launch of the campaign in Nigeria coincides with the re-introduction of the Alternative High School for Girls advanced by the First Lady, adding that this initiative offers a second chance to young girls, who have dropped out of school, to continue their education and fulfill their dreams and aspirations.

“I am happy to note that the foundation stone of one of the schools was recently laid in Osun State, in western Nigeria, by the First Lady. More schools are underway across the country, supported by state governments, the federal government through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), and other development partners.

“As governor of Lagos State, before I became President of Nigeria from May 29, 2023, I witnessed first hand, how societal challenges, such as unwanted teenage pregnancy, domestic violence, human trafficking and drug addiction can obstruct the promising future of young girls.

“Indeed, the re-introduction of Alternative High School for Girls by the First Lady of Nigeria must have received inspiration from the successful implementation of a similar initiative in Lagos State during my tenure as governor,” the President said.

President Tinubu emphasized that education is the cornerstone of national development and that when girls are empowered to pursue their dreams, communities thrive, economies prosper, and nations succeed.

He said it is, therefore, incumbent on all stakeholders to continue to take bold and decisive actions to eliminate the structural inequalities that hold women back on the continent.

“We must be conscious of the fact that the empowerment of women and girls is essential to achieving each of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. We must work together to promote laws and policies that protect and promote women’s rights, invest in girls’ education and skills development, and create economic opportunities that are accessible to all.

“For us in Nigeria, the full operationalization of the Student’s Loan (Access to Higher Education) Act is key to achieving these goals as it will ensure that all young people have unhindered access to education.

“The Nigerian government, through the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, is also implementing a N50,000 non-repayable grant programme for one million Nigerians in Nano businesses and skilled trades, including women and youth,” President Tinubu said.

The President also said his administration will continue to work to end gender-based violence and increase learning opportunities for girls, in safe and conducive environments, adding: “These measures will enable more women succeed in different vocations and properly shape their future endeavours, from politics to engineering, science, technology, sports, and the creative economy.”

President Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that no Nigerian child is excluded from quality education that prepares women and girls to lead and bring positive change to communities.

“Let us carry forward this campaign, which promises to gift an educated girl-child the potential to bring the necessary change and transform African communities for the better.

“It is now my honour to launch the (#) We Are Equal Campaign in Nigeria. I wish you all a fruitful deliberation. I enjoin you to enjoy your stay in our beautiful country,” the President concluded.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

May 13, 2024

In line with his commitment to ensure energy security, drive utility, and cut high fuel costs, President Bola Tinubu has directed the mandatory procurement of compressed-natural-gas-powered vehicles by all government ministries, departments, and agencies.

The President’s directive is also in furtherance of Nigeria’s effort to transition to cleaner energy as CNG-enabled vehicles have been adjudged to produce lower emissions, even as they present a more affordable alternative for Nigerian energy consumers.

Addressing members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the State House on Monday, President Tinubu affirmed that there is no turning back in the energy reforms initiated by his administration.

“This nation will not progress forward if we continue to dance on the same spot. We have the will to drive the implementation of CNG adoption across the country, and we must set the example as public officials in leading the way to that prosperous future that we are working to achieve for our people. It starts with us, and in seeing that we are serious, Nigerians will follow our lead,” the President stated.

The President further directed the rejection of all memos brought by members of FEC seeking the purchase of traditional petrol-dependent vehicles, tasking the affected members of the council to go back and diligently seek value-driven procurements of CNG-compliant vehicles.

The President remains committed to effectively harnessing the nation’s gas potential, alleviating the burden of high transportation costs on the masses while enhancing the standard of living of all Nigerians.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

May 13, 2024

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Monday met with the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

Atiku made the meeting known on his X handle.

Atiku tweeted, “It was my honour and privilege to host #PeterObi today.”

Similarly, Obi met with the former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido and the former President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki at their homes in Abuja.

The meetings were confirmed in a statement issued by the spokesman, Peter Obi Media Outreach, Yunusa Tanko on Monday evening.

Tanko said Obi’s visit was to express commitment to the peace and progress of the nation.

“His abiding devotion is to the emergence of a Nigeria that works for all its peoples and where the people are quickly pulled out of poverty.

“Worried about the state of the nation and the increasing uncertainty in the living conditions of the poor and underprivileged, Obi in Abuja on Monday visited some top Nigerians, among whom are Former Vice President, and PDP Presidential Candidate in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, the Former Senate President Senator Bukola Saraki and the Former Governor of Jigawa state, Alhaji Sule Lamido.

“At the centre of discussion during each of these visits was the state of the nation and how to reduce the suffering of all Nigerians irrespective of class and location. In particular, the desperate condition of the downtrodden in our midst was highlighted. Of particular interest and emphasis in these discussions was the worrisome situation in the Northern parts of the country.”

Obi was the running mate to Atiku in the 2019 general elections under the Peoples Democratic Party. However, in 2022, the duo fell out leading to Obi’s exit from the PDP to LP.

The Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abuja on Monday, reserved judgment in the petition filed by the Social Democratic Party and its governorship candidate, Murtala Ajaka, against the election victory of Usman Ododo.

At today’s proceedings, Ajaka’s lawyer, Pius Akubo, urged the tribunal to set aside the respondents’ submissions and uphold theirs.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission, through its lawyer, Kanu Agabi, told the court that their final written address was dated and filed on May 2 as he prayed the tribunal sitting to dismiss Ajaka’s petition.

Likewise, the All Progressives Congress and Ododo asked the tribunal to dismiss Ajaka’s petition in its entirety for being incompetent and lacking in merit.

Counsel to the respondents, Agabi, Joseph Daudu, and Emmanuel Ukala, while adopting their final written addresses and presenting their arguments against the petitioners, prayed the three-member panel of Justices, led by Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu to dismiss the petition.

Agabi contended that the Appeal Court had decided that if the grounds of a petition are inconsistent with one another and are not consistent with the reliefs, it should be struck out.

He also argued that the evidence of the petitioners were grossly insufficient, citing a Supreme Court decision in a case by Tonye Cole against INEC.

“It is our humble submission that your work in the determination of this petition is simplified in recent judgments by the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

“It is to the effect that once the evidence called is grossly insufficient, there is no evidence. In that case, the petitioner filed 305 witness depositions but only adopted 40 of them.

“The petitioner, according to the decision, only adopted about 13.1 per cent of the witness depositions. In this case, the depositions adopted represent just about 3.6 per cent of their witness depositions,” he said.

He said the petitioners only called 25 witnesses out of the scores listed.

Agabi, said in the mathematical calculation of evidence, 3.6 per cent of Ajaka’s witness deposition adopted in the petition amounted to a failure and therefore, ought to be dismissed.

He said the petitioners equally failed to file the witness deposition beforehand in contravention of the Supreme Court’s decision in Obungado’s case.

He argued that the petitioners’ witness who testified about the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines, clearly stated that he could not guarantee whether those were the BVAS used.

Agabi further argued that the BVAS machine was tendered against Section 84 of the Evidence Act, as there was no certificate of trustworthiness attached alongside it as required by the law.

“Also, the evidence contained in the BVAS machines fell short of what is required of the law,” he added.

He described the case as frivolous as he argued that out of 25, not a single election observer was called.

“Besides, the star witness could not distinguish between what he heard and what he saw when questions were put to him”.

Ododo’s legal representation, Daudu, while adopting his final written address dated and filed on May 1, argued that the petition was statute-barred (filed out of time).

He argued that the action of the petitioners was against Section 122(1) and (2)(a) of the Evidence Act, which empowers the tribunal to take judicial notice of the time of filing, service and response.

Although he clarified that the petitioners responded to their service, Akubo objected to Daudu’s citing of the section describing it as a fresh argument

Daudu, in response, disagreed with Akubo that he was raising fresh issues after a final written address had been filed.

He said if the court found merit in his argument, Akubo had the right to respond because it bordered on issues of remittal procedure.

He also urged the tribunal to dismiss the allegations of forgery against his client, saying it bordered on a pre-election matter, which the apex court had decided in Gbagi’s case against INEC.

Daudu also argued that Section 137 of the Electoral Act cited by the petitioners on allegations of over-voting did not apply in the instant petition.

Similarly, Ukala, who represented APC, urged the court to dismiss SDP and Ajaka’s petition for lacking in merit while he adopted all the processes.

He informed the court that their final written address, dated April 30 was filed same date.

The petitioners’ lawyer, Akubo, told the tribunal that their final written address was dated and filed May 6 adding that their petition was not filed out of time.

He argued that the respondents themselves confirmed that the petition was filed on December 2, 2023, even by their own witness.

“I urge your lordship to hold that we filed this petition within time under our law,” he said.

After taking arguments from all parties, Justice Birnin-Kudu reserved judgment in the petition.

He announced that a date for judgment would be communicated to the parties.

Recall that the tribunal had, on April 25, fixed today for the adoption of final written addresses after the parties closed their case in the matter.

SDP and Ajaka had approached the tribunal to challenge Ododo’s victory in the Nov. 11, 2023, Kogi governorship elections.

In the petition, INEC, Ododo and APC are listed as 1st to 3rd respondents respectively.