It’s political risky to alienate El-rufai, Yahaya Bello, PDP chieftain Showunmi tells Tinubu
Photo Credit: The Nation Nigeria
Aprominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Segun Showunmi, has said that the ongoing political developments suggest that any perceived marginalization of northern figures within the All Progressives Congress (APC), who played key roles in securing victory in the 2023 presidential election, could have serious future political repercussions.
Emphasizing that his political stance doesn’t necessarily make him an enemy of President Bola Tinubu, Sowunmi, who previously served as a spokesperson for former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, advised President Tinubu to avoid taking actions that could potentially be exploited by political adversaries in the future.
In a statement he personally issued and shared with journalists in Abuja on Monday, April 29, Showunmi highlighted the current challenges faced by former governors Nasir El-Rufai and Yahaya Bello, pointing out that they could be entirely misinterpreted to portray President Tinubu in an entirely different light in parts of the north and jeopardize the political understanding between the north and the southwest.
“President Tinubu’s treatment of these leaders risks undermining the longstanding understanding between the Yoruba and the North, who rallied behind him, particularly against Atiku Abubakar and Rabiu Kwankwaso in the 2023 election,” Showunmi emphasized.
He cautioned President Tinubu that the continued perception of political trials of these northern APC leaders, who contributed to his electoral success in 2023, could adversely affect his aspirations for 2027.
Photo Credit: Google
Senator Ezea Mourns Ayogu Eze
Photo Credit: Leadership News
The senator representing Enugu North Senatorial district in the National Assembly, Senator Okechukwu Ezea, has mourned the death of one of his predecessors, Senator Ayogu Eze, who passed on earlier on Wednesday at the age of 66.
Eze was a two-term lawmaker in the National Assembly. In the 6th Senate he was chairman, Senate Committee on Information and Media, and in the 7th Senate, he was chairman, Senate Committee on Works.
In a statement he personally signed, Ezea described the late Senator Eze as a “special friend, a strong ally, a gifted writer, a skilled orator, a leader par excellence, a gadfly of the struggle for the creation of Adada state, and a worthy son of Igbo Nsukka.”
He went on: “Senator Eze and I shared many beliefs, political views and aspirations. At a time, we belonged to the same political party. But at all times we fought in the same trenches for the transformation of our zone, our state and our country.”
Ezea stated that on the floor of the Senate, the late former lawmaker was very vocal, vibrant and efficient and that his contributions to debates during plenary were “rich, thoughtful and illuminating.”
Ezea commiserated with Eze’s wife, children and siblings, and the immediate and extended Eze family of Umuida, Enugu-Ezike, Igbo-Eze North LGA of Enugu State.
Constitution Review Must Meet Nigerians’ Yearnings, Kalu Tells Stakeholders
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Deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Benjamin Kalu has called for synergy among the consultants and the secretariats of the Senate and House Committees on Constitution Review to set the pace for effective collaboration to drive the ongoing exercise to a successful conclusion.
Kalu, who is the chairman, House Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution made the call while delivering his remarks at the joint retreat of the secretariat and consultants to the Senate and House committees on the review of the constitution over the weekend.
The deputy speaker told the stakeholders that effective collaboration will drive the task to outcomes that would meet and satisfy the desires and yearnings of Nigerians.
He further asked the stakeholders to review the previous amendment proposals which were either not passed by the National/State Assemblies or were not assented to by the President, and consider how those issues can be re-introduced with a view to providing methods of processing them or an action plan that will ensure that reservations which led to their rejection are addressed.
Kalu reminded them that the constitutional alteration is a continuous process and must involve all Nigerians so as to empower the legislature to evolve a constitution that will address contentious issues that has bedevilled the nation since independence such as State Police, Special Seats for Women amongst others.
Noting that the 10th Assembly is building upon the legacies of the previous Assemblies that did a comprehensive work, which resulted in the President’s assent to 18 Constitution amendment Bills in the 9th Assembly, the deputy speaker commended the stakeholders for the “national sacrifice” and patriotism.
Kalu assured that the committee members in both Senate and House of Representatives will engage President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on different issues.
“As you are all aware, constitutional alteration is a continuous process and must involve all Nigerians regardless of their ideological leanings or beliefs, hence, our call for memoranda from all stakeholders and the general public.
Intellectual Property Rights Pivotal To Nigeria’s Economic Growth – Nnaji
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The minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has said Intellectual Property Rights are pivotal to the development of the Nigerian economy, fostering innovation and enriching its cultural development.
The minister said this as the world commemorated the World Intellectual Property (IP) Day on Friday April 26, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, stressing that the Day set aside by the United Nations was to celebrate ingenuity, creativity and innovation to fast-track development.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by Raymond Onyenezi Ogbu, Assistant Chief Information Officer (NOTAP), which quoted the Minister as stressing the importance of the day to global economic sustainability.
The minister said “inventions and innovations are products of critical research therefore, it is pertinent to celebrate our inventors, innovators, artists as well as creators who have contributed significantly to our country’s socio-economic development.”
He added that what makes advanced countries strong was their breakthroughs in inventive and innovative activities, hence for the developing countries especially Nigeria to be recognized as a major player within the IPR ecosystem, we must build the culture of innovation.
The minister further said that to ensure a rapid development of indigenous IP system and spur the innovative spirit of the Nigerian researchers, the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), an agency under the supervision of his ministry, established the Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer
Offices (IPTTOs) in some knowledge establishments in the country.
He reiterated that the ministry is committed to strengthening Nigeria’s Intellectual Property System, making it easier for innovators to protect their works. He added that through NOTAP, Nigerian inventors and innovators have been assisted in patenting of their inventions free.
Chief Nnaji noted that while Intellectual Property Rights incentivizes innovation, overly restrictive policies can stifle creativity and impede progress, therefore it is imperative to foster an environment that promotes both innovation and accessibility to information.