National
NOA says, it has responsibility to enlighten citizens on the mandates of the 3 arms of govt
The Nigerian legislature and its activities are most misunderstood among the three arms of government, the Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) Dr Garba Abari has indicated.
The Director General spoke at the Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Hallowmace Foundation Africa and Budgit on constituency projects tracking and Governance Accountability
Represented by his Special Assistant, Mr David Akoji, the director general disclosed that NOA has been working with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in tracking Constituency projects across the country.
He said the mandate of the National Orientation Agency which includes getting citizens to know and enlightened about government activities was broad enough, hence, the NOA was open to any willing partner that has the same bias with the agency.
He said: “The legislature is the least understood in all arms of government and as NOA, we owe responsibility to get citizens to understand what each arm of government is doing and how they are doing it and we have a liaison office at the National Assembly to track what is happening there.
“I have worked closely with the Hallowmace team, they are passionate about what they are doing. If you would understand why I and the Director General are passionate about it, then you will have to understand the mandate of the National Orientation Agency (NOA),
“The National Orientation Agency has a mandate to sensitize the public on government policies, programmes and activities which on this context refer to the three arms of government; the executive, the legislature and the judiciary.
“It also refer to the three levels of government, the Federal, the State and the Local Government. It is for this reason that the NOA is structured along that line in the 774 Local In the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the headquarters here where we are seated at the moment.
“Our mandate is very broad and we are conscious of that fact and as a single agency of government, there is no way we can satisfactorily fulfill the mandate and we are always looking for value adding partnerships. Partnership that think the way we think; partnership that bring expertise to advance the work that we do at the National Orientation Agency. So it is not difficult for us to work together with Hallowmace.
“When the discussion started with Hallowmace and BudgiT that led to the partnership that we are about to sign the memorandum today, I was part of it and I discovered that it will indeed add value.
He further explained that the NOA in the course of tracking Constituency projects of lawmakers usually got the stakeholders in the community level involved to enable them take ownership of the projects.
“With regards to Constituency project tracking, the NOA had worked closely with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) especially on the issue of Constituency project tracking.
“This will leverage on our national footprint in all the Local Government and States of the Federation. This will leverage on our area of expertise in getting the people to be aware of Constituency project executed and we work closely with key stakeholders in the community and the whole idea is for community members to take ownership of Constituency projects and to appreciate what their representatives are doing through Constituency projects to protect the Constituency projects and to ensure value is delivered through those Constituency projects.
“So we have worked ICPC to develop jingles, visit the communities to talk to stakeholders.
“At the last National Legislative Conference, we got the Chairman of ICPC to present a keynote address which he honoured the invitation along other key Stakeholders.
“The foundation upon which we are doing all of these is properly strengthened and that it is not seen as Government working alone; and that there is a partnership; and that there is mutual understanding with a Non-governmental organisation and the legislature itself working towards the same goal.
We are excited than this is happening today. We know the background of BudgiT in the area of what we are doing today. Our involvement through Hallowmace in what BudgiT is doing will bring about mutual respect and understanding in all parties involved.
Responding, the founder of Hallowmace Foundation, Mr Anderson Osiebe thanked the Management of NOA for their understanding in what partnership was all about.
He lauded the virtues of Senator Biodun Olujimi and Hon. Ossai Ossai who were both present to witness the signing of partnership agreement.
He said there was need for the NOA and BudgiT to have accurate data of activities of parliamentarians, particularly their Constituency projects which the foundation would offer.
“Hallowmace started as Communication first as magazine and we felt, writing wasn’t enough, there was need to go into broadcasting by bringing lawmakers into the studio to tell the members of the public their own stories by themselves.
“After that we felt, it isn’t good enough for writing and broadcasting that there’s a need to have a forum even if it is once in a year to bring the parliamentarians and members of the public together to engage each other in form of question and answer which we are doing with the National Orientation Agency.
“Again, we saw the need to up our game to have a foundation and whatever is this foundation all about? “!It about going into parliamentary advocacy, budget and Constituency project tracking and having looked around, our members of the board said the best people to go into partnership with is the National Orientation Agency.
“That they will have accurate record of what to work with and also the BudgiT and we are quite happy that when we invited them to the last Legislative Conference they came.”
National
Edo Governor Joins National Economic Deliberations
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, attended his inaugural National Economic Council (NEC) meeting on Thursday at the State House Council Chambers in Abuja.
The session was presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The NEC serves as a vital forum for state governors, deputy governors, and the federal government’s economic team to discuss and address key economic challenges.
In a gesture to mark his first appearance, Governor Okpebholo was invited by Vice President Shettima to lead the opening prayer after the national anthem.
This event underscores Edo State’s active commitment to collaborating on national economic policies and driving solutions for Nigeria’s progress.
National
At Achebe Forum, Obasanjo Labels Nigeria a ‘Failing State’ Criticizes Tinubu’s Leadership
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed sharp criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, stating that Nigeria’s decline is now evident to “every honest observer.”
Speaking at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum at Yale University in the U.S., Obasanjo attributed the country’s deteriorating state to leadership failure, pointing specifically to Tinubu’s governance, which he referred to as “Baba-go-slow and Emilokan.”
In his keynote address titled “Leadership Failure and State Capture in Nigeria,” Obasanjo highlighted that pervasive corruption and mismanagement have worsened Nigeria’s challenges, driving the country deeper into insecurity, division, and underdevelopment.
He quoted the late writer Chinua Achebe, who in his book The Trouble with Nigeria argued that the country’s fundamental problem is a failure of leadership, not a flaw in its people or resources. According to Obasanjo, this diagnosis remains as relevant today as it was over 40 years ago.
Obasanjo cited works by American experts Robert Rotberg and John Campbell, who have characterized Nigeria as a “failed state.” Their argument, he noted, suggests that Nigeria’s inability to maintain security and stability has serious implications for Africa and the world at large.
Additionally, the former President described “state capture” as a pressing issue in Nigeria, where powerful individuals and groups exploit government resources and policies for personal gain. Obasanjo argued that this corruption undermines national interests, with influential elites shaping the country’s legal and economic systems to benefit themselves. Such practices, he warned, compromise public welfare, affecting the quality of education, healthcare, and infrastructure development.
In reflecting on Achebe’s legacy, Obasanjo praised the late author’s commitment to truth and the moral foundation he established for Nigeria. He urged Nigerians and the international community to recognize the dangers of state capture and work towards restoring a governance model that prioritizes the public good.
National
Sule Lamido, Shehu sani disagree over National Security Adviser
The senator who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th National Assembly, Shehu Sani has disagreed with a former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido over national security issues
Lamido had taken a strong position against the current National Security Advisor (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu accusing him of compromising his professional integrity and acting more like a spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu than fulfilling his constitutional role.
Sani advised Lamido to at least appreciate how the Tinubu led Administration tackled insecurity instead of politicizing it in his comment on the National Security Adviser.
Ribadu who was basking in the euphoria of the recent claims of decimating the insurgents cautioned anyone “not to dare Tinubu”, espercially the new Lakurawa Insurgents a development which infuriated the former governor of Jigawa State and a Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party,(PDP), prompting him to take to his verified facebook wall to describe the NSA as “loquacious, flippant and qualified to have been Tinubu’s Minsiter of Information instead of NSA.”
Lamido Criticizes NSA for Sycophantic Behavior, Urges Focus on Duties.
Lamido in his comment had expressed concerns over the NSA’s behavior, particularly his past actions as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under President Olusegun Obasanjo. Lamido reminded Nigerians of the NSA’s controversial remarks, including his public labeling of prominent governors—such as Tinubu, Kalu, and Akume—as the “most corrupt.” Lamido pointed out the stark contradiction between the NSA’s earlier criticisms and his current position, serving under the same figures he once condemned.
The former governor called the NSA’s decision to join the administration of President Tinubu—a leader he previously described as corrupt—a “singular mistake,” one that Lamido believes has tarnished the NSA’s credibility and character. “You are not a spokesperson for the President, you are a National Security Advisor,” Lamido emphasized, urging the NSA to return to the professionalism that has historically defined the role.
Lamido argued that previous holders of the NSA position, including the late Umaru Shinkafi, General Gusau, and Colonel Dasuki, all displayed discipline and a low profile, focusing on security matters without resorting to public displays or sycophantic behavior. Lamido lamented that the current NSA’s behavior reflects a departure from this standard, pointing to his increasingly vocal and partisan approach.
Rather than fulfilling his duties as an anonymous and diligent security advisor, Lamido claimed that the NSA’s moral dilemma and excessive displays of loyalty to the president have shifted him into the role of a “Minister of Information,” undermining the neutrality and importance of his position.
In closing, Lamido urged President Tinubu to allow his NSA to regain focus, remove his fears, and return to the professional standards expected of someone in such a sensitive and critical role. The criticism continued to ignite debates about the role of the NSA and the expectations of public office holders in Nigeria, with many calling for greater transparency and consistency from those in power.
Reacting, Shehu Sani countered Lamido in a statement on Friday in Abuja, saying there should be a credit and a commendation for an administration that inherited multi-faceted security challenges ,but which has been reduced to the barest minimum, wondering how the elderly statesman failed to acknowledge the many triumphs of government in bandits hotbed regions in the north.
Sani who served in the upper legislative Chamber in the 8th National Assembly said, he witnessed to the appropriation budget allocated to security which unfortunately did not abate security challenges before now, expressing that Nuhu Ribadu has achieved what many of his predecessors have failed to accomplish despite the hundreds of billions spent in the name of defence and security in the past;
According to him, bandits have been neutralized to a large extent, thus encouraging government in this direction until total victory should have been ideal rather than playing haywire politics which he said may not help the yet-volatile situation in the North.
He said: “Neutralisation of top bandit leaders, end to mass abductions of students in northern schools,
“Securing rail lines and major northern highways hitherto notorious for kidnappings. The prompt response to terrorist attacks on power lines is worth mentioning.
“Security challenges are not over but in all indices of comparison, he has performed better and set unprecedented records. His political critics are fully entitled to their views ,but his delivery on his mandate is unparalleled.”, Sani concluded.
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