News
Kachikwu vows to defend Nigeria’s future with real time investment in education
Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu, on Sunday, vowed to defend the future of Nigeria by sufficiently investing in education if he wins the presidential election come February 2023.
Kachikwu who spoke at a town hall meeting in Abuja on Sunday said if this generation has missed it, the next generation must get it right. ‘We owe this to ourselves.’
He also promised to stop public officers and their families from attending foreign schools and hospitals
To achieve this, the ADC presidential candidate, said he would sponsor a bill at the National Assembly that would be known as the Nigerian Patriot Act.
This piece of legislation, he said, would give all Nigerians, a level playing ground in terms of public facilities.
He described as unfair, situations, where public officers take advantage of the privileged positions to enroll their children in foreign schools on government bills.
“Our schools will have modern teaching aids and learning systems and our kids equipped with smart devices. We will retrain all our teachers and pay them better because they are our first line of defence.
“We will build first class hospitals not just for our citizens but for foreigners desiring first class medical services.”
He also said it does not make any sense for any Nigerian leader at any tier of of government to patronise foreign hospitals for medical care.
“We can’t have different rules for different criminals. If you do the crime, you do the time. If given the privilege to lead you, my first executive interface with the National Assembly will include a bill I have dubbed the Nigerian Patriot Act. It is a bill of equality and fairness.
“It is a bill that says we are all in this together. It is a bill that ensures that public servants cannot use the privileges they cannot provide to the common man. If you desire to be in the public service, you must use the same services the masses use.
“No private or foreign schools for our families, no private or foreign hospitals for us or our families, no generators or boreholes in our homes. If we desire efficient and effective education, healthcare, utilities, etc we must make it available to all, so that we may all equally benefit from it. This is how we will build a nation that works for everyone,”Kachikwu said.
The ADC Presidential Candidate, therefore, pledged to tackle insecurity with modern technologies and by recruiting additional one million soldiers into the Nigerian Army, adding that the money needed to fight insecurity and insurgency would not be diverted but would be strictly channeled to the purpose it was meant to address.
“Insecurity would be tackled effectively with technology and we would decentralise our Security institutions for efficiency,” he said, even as he condemned the current practice, where the federal government was borrowing foreign loans to construct amenities that would only benefit a few people in the society.
“We will turn our hundreds of kilometres of beach front land to international tourist destinations providing jobs to our people and bringing much needed foreign exchange.
“Our women will join us on the table of equality. They will be respected and promoted. They will be afforded the same opportunities men have. If they can do it, they will do it.
“The arts won’t be mere lip service in my administration. It only makes sense that we support our movie and music industry. They have made us proud and still make us proud. Investing in and promoting that industry is not only patriotic, but also makes perfect business sense.
“The technology exists to correct their decades long problem of distribution and piracy. This we will do.
“In this new Nigeria we won’t keep on shouting corruption when our very foundation is corrupt. We will engineer systems and processes that ensure that our citizens don’t turn to corruption by default.
“We will pay a fair pay for hard work.
We will no longer cheat our citizens with the ridiculous minimum wage we offer knowing that we leave them no other option than to steal. We will engineer systems and processes that block and eliminate avenues for corruption.””
The Obidient Movement, led by Dr. Yunusa Tanko, has issued a press statement condemning the circulation of false social media posts attributed to Senator Datti-Baba Ahmed. The fabricated posts, which have gone viral, are described as part of a deliberate smear campaign aimed at damaging the Senator’s reputation.
The movement clarified that Senator Datti-Baba Ahmed does not operate any social media accounts, making all attributed posts entirely baseless. During a recent press conference, the Senator unequivocally dissociated himself from these claims and urged the public to disregard them.
“This is a targeted attempt to tarnish the Senator’s image and credibility,” Dr. Tanko stated.
The Obidient Movement has called on its supporters and the public to remain vigilant and proactive in addressing the issue. They urged people to ignore, counter, and report the false posts whenever they appear.
The statement concluded with an appeal for continued support and collaboration in combating misinformation, reinforcing the movement’s commitment to truth and integrity.
The Senate has granted approval for a $2.09 billion (N1.767 trillion) loan requested by President Bola Tinubu to address the N9.7 trillion deficit in the N28.7 trillion 2024 budget. The decision was made during Thursday’s plenary, just 48 hours after the request was submitted to the National Assembly.
President Tinubu, in letters to both chambers of the legislature earlier this week, highlighted the importance of the loan for financing key projects and programs critical to national development.
Following the request, the Senate assigned its Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, led by Senator Aliyu Wammako (APC, Sokoto North), to review the proposal. Presenting the committee’s report, Senator Wammako described the loan as vital for implementing the Debt Management Strategy, reducing borrowing costs, extending debt maturity, and bolstering Nigeria’s external reserves.
The committee recommended raising the loan through Eurobonds or similar international financing instruments, subject to market conditions. It also suggested that any excess funds from exchange rate adjustments be directed toward capital projects in 2024 to support infrastructure and economic growth.
The Senate approved the loan unanimously, with no objections raised during deliberations. Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, who presided over the session, commended the Wammako-led committee for its swift and thorough handling of the proposal.
This loan approval is part of the government’s broader strategy to bridge fiscal gaps while focusing on developmental priorities and economic stability.
Simon Ekpa, a Finland-based pro-Biafra agitator, has been arrested and detained by the Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland on charges of inciting public crimes with terrorist intent.
The alleged offence reportedly occurred in Lahti on August 23, 2021. Finnish authorities apprehended Ekpa on Monday, November 19, marking another chapter in his history of legal confrontations.
A source confirmed Ekpa’s arrest, noting, “He was arrested three days ago. But this is not the first time. He will likely be questioned and released soon.” Ekpa was previously detained in 2023 on suspicion of fundraising fraud but was released the same evening.
The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has also requested the detention of four additional suspects in connection with terrorism-related charges.
Ekpa has gained notoriety for his leadership of a Nigerian separatist group advocating for an independent Biafran state in southeastern Nigeria. Finnish authorities allege that he used social media platforms to coordinate actions that resulted in violence against civilians and authorities in Nigeria.
Detective Chief Inspector Otto Hiltunen of the NBI stated that the investigation focuses on a Finnish citizen of Nigerian descent, born in the 1980s, suspected of public incitement to crimes with terrorist intent.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has continued to engage the Finnish government through the European Union (EU) to extradite Ekpa. In August, Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters emphasized the dual approach of diplomatic engagement and sustained military operations against the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, reiterated the government’s resolve, saying, “The FG would respond appropriately to the Finnish Government through the EU. On the part of the military, troops would sustain operations against IPOB/ESN.”
Ekpa, who has represented Finland’s National Coalition Party (NCP) in local government, currently serves on Lahti’s public transport committee. Finnish authorities continue to investigate his activities, emphasizing the potential connection between his leadership role in the separatist movement and violent actions in Nigeria.
-
Crime1 year agoPolice nabs Killer of Varsity Lecturer in Niger
-
News10 months agoFCT-IRS tells socialite Aisha Achimugu not to forget to file her annual returns
-
Appointment1 year agoTinubu names El-Rufai, Tope Fasua, others in New appointments
-
News From Kogi1 year agoINEC cancells election in 67 polling units in Ogori-Magongo in Kogi
-
News From Kogi1 year agoEchocho Challenges Tribunal Judgment ordering rerun in 94 polling units
-
News1 year agoIPOB: Simon Ekpa gives reason for seperatists clamour for Biafra
-
Metro8 months ago‘Listing Simon Ekpa among wanted persons by Nigeria military is rascality, intimidation’
-
News10 months agoKingmakers of Igu/ Koton-Karfe dare Bello, urge him to reverse deposition of Ohimege-Igu