News
Nigeria Determined To Return Democratic Rule To Guinea, Says Osinbajo
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says Nigeria is determined to ensure a prompt return of democratic rule to Guinea after the recent military coup.
According to him, Nigeria wants the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, to insist on a short transition programme that will usher in a new civilian government in that country.
Mr Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, in a statement, said the vice president represented President Muhammadu Buhari at the Extraordinary Summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS member-states.
ad
The meeting, held on Thursday in Accra, Ghana, was focused on the political situation in the Republics of Guinea and Mali.
In a communique issued at the end of the extraordinary summit, ECOWAS leaders resolved to freeze the financial assets of members of the military junta and place a travel ban on them.
They are also demanding that the junta return Guinea to constitutional rule within six months.
At the last summit of ECOWAS leaders which held virtually on Sept. 8, Nigeria, also represented by the vice president, condemned the coup de‘tat in Guinea, calling for an unconditional release of President Alpha Conde, and for stringent measures on Guinea’s military junta.
Speaking at the Accra summit, Mr Osinbajo restated Nigeria’s position on unconditional release of President Condé and called for more pressure to be put on the country’s military leaders to return the nation to democratic rule.
“It is also important that ECOWAS should simply insist that there should be an immediate return to civil rule.
“We must make sure that sanctions by ECOWAS achieve the intended objectives.”
He called for the need to engage global bodies and Africa’s development partners in taking steps to prevent such unconstitutional change of government in countries on the continent.
“I this connection, I think we should engage all well-meaning stakeholders including the AU, EU, UN, developmental partners, and financial institutions to join in taking more stringent measures by imposing travel bans and freezing of offshore financial assets of the coupists and their collaborators to ensure that they do return the country to democracy immediately.”
He reaffirmed Nigeria’s demand for unconditional release of President Conde and respect for his physical integrity.
Osinbajo urged leaders in the sub-region to also insist on a civilian-led transition.
He said that though the military junta in Guinea had started consultation with critical stakeholders towards transitioning the country Nigeria maintained its stance in condemning military intervention.
“To transparently restore constitutional order without delay,” and that such a process should be led by a civilian.
“While we condemn the development in Guinea, and affirm that no matter how popular the grievance against an elected leadership may be, the forceful seizure of power is an unacceptable assault on the dignity of a free people and their right to freely elect their leaders.
“We nevertheless must strongly urge all ECOWAS Member States to respect the principles of democracy and the constitutions of our respective countries.”
On the update of the situation in Mali, Osinbajo again commended former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan for his continued commitment and engagement with the various stakeholders in Mali.
He commended the efforts of stakeholders in resolving the situation in Mali and restated the call of leaders of the sub-region to the Malian transition government to strictly respect and follow the electoral time table for transition to civil rule.
“I further call for the continued support and collaboration of all major players in the country’s March towards a successful transition,” he said.
The residents who bared their minds in a chat with newsmen said critical infrastructure in the ancient town had been in a downward trend for a long time, but the narratives have changed since the inception of the present administration.
A resident of Tam-Balogun, one of the roads under construction in the town, Mr. Oduwole Lawrence, recalled the harrowing experience he and his neighbours went through in the past, especially during the rainy season, adding that with the construction of the road, life would return to normal for those living in the area.
“The government is doing well, and I love everything they are doing about the roads because roads are one of the amenities people need to move forward.
“Before now, each government had its own plan for infrastructure, but this time around, in a year or two, Ijebu-Ode has developed significantly regarding roads,” he said.
Another resident of the area, Miss Dayo Oluwaremilekun, noted that with the reconstruction of the road by the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration, the fear of flooding during the rainy season is over.
“Honestly, to be candid, the construction of this road is a great relief to those of us living in this area because in the past, especially during the rainy season, we could not go out, and this affected our movement. But now we thank God we can walk freely; we want to thank the state government for this,” she said.
At the 12.5-kilometer Obalende-Abeokuta road, a resident, Alhaji Kehinde Moshood Sanni, thanked Governor Abiodun for embarking on the reconstruction of the road, which he said had been in a deplorable condition for a long time, urging the governor to continue with his good works.
Similarly, Ojoye Ademolu, another resident of the Obalende-Abeokuta road, who could not hide his excitement about the ongoing reconstruction of the road, said that the road, when completed, would bring joy to the people of the area.
“We are happy; we have been suffering prior to this particular time. Now, we are glad that the road is being reconstructed. All we ask for is for the contractor to hasten up and complete it on time so that we can be even happier,” he said.
Speaking on the progress of work done so far on the roads, the site engineer for Fort Hermon, the construction company handling the projects, Michael Umeh, said work has been intensified on the 0.85-kilometer Tam-Balogun road, 1.1-kilometer Osinubi road, and the 12.5-kilometer Obalende-Abeokuta road.
He said clearing the project site, excavation, stone base work, and construction of drainage systems have been completed and are ready for asphalting, noting that rain is the major constraint impeding the speed of work
The Command’s Spokesman, DSP Mansir Hassan, in a statement, said the individual, Umar Mohammed, a native of Anguwan Muazu in Kaduna,
The police admitted that the fellow was screened and admitted into the stadium as an All Progressives Congress (APC) supporter, wearing the standard campaign T-shirt and carrying banners bearing the images of the President and Governor Uba Sani like every other supporter admitted into the stadium.
The police explained that the individual, out of excitement, breached the protocol and jumped into the restricted arena out of curiosity to catch a closer look at the President. The police said the fellow was immediately blocked and arrested by the security team.
The police said the fellow was thoroughly searched and no incriminating item was found in his possession.
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Muhammad, has warned mischief makers and members of the public to refrain from spreading falsehoods or politicising the incident.
The commissioner said the matter would be further investigated.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Friday, IPMAN’s National Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Ukadike, praised billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote for seeing a problem in the sector and deciding to tackle it.
“If you look at the Dangote statement, it is a strong policy statement, if you read down that statement you will understand that he foresaw a lot of problems in the oil and gas industry and also decided to tackle it.
“It is something that we welcome with a lot of cheers because it is going to bring fuel cheaper at our doorpost,” Ukadike said.
Aside from fuel easily getting to people’s doorposts across the country, the IPMAN spokesperson said that Dangote’s new plan will relieve marketers of unnecessary costs.
“Our pipelines have gone for years, nobody is talking about the pipelines wired all over the country from all the whole 21 depots. Products are not being moved. We are suffering the brunt of bringing these products from the sea shores of the country where DAPMAN (Depot and Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria) members have their tank farms.
“But if you look at Dangote’s statement you will see that a heavy load has been lifted out of the independent marketers,” he said.
On Sunday, the Dangote Refinery announced the free distribution of petrol and diesel to marketers, dealers, and other large users across the country.
It said it has procured 4,000 brand-new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered tankers for the take-off of the initiative on August 15, 2025.
However, the announcement was greeted with complaints by oil marketers under the auspices of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN).
They said it would deprive depot owners, truck operators, and retail outlets who have special deals for the direct delivery of petrol and diesel to large corporations and multinationals.
But the IPMAN spokesperson disagreed with this position, saying that as a refinery, Dangote has the right to find a better way to get his products to the marketers.
-
Entertainment4 years agoBBNaija: “Shameful For A Married Woman” – Boma, Tega Doing ‘Stuff’ Under Duvet Sparks Outrage (See Video)
-
Entertainment3 years agoSinger, Oxlade In Big Mess After His Sex Tape With A Strange Lady Surfaces Online (Watch Video)
-
Entertainment5 years agoBBNaija: Kiddwaya Sucks Erica’s Boobs, Licks Dorathy’s Neck In Truth Or Dare Game (Video)
-
Entertainment2 years agoI’m Not Ashamed Of My Leaked Nude Photos, Ifunanya Confesses (See Photos)
-
Entertainment5 years agoI’m Not Sick But Only Lost Some Weight – Kiss Daniel
-
Entertainment4 years agoHow Women Should Act During Sex – Actress, Blessing Okoro Reveals (Vdeo)
-
Opinion6 years agoOniru Of Iruland: The Making Of A Successor
-
Sports6 years agoEPL Epic Kickoff: How Teams Will Finish In 2019-2020 Season