Headline
Nigeria will not sustain failed economic theory- Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu says Nigeria will not sustain failed economic theory that wasted 90 per cent of revenue in the servicing of external debts that can be used for development.
The president gave the assurance this at the opening of the Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association at the Chief MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja.
Tinubu said that prosperity would only occur once poverty is banished from the society with the cooperation of Nigeria’s private sector leaders.
“Can we continue to service external debts with 90% of our revenue? It is a path to destruction. It is not sustainable.
‘’We must make the very difficult changes that are necessary for our country to get up from slumber and be respected among the great nations of the world,” he said.
Speaking on the theme of the conference, “Getting it Right: Charting the Course for Nigeria’s Nation-Building,” Tinubu said that decisions must be taken to set the country on a growth path.
“We cannot have the country we desire without the reforms we have initiated. It is painful at the beginning, in the short and medium term, but we must do what we have to do to take this nation to its great destiny.
‘’It is not about you and it is not about me. It is about our generations yet unborn, for whom we must bequeath a great and prosperous country,” he said.
Against the backdrop of the judicial reforms he undertook as Lagos State Governor, Tinubu renewed his commitment to conclude the issue of remuneration for judicial officers and legal practitioners.
He noted that true justice reform must begin with world-class salaries and benefits for legal professionals in Nigeria.
“You are learned. I want to learn. Why are we so blessed and we are still lacking? We must have a change of attitude and a change of our mind set.
We accuse our nation and its previous leaders. We complain a lot of the past. Is that the solution? No! Let us look forward and be determined! God has given us what we need.
‘’We must work hard with determination to make our country great and it begins with you who are seated here with me,” he said.
Referring to an address by the Chairman of UBA Plc and Heirs Holdings, Mr Tony Elumelu, the president decried the inability of the country to eradicate poverty and tackle poor electricity supply.
He reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensure that Nigeria generates and distributes the needed electricity for economic development.
“Yes, it is a shame not to have adequate electricity for the mass majority of homes in Nigeria and to power our industries. How can we address poverty without electricity?
‘’We can take many people out of poverty with uninterrupted electricity supply. Poverty is not acceptable, and we must banish it,” the President said.
In his welcome address, NBA President, Yakubu Maikyau, expressed the confidence of the body in the ability of the President to deliver good governance to Nigeria.
He said this was because of Tinubu’s pedigree and past track record of excellent performance in Lagos State, where he was the governor between 1999 and 2007.
“President Tinubu got it right in Lagos, and it is our considered expectation that as President of Nigeria, you will not only replicate your achievements in Lagos, but surpass them for our country.”
The conference, attended by over 16,190 lawyers, include the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi; Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila and Minister of Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike.
Others are the Minister of Sports, Sen. John Enoh; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, past NBA Presidents and senior government officials.
The Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN has warned against obstructing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from carrying out its lawful duty .
Fagbemi’s warning is contained in a statement in Abuja.
“This is a matter of very grave concern, it is now beyond doubt that the EFCC is given power by the law to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigations into any matter, regardless of status.
“Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC, but to honourably answer their invitation.
“A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting’’.
He added that running away from the law will not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbate them.
“Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.
“I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism.
“This can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world’’.
He said institutions of state should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently.
“I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC, and indeed any other agency to order when there is an indication of any transgressions of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies’’.
NAN reports that the EFCC had on Wednesday warned members of the public that it was a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties.
Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties. Culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.
The warning , the EFCC said, became necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the Commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.
On several occasions, the anti graft agency said, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
Some unknown gunmen have kidnapped Joshua Rogers, the ChannelsTV reporter in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Politics Nigeria learnt that Rogers was picked up close to his residence at Rumuosi in Port Harcourt and to an unknown destination by the gunmen around 9pm on Thursday, April 11.
The reporter was driving his official ChannelsTV branded car when the hoodlums accosted, pointed a gun at him and took him away in the same vehicle.
Rogers was said to be returning from his official assignment in Government House after a trip to Andoni for a government event when the incident happened.
Already, the gunmen were said to have contacted his wife and demanded a N30million ransom for bis release.
His cameraman confirmed the incident and appealed to his abductors to set him free unconditionally.
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