President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday night addressed world leaders at the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, United States.

Naija News reports that the president spoke on issues bordering on tackling climate change, illicit financial flows, and asset return to the country to encourage stronger international cooperation.

Tinubu also highlighted Nigeria’s efforts towards attaining the Strategic Development Goals (SDGs) and ensuring international peace and security, among others.

Read full speech below:

STATEMENT DELIVERED BY HIS EXCELLENCY, BOLA AHMED TINUBU, GCFR PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AT THE GENERAL DEBATE OF THE 78TH SESSION OF UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY, 18TH SEPTEMBER 2023

Mr. President,

Heads of State and Government, Secretary-General,

Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Mr. President,

On behalf of the people of Nigeria, I congratulate you on your well-deserved election as President of this Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

We commend your predecessor, His Excellency, Mr. Csaba Korosi for his able stewardship of the Assembly.

We also commend His Excellency, Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, for his work seeking to forge solutions to humanity’s common challenges.

This is my first address before the General Assembly. Permit me to say a few words on behalf of Nigeria, on behalf of Africa, regarding this year’s theme.

Many proclamations have been made, yet our troubles remain close at hand. Failures in good governance have hindered Africa. But broken promises, unfair treatment and outright exploitation from abroad have also exacted a heavy toll on our ability to progress.

Given this long history, if this year’s theme is to mean anything at all, it must mean something special and particular to Africa.

In the aftermath of the Second World War, nations gathered in an attempt to rebuild their war- torn societies. A new global system was born and this great body, the United Nations, was established as a symbol and protector of the aspirations and finest ideals of humankind.

Nations saw that it was in their own interests to help others exit the rubble and wasteland of war. Reliable and significant assistance allowed countries emaciated by war to grow into strong and productive societies.

The period was a highwater mark for trust in global institutions and the belief that humanity had learned the necessary lessons to move forward in global solidarity and harmony.

Today and for several decades, Africa has been asking for the same level of political commitment and devotion of resource that described the Marshall Plan.

We realize that underlying conditions and causes of the economic challenges facing today’s Africa are significantly different from those of post war Europe.

We are not asking for identical programs and actions. What we seek is an equally firm commitment to partnership. We seek enhanced international cooperation with African nations to achieve the 2030 agenda and Sustainable Development Goals.

There are five important points I want to highlight.

First, if this year’s theme is to have any impact at all, global institutions, other nations and their private sector actors must see African development as a priority, not just for Africa but in their interests as well.

Due to both longstanding internal and external factors, Nigeria’s and Africa’s economic structures have been skewed to impede development, industrial expansion, job creation, and the equitable distribution of wealth.

If Nigeria is to fulfil its duty to its people and the rest of Africa, we must create jobs and the belief in a better future for our people.

We must also lead by example.

To foster economic growth and investor confidence in Nigeria, I removed the costly and corrupt fuel subsidy while also discarding a noxious exchange rate system in my first days in office. Other growth and job oriented reforms are in the wings.

I am mindful of the transient hardship that reform can cause. However, it is necessary to go through this phase in order to establish a foundation for durable growth and investment to build the economy our people deserve.

We welcome partnerships with those who do not mind seeing Nigeria and Africa assume larger roles in the global community.

The question is not whether Nigeria is open for business. The question is how much of the world is truly open to doing business with Nigeria and Africa in an equal, mutually beneficial manner.

Direct investment in critical industries, opening their ports to a wider range and larger quantity of African exports and meaningful debt relief are important aspects of the cooperation we seek.

Second, we must affirm democratic governance as the best guarantor of the sovereign will and well-being of the people. Military coups are wrong, as is any tilted civilian political arrangement that perpetuates injustice.

The wave crossing parts of Africa does not demonstrate favour towards coups. It is a demand for solutions to perennial problems.

Regarding Niger, we are negotiating with the military leaders. As Chairman of ECOWAS, I seek to help re-establish democratic governance in a manner that addresses the political and economic challenges confronting that nation, including the violent extremists who seek to foment instability in our region. I extend a hand of friendship to all who genuinely support this mission.

This brings me to my third crucial point. Our entire region is locked in protracted battle against violent extremists. In the turmoil, a dark channel of inhumane commerce has formed. Along the route, everything is for sale. Men, women and children are seen as chattel.

Yet, thousands risk the Sahara’s hot sand and the Mediterranean’s cold depths in search of a better life. At the same time, mercenaries and extremists with their lethal weapons and vile ideologies invade our region from the north.

This harmful traffic undermines the peace and stability of an entire region. African nations will improve our economies so that our people do not risk their lives to sweep the floors and streets of other nations. We also shall devote ourselves to disbanding extremist groups on our turf.

Yet, to fully corral this threat, the international community must strengthen its commitment to arrest the flow of arms and violent people into West Africa.

The fourth important aspect of global trust and solidarity is to secure the continent’s mineral rich areas from pilfering and conflict. Many such areas have become catacombs of misery and exploitation. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has suffered this for decades, despite the strong UN presence there. The world economy owes the DRC much but gives her very little.

The mayhem visited on resource rich areas does not respect national boundaries. Sudan, Mali, Burkina Faso, CAR, the list grows.

The problems also knocks Nigeria’s door.

Foreign entities abetted by local criminals who aspire to be petty warlords have drafted thousands of people into servitude to illegally mine gold and other resources. Billions of dollars meant to improve the nation now fuel violent enterprises. If left unchecked, they will threaten peace and place national security at grave risk.

Given the extent of this injustice and the high stakes involved, many Africans are asking whether this phenomenon is by accident or by design.

Member nations must reply by working with us to deter their firms and nationals from this 21st century pillage of the continent’s riches.

Fifth, climate change severely impacts Nigeria and Africa. Northern Nigeria is hounded by desert encroachment on once arable land. Our south is pounded by the rising tide of coastal flooding and erosion. In the middle, the rainy season brings floods that kill and displace multitudes.

As I lament deaths at home, I also lament the grave loss of life in Morocco and Libya. The Nigerian people are with you.

African nations will fight climate change but must do so on our own terms. To achieve the needed popular consensus, this campaign must accord with overall economic efforts.

In Nigeria, we shall build political consensus by highlighting remedial actions which also promote economic good. Projects such as a Green Wall to stop desert encroachment, halting the destruction of our forests by mass production and distribution of gas burning stoves, and providing employment in local water management and irrigation projects are examples of efforts that equally advance both economic and climate change objectives.

Continental efforts regarding climate change will register important victories if established economies were more forthcoming with public and private sector investment for Africa’s preferred initiatives.

Again, this would go far in demonstrating that global solidarity is real and working.

CONCLUSION

As I close, let me emphasize that Nigeria’s objectives accord with the guiding principles of this world body: peace, security, human rights and development.

In fundamental ways, nature has been kind to Africa, giving abundant land, resources and creative and industrious people. Yet, man has too often been unkind to his fellow man and this sad tendency has brought sustained hardship to Africa’s doorstep.

To keep faith with the tenets of this world body and the theme of this year’s Assembly, the poverty of nations must end. The pillage of one nation’s resources by the overreach of firms and people of stronger nations must end. The will of the people must be respected. This beauty, generous and forgiving planet must be protected.

As for Africa, we seek to be neither appendage nor patron. We do not wish to replace old shackles with new ones.

Instead, we hope to walk the rich African soil and live under the magnificent African sky free of the wrongs of the past and clear of their associated encumbrances. We desire a prosperous, vibrant democratic living space for our people.

To the rest of the world, I say walk with us as true friends and partners. Africa is not a problem to be avoided nor is it to be pitied. Africa is nothing less than the key to the world’s future.

Following the removal of fuel subsidy, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has given the Federal Government another week to act on its demands or risk an industrial action.

TUC President, Festus Osifo, made this known to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, after a closed-door meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, and the Minister of State, Nkeiruka Onyeajeocha.

He said the issues to be addressed included wage awards for federal civil servants, tax exemption for some categories of workers, as well as setting up structures for the effective implementation of the palliatives from the Federal Government.

Osifo stated that both parties reached an agreement to allow the government to attend to their demands within two weeks in total after the union gave a week ultimatum last week, or it would embark on a nationwide strike.

The TUC leader said workers were getting more impatient due to the hardship occasioned by the removal of subsidy and wanted definite pronouncements from President Bola Tinubu’s administration on its demands.

He said, “Congress was hopeful that between the next two weeks, President Bola Tinubu would have done everything possible to arrive at a conclusion which the workers are eager to hear in order to douse the tension and threat for withdrawal of services.”

In his remark, Lalong said he called the meeting to brief the leadership of the TUC on the efforts made by the federal government to address their grievances.

The minister told the TUC that after their last meeting, he met with President Bola Tinubu to highlight some of the issues raised by organised labour.

He appealed to the TUC to exercise more patience, explaining that before the President left for the United Nations General Assembly in New York, he was fully briefed and gave further directives on the implementation of issues put before him, particularly when he met with the labour leaders.

The labour minister, therefore, assured the union that the Federal Government was making efforts to address their concerns and thanked them for accepting to come for the briefing.

Lalong noted that it showed that the TUC leaders are committed to the Nigerian project and are open to dialogue for greater industrial harmony.

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has shed light on the circumstances around the two-week warning strike initiated by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) two weeks ago, saying it did not agree to participate in the first instance.

Addressing the seemingly frosty relationship with the sister association during Monday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today, NLC President Ajaero argued that the TUC could not back out of an industrial action that it did not call.

“The NLC will not take under our watch if we give a strike notice and then a union that didn’t give a strike notice says they are backing out of a strike that they didn’t call for,” he asserted.

But TUC President Festus Osifo, in a follow-up interview on Tuesday, rejected the notion that it had shared any intention to go ahead with the strike.

“No, we never backed out from the strike we did not call,” he said.

Osifo explained that before announcing a strike, the protocol is for one union to reach out to the other for a conversation, leading to strategies between both.

“In that plan, there are a lot of things that are looked at. You define your clear-cut strategy; you define the timing. You define how you’re going to isolate the downtrodden Nigerians. All these things are defined before both parties will now come and announce a strike action,” the TUC president said.

“But in this case, I can authoritatively tell you that TUC was never contacted in any way. It was the same way Nigerians saw it in the media that there was a warning strike on so-and-so day. So, when we saw it, we were amazed.”

According to Osifo, enquiries on members’ group chats necessitated action from the union’s leadership, including its National Administrative Council (NAC), Central Working Committee (CWC), and National Executive Council (NEC).

“Some of our officers were detailed to follow up but there was no clear-cut response. In our organ meetings, we X-rayed the issues from the beginning to the end. We looked at the issues of the time and strategy; we looked at everything holistically,” Osifo said.

“After looking at it, TUC felt that there was no time for TUC to go on strike. You will renege when there is a plan. So, if both parties agree to do something and one party now says, ‘No, I am no longer doing it,’ that is when you backtrack.”

Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress has called on the Federal Government to hasten its plan to provide palliatives for Federal Government workers following the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit.
The TUC said workers were getting more impatient due to hardship occasioned by the removal of subsidy.

The TUC president, Comrade Festus Osifo, stated this during a meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong on Tuesday, September 19, in Abuja.

Senator Ned Nwoko has said he would introduce a bill for mandatory autopsy before burial while he expressed his thoughts over the heated controversy surrounding the death of singer, Mohbad.

He described the artiste’s demise as unfortunate and untimely, urging the authorities not to leave any stone unturned in unraveling the circumstance and the cause of Mohbad’s death.

He also noted that an autopsy ought to have been carried out before burial, promising to introduce a bill that would ensure autopsy is made mandatory before a dead person committed to mother earth.

The senator representing Delta North also indicated this said bill would be nationwide, conducted within a specific time before burial and more importantly paid for by the government (Local governments and states).

He wrote: “The unfortunate and untimely death of Mohbad has raised many issues that should be addressed promptly.

“The circumstances of his death and the cause of death should not be left to speculations. The police and the DSS should wade in immediately but more importantly the state government should order for an autopsy report without further formalities.

“This should have been done and reported to the station for clearance before he was buried.

“As a matter of fact I hope to introduce a bill that will make it mandatory nationwide for an autopsy to be done within a specific time before anyone is buried and the cost of such reports must be paid by the governments (Local governments and states).

“The cause of death of anyone should not be left to the wild imaginations of people. The innocent should be protected and the guilty punished. Situations like this give rise to new laws for the good governance of the country.”

The Senate president, Godswill Akpabio said on Tuesday, September 19, that the 10th National Assembly might not be eager to regulate social media, saying that existing laws adequately address any violations by users of social media platforms.

Akpabio enjoined social media platforms users to use the platforms for positive productive engagements for the development of the country, adding that the country needs to keep pace with the emerging technologies for the benefit of all stakeholders.

He, however, said African countries need a digital future that is inclusive, secure and innovative, stressing that this should be the focus of all.

The Senate president made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the Parliamentarian Symposium of the African Internet Governance Forum (AIGF), held at Transcorp Hotel, Abuja.

The Forum which had the theme “Transforming Africa’s Digital Landscape: Empowering Inclusion, Security, and Innovation,” was with the support of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

He expressed confidence that the commitment of African Parliamentarians would ensure and deliver progress that represents the people’s aspirations, asserting that their coming together was aimed at initiating internet governance and digital policies and legislations to boost the sector.

Akpabio said: “This theme is a reflection of the deepest yearnings of all Africans for a concerted effort to keep in step with the rest of the world in the ICT race.”

Speaking through the Senate committee chairman on Cybersecurity and ICT, Afolabi Shuiab Salisu, the Senate president said emerging technologies cannot be taken in isolation from one another and that the existing laws should be allowed to take care of them.

He explained that it would be cumbersome to have laws on the usage of social media, another one on Artificial Intelligence (AI), and internet fraud, stressing that the country already has constitutional provisions to take care of breaches in any form or shape.

He said: “I am not sure that there’s going to be any specific bill on social media regulation. However, there are many laws in various areas, social media is just one space.

“So, rather than have a specific legislation on social media. I will rather say social media is just one platform. The same way people have used regular media platforms to commit libel, defamation, or sedition. So they will be taken care of.

“Thank God there was a court judgment somewhere, where a thumbs up has been acknowledged as approval for a business deal between parties. So, I don’t need to sign documents physically now before it become valid.

He said the time has come for African countries to take advantage of its active youthful population for empowerment, innovation and job creation, noting that “almost 70 percent of Nigeria’s population are youths. What does this mean? It does mean the youths can learn new technologies and use them for the benefit of all.”

The Secretary-General (AIGF), Hon. Samuel George, a member of the Ghanaian Parliament, who spoke on internet governance in Africa said, “Governments on the African continent are doing a fantastic job when it comes to the processes of digitalisation. We’re seeing a lot more government services becoming digitalised; social services, government services, health care, and justice, are becoming digital platforms.

“On West African sub-region Nigeria, is a big leader in that so we believe that governments are doing well”.

A wave of political anxiety has gripped the ancient city of Kano as the governorship elections tribunal is set to deliver its judgment on the 2023 governorship elections in the state.

The three-member tribunal led by Justice Flora Ngozi Azinge had earlier reserved its judgement and had on Monday announced its judgement date for today.

Daily Sun investigation indicated that the panic mode is majorly among the members of the ruling party and their arch rival, the All Progressives Congress ,(APC) while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has remained nonchalant over the unveiling development.

The much expected verdict has equally divided the state into two roughly equal parts with those opposed to the incumbent governor praying fervently for the tribunal to sack him and his team from the Kano Government House.

Daily Sun gathered that ahead of Wednesday’s judgement, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Nasiru Gawuna had returned to the state amid cheers from his supporters, who are largely optimistic of victory at the tribunal.

On its part, the sympathizers of the New Nigeria Peoples Party have been organising prayers in different parts of the state in the past one month, seeking favourable judgement from the tribunal.

They were equally hopeful of victory at the tribunal.

In the meantime, the police in the state have restricted vehicular traffic around the Bompai area of the court where the judgement will be delivered. A security source indicated that security arrangements will be expanded by tomorrow morning to check any breakdown of law and order.

The Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Gombe State, on Tuesday, nullified the victory of the incumbent Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Abubakar Luggerewo.

Luggerewo represents Akko central in the House.

Bashir Abdullahi of the Peoples Democratic Party had dragged Luggerewo of All Progressives Congress, and the Independent National Electoral Commission to the tribunal over the cancellation of results in polling units 001, 024 and 014 in Kumo East which allegedly gave APC an edge.

Luggerewo was recently announced as the Zonal Vice Chairman, North-East of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria and Chairman of the North-East Speakers Forum.

Justice Michael Ugar, in his ruling held that the cancellation of the polling units 001, 024 and 014 of Kumo units by the Independent National Electoral Commission were in error.

The tribunal while passing judgement said, “a rerun within the next 30 days of judgement in Kumo East 018 to ascertain the actual winner between Luggerewo of the All Progressive Congress and Bashir Abdullahi, of the Peoples Democratic Party.”

In a telephone interview with our correspondent, Luggerewo who sounded unruffled, assured that the party would appeal the judgement.

When asked if he followed the tribunal’s ruling he said, “I was not at the court but I was briefed.”

On the next move, Luggerewo said, “The next line of action is we are going to appeal.”

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has filed an appeal at the Supreme Court challenging the judgement of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal which upheld Bola Tinubu’s victory.

In a 50-ground notice of appeal, Obi, through his lead counsel Dr. Livy Uzoukwu SAN, contends that the Justice Haruna Tsammani-led panel wrongly dismissed his case. He argues that the tribunal incorrectly held that he did not specify polling units where irregularities occurred in the election.

Obi also faults the tribunal for dismissing his petition on the grounds that he did not provide figures of votes or scores that were allegedly suppressed or inflated in Tinubu’s favour. The panel is accused of erring in law by relying on provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 to strike out parts of the petition.

The appeal alleges a breach of Obi’s right to fair hearing, stating that his witnesses’ evidence was wrongly dismissed as incompetent. It claims the panel unjustly dismissed his allegation that INEC uploaded 18,088 blurred results on its IReV portal.

Obi further contends the lower court ignored his claim that INEC issued his team certified true copies containing over 8,000 blurred results and unknown images instead of actual polling unit results.

The notice of appeal states that the justices failed to establish Obi’s allegations of corrupt practices and over-voting against the declared winner, Tinubu. Obi is now seeking Judgement from the Supreme Court overturning the Appeal Court’s decision.

France national team captain, Kylian Mbappe, helped Paris St. Germain kicked off their Champions League campaign on a brighter note with a 2-0 home win against visiting Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday.

The French Lique 1 giant showed glimpses of what might be under new coach Luis Enrique with Mbappe opening the scoring with a second-half penalty and Moroccan international, Achraf Hakimi, doubled the lead with a fine goal.

It was only the third win in six competitive games for the Ligue 1 champions this season, and it gave them some much-needed relief after their first defeat at the weekend as they dutifully applied Enrique’s possession game.

PSG now top Group F with three points, two ahead of AC Milan and Newcastle, who drew 0-0 earlier on Tuesday.

[Leadership]

Julian Alvarez saved Manchester City’s blushes after Red Star Belgrade took a shock lead at the Etihad as the holders began their Champions League defence with a 3-1 win on Tuesday.

The visitors’ goal had been bombarded before they stunned Pep Guardiola’s men when Osman Bukari opened the scoring in first half stoppage time.

However, Alvarez continued his sparkling early season form by levelling just two minutes after the break.

The Argentine then got some help from Red Star goalkeeper Omri Glazer as he flapped at Alvarez’s free-kick to allow the ball to fly into the far corner.

Rodri rounded off the scoring with a composed finish 17 minutes from time.

Red Star were expected to be lambs to the slaughter after City followed up their treble success last season with a perfect start five games into the new Premier League campaign.

But the English champions made life difficult for themselves with some wayward finishing, while Glazer performed heroics for the Serbian giants before the break.

Rodri and Alvarez stung Glazer’s palms before Erling Haaland headed against the crossbar from point-blank range.

Phil Foden then nodded an even easier headed opportunity straight at the Israeli goalkeeper.

City’s stretched squad due to injuries was shown as they named only eight of a permitted 12 substitutes, two of which were goalkeepers.

Bernardo Silva was replaced just before half-time by Jeremy Doku in what could be another injury problem for Guardiola.

Red Star had barely been out their own half in the opening 45 minutes, but City were stunned when Bukari burst in behind and finished confidently past Ederson.

The Ghanaian’s joy was temporarily quelled by the offside flag.

But a VAR check revealed he had been played onside by Ruben Dias.

City quickly went to work after the break to ensure that was to be the only shock of the night.

Haaland may not have found his range in front of goal, but the Norwegian’s clever pass played in Alvarez to round Glazer for the equaliser.

All of the Red Star goalkeeper’s good work was then forgotten as his miscued punch just helped Alvarez’s free-kick on its way into the top corner.

Rodri was the City hero when they finally conquered Europe for the first time by beating Inter Milan 1-0 in Istanbul in June and the Spaniard is picking up the healthy habit of scoring vital goals.

The midfielder was afforded far too much room on the edge of the area and picked his spot with a perfectly weighted curling effort into the far corner to secure the three points.

[Guardian]