Managing Director of National Inland Waterways, Dr. George Moghalu, in this interview speaks on a lot of national issues including the recent crisis that engulfed the ruling All Progressives Congress and his assessment of President Bola Tinubu since he assumed office. Adedayo Akinwale brings excerpts.

What is your assessment of the current government at the centre?

I’m one of those people who don’t believe in this 100 days thing. President BolaTinubu-led administration, in fairness, is still too young for anybody to think of an honest assessment. This, our administration is three months plus.

So it won’t be fair to start making a proper assessment of the administration.

However, I must be honest enough to say that the initial steps taken are quite courageous. He points to the direction of an administration that is committed to delivering on its promises. Because in these times, for you to run an administration, one thing you must have is courage to take very strong and hard decisions.

So I must say the government has started well, but requires all the citizens to keep supporting the government, keep encouraging the government, because we’re all part of the system.

Perhaps I should ask you if you have reconciled with APC?

I never quarrelled with APC. There was a disagreement, which was on principle. And the moment the issue was resolved by the court, I moved on. I was injured, I felt disrespected, I felt humiliated in a party I can boldly claim to be one of the founders of.

I’m not a joiner. So I had to follow the judiciary route as a Nigerian who believes that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man. And fortunately enough, the three stages – we went to the High Court, to the Appeal Court and the Supreme Court – they all gave judgment in my favor. So I made my point. So for me, that phase has passed. Then we continued with our party.

What is your assessment of the new national leadership of the APC and the chances of the party winning the staggered elections in three states?

The new leadership of Dr. Umar Ganduje, it is not up to one month. So what basis are you going to assess him? The point is that he’s experienced, you can’t take that away from him. Somebody who has been special advisor, somebody who’s been Commissioner, somebody who’s been deputy governor, somebody who’s been governor.

I think if there’s any experience that is required to hold any public office, I think Dr. Ganduje has enough of it. But to whom much is given much is also expected. Everybody is expecting him to lead the party well, and like you rightly observed too, and there is a staggered election in three states, which provides his current leadership of the party an opportunity to demonstrate capacity.

So we have three states’ elections in November. So I expect that he will work very hard to deliver. Get everybody on board, and see to it that the party wins the elections in the three states that are going to be contested for in November.

The APC has had six national chairmen in 10 years. Most of them were sacked following internal crisis that bedevilled the party. What do you think should be done to stop this trend?*

That goes to show that it is a human organisation. Because, like I keep telling people, wherever there’s a human organisation, interests certainly would clash. Whenever there’s a human organisation, there are developments that may require you to change the way you are. You are not apt, you’re not fixated on a particular position, and that may have been what has happened in the issue of Chairmen of APC.

Don’t forget that it is only in this last instance that it involved the Chairman and Secretary. Usually, you find out that it is only the chairman because the box stops on the table of the chairman. He is the leader of the party. So, any failure in leadership or any feeling of such will now be pointed at the chairman just as the way he will get all the glory if the party wins any election or scores any positive feat. So changing up our chairmen for me, it doesn’t matter so much. It’s about getting the right people at the right time to do the right job. So if it requires changes till will get the best, to God be the glory.

One of the reasons why Senator Abdulahi Adamu was asked to go was based on alleged corruption. And, surprisingly, Ganduje that was brought to replace him reportedly has a corruption case against him. Is that an indication that the present government is corruption-friendly?

The point here is, are we not living on speculation? Is there any judgement, any indictment of Ganduje? There’s none. It is all about what is being said. We have strong anti-corruption agencies. Nobody has come out to say, Ganduje is corrupt. Nobody has taken him to court. No judgement is pronounced. I am confident that our party wouldn’t have allowed him to be chairman if there’s a conviction or if there’s a pronouncement over him.

As of now, it is still in the realm of speculation. Even the one we are talking about, Adamu, is still in the realm of speculation because it has not been proven. You know, we’re very quick in this country in sentencing people to prison without even hearing them out. But meanwhile, the truth still remains that you don’t have evidence to prove that these people committed these offenses they’ve been accused of because if you had evidence, you go to court and the judiciary is there. If they find you guilty, they pronounce you guilty, and it is only at that stage, that you can boldly come out and say that somebody is corrupt. Otherwise, you’re living in the realm of speculation.

For 2023 presidential poll, your party fielded a muslim-muslim ticket, after the ouster of Adamu, the party still fielded a chairman who is a muslim and the National Secretary who is also a muslim. Do you think your party is sensitive enough to the Christians in the party like yourself and the general public?

I think the party is sensitive. It is not about the sensitivity of the party now. When the party fielded muslim-muslim ticket, Nigerians ignored that and then chose competence, chose capacity to deliver. Yes! muslim-muslim ticket was presented, but it did not override the other benefits. People felt that it’s better for them to deal with so-so and so-so persons based on their capacity and the belief they have in them in the ability to deliver and the expectation.

So for me, that did not matter at all. Because it has happened it has happened. We had an opportunity to say we don’t accept it. And then when you look at the party, it was circumstantial.

For political expediency, the presidency is in the south, a Chairman has to come from the North. In the north today, truth be told, we have more muslims than we have Christians. Just like we have more christians in the south than we have in the north. So I wouldn’t be surprised that the person who emerges from the north is a muslim. Then coming to the south, the Secretary emerging became also circumstantial because from the area where he comes from, there are families that they have christians and muslims together.

In fact, I didn’t even know the Secretary is a muslim until recently and you don’t even need to go too far to find out. Our president in his house, the president is a Muslim, the wife is not only a Christian but a pastor. So how do you balance that? He goes to show that the issue of religion does not matter even in the homes. So let the emphasis be on the capacity and the ability of the people to deliver on the responsibilities assigned to them. Because if they do very well, nobody will remember whether they are christians or muslims. It is when the person now fails, you start looking for other problems to bring up.

I keep telling people, there is no supermarket in Abuja, for example or a market in Abuja that only muslims go to. There is also no market here in Abuja that only christians go to. There are no shops here you can say you must come from the north to buy from them or you must come from the south to buy from them. These things are not necessary.

The important thing is what do we do as a people to better the living condition of our people so that government can impact on them and I think that’s where the emphasis is for now.

You are coasting to the finish line, looking back now, how would you assess yourself? What would you beat your chest for and say I’m a satisfied person and what are those unfulfilled dreams?

Let me put it this way. I would rather find it very difficult to start assessing myself by saying I did very well or I did not do well.

But I would rather prefer a situation where those who worked with me, those in NIWA who worked with me from the date I came in up to the date I will be leaving to the glory of God, for them to be in a position to say this man who came here did well or he did not do well. But what I am going to do is to avail you of a brochure that contains all our projects from 2019 that I came in up to this month, by the 29th, my first term will end.

So that you can be able to look at the projects, you can be able to see them, you can be able to see the list so that when you’re speaking or when you’re writing, you write authoritatively. But I feel satisfied and I sincerely appreciate the former president, my former ministers, the two of them, who provided me the opportunity, who gave me this platform to serve. I also appreciate my colleagues in NIWA from the least person to the highest person, I’m eternally grateful, but most importantly, I thank God Almighty, who literally gave me good health, protected me, guided me and assisted me through to this point.

But I am very satisfied with the little I have contributed in building that agency. If nothing else you will say today, the NIWA you know today was not the same NIWA in 2019.

Four years is very small for you to achieve all, what are those things you wished were completed under your watch?

There is quite a lot that still has to be done. But don’t forget that this is a relay race. You do your bit, you hand over the baton to somebody else to do. Just like somebody handed over the baton to me.

Even if I do a second term, I would still certainly one day hand the baton over to somebody. There is still quite a lot to do in NIWA because I believe very strongly that the potential in the riverine sector, the maritime economy is enormous and we need to explore it.

The government needs to invest further in that sector to be able to reap the benefits that abound in that sector.

Like I always say, Nigeria has the advantage of over 10,000 kilometres of inland waterways, though it’s only about 3,000 and some fractions that are all year round navigable. You can also access 28 states of our country by water if our channels are all open.

So even if it is this we achieve, then we have achieved a milestone. If nothing else, by the time we move bulk cargo by water, you remove them from the road, we save our road infrastructure.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has said the country lost about $46 billion (N16.25 trillion) to crude oil theft between 2009 and 2020.

This is even as a committee of the House summoned the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, and Ministry of Petroleum Resources, among others, for failing to honour its invitation.

The speaker, who spoke yesterday in Abuja while inaugurating the ad hoc committee to investigate crude oil theft and loss of revenue, said the menace of crude oil theft has drastically hampered the growth of the country’s oil production, with Nigeria losing between five and 30 per cent of daily crude oil production.

He, however, expressed shock that critical agencies in the oil and gas sector had refused to honour the committees’ invite, adding that the agencies were not doing the nation any good by refusing to appear before the parliament to answer questions on the critical aspect of the economy.

Represented by chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Upstream, Al Hassan Ado Doguwa, the speaker said if decisive action was not taken to address the issue, the country might be thrown into a deeper fiscal crisis due to dwindling revenue from the oil and gas sector.

Quoting data from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, the speaker said Nigeria’s oil production declined from 2.51 million barrels per day in 2005 to 1.77 million barrels per day in 2020.

He said: “NEITI reports also show that 619 million barrels of crude valued at $46 billion were stolen in the period 2009-2020”, adding that “Nigeria has continually failed to meet its daily production quota as set by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC.”

Abbas explained further that “recently, Nigeria’s OPEC quota was reduced from 1.742 million barrels per day to 1.38 million barrels per day.
”Yet, the country is still struggling to meet this quota as daily production output was 1.184 million barrels per day and 1.249 million barrels per day in May and June 2023 respectively.

“On average, current daily production output is a far cry from the budget assumption of 1.69 million per day. The implication is clearly manifest in the economic crisis that the country is facing.”

While noting that the nation faced a major fiscal crisis, the speaker said global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine had continued to cast a cloud of uncertainty on the oil and gas industry in the country.

He said: “While the average international price for Brent crude oil has hovered slightly above the set benchmark price since January, Nigeria’s daily oil production has performed poorly due to a number of reasons.

“It is common knowledge that investment in the oil and gas sector has declined in the past few years, owing to global financing constraints and the overall response to energy transition considerations.

“However, we must agree that the greatest challenge to optimizing crude oil production in Nigeria is the grand scale oil theft that has plagued the sector for the past 2 decades.”

Abbas said the House was aware of several efforts by past administrations to address the menace of crude oil theft with a number of task forces, special committees and investigative panels set up in the past, each with a wide range of findings and recommendations

He said: “NEITI provides yearly updates on the amount of crude oil stolen or lost through sabotage. Yet, the menace of oil theft has continued unabated despite the enormous resources already committed to addressing it.”

In his remark, chairman of the committee, Alhassa Usman Rumrum, said the volume of losses occasioned by oil theft in the country and its associated impact on the economy were completely unacceptable and could not be tolerated by any government that sincerely loved its citizens.

He said: “The manner this act of sabotage and breach on our national security and sovereignty is carried out daily makes a caricature of our pride as a nation and even a mockery of the acclaimed status of our armed forces.

“It is an affront to government and its institutions which must be tackled without further delay.

It is in the light of these that the House constituted this committee and is determined to bring this ugly trend to an end, otherwise there may be no future for our remaining children who have not yet Japa to other countries in search of survival.

“To members of the armed forces/security agencies, all Nigerians in the various states, host communities and even in the diaspora who are involved in this practice, I challenge you all to have a rethink. We have no other country to call our own, let , therefore, not push this madness to a point of no return where we may find nowhere to run to.”

While commending the President for the courageous steps so far taken to rebuild the country, Rumrum said: “These efforts will be in vain unless we make a resolute statement and send a powerful message through both words and actions, declaring that oil theft and all form of hydrocarbon unaccountability will not be tolerated under this administration.

“Only then can our people confidently and joyfully embrace a renewed sense of hope and purpose.”

Also speaking, a representative of the Nigeria Police Force, Mr Alabi Abiodun, said the police had put in place a task force to assist other security agencies in arresting those attacking oil facilities.

In addressing the menace, Abiodun said perpetrators of the act should be handed over to the Nigerian police to prosecute them effectively.

Former Rivers State Governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike has renewed his onslaught against fellow members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, loyal it’s Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

This time, around, Wike is calling on the party’s National Working Committee to suspend Atiku, erstwhile Director General of the PDP Presidential Campaign, Senator Waziri Tambuwal among others from the party.

Wike made the call in an interview on a Channels Television political programme, Politis Today, on Thursday.

He also dismissed former PDP presidential aspirant, Dele Momodu, as politically irrelevant noting that Momodu can’t win an election in his local government area.

The former Rivers State Governor also used the opportunity to commend the Justices of the Presidential Election Petition Court for a job well done.

According to him, the judgment which affirmed President Bola Tinubu victory was profound as it was based on sound judgment in terms of technicality and practicality.

In response to a question on the subject, Wike said, The will of the people is determined through the ballot box. How could PDP have won the election when you consider the mood of the nation at that time?

“Look at the areas that the PDP did not win because of high-handedness, because of greed because of impunity. If the PDP had done what they were supposed to do, then you could have talked about that.

“There should be equity, there should be justice, there should be fairness and that is why I am calling on the National Working Committee they should suspend the presidential candidate, suspend people like Aminu Tambuwal so that they can rebuild the party (PDP).”

Attempts to get an official response from the PDP leadership were futile. However, a member of the party’s National Executive Committee who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “ Wike is desperate for attention, we will not indulge him, at the appropriate time he will hear from the party.”

PAN Niger Delta Elders Forum, PANDEF, has opined that the legal representatives of the candidates of the Labour Party, Peter Obi and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, did not do a good job in the presidential election matter they handled.

National Publicity Secretary of PANDEF, Ken Robinson, stated that the lapses in the presentations by the counsel for LP and PDP were regrettable, adding that the lawyers did not do due diligence on the matter.

Robinson said: “We followed the extensive judgment that lasted for about 11 hours and it was elaborate. The justices of Court of Appeal made exclusive explanations and detailed ruling on the matter.

“For an ordinary man who is not a lawyer, what we saw and witnessed yesterday, seems to be sound and the statements that the judges made were explicit that even the ordinary man will understand that the petitioners did not do a good job.

“Of course, there is room for appeal by those who are dissatisfied with the judgement of the tribunal. With what we witnessed yesterday, without being preemptive, it was an exclusive judgment and the facts of the matter were very clear. I think the judges did a good job.

“With due respect to the learned lawyers, who handled those petitions, perhaps they need to apologise to their masters and principals who gave them those jobs. From what we witnessed yesterday, they did not do a good job.

“People will express emotions, but the court does not look at the emotion, but evidence brought before it. For us, we will appeal to those who are dissatisfied with the judgement of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal to explore the avenue of appeal.

“In the interest Nigeria, National Unity and Peace and overall interest of the development of this country and our democracy, nobody should take laws into their hands.

“Nobody should even castigate or go into name calling of the judiciary. They have done their job very transparently as it should be done. For us in PANDEF, we will call all those who are dissatisfied to explore the avenue of appeal and avoid making statements that will heat up the polity.”

President Bola Tinubu says he “started small” in life but a “good education” helped him to attain the position of president.

Tinubu spoke on Thursday while addressing Nigerians in India ahead of the G-20 summit that will be held between September 9 and 10 in the Asian country.

Speaking at the event which was attended by several Nigerian students studying in India, Tinubu said they can reach the pinnacle of their careers if they are dedicated and determined.

The president narrated how he was once a security guard before getting employment at Deloitte and Exxon Mobil.

“Good education brought me here and I am happy to stand before you here as the President of Nigeria. I started small,” Tinubu was quoted in a statement released by Ajuri Ngelale, the presidential spokesperson.

“I was a security guard. I was a tutor in school. I was a brilliant student. I joined Deloitte and was trained by one of the biggest accounting firms in the world, because of my education.

“When I joined them, I asked them, do you have branches in Nigeria? and they said, ‘we have a lot of clients, we will take you if you want to go home’.

“That’s how I got to Exxon Mobil and was a very successful accountant, auditor-general, and treasurer until I joined politics with a can-do attitude.

“You can also do it; do not be despondent in any way. Nigeria is ready to accommodate all. It does not matter which part of Nigeria you are from.”

In the build-up to the 2023 elections, Tinubu’s educational background, age, state of origin, and previous employment details were subjects of public scrutiny as opposition parties claimed that his bio-data was not genuine.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari says the judgement of the presidential election petitions tribunal on Wednesday is a testament that “democracy and the people” have won.

The Labour Party (LP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and their candidates had asked the tribunal to overturn the results of the election on the grounds of manipulation, irregularities and non-compliance with the electoral act.

But on Wednesday, the tribunal ruled that the petitioners failed to prove their cases and affirmed the victory of Tinubu in the election.

Reacting to the judgement, Buhari said the court has “written history by spurning intimidation” to deliver justice according to the law of the country.

Garba Shehu, Buhari’s spokesperson, quoted the former president as saying that the judgement of the court has shown that “democracy and the people won”.

Buhari advised Tinubu to fulfil the promises he made to the people during his campaigns.

“The former President said the PEPC has “written history” by spurning intimidation and all manner of prejudice to deliver justice according to law to a majority of citizens whose wish is that the choices they made are respected,” Shehu said.

“If anybody has won today it is the democracy and the people. With the verdict of the Court, the election period is over and it is time to put the heat and dust behind us.

“From here, the new APC administration led by Bola Ahmed Tinubu should get the support of everyone in order to deliver the promises it made to the people.”

Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has returned to Nigeria after a three-month medical leave in Germany.

The Guardian gathered that Akeredolu arrived in the country via the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Thursday afternoon.

The governor had travelled to Germany in June for medical treatment, leaving the affairs of the state in the hands of his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, after transferring power to him in an acting capacity when he wrote to the House of Assembly.

On April 3, Akeredolu proceeded on 15 days and on June 13 he transmitted power to Aiyedatiwa after embarking on medical leave abroad, after which he extended the medical leave indefinitely on June 10.

Confirming the arrival of the governor, his wife, Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, in a terse message on her social media handles, posted a picture of her husband in private with the caption “homebound.”

Meanwhile, findings revealed that Akeredolu will be heading to Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, from Abuja before coming to Ondo State.

Also confirming the arrival of Akeredolu, a top source close to the governor stated that the governor’s inner political circle will be meeting with him on Friday in Ibadan.

The source, who craved anonymity, disclosed that the politicians had received a message to converge on Ibadan on Friday, where the governor will meet with them by 1:00 pm.

He said, “Not everyone with the government received the message. No one can even say the exact person who sent the message. It is when we get to Ibadan that we will know all those who have been invited.

“I must tell you, we’re so happy to receive Oga (Akeredolu) back. God is indeed on the throne.”

Another source revealed that the meeting will involve all members of the state executive council and House of Assembly.

The source stated that Akeredolu will arrive in Ondo State by next week.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Richard Olatunde, could not be reached to confirm the governor’s arrival and details of the meeting.

Meanwhile, during his absence, rumours regarding the governor’s health condition circulated, leading to anxiety among the residents of the state. However, the exact nature of the governor’s medical condition was not disclosed.

With the news of the arrival of Akeredolu filtering into the state, the social media space of the state has been buzzing with the belief that his comeback will have significant implications for the political landscape of the state.

As the leader of the ruling party in the state, his return is expected to rally party members and supporters, bolstering their confidence and providing a clear direction for the party’s future ahead of the 2024 governorship election.

The Lagos State House of Assembly, on Thursday, again, rejected three out of the 18 new cabinet nominees resent to the House by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for screening and confirmation, clearing 15.

Following the rejection of his 17 cabinet nominees by the Assembly, Sanwo-Olu sent a fresh list to the House early this week.

The new list by the governor, which was conveyed through a letter, was read by the Clerk of the House, Olalekan Onafeko, during plenary on Monday.

Sanwo-Olu’s letter read: “After careful consideration of the 17 names that were rejected, I have decided to represent a list of nominees which includes a balanced selection of previously presented and new individuals.

“This list represents a broad political spectrum and diverse backgrounds reflective of the rich diversity of our lovely state. I am confident these new nominees would bring fresh ideas that would help the growth and progress of Lagos.”

The Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, thus directed the 12-man ad-hoc committee, which screened the previous nominees to take charge of the new list.

The committee commenced screening on Tuesday and reported back to the House on Thursday.

At plenary on Thursday, the Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Mojeed Fatai, who led the 12-man ad hoc committee on screening of the new list, presented the report of the committee.

Following this, the confirmation was done through a voice vote by the lawmakers as Obasa mentioned the name of each of the nominees.

Nominees confirmed are Afolabi Abiodun Tajudeen, Oluwaseun Oriyomi Osiyemi, Prof. Akinola Emmanuel Abayomi, Dr. Oluwarotimi Omotola Wahab Fashola, Folashade Kaosarat Ambrose-Medem, Akinyemi Bankole Ajigbotafe, Bolaji Cécilia Dada, Barakat Akande Bakare, Olugbenga Omotosho, and Mosopefoluwa George.

Others are Dr. Yekini Nurudeen Agbaje, Dr. Olumide Oluyinka, Abayomi Samson Oluyomi, Dr. Iyabode Oyeyemi Ayoola, and Sola Shakirudeen Giwa.

Those rejected are former Commissioner of Energy and Mineral Resources, Engr. Olalere Odusote; former Commissioner of Economic Planning and Budget, Samuel Egube and Tolani Sule Akibu.

The Speaker directed the Clerk of the House to convey the list of confirmed nominees to the governor.

The Chairman of Labour Party (LP) in Lagos State, Pastor Dayo Ekong, has expressed disappointment at the verdict of the Presidential Election Petitions Court (PEPC), saying that the system has failed the people.

The Tribunal had on Wednesday, affirmed President Bola Tinubu as the duly elected president of Nigeria.

Tinubu was on March 1, 2023, declared winner of the February 25 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

But not satisfied with the outcome of the election, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) and Peter Obi of LP had filed separate petitions at PEPC, challenging the declaration of Tinubu as the duly elected president of Nigeria.

However, in a consolidated judgment on Wednesday, Justice Haruna Tsammani who led a five-man panel of the tribunal, dismissed the petitions for lack of merit.

The tribunal said Obi, Atiku and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), failed to prove allegations in their respective petitions seeking to overturn the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate’s victory.

Reacting to the Tribunal verdict on Thursday, Ekong in a message to party supporters in the state, urged them not to lose hope.

She called on supporters not to allow themselves to be weighed down, but brace up for the battle ahead.

According to Ekong, Obi has shown what is possible, adding that now is not the time to lose hope nor to give up.

She said: “It’s no secret that the system has failed us. Political bullies, a judiciary that can’t be trusted to deliver justice and social injustices has led to feelings of helplessness and frustration. In these moments, it’s natural to question whether true change will ever materialise.

“Rather than losing hope, we should remember what has been achieved so far. His Excellency Peter Obi has shown us what is possible. Now is not the time to lose hope nor to give up because it is what THEY want you to do. They are ruiners and spoilers and we must see this through to the end.

“We refuse to accept defeat and we owe it to our generations yet unborn to continue to push and fight for what we know is right, just and true.

“Do not allow yourself to be weighed down. Take a deep breath and brace yourselves; for the battle will be long and tough, however, we will triumph!!!”

Ekong also urged the supporters to pray and not faint, and trust in God as they continue to demand for a better Nigeria.

“Let us trust in God to guide us even as we continue to demand for the Nigeria which we all love and cherish.

“God is God and still on the throne. We need to pray and not faint nor be weary. It’s important to overcome territorial powers and blockers of destiny.

“I say a new Nigeria is possible,” she added.

President Bola Tinubu, who is currently in India for the G-20 Summit, shared his conviction with Nigerians during an interaction with them on Thursday evening.

The President called on Nigerians to harness the country's rich diversity as a uniquely powerful tool for advancing prosperity and national development for the benefit of all citizens, emphasizing that our diversity must be leveraged to drive economic growth, innovation, and social progress.

"We are here to present a new future to you. A future of a country that is so rich, endowed, and highly populated. Very dynamic, unique in its culture, tradition, and ethnicity. That is what will make our prosperity possible, if only we can make use of our diversity for prosperity," he implored.

President Tinubu also told the meeting that he ran for the highest office in the country because of the fact that, despite the great human and natural resource wealth of the nation, the leadership and public sector management deficit in the country held Nigeria back from manifest destiny.

"We are not poor in knowledge. We are not poor in human resources. We are only poor in management and leadership, and that is why I ran for president, to help all of us mould the soul of our country in the right direction," the President said.

Reflecting on the trajectory of his life, which prepared him for leadership, the President told the meeting that was attended by several Nigerian students studying in India, that with dedication, honesty, determination, and a change of mindset, they can reach for the top in their respective careers.

"Good education brought me here and I am happy to stand before you here as the President of Nigeria. I started small. I was a security guard. I was tutor in school. I was a brilliant student. I joined Deloitte and was trained by one of the biggest accounting firms in the world, because of my education," the President recollected.

"When I joined them, I asked them, do you have branches in Nigeria and they said, 'we have a lot of clients that will take you, if you want to go home.' That's how I got to Exxon Mobil and was a very successful accountant, auditor-general, and treasurer, until I joined politics with a can-do attitude.

"You can also do it; do not be despondent in any way. Nigeria is ready to accommodate all. It does not matter which part of Nigeria you are from," the President exclaimed.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, while addressing the students, explained that President Tinubu's foreign policy thrust included four Ds, with one of them being Diaspora, which focuses on improving the quality of services that Nigerians in the Diaspora receive at Nigerian Missions abroad.

"The issue of passport delays will be a thing of the past. You won't have to wait indefinitely for your passports to be ready. Secondly, you are the first point of contact between Nigerians and other countries. We can't grow beyond what our people project. That is why it is very important for you to project a consistently positive image of Nigeria online and off-line," Nigeria's Chief Diplomat said.

Earlier, Business magnate, Mr. Tony Elumelu, told pressmen that Nigeria was the best place to invest and that a bet on Nigerians is one of the best bets anyone can ever make, citing Nigerian success in all countries of the world.

"We believe in Africa, but especially in Nigeria. An investment in Nigeria promises a return that is scarcely found anywhere in the world and I do business across several continents," the Africapitalist concluded.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)