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The Task Before Abdullahi Adamu Led APC NWC
By Jude Opara
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) may have successfully conducted its much awaited National Convention. The exercise took place at the weekend with former governor of Nasarawa state, Sen. Abdulahi Adamu emerging as the national chairman.
The emergence of Adamu did not come without a very huge price because several other contestants were literarily forced to drop their ambition.
Recall that the advent of Adamu into the national chairmanship race began like a rumour about two months ago. Prior to that time, the senator representing Nasarawa West was chairman of the APC National Reconciliation Committee.
I recall having a chance meeting with Sen. Adamu at that time and when the question was posed to him that there was the talk that he was being favoured by President Muhammadu Buhari, he was very modest in his response as he insisted on waiting for events to play out on their own.
However, he gave away his interest when he argued that the position of the national chairman of the ruling party must be given to someone who is experienced and not just to someone who has not been tested as a governor or senator.
“We have to keep our fingers crossed and see what will pan out at the end of the day. But what I will add is that a party like the APC who is also the ruling party, we must look for a seasoned and experienced person to lead as we go into the 2023 general elections. At least one, who will have the ability to control the members because as the chairman, you have to deal with governors, senators and even the president. So being a one term senator in my view is not enough qualification to emerge as the national chairman of the APC”.
Considering the way and manner Adamu emerged, the days of the long knife are yet not over for the APC because while the president eventually got his ways, the governors who also decide who becomes what took the advantage of foisting their own candidates on the party under the now controversial ‘Unity list’.
Yes, Adamu may have emerged via the consensus arrangement which gave the leadership of the party including the President the opportunity to handpick the people they wanted to become members of the National Working Committee (NWC), but the major task ahead of him is to immediately hit the ground running by reconciling the various interests whose ego and aspirations have been bruised and dashed.
The likes of Sen. George Akume, Sen. Tanko Al-makura, Sen. Sani Musa, Mohammed Saidu-Estu, Saliu Mustapha and Abdulaziz Yari may have signed a document that they agreed to the consensus arrangement in line with the letters of the Electoral Act 2022, but deep down in their hearts, they feel shortchanged. Therefore they need to be reassured that they can still realize their political aspirations in the party. We saw how the National Youth Leader aspirant, Olusegun Dada broke down in tears as he was literarily forced to step down for the consensus candidate, Abdulahi Israel. Some other aspirants who refused to bow to the dictates of the godfathers and forced elections all lost. Certainly, such individuals would not be happy with the party.
It is heartwarming to note that one of the contestants, George Akume last week paid a solidarity visit to Adamu at the National Secretariat of the party, but so far he is the only former chairmanship candidate to have done so.
The young people are not well represented on the new NWC and certainly they are not happy about this. The NWC can work around this by introducing a youth mentorship programme that would help to rebuild their confidence in the party.
In most of the states, the APC is in crisis with different factions all claiming legitimacy. While the defunct Caretaker Committee headed by Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe state recorgnized the factions that came to Abuja as state delegates, the fact still remains that those subdued members may not have given up. At the appropriate time, they will stir the crisis once more.
There are indications that most of the party stalwarts are on their way out of the party. Some of them have started moving by having their foot soldiers decamp while they still pretend to be party men. I know of a particular former governor who has more or less left the party but only waiting to see how the Adamu led NWC will handle issues. The truth is that when such political bigwigs are forced out of any political party, they usually cause some imaginable damage to the aspiration of their former party. We all can remember what the PDP did when they left the then ruling PDP for the APC.
However, one advantage Adamu may have depending o how he plays his cards is that as the former Chairman of the APC Reconciliation Committee, he must have had a clear picture of what the crisis I each state looks like. Some analysts believe he was chosen as the consensus candidate for the position because of the fact that the leadership of the party knew that they must have to move fast to douse tensions and they felt that the best man for the job was the man who went round the states, meeting with the different factions.
The governors are indeed mostly engrossed in the crisis. Indeed, in almost all the states, there is nowhere the sitting governor was not involved either with the former governor, a minister or federal lawmaker in the fight for the soul of the party. It therefore means that the way and manner the National Chairman will engage them will go a long way either to exacerbate or calm the matter.
If he really wants to save the party from an impending implosion, Adamu must bring to bear the advantage of his experience both as an elder statesman and a former governor and lawmaker who has seen it all. He must not allow himself to be drawn to the apron of the governors who are always insisting in dictating what happens in the states.
The APC NWC must realize that this is an election year ad many people will be vying for various political positions and the way and manner they conduct their primaries will go a long way to either make or mar the chances of the party. Many analysts have advised the party to be careful with how they romance the consensus arrangement because it has the potential of polarizing its members.
While hopefully the party completes the renovation of his office which is now at the ground floor, Adamu should continue to give direction to the ruling party.
The NWC may have scored a remarkable goal when the National Women Leader, Dr. Betta Edu announced that that APC has resolved to encourage women to contest elections by granting them free nomination forms.
Adamu has severally vowed to guide the party to win the 2023 elections, however to achieve that task means that all hands must e on deck. He should move fast to bring every member under the authority of the party because a house divided against itself cannot stand.
How far the APC could go under the Abdulahi Adamu led-NWC would be manifesting in the coming weeks.
The equity market extended its losses on Thursday as the market capitalisation dropped by N127 billion, or 0.21 per cent, from N59.559 trillion to close at N59.432 trillion.
Similarly, the All-Share Index declined by 0.21 per cent, losing 210.2 points to close at 98,081.38, compared to 98,291.
53 recorded on Wednesday.As a result, the year-to-date return decreased to 31.
17 per cent.Profit-taking in Aradel Holdings, Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), Oando, United Capital and UACN, among other declining stocks, drove the market into negative territory.
However, market breadth remained positive, with 29 gainers and 16 losers.
On the gainers’ table, Gold Breweries led by 10 per cent to close at N3.
74, Deap Capital Management and Trust Plc followed by 9.85 per cent to close at N1.45 per share.Transnational Power gained N29.20 per cent to close at N330.90, Jaiz Bank added 8.64 per cent to close at N2.39, while Transcorp Hotels rose by 7.78 per cent to close at N97 per share.
Conversely, Aradel led the losers’ table by 10 per cent to close at N694.80,while Regency Alliance Insurance trailed by 8.82 per cent to close at 62k per share.
Daar Communications also went down by 6.78 per cent to close at 55k, UACN dropped 6.70 per cent to close at N20.20, and Oando decreased by 5.82 per cent to close at N76 per share.
Analysis of the market activities showed trade turnover settled lower relative to the previous session, with the value of transactions down 28.74 per cent.
A total of 239.31 million shares valued at N6.41 billion were exchanged in 7,318 deals, compared to 257.55 million shares valued at N9 billion traded by investors in 7,776 deals, recorded in the previous session.
Meanwhile, Sterling Nigeria led the activity table in volume with 42.79 million shares, while Aradel led in value with deals worth N1.04 billion.(NAN)
The Registrar of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, on Wednesday in Ilorin advised African nations to guard against reliance on overseas-developed Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies.
Oloyede gave this advice in his presentation at the University of Ilorin (Unilorin) Lecture Series, titled “Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanities”.
The Registrar, who is a former Vice-Chancellor of Unilorin, also cautioned those in the academics who lack adequate knowledge about their subjects against adopting AI.
”Avoid doing this in the quest to seek solution about your subjects. so as not to be mislead,” he said.
Oloyede however allayed the fears that AI would replace humanity, pointing out that the technology has come to stay.
He however maintained that humanity should be in control of AI “if we will save humanity from perdition”.
“African nations need to invest in building their own AI capabilities, so that they will not be entirely dependent on external powers.
“By being part of AI’s global development, they can ensure that they are not exploited or left out of future.
“The African Telecocommunication Unions (ATU), African Union (AU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Smart Africa must lead the charge in developing AI strategies tailored to the continent’s specific needs,” the JAMB Registrar added.
Oloyede observed that these bodies listed should promote policies that encourage the ethical development and use of AI across sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education and governance.
He advocated that a collaboration between African countries on AI research and data sharing can help mitigate the risk of relying on overseas-developed AI technologies.
Oloyede, who is a professor of Islamic Studies, tasked scholars in the discipline to take up the challenge of generating content for AI.
He said this would help to ensure that its contents conform with fundamental human rights, values and Islamic doctrines and principles.
“In fields like Islamic Studies and Law, AI must be developed with sensitivity to ethical and cultural contexts.
“Universities and scholars should explore how AI can assist in complex tasks like issuing ‘fatwahs’ or navigating legal ethics, while ensuring that AI aligns with fundamental human rights values,” the professor said.
(NAN)
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
Determined to unlock the economic potentials of the aviation sector through investment in Public Private Partnerships (PPPs), the Federal Government has established task forces in the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and the Ministry of Aviation.
This was the outcome of a courtesy visit by the Director General of the ICRC, Dr Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh to the Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo SAN, in Abuja.
Ewalefoh who highlighted the importance of the aviation in galvanizing other sectors to foster the economic potential of the country, said that the Commission had set up its task force to fast-track investment in PPPs.
The Minister took advantage of the visit to also set up a similar task force in the ministry that will liaise with the ICRC team to ensure swift but efficient delivery of infrastructure projects through PPP.
Speaking during the meeting, the ICRC’s helmsman said that with the new streamlined policy direction of the ICRC, and an aviation minister who is a legal luminary, the mistakes of the early years that drove some aviation PPP projects into litigation will now be forestalled, while the pending cases will be resolved.
Ewalefoh said that the nation, like many others around the World, still faces the challenge of funding infrastructure projects, stressing that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda has a focus on PPPs to boost infrastructure.
While exemplifying the huge investment possibility in the aviation sector, the DG said that between 2003 and 2019 the Heathrow Airport in the UK got an investment of 16 billion pounds in Private sector funds, Nigerian aviation sector holds a lot of investment possibilities without burdening public resources.
He cited the example of Dakar Airport that has attracted an investment of $575 million, 30% of which is from the Bin Laden Group of Saudi Arabia and Kenya where the PPP arrangement has driven passenger traffic from 7 million to 12million.
He stated that Nigeria with over 200 million people should be able to attract the right investments and become the destination hub of the World and a connecting point for Africa.
“We have what it takes, but we need to have the right infrastructure in place. That is why we are here to collaborate with you and ensure that all the projects you have conceptualized will come to fruition within the life time of this administration.
“Aviation sector is an enabler for the economic development of any nation, it is a means for you to connect all the various infrastructure together; it is a means to unlock the potential of this country
“If we get it right, Nigeria’s story will change,” he said.
The DG commended the Minister for getting the Federal Government to sign the Cape Town Convention Practice Direction after over 10 years of attempts and also resolving the problem with the UAE and having Emirate Airlines fly to Nigeria again.
“We have a lot of projects on your table and we want to implore you, if possible, set up a task force for us to do this because the infrastructure gap in Nigeria is so huge that the normal protocol cannot give us the needed time and speed. We need to work day and night and have the right commitment,” he said.
In his response, the Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo , while corroborating the DG’s position on the need to accelerate PPP projects in the industry, immediately set up a task force to liaise with the ICRC’s team to deliver PPP infrastructure in the aviation sector more speedily,
He said that the ministry has recorded a couple of milestone achievements in the area of policy in the aviation sector, adding that the ministry will focus more on accelerating all the PPP proposals that it has received.
“So we will bring them to you, we will set timelines for ourselves. For each of these projects we are going to set a timeline,” he said.
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