In a counter-response to the proposed planned protest to be organized nationwide by some groups, the Yoruba Afenifere Youth Organization of Nigeria (YAYON) has reiterated its utmost support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government.

This is contained in a statement released by the YAYON to declare unwavering support on behalf of the youth group for Tinubu.

According to them, the government in the space of one year has been able to deliver transformative policies that would better the lives of the people and most importantly the youths of the country. Hence, any form of protest at this moment is seen as a means to distract the government.

“No protest will hold in the South West. If you see any Nigerian coming out to protest now, they are lazy people and sponsored by the opposing party. This is not the right time to protest. Mr. President is really working to make changes, and you people are here to distract him.

“The government is just one year and as youths, we can testify to the policies that have been brought forward to better people’s lives.

“The student loan programme and the recent Local Government autonomy jab on the governors are pointers to the fact that this government is truly here to renew our hope.

“So, all we should do at this moment is to ensure that we render our unwavering support for those policies and programmes to be effectively implemented rather than allow us to be used as tools of distraction.

“Therefore, we urged Nigerians to exercise patience and give President Tinubu the opportunity to fulfill his promises.”

Senator Sharafadeen Alli(APC-Oyo South) has reaffirmed the National Assembly’s collaborative efforts towards enhancing Nigeria’s electoral framework and strengthening democratic principles and institutions.

This is contained in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Akeem Abas and made available to newsmen on Friday in Ibadan.

Alli, who is the Chairman, National Assembly Joint-Committee on Electoral Matters, made the disclosure in his opening remarks at the National Assembly Joint Committee meeting with the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The meeting, which followed the successful South-South Zonal Legislative Interactive Session (ZLIS) in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.

He said that there was a need to build on the foundations laid by the Renewed Hope Agenda, ensuring that the legislative body supports initiatives that promote national development.

The lawmaker emphasised the collaborative efforts required to enhance Nigeria’s electoral framework and strengthen democratic principles.

He reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to supporting people-friendly and development-focused government policies.

He commended the collaborative efforts of distinguished Senators and Members of the House of Representatives, lauding their dedication to effective work plan implementation.

The lawmaker said that the committee’s interactive sessions held across the geo-political zones were aimed at gathering valuable inputs from Nigerians.

Alli said that the inputs gathered would form the recommendations of the technical working committee in the ongoing reform of the Electoral Act, 2022.

He assured attendees that the National Assembly, in partnership with non-governmental organisations and civil societies, has adopted an inclusive and consultative approach to ensure broad-based support and engagement.

According to him, this method is designed to create a more robust, fair, and inclusive electoral system.

The lawmaker said that INEC had been requested to present critical issues affecting the nation’s electoral process.

“These include preparations for the upcoming off-cycle elections in Edo and Ondo, funding and budget allocations, and the implications of the Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy.”

He emphasised the importance of proactive engagement with INEC to address these challenges effectively.

The Executive Secretary of National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF), Tosin Adeyanju has urged Nigerian youths to give President Tinubu-led Federal Government time to implement its policies, stating that the President means well for the county rather than take to the streets to protest.

The Lottery boss made this appeal during his visit to the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris Malagi in Abuja.

Adeyanju, who spoke passionately about his experience as a former student and youth leader, enlightened the youths on why continued dialogue with the government will yield results.

“I have been at the barricade before, and I understand the plight of the youths,” Adeyanju said. “But I urge you to give President Tinubu time. He means well for Nigeria, and his policies will soon yield positive results.”

The NLTF boss also commended President Tinubu for appointing more youths than any previous administration since 1999, demonstrating his commitment to youth empowerment.

Adeyanju’s appeal comes as various groups plan nationwide protests to express their grievances.

However, he believes that engaging with the administration will yield better results than taking to the streets.

In a bid to alleviate the suffering of the most vulnerable Nigerians amidst the current economic hardship, Tosin Adeyanju, Executive Secretary of the National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF), has conducted a comprehensive inspection of the Fund’s offices and warehouses.

During the inspection, Adeyanju assessed the operational efficiency of the offices and the storage conditions of the warehouses, where he saw medical and sports materials worth millions of naira.

Moved by the sight of the stored materials, Adeyanju gave directives for their immediate distribution to those in need in the various states of the federation.

He emphasized that the directive is in line with the Renewed Hope government’s commitment to reaching out to Nigerians in need.

“We cannot afford to sit back and watch our people suffer,” Adeyanju said. “The National Lottery Trust Fund is committed to making a positive impact in the lives of Nigerians, and this distribution is just the beginning.”

The materials, which include medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, and sports materials and facilities, are expected to benefit thousands of Nigerians across the country.

Adeyanju also announced plans to expand the Fund’s intervention programs to reach more Nigerians, particularly in the areas of education, healthcare, sport, vulnerable Nigerians and economic empowerment.

“The Renewed Hope government is dedicated to bringing hope and relief to Nigerians, and we at the National Lottery Trust Fund are proud to be part of this effort,” he said.

The distribution exercise is expected to commence in the coming days.

President Bola Tinubu has said that the nation’s economy is on a gradual but steady path of recovery while he assures citizens that his administration will do more to meet their needs.

Tinubu made this statement in a meeting with traditional rulers led by the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, at the State House on Thursday. The President said the plight of citizens remains a deep concern and will receive more attention.

“Yes, it is true that I asked for this job, and I approached some of you to support me. So, I have no excuse not to do the job with sincerity of purpose and honesty. I have committed myself to it diligently, and I will never look backwards.

“I have accepted the assets and the liabilities of my predecessor. How I will take Nigeria forward should be my concern, and that is my concern.

“I have been extremely busy. The only exercise I have had here is the walk from the residence to this place and then continue with the work.

“Nigeria is hilly, and it is the largest democracy in Africa. No other democracy comes close to us in terms of population on the continent. We cannot blame God for giving us these children, and we have to seek peace and better livelihoods,’’ the President said.

President Tinubu stated that the interventions to bring the government nearer to the people are already yielding results, with the activation of the student loan programme, the consumer credit scheme, and the affirmation of fiscal autonomy for local government councils.

He said the Ministry of Finance will continue to ensure that funds go to the grassroots for human and infrastructural development.

“Today, the Bank of Agriculture is empty. We have to reactivate it. If they are not talking about flooding, they are talking of banditry. We have to start all over again. Yes, infrastructural decay is there.

“The Lagos-Calabar coastal road is not being done without studies. It is an economic energizer. From it, we can create infrastructure along the route to develop wind energy and generate power, and we can expand our irrigation network.

“The economic viability of infrastructure has to be studied before we embark on projects. How many dams are there on the corridors of Sokoto- Badagry? From there, we can energize electricity. We can do irrigation and additional farms.

“Even if it is two million hectares of arable land, you can create opportunities for farmers on a small scale. Then you have to find capital for them.

“Nigeria is on the path of recovery. You have heard it from the Minister of Finance, Mr. Wale Edun. We are not afraid of protests. Our concern is the ordinary people, and the damages that will be done. Till today, I cannot forget the brand new 60 and 100 seater buses, down there in Lagos that were burnt down, and we are now complaining of transportation. That is the problem. That is why I must say thank you for talking to the citizens,’’ the President told the traditional rulers.

The President also said security was getting more attention and will be enhanced.

“Security is getting better, but we cannot take our eyes off the camera because it takes one accident for things to flare up. We are managing it.

“We have created instruments to support the students so that they get education, consumer credit to expand the economy, to improve the purchasing power of the people in order to rejuvenate the economy within a short period of time. We are still recalibrating our oil usage,’’ the President stated.

President Tinubu said he will continue to explain the economic reforms and projected benefits to the nation, adding that he remains open to dialogue for the development of the country.

President Tinubu urged the royal fathers to reach out to citizens on the genuine intentions of the government to deliver on its promises of Renewed Hope.

“Now, we are sending money to the local governments. I addressed the governors today on that issue. I have been distributing fertilizer, rice, and other items to support the recovery of citizens. I assure you, Nigerians, we are looking at the light at the end of the tunnel. I can assure you, this economy will be revived, will survive, and prosper,’’ the President emphasized.

In his remarks, the Sultan of Sokoto said: “I believe that this brief meeting will clear some issues that many people have in their minds. At our meeting on Monday, we had a very open discussion on all issues affecting the nation. We are the ones who will tell you the truth about what is happening in our various communities.’’

The royal father said an executive council meeting was held on Monday, and the Council, composed of all State Chairmen of the 36 States and the FCT, met to deliberate on the economy.

The Ooni of Ife thanked the President for inviting the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; the Minister of Finance and Coordinating of Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, and the GCEO of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, to brief the traditional rulers on the state of the economy.

“We heard from the GCEO of NNPCL. They are the ones that propel our economy. We have heard from the Minister of Finance. We also heard from the Minister of Budget and the NSA. We want to encourage you, Mr. President, we will all get back to our various communities and let our people know because none of us locks our palaces,’’ the Monarch added.

A new report of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), has ranked Nigeria very high at 71 per cent, in comparative legal, policy and governance frameworks towards G5 – advanced state of readiness for digital transformation known as G5 with Germany, Finland and Singapore leading the global chart.

In the report conducted by the ITU, and the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and unveiled by Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani in Abuja on Monday, Nigeria was ranked among Africa’s top seven BEMECS 5G Readiness Index, which represents the country’s readiness to deploy and adopt mass-market 5G networks.

Titled, Collaborative Regulation: Accelerating Nigeria’s Digital Transformation, and presented at the Digital Economy Complex, Mbora, Abuja by ITU’s Kagwira Nkonge, the report, among other things, presented a case study for ‘collaborative regulation review to assess and support Nigeria’s transition towards collaborative digital governance, evidence-based policy making and agile regulation in the digital economy”.

The report, which was presented to a cross section of key industry stakeholders including service providers, government agencies, representatives of multilateral institutions, West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA), Africa Telecommunications Union (ATU), among others, was also designed to complement existing cross-country benchmarks in which features of countries policy and regulatory environment are assessed.

The features of countries policy and regulatory environment are assessed according to the pillars of the Generations of Regulation frameworks which tracks telecom regulatory maturity towards digital transformation readiness, designated at G5 Advanced State of Readiness”, and for which Nigeria currently stands at G4.

Advanced State of Readiness is benchmarked against four critical levels of accomplishments which include national collaborative governance, policy design principles, digital development toolbox, digital economic policy agenda, with Nigeria scoring 91 per cent in regulatory capacity; 82 per cent in Market Rules; 81 per cent in Collaborative Governance; 76 per cent in Legal Instruments for ICT/Telecom markets; 69 per cent in National Digital Agenda Policy, among other benchmarks.

Dr. Tijani, in his remarks at the event, commended the ITU and partner agencies and consultants that actualised the report; and expressed Federal Government’s commitment “to utilise this report as a navigational aid towards attainment of our regulatory objectives and policies outlines towards achieving a robust digital economy”.

“That is what we will continue to do as a government, ensuring that we can put ourselves in a place to have cutting-edge modern regulations in place to ensure that business is done properly in our sector and to ensure that, where possible, increase the local content of the sector as well,” he said.

Dr. Tijani noted that NCC has adapted over the years in response to how its role and mandate have changed. He explained, “Fifteen, twenty years ago, NCC was just regulating the telecommunications sector, today, NCC regulates the foundation for which any economy would be prosperous.”

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Aminu Maida, who hosted the presentation, welcomed the indicators that promote effective regulation, attraction of greater investment, and development of innovative models for broader digital inclusion.

He emphasised that collaborative regulation would support Nigeria’s transition towards effective digital governance, evidence-based policy making and agile regulation in the nation’s digital economy.

The ITU Report can be accessed through the link:

https://www.itu.int/hub/publication/d-pref-them-33-2023/