STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
President Bola Tinubu has called for unity of purpose and more collaboration between the federal government, state governors, and members of the National Assembly to achieve national development goals.
The President made the appeal while receiving state governors and the leadership of the National Assembly in Lagos on Friday.
Led by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, the delegation included Senate President Godswill Akpabio; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, among others.
Speaking on behalf of the President, Vice-President Shettima expressed optimism about Nigeria’s economic resurgence and called for collective efforts to propel the nation forward.
He urged unity and collaboration among all stakeholders to achieve shared prosperity and promised a brighter future for the nation under President Tinubu’s guidance.
“Let us unite, rally around our leader, and catapult this nation to a greater pedestal. By December, I hope we will have cause to celebrate. Let us coalesce to take the nation to a greater pedestal,” Vice-President Shettima said.
Emphasizing President Tinubu’s role as a unifying leader transcending ethnic and religious lines, the Vice-President noted that the gathering of 27 governors in Lagos, along with the leadership of the National Assembly and some former governors, bears the testimony of a detribalized leader who has embraced all.
”This gathering cuts across ethnic, religious, and political lines. Here, we have Pastor Eno of Akwa Ibom and Father Hyacinth of Benue, and as the President was seated, he was asking, ‘Where is Wammako, where is Yari’? That is the hallmark of true leadership. What binds us together supersedes whatever it is that may divide us.”
”The future of the black man rests on Nigeria to make or mar. Our economy has turned the corner. By the coming months, the economy will roar back to glory,” the Vice-President said.
Senate President Akpabio commended the state governors for emulating President Tinubu’s leadership style, characterized by listening to diverse voices and consulting widely with the people, irrespective of political affiliations.
“The governors are doing well. I can say so because I have been there before,” Senator Akpabio said.
Expressing confidence in President Tinubu’s leadership, Akpabio noted that the President enjoys the broad support of Nigerians across political divides.
“As you coast home to victory for a second term, may all the governors seated here also coast home to a second term victory in their states,” Senate President Akpabio prayed.
In his remarks, Governor AbdulRazaq expressed support for the 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, describing it as a huge project that will have a significant impact on the nation when completed.
He commended the President’s efforts in stabilizing the economy and improving living conditions, highlighting the positive developments in the country, which include the stabilization of the exchange rate and decreasing food prices.
He attributed these improvements to the President’s initiatives and also lauded the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s funding for 8,800 primary healthcare centres.
“We commend your efforts because the ship is gradually turning. We have seen how the exchange rate of the naira against the dollar is coming down. The cost of food is coming down. The dry season harvest is commencing soon. Things are getting better, and there is light at the end of the tunnel,” the Governor said.
He urged President Tinubu to persevere in his efforts towards achieving economic stability.
The governor also expressed gratitude for the support provided by the Federal Government to states, particularly in distributing grains to alleviate food shortages.
”We are here to support you, and we also thank you for the support that you are giving to the sub-nationals. Trucks are wheeling up across the nation, distributing grains. I have received, and most of the states have.
”Because of what you are doing, those who are hoarding food items are releasing them, and that is why the prices of food are coming down,” he said.
Governor AbdulRazaq reiterated the governors’ commitment to supporting the President’s initiatives and pledged to continue complementing the efforts of the federal government in driving progress and prosperity across the nation.
Chief Ajuri Ngelale
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
April 12, 2024
Publish loan agreements by Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, Jonathan, Buhari, SERAP tells Tinubu
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu “to direct appropriate ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to provide our organization with copies of the loan agreements obtained by the governments of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari.”
SERAP is also seeking “the spending details of any such loans as well as the interests and other payments so far made on the loans.”
SERAP also urges him “to establish an independent audit on the spending of the loans obtained by the governments of the former presidents, and to make public the findings of any such audit.”
In the Freedom of Information request dated 13 April 2024 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “Publishing copies of the agreements would prevent and combat waste, corruption, mismanagement, and abuse in the spending of public funds.”
SERAP said, “No one should be able to pull curtains of secrecy around decisions on the spending of public funds which can be revealed without injury to the public interest. Democracy requires accountability and accountability requires transparency.”
According to SERAP, “Nigerians are entitled to information about what their government is doing in their name. This is part of their right to information.”
The FoI request, read in part: “Nigerians’ right to a democratic governance allows them to appreciably influence the direction of government, and have an opportunity to assess progress and assign blame.”
“The accountability of government to the general public is a hallmark of democratic governance, which Nigeria seeks to achieve.”
“Your government should make it possible for citizens to have access to the agreements and spending details to judge whether their government is working for them or not.”
“Publishing the agreements would demonstrate your oft-expressed commitment to openness in government and to promote accountability. It would also improve public accountability in ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
“Publishing the agreements and spending details would allow the public to see how and on what these governments spent the loans and foster transparency and accountability.”
“The information may help to explain why, despite several billions of dollars in loans obtained by successive governments, millions of Nigerians continue to face extreme poverty and lack access to basic public goods and services.”
“Providing us with copies of the loan agreements signed by the governments of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, and widely publishing the agreements would allow Nigerians to scrutinise it and to demand accountability for the spending of the loans.
“We would therefore be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.”
“Our requests are brought in the public interest, and in keeping with the requirements of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], the Freedom of Information Act, and the UN Convention against Corruption, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to Nigeria is a state party.”
“According to Nigeria’s Debt Management Office, the total public domestic debt portfolio for the country’s is N97.3 trillion ($108 billion). The Federal Government’s debt is N87.3 trillion ($97 billion).”
“Nigeria paid $6.2 billion in 2019 as interest on loans while the country paid $6.5 as interest in 2018. Nigeria also paid $5 billion as interest on loans in 2017 while the country paid $4.4 billion as interest in 2016. For 2015, the interest paid on loans was $5.5 billion.”
“SERAP is seriously concerned that substantial parts of the loans obtained by successive governments since the return of democracy in 1999 may have been mismanaged, diverted or stolen, and in any case remain unaccounted for.”
“Publishing copies of the agreements would also ensure that persons with public responsibilities are answerable to the people for the performance of their duties including the management of the loans obtained between May 1999 and May 2023.”
“Your government has a responsibility to ensure transparency and accountability in how any loans obtained by the Federal Government are spent, to reduce vulnerability to corruption and mismanagement.”
“The Freedom of Information Act, Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantee to everyone the right to information, including to copies of the loan agreements obtained by successive governments since 1999.”
“By the combined reading of the provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria, the Freedom of Information Act 2011, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, there are transparency obligations imposed on your government to widely publish the agreements and details of the projects on which the loans were spent.
“The Nigerian Constitution, Freedom of Information Act, and the country’s anti-corruption and human rights obligations rest on the principle that citizens should have access to information regarding their government’s activities.”
Kolawole Oluwadare
SERAP Deputy Director
14/04/2024
Lagos, Nigeria
Emails: info@serap-nigeria.org; news@serap-nigeria.org
Twitter: @SERAPNigeria
Website: www.serap-nigeria.org
For more information or to request an interview, please contact us on: +2348160537202