National Issues
Osinbajo: How Federal Government, AfDB are Working Together to Reduce Poverty, Create Jobs and Overcome Fallouts of Insurgency
ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, THE VICE PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AT THE COMMISSIONING OF THE AfDB NIGERIA COUNTRY OFFICE, ABUJA ON THURSDAY, 18TH JANUARY, 2018:
PROTOCOL
I am delighted to be here today, to celebrate with the African Development Bank the commissioning of its Nigeria Country Office Complex. This building here in Abuja is, among other things, an important symbol of the special relationship between the AfDB and Nigeria – a founding member and the largest shareholder of the Bank from inception to date. And since 1971, the Nigeria Country Office has served as an important convening point between the Bank, the Federal and State Governments, and the private sector.
Nigeria has been important in the growth of the institution as a major shareholder, donor and borrower all at the same time. And we have through the years shared the bank’s vision and objectives. Just to underscore the love between the AFDB and Nigeria, as the President aptly described it as a marriage, we have loaned our own Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina to the bank, as he is to our great pride, Nigeria’s first President of the Bank.
Since its founding in 1964, the African Development Bank, has evolved into one of the most efficient vehicles for the economic development and integration of the African continent. The bank has faithfully played its role as a trusted advisor and an honest broker in our region. And has earned its place as the voice of Africa on development issues.
As the continent’s premier financial institution, it is at the center of Africa’s transformation to bring real and lasting progress to the lives of African people.
While Africa has made significant strides in economic growth and in poverty reduction, much remains to be done. The goal is clear – to eradicate poverty, create more inclusive socio-economic development and to integrate the continent.
To do so, the continent needs to promote growth that creates jobs and provides economic opportunities for all.
To contribute to this agenda, the African Development Bank, through the High-5s – unveiled by Dr. Adesina when he took office in 2015 – is in our view, right on track by investing more in infrastructure, agriculture, education, healthcare, and increased access to, in particular, affordable energy and water.
More importantly, the Bank is to be commended for its ongoing efforts to close the gender gap, empower women and youths, and to ultimately strengthen and expand social safety nets for our most vulnerable populations.
With its large market of over 185 million people, Nigeria will continue to be an important player in the Bank’s work, advancing efforts to boost regional integration within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in particular and Africa as a whole.
We will continue to be a strong and committed partner of the African Development Bank, and to lead by example. We have already clearly demonstrated through the partnership that led to the establishment of the Bank’s Nigeria Trust Fund, established in 1976. The Trust Fund of more than $500 million has helped to transform the economies and improve the living standards of millions of people in other African countries.
In Nigeria, the AfDB has an active portfolio of close to $6 billion dollars spread over 73 projects across public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy. These projects continue to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs in many parts of our economy.
I am particularly delighted that the Bank is working closely with this administration in addressing the challenges faced by communities and people emerging from the insurgency in the North East and some of the militancy in the Niger Delta Region.
The Bank’s Inclusive Basic Service Delivery and Livelihood Empowerment Integrated Programme (IBSDLEIP), aimed at addressing the challenges in the North East in particular, is commendable. The project will support the youth, women and IDPs who have returned to their communities. An estimated population of more than 10 million affected people are expected to directly benefit from this project.
More specifically, I thank the President and Board of Directors of the African Development Bank, for their support to Nigeria at a very difficult time during the 2015/16 economic recession. When we requested support from the Bank, the response was swift. The Bank approved a budget support loan of $1 billion in November 2016. The first tranche of $600m has been fully disbursed and utilized and in my discussions with the President of the Bank, we will be getting the remainder in the form of sector loans, so we are looking forward to the remaining $400m.
The approval by AfDB sent a much-needed positive signals to the markets at a critical time for Nigeria and for this we will ever remain ever grateful.
Your Excellencies, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, as we celebrate the commissioning of this world-class edifice, I wish to reiterate the commitment of the Buhari Administration to the Bank’s strategy in Nigeria. The strategy is fully aligned with our own Economic Recovery and Growth Plan 2018 – 2020.
Again, congratulations to the President of the AfDB, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, the Board of Directors, and the staff of African Development Bank, and all who made this edifice a reality.
I want to thank you for listening and in the next few minutes, we will be commissioning the AfDB new complex.
The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has disbursed a total sum of ₦1.578 trillion to the Federal Government, state and local governments for the month of March 2025, underscoring ongoing efforts to sustain intergovernmental financing and fiscal responsibility across all tiers of government.
This development was contained in a communiqué issued after the FAAC meeting, and made public by Mr Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press and Public Relations in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, on Saturday.
According to the communiqué, the total distributable revenue of ₦1.578 trillion was made up of ₦931.325 billion from statutory revenue, ₦593.750 billion from Value Added Tax (VAT), ₦24.971 billion from the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), and ₦28.711 billion from exchange difference earnings.
FAAC revealed that the total gross revenue available in March stood at ₦2.411 trillion, signalling a strong revenue performance. From this amount, ₦85.376 billion was deducted for the cost of collection, while transfers, interventions and refunds accounted for ₦747.180 billion.
Further breakdown of the report indicates that the gross statutory revenue of ₦1.718 trillion received in March represented an increase of ₦65.422 billion when compared to the ₦1.653 trillion recorded in February.
The disbursement reflects the continued dedication of public financial managers and revenue-generating agencies who are working relentlessly under challenging economic conditions to ensure that government at all levels is adequately funded to meet the needs of the populace.
Observers and analysts view this steady growth in revenue as a positive trajectory, albeit with the understanding that transparency, accountability and prudent utilisation of public funds remain key to achieving lasting socio-economic impact.
National Issues
Gbenga Daniel Seeks End to Immunity for Governors, Calls for Constitutional Amendment
Senator Gbenga Daniel, representing Ogun East Senatorial District, has raised concerns over the misuse of constitutional immunity by state governors and their deputies, calling for an urgent amendment to the relevant section of Nigeria’s constitution.
Speaking on Political Paradigm, a Channels Television programme aired on Tuesday, the former governor of Ogun State (2003–2011) argued that Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution, which shields sitting governors and their deputies from both civil and criminal prosecution, has been widely abused.
Section 308 of the Nigerian Constitution grants immunity to the President, Vice President, governors, and deputy governors while in office, effectively barring legal proceedings against them throughout their tenure. However, Daniel insisted that this provision has been misused to avoid scrutiny and justice.
The senator’s remarks have stirred renewed debate about constitutional reform and accountability in public office, especially at a time when governance and transparency remain major concerns in Nigeria’s democratic journey.
Daniel’s call adds to the voices of other stakeholders who have advocated for a more accountable leadership structure and a constitution that upholds justice irrespective of office held.
As of press time, there has been no official response from the Nigerian Governors’ Forum regarding Senator Daniel’s comments.
TEXT OF THE BROADCAST BY PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES, DECLARING STATE OF EMERGENCY IN RIVERS STATE ON TUESDAY 18 MARCH 2025
Fellow Nigerians, I feel greatly disturbed at the turn we have come to regarding the political crisis in Rivers State. Like many of you, I have watched with concern the development with the hope that the parties involved would allow good sense to prevail at the soonest, but all that hope burned out without any solution to the crisis.
With the crisis persisting, there is no way democratic governance, which we have all fought and worked for over the years, can thrive in a way that will redound to the benefit of the good people of the state. The state has been at a standstill since the crisis started, with the good people of the state not being able to have access to the dividends of democracy.
Also, it is public knowledge that the Governor of Rivers State for unjustifiable reasons, demolished the House of Assembly of the state as far back as 13th December 2023 and has, up until now, fourteen (14) months after, not rebuilt same. I have made personal interventions between the contending parties for a peaceful resolution of the crisis, but my efforts have been largely ignored by the parties to the crisis. I am also aware that many well-meaning Nigerians, Leaders of thought and Patriotic groups have also intervened at various times with the best of intentions to resolve the matter, but all their efforts were also to no avail. Still, I thank them.
On February 28, 2025, the supreme court, in a judgment in respect of about eight consolidated appeals concerning the political crisis in Rivers State, based on several grave unconstitutional acts and disregard of rule of law that have been committed by the Governor of Rivers State as shown by the evidence before it pronounced in very clear terms:
“a government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the government of a state under the 1999 Constitution as amended. In this case the head of the executive arm of the government has chosen to collapse the legislature to enable him to govern without the legislature as a despot. As it is there is no government in Rivers State.”
The above pronouncement came after a catalogue of judicial findings of constitutional breaches against the Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Going Forward in their judgment, and having found and held that 27 members of the House who had allegedly defected
“are still valid members of Rivers State House of Assembly and cannot be prevented from participating in the proceedings of that House by the 8th Respondent (that is, the Governor) in cohorts with four members”
The Supreme Court then made some orders to restore the state to immediate constitutional democracy. These orders include the immediate passing of an Appropriation Bill by the Rivers State House of Assembly which up till now has not been facilitated.
Some militants had threatened fire and brimstone against their perceived enemy of the governor who has up till now NOT disowned them.
Apart from that both the House and the governor have not been able to work together.
Both of them do not realise that they are in office to work together for the peace and good governance of the state.
The latest security reports made available to me show that between yesterday and today there have been disturbing incidents of vandalization of pipelines by some militant without the governor taking any action to curtail them. I have, of course given stern order to the security agencies to ensure safety of lives of the good people of Rivers State and the oil pipelines.
With all these and many more, no good and responsible President will standby and allow the grave situation to continue without taking remedial steps prescribed by the Constitution to address the situation in the state, which no doubt requires extraordinary measures to restore good governance, peace, order and security.
In the circumstance, having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State and the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State having failed to make a request to me as President to issue this proclamation as required by section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, it has become inevitably compelling for me to invoke the provision of section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State with effect from today, 18th March, 2025 and I so do.
By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs Ngozi Odu and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months.
In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State. For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate.
The Administrator will not make any new laws. He will, however, be free to formulate regulations as may be found necessary to do his job, but such regulations will need to be considered and approved by the Federal Executive Council and promulgated by the President for the state.
This declaration has been published in the Federal Gazette, a copy of which has been forwarded to the National Assembly in accordance with the Constitution. It is my fervent hope that this inevitable intervention will help to restore peace and order in Rivers State by awakening all the contenders to the constitutional imperatives binding on all political players in Rivers State in particular and Nigeria as a whole.
Long live a united, peaceful, secure and democratic Rivers State in particular and the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a whole.
