The President of Nigeria have attended the summit of the African Union which took place in Niger Republic. He is expected to be present in the 12th session of the union for the African Continental Free Trade Area. This includes a mid-year meeting and the meeting of the regional communities. The Special Adviser to the president confirmed that he attended the summit.
Demi Adesina who is the special adviser on Media and Publicity said the assembly session of the union is to form the instrumental agreement of the union in terms of trade. This instrumental agreement consists of Observatory Dashboard, Digital Payments, African Trade, Tariff Concession and Portals. Other components of the agreement are Elimination of Barriers of Non-Tariff and the Rules of Origin.
The president engaged and met with his stakeholders on many occasions to access the report from the Presidential Committee to check whether Nigeria should sign this agreement. A recommendation from this presidential committee said the country should endorse this agreement to promote trade among African countries. The president is expected to endorse this agreement in this summit of the African Union.
Buhari said better policies should be made by the African Union to enhance trade ties among African nations. He said the continent needs a continental policy for trade. The aim of this trade is to enhance free movement of goods produced in Africa. These goods and services are made with African raw materials. The First Lady of Nigeria, Mrs Aisha Buhari will join the President including the Governor of Kastina, Bello Masari of Bornu State, Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State and Governor Babagana Zulun of Borno.
Other government officials that attended the summit include Chinedu Osakwe who is the Director General for the National Office for Trade Negotiations, Amb Mustapha Suleiman who is the Permanent Secretary for the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Nigeria with his counterpart for the Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment in Nigeria, Sunday Akpan. Others include Nurata Batagarawa who is the Permanent Secretary for the Defence Ministry in Nigeria and his counterpart in the Finance Ministry, Mahmoud Usa-Dutsi. The president is expected back in the country after the summit.
Lawan, Buhari, APC and Tinubu say congratulations to Oyetola
The president of Nigeria have congratulated the governor of Osun State for his victory at the Supreme Court of Nigeria. This congratulation came from Buhari, APC, Lawan and Tinubu. APC sent congratulatory message to the governor for retaining his mandate as the governor of Osun State. A statement from Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu who is the National Publicity Secretary said this victory have made APC the major party in the country.
The statement said the decision of the apex court is commendable and is in the interest of the people of Osun State. It said this victory will let the APC governance deliver their people-oriented development programs for Osun State. This statement is coming after the congratulatory message of the President of Nigeria to Oyetola. The Media and Publicity Special Adviser to the president who is Mr Femi Adesina signed the presidential statement. It commended the victory as the victory of the rule of law.
The statement called on the governor to enhance the infrastructural development of Osun State. The Senate President of Nigeria Ahmad Lawan is among the politicians who congratulated Oyetola on his victory at the Supreme Court. Lawan called it a victory for democracy and a victory of the people of Osun and the APC. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who is the national chairman of APC said this victory shows the firmness of the judiciary. Tinubu who signed a statement on Friday said this victory is in tune with aspirations of the people. Mr Akinwunmi Ambode who governed Lagos State before the current administration sent his congratulatory message too.
Ambode said the victory affirms the mandate of Oyetola as the governor of Osun State and he called the judiciary the last hope of the common Nigerian. He said the victory will enable the Osun governor deliver the developmental policies for the people of Osun State. Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi who is the Ooni of Ife congratulated Oyetola on his victory. He called his victory the will of God. Nevertheless he commended the action of PDP for using a legitimate means to clarify the election.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria through the court’s seven-man panel ruled in favour of Oyetola. The Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria who is the Justice Muhammad was the leader of this seven man panel and other justices are Uwani Abba-Aji and Kudirat Keke-Ekun including Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour.
APC’s celebration of victory
The APC have went to celebrate their victory in the election petition tribunal at the Supreme Court. Many residents toured the streets in celebration of the victory of the governor. A motorcade carried Governor Oyetola and paraded him across the Old Garage of Oshogbo after which he made a formal address to the party on his victory in the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park. Oyetola said he was not afraid during the election petition tribunal. He told the stakeholders to cooperate for him to deliver the agenda of his campaign.
This celebration continued in Ile Ife where Mr Taiwo Adebusola led the celebrations. The One Gada Area of Ede witnessed this celebration too and many supporters of the APC were dancing through the Alajue. Adewumi Abiola led the celebration here. There were celebrations in Ilesha and other parts of the state where members took to the streets.
