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We’ll collaborate with Military,stakeholders on violence-free elections –AUDA-NEPAD Boss

Published

6 years ago

July 5, 2019

The National Co-ordinator/Chief Executive Officer [NC/CEO] African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) Nigeria, Princess Gloria Akobundu, says that the agency will partner with the military and other security organisations in order to ensure violence- free elections in the country.

This was contained in a statement signed on Friday by Abolade Ogundimu, Media Assistant to the NC/C.E.O, AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria.

Akobundu reiterated the commitment in a meeting with the leadership of Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC), in her office.

According to the AUDA-NEPAD boss, the Collaboration is part of efforts to bring critical stakeholders in electoral process together at a summit and come up with National Action Plan (N.A.P) for adoption as a nation.

“AUDA/NEPAD being the agency overseeing African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) amomg other objectives also focuses on promoting political stability and this can be better achieved through the Summit.

AUDA-NEPAD/APRM went round to sensitise people across the country ahead of the 2019 general elections, monitored elections and recommendations were made to appropriate authorities.

“It is in furtherance to such efforts that we are proposing a summit for critical stakeholders to brainstorm on how the nation can become more peaceful especially before, during and after elections.

“We are mindful of the great roles of critical stakeholders in the election process especially the Nigerian, sister Services, security agencies at large ” she said.

Similarly, the Director, APRM Department, AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria, Mrs Juweratu Olomoko added that the agency was working towards achieving the nation’s commitment to African Union’s (AU) Agenda 2020 which aims at `silencing the gun’ in the continent by the year 2020.

The date and venue of the summit will later be announced to the public after conclusion by the agency.

Major- General Garba Wahab (retired), Director- General, Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC), Abuja, in his response commended AUDA-NEPAD for its efforts to ensure that election across the country became violence- free exercise.

According to Wahab, if we can have peace and security in the system, development will be easier to achieve in the country, I commend AUDA-NEPAD for the wonderful idea.

While promising that the Centre would give adequate support to the agency on the summit and other activities, the D-G also urged AUDA-NEPAD to ensure that critical stakeholders sit together at the summit in order to come up with enduring recommendations for adoption.

Wahab, a former Chief of Army Administration led Brigadier-General E.A. Attu, Deputy Director,NARC Consult; Brigadier-General U.U. Bassey,Director, Human Resources Department,; and Brigadier-General M.A Ameh, Director, Quality Assurance, Collaboration and Linkages all from the Centre.

AUDA-NEPAD staff at the meeting include: Alhaji A.A. Ibrahim, Director- Project Research and Statistics; Mr. E.E. Abang, Director, Programme Development and Implementation among others.

AUDA-NEPAD (Nigeria) wants to use the summit to identify how the nation can achieve more synergy among the security agencies and better collaboration with civil populace not only during elections but at all times.

The agency hopes such synergy will further help Nigeria to attain her pride of place in the subregion and the world as a leading Democratic state.

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Featured

CELEBRATING A CENTURY-OLD CIVIL AVIATION SECTOR TRAJECTORY IN NIGERIA

Published

3 weeks ago

December 1, 2025

The Gleamer

This week, millions of Nigerians and others across the globe will join the Ministry of Aviation and Space Development under the irrepressible leadership of the Honourable Minister, Festus Keyamo(SAN),and all the notable Aviation sector stakeholders in and outside the country,in celebrating a century of Nigeria’s civil aviation history.

There is no doubt that under the present leadership of the Honourable Minister and within the short spell of time in his stewardship,he has consciously and intentionally embarked on a “silent revolution” for the industry with very veritable and laudable landmarks that have consistently grown the industry.

Some of these spirited efforts for instance have consequently led to trust restoration amongst international lessors, financier,any global partners.Of note also is assidiously working for the full domestication and implementation of the “Cape Town Convention Agreement” ,which gives Airlines access to modern fleets of competitive rates as well as enforcement of IDERA(Irrevocable Deregulation and Export Request Authorization).

Having well applauded these vital contemporary initiatives,it will also be germane to cast our minds in retrospect by taking a peep into our history over several decades to recognise some of the notable forebears in the industry whose impressionabl efforts cannot be overlooked,as they took the impetuous initiatives of breaking the ice at the nascent stage.
It will aptly corroborate the truism which says that… ” a journey of a thousand miles starts with one step”.

The above is vividly captured from a tribute by the First Republic Minister of Aviation Chief Mbazulike Amaechi at the funeral of late Igwe of Oba,HRH Peter Ezenwa(MFR) in 2018.
It states inter alia…”One significant thing I will say many people didn’t know is that the first indigenous airline that was to run in Nigeria was known as “STANDARD AIRLINE”.It was founded in 1966 by a company formed by Igwe Peter Ezenwa from Oba,and had on board,John Nwankwu from Abagana,Edward Ebo from Ezinifitte,(all from Anambra state),John Anyaehie from Nkwerre in Imo state,and lastly my very self Mbazulike Amaechi.
The five of us later acquired two brand new aircrafts,and had four pilots,namely;Unachievable,John Emma Ngwu and Felix Offor,who was to be the General Manager of the airline.
But just about the time for the take-off the crisis of the military takeover erupted in the North as the planes were on their way for delivery to us.In fact the bank handling the transaction was to allow the planes to be flown from the USA,but the news of the war broke out in 1967,the insurance company cabled for the cancellation of the deal as they will not be able to cover the risk cost of aircrafts being flown into war zone.
So,we asked the manufacturers to take the two aircrafts back to their country and hold on for six months with the hope of that the war will end within the requested time frame,but the war didn’t end as thought.We consequently asked for refund and they deducted some money and refunded the balance which was deposited at the London branch of African Continental Bank(ACB).

When the government took over the operations of ACB,we still hoped for the refund but unfortunately were disappointed that the Federal government took over the whole money and we lost everything.”

Further in line with our historical perspective,it will also be pertinent some of the later years reformists in the likes of Engr Onyereri and Harold Demuren who advertently sponsored some far reaching regulations that eventually steered the industry towards greater autonomy with the passage of the 2005 Civil Aviation Act,which I was also a prime participant of in my capacity as an Aviation sub chair in then House of Representatives.

As we mark this great century milestone,and with the clear evidential pathway set out by the current managers of the industry under the indomitable leadership of Honourable Minister, I do not see the sky posing any limitations as they say,but rather availing new vistas of limitless growth opportunities.

CONGRATULATIONS.

Hon Chidi Nwogu
Former member House of Representatives & presently Governing Council member
,African Aviation and Aerospace University,Abuja.

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