APA – Lagos (Nigeria)
The swearing in of the President-elect, Chief Bola Tinubu, as Nigeria’s 16th President today and the demand by Nigerians for quick actions in the areas of the economy, security, fuel subsidy and other critical sectors dominate the headlines of Nigerian newspapers on Monday.
The Punch reports that as the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, takes the oath of office as Nigeria’s 16th President today, Nigerians have demanded quick actions in the areas of the economy, security, fuel subsidy and other critical sectors.
Tinubu, who was declared the winner of the February 25 presidential election, will be sworn in by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola, at Eagle Square, Abuja.
Though the victory of the ex-Lagos State governor is being challenged by Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, the Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party standard bearers, respectively, at the Presidential Election Petition Court, he would nevertheless take over from the outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari in a glamorous ceremony which would be witnessed by over 300 guests.
The ceremony will also be broadcast live to millions of Nigerians at home and abroad.
In preparation for the inauguration, the authorities have tightened security in the Federal Capital Territory with the deployments of soldiers, policemen, undercover operatives and counter-terrorism units at strategic locations and public facilities, including hotels where invited guests were accommodated.
Also, the military and the police have been conducting aerial surveillance of the FCT with helicopters flying overhead.
Ahead of the transition of power to the president-elect, scores of representatives of foreign governments, diplomats and heads of international organisations began arriving in Abuja, on Sunday.
The newspaper says that the President of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina, has urged the Federal Government needs to stop its youth empowerment programmes and invest in the youth people of the nation on a sustainable basis.
Adesina said this at the inaugural lecture for the Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, in Abuja.
He said, “Nigeria must create youth-based wealth. We must move away from the so-called youth empowerment programs
“Youths do not need handouts. They need investments. The current banking systems do not and will not lend to the youth. Special funds, while palliative in approach, are not systemic and are also not sustainable.
“What’s needed to unleash the entrepreneurship of the youth in Nigeria are brand new financial ecosystems that understand, value, promote and provide financial instruments and platforms for nurturing business ventures of the youth at scale.”
The AfDB boss also disclosed that the continental bank, in partnership with Agence Francaise de Developpement and the Islamic Development Bank had launched the $618 m I-DICE programme to develop digital and creative enterprises.
He said that the programme would create six million jobs and add $6.3bn to Nigeria’s economy.
He added that the bank was “currently working with Central Banks and countries to design and support the establishment of youth entrepreneurship investment banks.
The Guardian reports that for the last time, Nigerians, yesterday, listened to President Muhammadu Buhari’s address as president, after eight years in office, as he appealed to citizens over some of the difficult choices he made that brought pain and suffering to Nigerians.
In his farewell broadcast, President Buhari also gave himself a pass mark, saying he is leaving Nigeria in 2023 better than he met it in 2015.
This is as he expressed grief that his administration was unable to rescue some children still in captivity, even as he said that he mourned with parents, friends and relatives of all those that lost loved ones as a result of senseless brigandage and carnage.
Noting that the address was his last assignment as President, Buhari described the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, as the best candidate in the February 25 presidential poll.
Tendering his apology over policies that brought hardships to Nigerians, the outgoing President said: “In the course of revamping the economy, we made some difficult choices, most of which yielded the desired results. Some of the measures led to temporary pain and suffering for which I sincerely apologise to my fellow countrymen, but the measures were taken for the overall good of the country.
“Up-till now, I still grieve for our children still in captivity, mourn with parents, friends and relatives of all those that lost loved ones in the days of the senseless brigandage and carnage. For all those under unlawful captivity our security agencies are working round the clock to secure their release unharmed.
“Our battle to ensure that all Nigerians live in a safe and secure environment has achieved considerable results. As I complete my term in office, we have been able to reduce the incidences of banditry, terrorism, armed robbery and other criminal activities considerably.
“As I retire home to Daura, Katsina State, I feel fulfilled that we have started the Nigeria Re-Birth by taking the initial critical steps and I am convinced the in-coming administration will quicken the pace of this walk to see a Nigeria that fulfils its destiny to be a great nation. I am confident that I am leaving office with Nigeria better in 2023 than in 2015.”
The newspaper says that the last has not been heard of the controversial Nigeria Air launched by the outgoing administration, as fresh facts have shown that the national carrier had not been granted an Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) for official rollout.
Besides, the aircraft branded ‘Nigeria Air’and deployed for static display during the inauguration, operated with an Ethiopian registration number, ET-APL, instead of Nigeria’s 5N.
Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), yesterday, rued the alleged fraudulent display of a new national carrier, contrary to extant court order and international rules that strictly guide airline operations.
An AOC certificate authorises an operator to carry out specified commercial air transport operations. It is also a safety document by which the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) certifies that the holder has demonstrated that it is fit to conduct safe flight operations.
To achieve this, a prospective airline is put through a rigorous five-phase certification process before it is granted. In the case of Nigeria Air, sources suggest that the NCAA is under pressure to grant the airline an AOC before fulfilling requirements.
Spokesperson for the AON, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, said the implication of granting an AOC to the national carrier without successfully going through the process is considered by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) as a serious infraction, which is punishable.
GIK/APA