Some of the Presidential candidates in the 2023 elections on Monday attended the Nigerian Bar Association’s annual general conference in Lagos.
According to Channels Television, Labour Party’s Peter Obi and the Peoples Democratic Party’s Atiku Abubakar appeared in person at the conference.
The NBA had earlier said two other presidential candidates – Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) – did not confirm their availability for the conference.
However, Vice-Presidential candidate of the APC, Kassim Shettima, was present at the conference.
Also, the Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dumebi Kachikwu and that of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, were also in attendance.
The ocassion provided opportunities to the leading candidates who were scheduled to speak to present some kind of peeps into what they intend to do to change the current narratives and save the economy from Imminent collapse.
“What we need to do is the two most intangible assets: security; and law and order . . . provide conducive environment to attract investors, then education and power . . . the economy is driven by these intangible assets,” he said at the opening ceremony.
He spoke on a panel alongside All Progressives Congress Vice-Presidential Candidate, Shettima; Peoples Democratic Party’s Presidential Candidate, Abubakar; amongst others.
From day one, we will hit the ground running. We’ll promptly address the issue of the economy, ecology, and security.
“And we have the antecedents. I built some of the best schools in Nigeria. Go to Borno and see wonders; you will never believe that it is a state in a state of war.
“So, we are going to replicate our achievements in Lagos, in Borno and some of the frontline states so that our nation will be a better place. The fundamental issue is pure leadership.”
At the panel session aired live on Channels Television, the 75-year-old Adamawa-born politician stated that the Federal Government does not have infinite resources.
“I said, ‘Mr Professor, do you realise that the first set of our universities belong to the regional governments?’ He said, ‘Yes’. I said who are the successors of the regional government? He said the states.
“I said the children you send to America, to England, who own those universities? Mostly the private sector. So, why is it that you think we cannot do it here? We don’t have the money.”
MetroBusinessNews (MBN) reports that the Academic Staff Union of Universities has been on strike since February 14 over improved welfare, revitalisation of public universities and academic autonomy among other demands.
Students of public tertiary universities have been out of the classroom since the lecturers downed tools.
ASUU embarked on a similar industrial action for nine months in 2020.
Meanwhile, many politicians and government officials have been pictured overseas at the graduation of their children in schools abroad, even during the ongoing ASUU strike, a development that has been criticised and described as insensitive by rights activists and many concerned Nigerians.
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Also, Borno has been a hotbed of terrorist attacks since 2009.
Local governments attacked by insurgents in the state have been deserted though the state government has recently been making efforts to resettle thousands of internally displaced persons.
The 13-year-old jihadist insurgency has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced 2.2 million in the northeast region.
The violence has spilled into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, prompting a regional military coalition to fight the insurgents.