on election victory

•Says PDP Candidates will retrieve their stolen mandate

“On behalf of the Minority Caucus and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) family in the House of Representatives, I congratulate the Governorelect of Delta State, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, and others so far declared on the platform of the PDP for their victory at the election.

“I also congratulate Governors Bala Mohammed and Seyi Makinde of Bauchi and Oyo States, respectively, and governors-elect of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno and his Plateau State counterpart, Caleb Mutfwang, for their success at the polls.

“From the results obtained directly from Polling Units across the country, we are optimistic about the victory of PDP Candidates in other States, as the nation awaits final declaration in Adamawa, Taraba, Rivers, Zamfara, Enugu, and other states.

“The victory being recorded by PDP Governorship candidates is a resounding reaffirmation that they are persons of proven integrity, capacity, competence, commitment to duty, and political will to ensure that the aspiration of the people prevailed in governance.

“The PDP Caucus is deeply saddened by the manipulations in Nasarawa, Ogun, and other States where our Candidates were denied victory in the election but we remain confident that the stolen mandate will surely be retrieved at the Court.

“I, therefore, congratulate our already declared Governorselect as well those awaiting declaration by INEC and charge them to double their efforts to deliver democracy dividends to the people,” the Minority Leader said.

By Albert Akota

The Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, says he will host an aviation stakeholders forum on Thursday, March 23, in Abuja.

This is contained in a statement yesterday by Mr James Odaudu, the Special Assistant to the Minister on Public Affairs.

Sirika said the move was in continuation of the established tradition of regular interactions with major players in the aviation industry in Nigeria since the inception of Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

“The idea of the regular meetings has been to ensure that all industry stakeholders are carried along, and make inputs in the development and implementation of programmes and policies for the success of the industry.

“This Ftakeholders’ Forum, the 10th of its kind, is therefore, an Interactive Session conceived to bring together all relevant industry players to brainstorm on the policies and programmes,” he said.

He said efforts had and would continue to move the nation’s aviation industry forward and set it as one of the bests in the global aviation community.

He further said the forum would assist the Federal Ministry of Aviation and all its agencies to have direct contact with the very important stakeholders in and outside the industry.

”He said the forum, which would be declared open by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, would bring together all relevant industry players within and outside the industry.

“These include: the Ministers of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Labour and Employment, Health, Agriculture, Transportation and Environment.

“Also expected at the forum, aside the regular aviation sector players, are the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Accountant General of the Federation.

“Chairman, National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, Director-General, Budget Office, Presidential Committee on Salaries, and CEOs of Media Establishments are also expected,” he said.

The Commandant National Defence College (NDC), Rear Adm. Murtala Bashir, says Nigeria currently contributes 679 peacekeepers, deployed to various missions to enhance global Peace Support Operations.

Bashir said this at the opening of the seminar on “Future of Peace Support Operations”, for participants of Course 31 of the college on Tuesday, in Abuja.

“Nigeria currently has 310 peacekeepers which is inclusive of military, police and civilians in UN missions, 200 in ECOWAS missions, 54 in UN/AU Hybrid missions and 115 in the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF),” he said.

He noted that the internal security challenges had reduced the number of troops contributed by Nigeria to the global peace keeping operations.

The commandant added that Nigeria now ranked 44 instead of 4th globally and 19 instead of 1st in Africa.

“As at 2010, Nigeria was the 4th global contributor to peacekeeping and 1st in Africa with 5,815 troops deployed to various missions.

“However, due to the internal security challenges, which the country is grappling with, the country as at 2022 is now ranked 44 globally, and 19 in Africa.

“The UN General Assembly notes that PSO development has declined in about 10 countries globally which calls for alarm,” he said.

According to him, presently, the future of PSOs is uncertain because the threats to world peace and security, which require such interventions do not only continue to occur, but also present new and frightening dimensions particularly since 9/11.

“The future is also uncertain for the same reasons, as these new threats challenge state sovereignty, for example, the case of Somalia.

“More so, the combined international assets deployable in the planning and execution of peace operations are under increasing pressure to cope.

“In addition, owing to the digital era we are in, technology in the hands of the non-state armed groups have made peace difficult to keep,” he said.

Bashir said the development had queried the place for preventive deployment in diplomacy, protecting the protectors and also protection of civilians in peace operations.

“It is, therefore, important that the peacekeeping landscape leverage on the Fourth Industrial Revolution to improve on the protection of civilians as well as the protection of the protectors.”

He said that the current realities and the projections for the future of PSOs had great implications globally, regionally and also for Nigeria.

According to him, the seminar is borne out from the burning contemporary issues that have limited the operations of Peacekeeping, the uncertainty of the safety of peacekeepers and the attainment of its objectives.

The Deputy Director and Coordinator of PSOs, Ministry of Defence, Col. Abdulmalik Adamu, lauded Nigeria’s participation in the peace operations in spite of its internal security challenges.

He, however, noted with concern that in spite of its contribution to global peace, Nigeria was yet to have policy on PSOs, calling on the NDC to ensure workable policy on PSOs.

Another discussant, a former Ghanaian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Amb. William AwinadorKanyirige, said that Nigeria like any other pivotal country in Africa had a critical role to play in PSOs.

Awinador-Kanyirige, while stressing the need for Nigeria to occupy its divine position in peace keeping operation, advised African Union on reviewing its standby force.