TheNewsGuru

Tag: Oby Ezekwesili

  • 2023 Presidency: Polls will be battle for Nigeria’s soul – Ezekwesili

    2023 Presidency: Polls will be battle for Nigeria’s soul – Ezekwesili

    Former Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, has opined that the forthcoming general elections in the country is going to be a battle for the soul of Nigeria.

    The Anambra -born ex-Minister made this statement on Friday in a post via her verified Twitter handle.

    She’s of the belief that some persons who love power more than the interest of Nigerians are still lurking around to get it just for the fun of it in their bid to darken the already bad situation.

    Her post reads partly “You all should better know that the 2023 presidential elections, in particular, is a “Battle for the Soul of Nigeria”.

    “The darkness over our Land is not yet enough for those “who love Power for the sake of Power and acquisitions”, so they want to darken it more.

    “Will you allow them?”

  • Abike Dabiri replies Oby Ezekwesili, says she doesn’t cows to bullying

    Abike Dabiri replies Oby Ezekwesili, says she doesn’t cows to bullying

    Abike Dabiri-Erewa,  chairman of the Nigerians In Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), stated on Twitter that she is not a public figure that cows to bullying’.

    She made this known in response to former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, who cautioned her for calling a Twitter troll ”Ode”.

    Dabiri had earlier replied to a Twitter troll who referred to her as ”Mumu woman”, in her response, she used the word Ode to refer to the troll.

    Reacting to Dabiri’s tweet, Ezekwesili, wrote; ”Dear Abike @abikedabiri, What is this? . Kai. This is messy. Please clean it up. Quickly. Please.”

    In her response to Ezekwesili, Ms. Dabiri-Erewa, wrote; ”I’m done on this . But out of respect for you , will ask, Clean what up? It’s okay for some untrained, uncouth guy to refer to me as “ mumu”, and I can’t call him “ ode”I’m not a public official that cows to bullying pls.”

  • 2023 Elections: Oby Ezekwesili announces preferred candidate

    2023 Elections: Oby Ezekwesili announces preferred candidate

    A former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has chosen her preferred candidate among the three leading contestants for  next year’s general elections in the country.

    Ezekwesili ranked Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) higher than other leading presidential candidates for the 2023 election.

    The former Minister made this announcement while featuring on a political programme on Channels TV.

    She said Obi, one-time governor of Anambra State, possesses what others do not have, even as the country suffers from poor leadership.

    “Somebody says to you, between a cast of possible presidents that include the three frontrunners that we currently have – a possible President Tinubu, Atiku, and Obi – do you need anybody to tell you where you would be going? It would be an Obi.

    “Even though he comes from that particular political class that we are talking about, he still at least represents many more shapes than the other two top candidates (about Atiku and Tinubu),” she added.

    She also decried the country’s numerous problems, saying that the leadership problem confronting the country has led to stunted growth.

    However, she acknowledged that the current political awakening in the country, especially among youths, will alter the landscape.

    Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili is an economic policy expert, an advocate for transparency, accountability, good governance, and human capital development, a humanitarian, and an activist.

  • June 12: Soyinka, Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, Utomi, Agbakoba, Falana, Sani, Ezekwesili to pay tributes to Abiola on Sunday

    June 12: Soyinka, Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, Utomi, Agbakoba, Falana, Sani, Ezekwesili to pay tributes to Abiola on Sunday

    …pro June 12 Governors and Stakeholders and others

    Pro-democracy activists across Nigeria will on Sunday pay tributes to the widely acclaimed June 12 1993 winner presidential election, Chief Moshood Abiola by activists in the mould of Prof Wole Soyinka, Olisa Agbakoba, Bola Tinubu, Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, Femi Falana and other critical stakeholders.

    TheNewsGuru .com, (TNG) reports this was contained in a statement signed by Prof Anthony Kila Chairman, Organising Committee.

    June 12 Democracy Day Celebration is in commemoration of the Annual Anniversary of the June 12 DEMOCRACY Day, the June 12 Democracy Movement of Nigeria convened by Eminent Pro Democracy Compatriots, wishes to announce that it shall be hosting eminent Nigerians and Pro Democracy Activists on Sunday, June 12, 2022 at the Residence of MKO Abiola, the winner of the Presidential elections of June 12, 1993, who died in military incarceration for refusing to renounce the historic mandate freely given to him by Nigerians

    This historic event, which will be hosted at MKO Abiola Family Compound in Lagos named in 2015 as Nigeria’s Democracy Centre by the June 12 Movement, is aimed to compliment the official recognition of June 12 by the Federal Government as Nigeria’s Democracy Day arising from the Martyrdom of MKO Abiola.

    To this end, the historic event is expected to witness Prayers, Tributes, Roll Calls of Honour of Heroes and Heroines of Nigeria’s Democracy, and the Laying of a Wreath of Honour in memory of the Martyrdom of MKO Abiola to honour the sacrifice of his precious life to defend the mandate of the Nigerian people freely given to him on June 12, 1993, which is generally adjudged as a major catalyst to birthing the current Democratic rule in Nigeria.

    Some of the eminent Nigerians invited to Speak and pay Tributes at the event themed “Hope 93 & June 12 Elections: Lessons for Credible Elections in 2023” are Prof Wole Soyinka, Chairman of the Occasion, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Waziri Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Peter Obi, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, General Alani Akinriade, Prof Pat Utomi, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, Barr Femi Falana, SAN, Barr Mike Ozekhome SAN, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, Senator Shehu Sanni, Chief Dele Momodu among others already invited to the event. Similarly, Invitations have been sent to all Pro June 12 Governors and Stakeholders to speak and pay tributes at the event with the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwoolu as Chief Host of the day.

    However, due to the subsisting Covid 19 protocols, this year’s anniversary celebration is being organized as a hybrid event to accommodate more participants online via Zoom from 11 am, as this year’s anniversary celebration is also billed to witness the annual Roll Calls of Honours for distinguished Nigerians nominated as Heroes and Heroines of the Nigerian Democracy.

  • Reflect on how relevant your actions are in a troubled democracy – Oby Ezekwesili tells NBA

    Reflect on how relevant your actions are in a troubled democracy – Oby Ezekwesili tells NBA

    Former education minister, Oby Ezekwesili, has urged Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), whose annaul conference is scheduled to hold in Sokoto, to use the moment to reflect on “how relevant its actions are in a troubled democracy.”

    The annual NBA conference is scheduled to hold from Sunday, May 22 to Thursday, May 26, 2022.

     

    Following Thursday’s killing of a student, Deborah Samuel, in Sokoto for alleged blasphemy, the former education withdrew from participating at the NBA’s conference.

     

    Mrs Ezekwesili, who was billed to speak during a session on ‘democratic evolution and nation-building, noted that she would be boycotting the event in protest against the killing of the student.

     

    The former World Bank executive added, “I shall no longer participate. NBA owes citizens like #DeborahSamuel #EuniceOlawale #BridgetAgbaheme the judicial activism to enforce Justice.”

     

    “I have decided to withdraw my Speaking commitment to @NigBarAssoc for its event holding in Sokoto. I was billed to speak from abroad via Zoom but even now will no longer do so,” she noted.

     

    Those scheduled to speak in the session alongside Ezekwesili are INEC chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu, Rivers State Governor and presidential aspirant Nyesom Wike among others.

     

    Earlier, rights lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa called on the NBA to cancel the conference over the killing of Samuel.

  • Buhari’s government not interested in children’s education – Ezekwesili

    Buhari’s government not interested in children’s education – Ezekwesili

    Former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili on Friday said the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government is not interested in the education of schoolchildren.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that Ezekwesili is speaking on the sidelines of the seventh year anniversary of the kidnap of over 276 girls from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok Borno State by Boko Haram gunmen.

    Although most of the 276 girls escaped or were later released, more than 112 girls are still missing.

    Speaking during a monitored Channels Television programme, the former minister lamented that the whereabouts of the schoolgirls still remain unknown.

    “This government did not give any priority, I do not think this government is interested in schoolchildren and their education,” she said.

    “Look at northern Nigeria; it is already in behind the curve in terms of development. Development is a function of human capital – education, health and all the other associated services that people need in other to productively engage.”

    Ezekwesili therefore called on President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to give children a priority in Nigeria, especially on their education.

    She also reacted to a claim by Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, that the Federal Government directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to mint about N60 billion to augment the monthly allocation to states.

    Being a former Vice President of the World Bank, Ezekwesili said the nation’s economy is in a serious trouble.

    While describing inflation as the worst economy of the poor, she said Nigeria’s inflation stands at 17 per cent.

    “The country is in serious economic trouble. The truth is that you have got inflation at high double digit of 17 per cent.

    “For the governor to be almost sanguine about quantitative easing that is not backed by the kind of level of growth and productivity like America and some of the other countries in Europe, this is really so much dangerous policy,” she added.

  • Ex-Education Minister, Oby Ezekwesili bags international appointment

    International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation, (IBFD) has appointed Dr Oby Ezekwesili to its board of trustees.

    The appointment took effect from 1 April.

    IBFD is the world’s foremost authority on cross-border taxation and offers high quality information and education on International Tax

    As member of the Board of Trustees, Ezekwesili will contribute to the oversight of IBFD’s expansion in developing economies.

    She is expected to bring on board a wealth of knowledge and experience in international organisations and capacity building.

    CEO of IBFD Jan Maarten Slagter said about Ezekwesili’s appointment: “IBFD is delighted that Dr Ezekwesili has joined our Board of Trustees and expect that her unique perspective and contribution will be enormously beneficial, in particular to the work that we do in developing economies.

    “The current crisis will put more strain on government budgets and domestic resource mobilization will be more important than ever going forward.”

    Dr Ezekwesili is an economic policy expert and senior economic adviser at the Africa Economic Development Policy Initiative (AEDPI).

    She was a Richard von Weizsäcker Fellow at the Robert Bosch Academy and is a co-founder of Transparency International.

    Dr Ezekwesili was Vice-President of the World Bank’s Africa division.

    She was also a former Nigerian Minister of Education, Minister of Solid Minerals, Head of the Budget Monitoring and Price Intelligence Unit and former Chairperson of the Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI).

    Dr Ezekwesili is also co-chair of the World Economic Forum’s Africa Regional Strategy Board and a co-founder of the #BringBackOurGirls movement.

  • Ezekwesili urges Fatoyinbo to respond to rape allegation

    Ezekwesili urges Fatoyinbo to respond to rape allegation

    Former minister of education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili has urged Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) to respond to rape allegation leveled against him by Busola, wife of Timi Dakolo.

    TheNewsGuru recalls that the mother of three in an interview on YNaija TV revealed that as a teenager in the Divine Delight Club, the precursor to COZA, she was groomed and raped by the pastor.

    Dr Ezekwesili in her series of tweet described Busola’s experience as ‘too horrific’.

    “I have just read @YNaija interview with Mrs Busola Dakolo on her former Pastor, Pastor Fatoyinbo of COZA.

    “What I read is too horrific an experience. I pray Healing. Rape is a scourge we must all fight. I’d advise the Pastor to quickly respond to her weighty charges. Quickly,” she said.

    “It is daily evident that our country does have a Rape Epidemic problem. It must be tackled swiftly. The Police & Public Prosecution must take the lead to seek Justice for victims &signal deterrent.”

     

     

     

  • Ezekwesili garners 7,223 votes despite withdrawing ambition

    Ezekwesili garners 7,223 votes despite withdrawing ambition

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared President Muhammadu Buhari winner of Saturday’s presidential election.

    INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, while announcing the results early on Wednesday in Abuja said Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 15,191,847 votes to defeat his main challenger, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 11,255,978 votes.

    Also in the results announced, the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) polled a total of 7, 223 votes.

    The presidential candidate of the party and a former Minister of Education, Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili, had earlier announced her withdrawal from the presidential race, citing lack of support for her vision by the party leadership.

    The party leadership headed by Alhaji Abdul-Ganiyu Galadima immediately refuted Ezekwesili’s claims, saying that the former minister was rather pursuing a personal agenda and was never serious about her ambition.

    INEC had also said Ezewkwesili’s withdrawal had come too late and that it was not possible for the commission to substitute her name on the presidential list.

    In spite of that, Ezekwesili did not reverse her decision as she suspended all her campaign activities.

    A total of 73 candidates contested the 2019 presidential election which held on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019.

  • Ezekwesili resigns membership of ACPN few days after dumping presidential ambition

    Ezekwesili resigns membership of ACPN few days after dumping presidential ambition

    Former presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, ACPN, Oby Ezekwesili has officially resigned from the party.

    Recall that the former minister made headlines last week when she officially dumped her presidential aspirants to allow for a coalition of third force against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and major opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming 2019 general elections.

    The former minister of education said she has returned ACPN membership card and all other items in her possession to the party.

    Details shortly…