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Co-contestants in the last concluded
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general elections in Nigeria and former
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governor of an amra state Peter Obi has
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faulted President Bola Ahmed Tonubu trip
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to Brazil and also condemned the
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president frequent travel abroad at any
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slightest invitation and abandoned
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pressing issues of insecurity and other
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deplorable situations that make the
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nation bleeds. Specifically Peter Obi
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said the situation we find ourselves in
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is deeply worrisome. Our president, who
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has not found it worthy to visit any of
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our troubled states, takes joy in
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traveling to foreign countries at the
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slightest invitation or excuse, often
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departing several days, even before the
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events he's invited to. The presidency
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had in a statement on Wednesday said
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that President Bolanu will depart Abuja
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on Thursday, August 14th for a
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two-nation trip to Japan and Brazil. The
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president will stop over in Dubai,
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United Arab Emirates before proceeding
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to Japan. In Japan, President Tonubu
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will attend the 9th Tokyo International
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Conference on African Development,
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in the city of Yokohama from August 20th
1:10
to 22 with the theme co-create
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innovative solutions with Africa. TICAD9
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will focus on Africa's economic
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transformation and improvements in the
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business environment and institutions
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through private investment and
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innovation. It will also promote a
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resilient and sustainable African
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society for human security, peace, and
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stability. In addition to attending
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plenary sessions on themes linked to the
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conference, the Nigerian president will
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hold bilateral meetings and meet the
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chief executive offices of some Japanese
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companies with investments in Nigeria.
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Initiated in 1993 by the Japanese
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government and co-hosted by the United
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Nations UNDP, the African Union
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Commission and the World Bank TICAD is a
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trienal conference held alternately in
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Japan and Africa. The last one took
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place in August 2022 in Tunisia. The
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forum fosters high level policy dialogue
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between African leaders and development
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partners. At the end of the TICAD9,
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President Tonubu will leave for
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Brazilia, the capital of the Federated
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Republic of Brazil on a two-day state
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visit from Sunday, August 24th to
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Monday, August 25th. This follows an
2:28
invitation by the Brazilian president
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Louis Anatio Luna Dar Silva. While in
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Brazil, President Tonubu will hold a
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bilateral meeting with his host and
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attend a business forum with Brazilian
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investors. His delegation comprising key
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ministers and senior officials will
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explore opportunities to strengthen
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cooperation and sign agreements and
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memorand of understanding mouse with the
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Brazilian government. Beo Onuga, special
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adviser to the president on information
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and strategy stated on August 13th,
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Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential
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candidate in the last concluded general
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elections in the West Africa country in
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a statement on Thursday said, "Again,
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our president moves as the nation
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bleeds. Amid the deplorable state of our
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nation in all ramifications, we have a
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virtually indifferent president who has
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continued to display insensitivity to
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our situation. How can anyone explain
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that a president who came from Brazil
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recently and met with the president is
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returning to the same country, leaving
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the various degrees of challenges at
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home unresolved. The latest itinerary of
3:38
the president shows he will depart Abuja
3:40
on Thursday, August 14th for a
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two-nation trip to Japan and Brazil. The
3:46
president will stop over in Dubai,
3:48
United Arab Emirates, before proceeding
3:51
to Japan. In Japan, President Tonubu
3:54
will attend the 9th Tokyo International
3:56
Conference on African Development,
4:00
in the city of Yokohama from August 20th
4:03
to 22. The itinerary is silent on the
4:06
president's return date to his visibly
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troubled nation. The situation we find
4:11
ourselves in is deeply worrisome. Our
4:14
president, who has not found it worthy
4:16
to visit any of our troubled states,
4:19
takes joy in traveling to foreign
4:21
countries at the slightest invitation or
4:23
excuse. Often departing several days,
4:26
even before the events he's invited to.
4:29
In his last trip, for instance, he had a
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oneweek state visit to St. Luchia before
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attending the bricks summit where
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Nigeria was merely invited as an
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observer though the role was dressed up
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as partner to the invitation which was
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more significant. The leaders of actual
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member countries who attended only
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arrived a day or two at most for the
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event. Nigeria's insecurity situation,
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economic hardship and human suffering
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have reached their peak. We are now
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counted among the most insecure nations,
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the most fragile economies, and the
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hungriest countries in the world. This
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dire reality demands the full attention
5:08
of Mr. President, and his travels should
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be more within our troubled states and
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communities, spending time on the
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ground, and taking decisive action to
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alleviate the people's suffering rather
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than these overseas conferences that
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contribute little or no tangible value
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to our nation's woes. And where the trip
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is necessary at all, it could be
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attended in just a few days rather than
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indulging in prolonged unnecessary
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absences from a country that requires
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24/7 attention. What our nation needs
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now is security of lives and properties,
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economic stability, and ensuring that
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our people have food on their table. Our
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president's planned trip of 12 days
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departing today, if necessary, should
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have been at most a 5-day trip, as the
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event he was invited to in Japan,
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commences on the 20th. Nigeria today
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demands competent leadership with
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capacity and compassion to start dealing
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with the problems besetting it with the
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presence and sacrifice required. Mr.
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President must, as a matter of urgency,
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commence tours of our states with the
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same enthusiasm he shows for jetting out
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of the country every month. These visits
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will enable him to see, listen, and
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learn more about what Nigerians are
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going through. Though Nigerians know
6:24
that our huge problems cannot be solved
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overnight, they want to see 100% effort
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and tireless commitment to solving them.
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Most importantly, our president must
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know that he's not a tourist, but the
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chief executive of a troubled nation.
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So, he must have consciousness, strict
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work schedules, and a strict traveling
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schedule to show that he has a troubled
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country to quickly return to.
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