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IAWPA African Director Metchie urges Atiku, Obi, others to heed President Tinubu’s call for reconcilation, nation building
The African Director, International Association of World Peace Advocates, IAWPA, Dr. John Metchie, has called on the main opposition political leaders, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) as well as all Nigerians, to heed the call by President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to put political differences behind and join hands with him to built a united and prosperous nation.
Metchie who is also the Prime Minister of Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU) made the call in Nairobi Kenya, where he is attending a four-day UN-Habitat Assembly programme on Environment, said the call by Tinubu for national healing, as contained in the President’s inaugural speech was timely and testifies to his humility and genuine concern and commitment to the good of Nigeria and her people.
Metchie said he was sure that most Nigerians have not taken time to go through the President’s inaugural speech because it was muffled by the controversies surrounding the oil subsidy removal which he said had dominated national discourse for the past two weeks.
Quoting former United States’ president, Barack Obama, Metchie said there is a time for politics and a time for nation-building, adding that President Tinubu also made a clear demarcation between the two in his inaugural speech and specifically acknowledged that becoming the president does not make him superior or a better Nigerian than opposition leaders and other citizens.
Chief Metchie, the President General of Umueri community of Anambra State who is also the Deputy Commander General of the Nigerian Hunters and Forest Security Service (NHFSS) in charge of Technical Services, quoted Tinubu who said that- “However, my victory does not render me any more Nigerian than my opponents. Nor does it render them any less patriotic. They shall forever be my fellow compatriots. And I will treat them as such. They represent important constituencies and concerns that wisdom dare not ignore. They have taken their concerns to court. Seeking legal redress is their right and I fully defend their exercise of this right. This is the essence of the rule of law.”
He said that Tinubu by the statement has once again justified himself as a true democrat by standing on his age-long conviction in the rule of law and confidence in the nation’s judicial system.
He said that the guiding principles of Tinubu administration, as contained in his inaugural speech clearly show that the President was determined to deviate positively from the way things were done in the past and therefore said the President needs all hands on deck to build new Nigeria of our dream.
Metchie said- “Among other inspiring parts of the President’s speech, my hope in a better Nigeria was rekindled with the guiding principles of the Tinubu administration which are that – “Nigeria will be impartially governed according to the constitution and the rule of law; “We shall defend the nation from terror and all forms of criminality that threaten the peace and stability of our country and our sub region;” “We shall remodel our economy to bring about growth and development through job creation, food security and an end of extreme poverty;” “In our administration, Women and youth will feature prominently;” “Our government will continue to take proactive steps such as championing a credit culture to discourage corruption while strengthening the effectiveness and efficiency of the various anti-corruption agencies.”
The IAWPA’s African Director therefore urged leaders of opposition and all Nigerians to take few minutes and read President Tinubu’s inaugural speech without prejudice and political colouration, but with open mind, as according to him, the speech represents hope, unity and progress of Nigeria.
Earlier in the week at the UN-Habitat events, Metchie had called on the global community to come to the rescue of Anambra state which he said is being ravaged by gully erosion and other environmental challenges.
Only yesterday, Wednesday, June 7, 2023, the IAWPA African Director, decorated the Nigerian High Commissioner to Kenya, H.E Yusuf Yunusa with the Eminent Peace Ambassador Award.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria will on Thursday, deliver judgments in two cases involving the leadership crises rocking the African Democratic Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
According to information on the official website of the court, the matters, listed under “Political Appeals”, have been added to the cause list for Thursday, April 30, 2026.
While judgment in the ADC matter, marked SC/CV/180/2026, has been fixed for 2 pm, there is no time yet for that if the PDP.
President Bola Tinubu has written the Senate, seeking the screening and subsequent confirmation of fifteen nominees to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The letter was read by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The letter seeks the reconstitution of the commission’s board in line with statutory provisions with the list comprising nominees from diverse professional backgrounds, including the media and legal sectors.
Among the nominees are the President, Nigeria Guild of Editors and Editor, Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Eze Anaba; and Dr. Salamatu Hussaina Suleiman, who has been proposed as chairman of the board.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Anthony Ojukwu (SAN) is to retain his position as the Chief Executive Officer.
Other nominees include Mrs Roseline Tasha, Ambassador Adam Yubak Baku, ACG Felix Lawrence, Mr. Edmund Chinonye, Mr. Chinonye Obiaku (SAN), Oluwakemi Asiwaju Okere-Odo, Professor Adedeji Ogunji, Kingsley Chidozie, Mohammed Adelodu, Maupe Ogun Yusuf, and Otunba Francis Meshioye as members.
Also nominated are Patience Patrick and Hawwa Ibrahim, listed as members.
The President said the nominations were made pursuant to Section 2(3) of the National Human Rights Commission (Establishment) Act, 2010, which empowers him to constitute the board subject to Senate confirmation.
He explained that the reconstitution of the board was necessary to enhance the commission’s institutional capacity and enable it to more effectively discharge its mandate to promote and protect human rights across the country.
If confirmed, the new board is expected to play a critical role in reinforcing the NHRC’s oversight functions, particularly at a time of heightened concerns over rights protection and accountability in Nigeria.
Following the presentation of the request, the Senate referred the nominations to its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for screening and report within two weeks.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has revealed that it investigated the founder of Streams of Joy International, Pastor Jerry Eze, for six months over suspected money laundering before clearing him.
Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Commission, disclosed this on Wednesday while speaking at the Jerry Eze Foundation Business Grant Award Ceremony in Abuja.
According to him, the probe was triggered by intelligence reports and petitions after the commission observed large inflows of foreign currencies into the cleric’s domiciliary account.
“We work by intelligence, we work by petitions. At some point, I saw there was an account, a domiciliary account. Dollars, pounds were dropping in like raindrops, from Colombia, from America, from Sri Lanka, even from Togo.
“I said who is this man? Yes, I’ve been hearing about his name, I’ve seen his face a couple of times. I never bothered about what he was doing. I knew he was a pastor.
“So they said this one pastor of streams of joy, go and investigate him. So we went to the investigation. We combed the books,” Olukoyede stated.
The EFCC boss said he subsequently invited Eze for questioning after preliminary findings were compiled by investigators.
He added that upon meeting the cleric and reviewing the findings of the investigation, the commission found no wrongdoing.
“So he came to my office. He told me what happens and all of that, and how the money came, what he does, how he has been helping people, and all of that.
“I said, you know what, I didn’t call you here to explain to me. We have already done our work. I called you here to commend you,” he stated.
The remark drew applause from the audience, as Eze, who was present at the event, acknowledged the commendation.
He noted that the commission has a responsibility not only to investigate financial crimes but also to recognise individuals found to have acted with integrity.
The EFCC chairman, however, stated that the agency would continue to monitor financial activities where necessary, stressing that its preventive mandate remains critical in tackling corruption.
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