₦airaland Forum

freemanq:
Hahahahaha very funny even other African leaders will be laughing

Tinubu said that what happened in Ghana during last weekend's elections is worthy of emulation by other countries in the region.

President Bola Tinubu has urged leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to emulate Ghana’s democratic practice following a successful presidential and parliamentary elections in the country.

Former President John Mahama was reelected to lead Ghana once again last Saturday, defeating the incumbent Vice President, Mahamud Bawumia, who called to congratulate the winner even before the official results were declared.

In his opening speech at the 66th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Abuja on Sunday, Tinubu who is the Chairman said that what happened in Ghana is worthy of emulation by other countries in the region.

He hailed the incumbent President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, who is attending the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government for the last time as President, for the successful election.

“Just a week ago on the 7th of December 2024, presidential election and parliamentary elections took place in Ghana which is the second largest democracy in our region. One of the leading candidates who happens to be the incumbent Vice President, His Excellency Mahamud Bawumia, together with the leading party, New Patriotic Party (NPP) conceded defeat and accepted the outcome of the election by congratulating the President-elect, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama of National Democratic Congress (NDC) for his victory even before the announcement of the official results.

“This gesture as it happened in Nigeria in 2015 demonstrated political maturity and respect for the wish of the people of Ghana. Today, we have the man I will refer to as Mr Democrat, I congratulate the President Nana Akufo -ddo and the people of Ghana for the successful elections and urge all of us in the region to learn from this good democratic practice and prioritise our countries’ national unity to ensure political stability of the region that this manner of peaceful transition recalls the culture of democracies not only in West Africa but also in the entire African continent,” Tinubu said.

The Nigerian leader also commended Senegal for a successful conduct of parliamentary elections recently.

Tinubu called for cooperation among the ECOWAS member states in protecting their citizens and providing an enabling environment for the citizens to thrive.

The victims were traders returning to Odenyi in Nasarawa Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, after attending the Ocholonya market.

No fewer than 20 people, mostly women and children, have been reported dead in a boat capsize that occurred on the River Benue on Saturday.

The incident occurred when a wooden boat capsized near Ocholonya in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.

The victims were traders returning to Odenyi in Nasarawa Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, after attending the Ocholonya market.

The PUNCH quoted a local resident, who identified himself as Adanyi, as saying, “Yesterday (Saturday) was market day at Ocholonya, located within Agatu LGA.

“The passengers, mostly women and children, were heading back to Odenyi in Nasarawa State when the boat they were in capsized, resulting in all of them perishing.”

Also confirming the incident on Sunday, Agatu LGA Chairman, Melvin James, said, “It’s true there was a boat mishap yesterday. The victims had come to the Ocholonya market, which is in Agatu LGA.

“When they were returning to their homes in Apochi and Odenyi communities in Doma, Nasarawa State, the boat capsized.”

James added, “I’m working on contacting my counterpart in Nasarawa State to see how we can visit the affected families and offer our condolences.

“There have been conflicting reports about the number of casualties—some say 20 died—but no bodies have been officially recovered, to my knowledge.”

The council chairman also said that local divers have reportedly recovered some bodies, though he emphasized that as the chairman, he must provide accurate information.

He noted that attempts to reach the divers to confirm the total number of bodies found had been unsuccessful.

One source reportedly said that 20 bodies had been recovered, with others still unaccounted for.

James further mentioned that he had reached out to the Nigerian Navy commander in the LGA for assistance in the ongoing rescue efforts.