By Eric Elezuo

The Presidency has announce that President Bola Tinubu will be departing Abuja to (Wednesday) for Paris, France, on a ‘short working visit’.

A statement to the effect, signed and released by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, was however silent on the shape of international relationship the working visiting the president was embarking on will take, but noted that Tinubu will use the ‘retreat’ to review his administration’s mid-term performance and assess key milestones, as well as review progress of ongoing reforms.

While acknowledging that the president will spend ‘about a fortnight’ on the trip, the statement added he would supervise administration while away.

The statement in details

PRESIDENT TINUBU TO EMBARK ON WORKING VISIT TO PARIS

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart for Paris, France, today on a short working visit.

During the visit, the President will appraise his administration’s mid-term performance and assess key milestones.

He will also use the retreat to review the progress of ongoing reforms and engage in strategic planning ahead of his administration’s second anniversary.

This period of reflection will inform plans to deepen ongoing reforms and accelerate national development priorities in the coming year.

Recent economic strides reinforce the President’s commitment to these efforts, as evidenced by the Central Bank of Nigeria reporting a significant increase in net foreign exchange reserves to $23.11 billion—a testament to the administration’s fiscal reforms since 2023 when net reserves were $3.99 billion.

While away, President Tinubu will remain fully engaged with his team and continue to oversee governance activities.

He will return to Nigeria in about a fortnight.

By Eric Elezuo

The 73rd edition of the Annual Council Meeting of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) has ended in Monrovia, Liberia, with the election of Liberia’s Chief Government Nominee on Council, Honourable Amos Armah Fully, as the new Vice Chairman for a one-year tenure. Fully succeeds Mr. Edward Kpakra of Sierra Leone, whose tenure just ended, according to a statement signed by the Head, Public Affairs, WAEC Headquarters, Ghana, Demianus G. Ojijeogu, and made available to The Boss.

The event, which lasted between Monday 17, to Friday 21, March 2025, was declared open by the President of the Republic of Liberia, His Excellency, Joseph Nyumah Boakai, Sr., also witnessed the honoring of three Ghanaian best candidates in the last West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) with WAEC International Excellence Award for their outstanding performances for School Candidates, 2024.

The candidates, who received their honours during the formal opening of the meeting, were Master David Nii Commey Ankrah, (1st Prize), Master Henschel Tabi Frempong-Manso, (2nd Prize), and Master
Benedict Ofori Debrah (3rd Prize).

The three candidates were selected from 2,455,063 who sat the examination in The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. The Augustus Bandele Oyediran Award for the Best Candidate in West Africa, 2024 also went to Master David Nii Commey Ankrah.

In his closing remarks, the Chairman of Council, Prof. Thomas B. R. Yormah, appreciated to the Government and people of Liberia for being a wonderful host.

The week-long meeting was attended by delegates from all the member countries of Liberia, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and The Gambia. They included nominees of the governments, representatives of ministries/departments of education, universities, secondary schools, and other interest groups.

The next edition will be hosted by the Government of Ghana in March 2026.

By Eric Elezuo

Reports reaching The Boss say that the National Assembly comprising the Senate and the House of Representatives, have plans to employ voice vote of ‘yea’ and ‘nay’ to validate or otherwise the emergency rule declaration on Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

Quoting an undisclosed source during a live discussion on Arise News Television, one of the presenters, Rufai Oseni, said that the National Assembly has decided to use voice vote where voters will not be known contrary to the provision of the constitution of the country, which stipulates two-third of votes before the President’s emergency declaration can have the backing of the law.

Analyzing the numbers, the presenters comprising Reuben Abati, Ayo Mairo-Ese and Rufai Oseni, noted that while the the House of Representatives requires at least 270 Affirmative votes for the motion, the Senate needs at least 73 affi4mative votes.

They further reasoned that the ruling All Progressives Congress does not have the number, and would require the help of the opposition to achieve the validation.

However, Abati called on the opposition to defend the Nigerian constitution by rejecting the President’s pronouncement.

Recall that following political crises that have rocked Rivers State in the last 18 months, Tinubu, after taking instructions from the Attorney General, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, declared a state of emergency, sacking the governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and other elected officers of the state. The move has raised condemnation from well meaning Nigerians as individuals and corporate entities.

The National Assembly is expected to debate matter this Thursday as the 48 hours window provided by the constitution elapses today, just Nigerians demand a live broadcast of the proceedings so that every citizen will be carried along.