The House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora has promised to reintroduce the diaspora voting bill in a bid to accommodate Nigerians living abroad.
Chairman of the Committee and member representing Oluyole federal constituency, Tolulope Shadipe, stated this on Thursday when the Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, appeared before the Committee.
Dabiri-Erewa was at the National Assembly to defend the Commission’s 2023 budget and 2022 budget performance in Abuja on Thursday.
According to Shadipe, the National Assembly will reintroduce the diaspora voting bill which was rejected during the constitution amendment exercise. She said the bill for the diaspora voting would pass this time because that is the direction the world is going and Nigeria must not be left behind.
“We would be back with the bill, they are Nigerians and they have the right to vote in Nigerian elections,” she stated.
“The modalities and the issues that were raised the last time would be resolved and we would come back to it.”
The lawmaker noted that the Committee was also looking at the issue of people of Nigerian descent who are currently not Nigerians but want to return home after DNA tests proved they had ties with the country.
In her response, Dabiri-Erewa urged Nigerians to stop migrating to other countries if they did not have jobs there.
According to her, 80 percent of prisoners in Dubai are Nigerians who went there without jobs and got into trouble. The NIDCOM chief said there was a need for stronger multi-sector collaboration to stop the trend.
During the Constitution Amendment by the House of Reps in March, the push for diaspora voting suffered a setback as the lawmakers rejected the bill.
In his own presentation, Hon Opeyemi Bamidele, assured Nigerians in the diaspora that the 10th Senate would put in more effort to pass the bill this time.He said, “We will do our best to make sure that this time around, we achieve your desire in this regard.“
Push News 24 Internatioonal repirts that there are millions of Nigerians living abroad. These are the top ten countries with Nigerian population. At the top is the USA (380,785), followed by the UK (190,000), Germany (56,000), Italy (71,000), Canada (51,800), France (30,000), South Africa (30,000), Ireland (17,542), China (10,000) and the Netherlands (9,453)
DALLAS : OBA AKILE PROMISES TO INVOLVE YORUBAS IN DIASPORA IN REVIEW OF PUBLIC POLICIES
“I believe the new democratically elected government is a Diaspora friendly one which will provide an enabling platform for effective policies for the Diasporans.”
A charismatic Yoruba African Kingdom traditional ruler in Texas, United States, the Oba of Dallas, HRH Oba Abimbola Akile Balogun, Oshiloye joye 1, has advise that he believes the new government in Nigeria will involve Nigerians in Diaspora in the designing, implementation and review of public policies, plans and programmes.
Oba Akile disclosed this on Saturday 28th, October, 2023 while receiving some Yoruba stakeholders in Diaspora who paid him a courtesy visit at his palace in Dallas.
The royal father said he believes the government is not unmindful of the contributions of the Nigerians in Diaspora to the economy of Nigeria, Push News 24 International reports.
Akile said: ” The National Diaspora Policy 2021 prescribes July 25th annually as a day to celebrate Nigerians in the Diaspora by recognizing their contributions to National Development and networking them to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government, State Diaspora Focal Point Officers (SDFPOs) and Civil Society Organzations (CSOs) in Nigeria and if this policy is followed to the latter Diasporans have no reasons to worry”
“Consolidating Diaspora Engagement for National Development is apt giving the fact that it births the new dawn in our socio-political journey with the aim of strengthening our development in policies and programmes with our Diaspora Community across the globe for national development”.
“Let me reiterate that, as the custodian of the Yoruba Traditional stool in Dallas, Texas, I will lobby to ensure government continues to hold Diasporans in high esteem and will work hard in uplifting diasporans engagements with the government at all levels.”
The Ijebu-born royal father added that: ” It is worthy of note that I and my Oba-in-Council will collaborate with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) to further celebrate the amazing contributions of our Diaspora Champions with the introduction of initiatives that will not only serve as a morale booster for the Diaspora community but will also encourage Diaspora engagement and participation for national development.
“Let me also commend the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) for its dynamic engagements with the Diaspora community especially in coming up with laudable programmes for Nigerians in Diaspora to invest at home. I believe in the years to come, these programmes will impact tremendously on our economy by catalyzing our developmental efforts.
“May I also let you know that this new democratically elected government is a Diaspora friendly one, which will provide an enabling platform for effective policies for the Diaspora with the view to galvanizing support for the new administration and concretizing our democracy, setting a good example for other African countries to emulate.
Push News 24 International also reports that Oba Akile advise Nigerians to key into the development agenda as only Nigerians can develop Nigeria. This includes both those at home and those in the Diaspora.”
Unofficial reports states that there are about 15 million Nigerians in the diaspora and majority in the US, With Texas having over 100 thousand Nigerians.
DRIVERS LICENSE : NIGERIANS IN DIASPORA EXCITES AS UNITED STATES ADOPTS YORUBA LANGUAGE IN TRANSPORT ADMINISTRATION
Nigerian-Americans are among the most successful immigrant groups, topping the charts in a wide array of fields.
The Yoruba people of present-day South-Western Nigeria are the fountainhead of a number of vibrant and growing global success from arts, religion, education, music, sports etc.
From BALTIMORE USA — Maryland’s learner’s permit knowledge test, and its study materials, will soon be offered in nine more languages, bringing the total for each to 17 languages.
Getting a learner’s permit is the first step to getting a driver’s license in the state.
The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration said it is expanding accessibility services as part of Gov. Wes Moore’s focus on equity and access.
The new languages being offered are:
Yoruba (West Africa) Tagalog Amharic (Afro-Asiatic language) Arabic Russian Urdu Hindi Farsi Portuguese American Sign Language
Motor Vehicle Administrator Chrissy Nizer said in a news release that enhancing the accessibility for the driver’s knowledge test and study materials is critical in serving the state’s “linguistically diverse population.”
“We are committed to the safety of all our new drivers and we want all our applicants to understand the materials clearly and have a positive testing experience,” Nizer stated.
To apply for a learner’s permit, applicants must pass the permit driver’s knowledge test which is comprised of 25 random questions that include topics such as roadway signage, rules of the road and more. Applicants must finish the test within 20 minutes with a score of 88% or better to pass.
In faraway United States of America, there is a Yoruba community named Oyotunji African Village. It is located near Sheldon, Beaufort County, South Carolina. Oyotunji is regarded as North America’s oldest authentic African village.
Three Nigerian Nationals Extradited from the United Kingdom and Spain to Face Fraud Charges
It’s no longer news that online crimes is on the rise with the advancement in technology. The US government is also not resting on ensuring fraudsters are exposed and prosecuted.
A recent publication by the US Department of Public Safety indicated that three Nigerians are currently undergoing investigation over fraud crimes.
Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department and U.S. law enforcement will continue to work closely with law enforcement partners across the globe to bring to justice criminals who attempt to defraud U.S. victims from outside the United States.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service constantly strives to protect our communities from predatory criminals seeking to abuse and exploit the most vulnerable members of our society,” said Postal Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Miami Division. “This case is an example of how Postal Inspectors will vigorously pursue fraudsters and ensure that they are brought to justice for the crimes they have committed.”
“These extraditions prove that by pulling law enforcement agencies together, we can best focus on investigating individuals and illicit criminal organizations associated with foreign-based fraud schemes that disproportionately affect vulnerable seniors,” Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “I want to thank everyone involved in this investigation and in the extradition process for their dedication; together we have the tools to keep our elderly from falling prey to these scams.”
The defendants are all charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, as well as mail fraud and wire fraud. Neboh and Samuel were both extradited earlier this year. If convicted, Ikponmwosa, Abraham, and Ozor each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison per count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
A Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois County, United States of America, has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the general elections, requesting President Bola Tinubu’s academic records from the Chicago State University.
During the campaigns in 2022, Tinubu stated that he had a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with honours.
Despite Beverly Poindexter, who is in charge of official transcript requests, enrolment and degree verification at the Office of the Registrar, CSU, affirming Tinubu’s comment, some persons still had some doubts.
Recently, Atiku filed a suit, seeking to subpoena the university but was said to have, before the date of hearing, withdrawn the case before the court.
According to the Circuit Court papers dated July 31, Judge Patrick J. Heneghan dismissed the case without prejudice.
In the judgment, the judge held that the “petitioner’s subpoena in this case is withdrawn and thus Chicago State University will not be deposed pursuant to the subpoena in this case.”
Ruling on the matter which had Atiku as the petitioner and CSU as the respondent, Justice Heneghan said the case was dismissed without prejudice and resolves all matters pending before the court.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has filed a counter motion to block the subpoena request filed before the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Chicago, USA, by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar. The former Vice President, in a petition filed on Tuesday, July 11, 2023, sought to obtain further details of Tinubu’s academic records at the Chicago State University.
Among the documents requested, Angela M. Liu, counsel to the PDP Presidential flag-bearer, include the record of Tinubu’s admission and acceptance at the university; and dates of attendance including degrees, awards and honours attained by the President at the university.
Atiku informed the court that the subpoena on Tinubu was to subject the President’s assertions to test of truth and veracity, adding that “he is currently the President of Nigeria and is facing various court proceedings concerning his election and the authenticity of documents relating to his attendance at Chicago State University.”
But, replying to the petition, counsel to the President, Victor P. Henderson on July 19, prayed the court to strike out Atiku’s request, arguing that no judge of any court heard and granted the subpoena.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS; also known as CEDEAO in French and Portuguese) is a regional political and economic union of fifteen countries located in West Africa. Collectively, these countries comprise an area of 5,114,162 km2 (1,974,589 sq mi), and in 2019 had an estimated population of over 387 million.
STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
PRESIDENT TINUBU EMERGES AS NEW ECOWAS CHAIRMAN, HARPS ON REGIONAL SECURITY
…seeks private sector-led economic growth in sub-region
…Says ECOWAS must rise against coup d’etat
In a unanimous endorsement that signals the trust and confidence reposed in him by his counterparts, President Bola Tinubu emerged the new Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the 63rd Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government on Sunday in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau.
President Tinubu, who is the latest entrant into the exclusive club of Heads of State in West Africa, enthusiastically accepted the honour, on behalf of Nigeria, with a solemn pledge to bear the responsibility of the office and run an inclusive administration of the regional organisation.
The Nigerian leader, however, warned that the threat to peace in the sub-region had reached an alarming proportion with terrorism and emerging pattern of military takeover that now demand urgent and concerted actions.
He said insecurity and creeping terrorism were stunting the progress and development of the region.
President Tinubu called for a collective action from member-states, pledging that under his leadership, frameworks would be harmonized to actualize the dreams of ECOWAS.
“On peace and security, the threat has reached an alarming level, and needs urgent actions in addressing the challenges. Indeed, without a peaceful environment, progress and development in the region will continue to remain elusive. In this regard, we must remain committed to the utilisation of all regional frameworks at our disposal to address the menace of insecurity,” he declared.
President Tinubu noted that ECOWAS had developed a security architecture, which he noted, “covers a wide range of areas that involved kinetic and non-kinetic operations, including preventive diplomacy. There is also the Regional Plan of Action on Fight against Terrorism 2020-2024 as well as the operationalization of the ECOWAS Standby Force on Fight Against Terrorism.
“I will ensure that we immediately harmonize these plans and mobilize resources as well as the political will to towards the actualisation of the initiatives. As terrorists do not respect boundaries, we must work collectively to have an effective regional counterterrorism measure,” the President further stated.
On his emergence as Chairman on his first participation at the summit, having just started out as the elected leader of Nigeria, President Tinubu stated that he was humbled and honoured by the trust to assume the leadership of the regional body, pledging his commitment to serve the interest of the community.
He said: “Indeed, I’m humbled and honored by this trust, and want to assure you of my unalloyed commitment to provide the necessary leadership with dedication to serve the interest of the community.”
To underscore his commitment towards regional integration, the Nigerian President declared that he would prioritize political stability, peace and security, regional economic integration and strengthening of the ECOWAS institutions, declaring that democracy and good governance remain the abiding cornerstone of peace and sustainable development. While decrying the emerging pattern of coup d’etat in West Africa where soldiers have toppled the popular mandate of the people through barrel of guns, President Tinubu charged ECOWAS to stand firm in defence of democracy.
“We must stand firm on democracy. There is no governance, freedom and rule of law without Democracy. We will not accept coup after coup in West Africa again. Democracy is very difficult to manage but it is the best form of government. There is no one here among us who did not campaign to be a leader. We didn’t give our soldiers resources, we didn’t invest in them, in their boots, in their training to violate the freedom of the people. To turn their guns against civil authorities is a violation of the principles upon which they were hired which is to defend the sovereignty of their nations. We must not sit in ECOWAS as toothless bulldogs,” the President warned.
On political stability, he said: “You will all agree with me that democracy and good governance are the cornerstones of peace and sustainable development of every society. I’m fully committed to deepening democracy and good governance in the region.
“We must strengthen our democratic institutions and ensure the respect for human rights and the rule of law. I will enhance engagements with the countries in transition to ensure their quick return to democratic rule.
The new ECOWAS Chairman called for improved private sector participation in the effort towards the economic development of Member States as well as their social integration.
“We would work collectively to pursue an inclusive economic integration, which will be significantly private sector driven, in order to unlock the vast economic potentials of our region. We would actively promote trade, investment, and business cooperation among Member States by addressing the barriers impeding intra-regional trade, as well as creating a conducive business environment.
“We must encourage economic partnerships to raise the level of trade and investments in our region, hence facilitating employment creation and sustainable development and prosperity for our citizens.
“To this end, we must look inward and work with our regional economic facilitation platforms such as the Federation of West of West Africa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FEWACCI) as well as ECOWAS Trade Organisation Network to attain our desired goals, “he said further.
President Tinubu assured the regional leaders of the immediate implementation of his vision for the body, declaring that:
“In furtherance of my vision for our region’s economic recovery and growth, Nigeria intends to convene an ECOWAS Extra Ordinary Summit on Trade and Investment in October 2023.
“The event will provide opportunity for Member States to showcase their potentials and encourage match-making, in order to evolve business cooperation among the various organized private sector within the region,” he added while calling for the strengthening of the institutions of the body.
“In the area of strengthening our Organisations Institutions and ensuring effective performance, we underscore the need for the conclusion of the on-going institutional reforms of the organization.
“Given that Community Levy remained the biggest source of generating funds to run our organization, we must ensure that our citizens being taxed must be positively impacted by the programmes and projects of ECOWAS. This is in line with the shift of ECOWAS slogan from “ECOWAS of State” to “ECOWAS of People,” the Nigerian President emphasised.
He appreciated the Authority of Heads of States and citizens of the Community for trusting him to lead the West African body.
President Tinubub said: “Your Excellencies, let me conclude by once again deeply appreciating the Authority of Heads of State and the citizens of the Community for your trust in me. Together, we can shape a brighter future of shared values of peace, democracy, and economic prosperity of our region.”
In his welcome address, the outgone ECOWAS Chairman and President of Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco Embalo saluted his fellow leaders for sustaining the vision of the organisation despite the global economic headwinds and trouble spots within the region. He cited Mali, Burkina Faso and Republic of Guinea as countries where the constitutional order had been distorted while congratulating Nigeria and Sierra Leone for sustaining constitutional order through democratic process with the recent successful elections.
USA : 1ST INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE, 1ST BLACK, 1ST NIGERIAN, YEMI MOBOLADE ELECTED MAYOR, REFLECTS ON HISTORIC VICTORY
Colorado Springs is getting a new mayor, and he can boast some firsts – the first Black person to be elected mayor, the first non-Republican to be elected in decades in the famously conservative city. Independent candidate Yemi Mobolade took some 57% of the vote in Tuesday’s election and will take office June 6. Mayor-elect, congratulations, and welcome to the program.
Nigerian-born Yemi Mobolade defeated his Republican challenger, Wayne Williams, in a May 16 runoff election. Mobolade, an Independent, is also the first non-Republican mayor in the city’s history. His predecessor, Mayor John Suthers, publicly endorsed Williams during the campaign.
Before getting into politics, Mobolade co-founded restaurants Good Neighbors Meeting House and The Wild Goose Meeting House. He most recently served as the Small Business Development Administrator and Vice President of Business Retention and Expansion for the Colorado Springs Chamber of Economic Development Corporation.
The mayor-elect ran on a platform of crime and safety, improving the city’s infrastructure and bringing more businesses to Colorado Springs. And his victory speech was a hopeful message to the city’s residents that positive change is on the horizon.
YEMI MOBOLADE: Thank you, Ayesha. And thank you for having me.
RASCOE: You are originally from Nigeria. What attracted you to Colorado Springs?
MOBOLADE: Yes, I moved to the U.S. 27 years ago as an international student. My siblings and I moved because of opportunity. And by fate and faith and luck, we landed in the U.S. And I spent the first 14 of those years in northern Indiana, where I met my wife. And I landed in Colorado also because of opportunity, first as a pastor and then as a business leader and now as a civic leader.
RASCOE: You said in your acceptance speech and in other interviews that you want Colorado Springs to become an inclusive city on the hill. Have you always found the city to be welcoming?
MOBOLADE: Yes. In my study – as I study other leaders and admire what makes a great city, it starts with a city that is welcoming of different cultures, different ideas, different – even different politics.
RASCOE: Are you saying that the city is not there at this point?
MOBOLADE: What I’m saying is that we’ve had a good start, and I’d like for us to fully evolve into that. So the city has started in that direction. I mean, clearly, you know, electing an immigrant as mayor is a sign that the city is actually more open and embracing of people with my story than perhaps America has heard about Colorado Springs. What I’m saying is that I have an opportunity as a leader to fully help us evolve into that even more exponentially.
RASCOE: The mayoral race is officially nonpartisan in Colorado Springs, but there’s been a lot of buzz over your win as a blow to the Republican Party. Do you see it that way?
MOBOLADE: Not at all. Frankly, that part of the media messages and cycle has felt frustrating for me because that’s not the politics I’m trying to introduce. It’s actually quite contrary to the leadership I’m trying to promote, the new way of politics I’m trying to usher. I have been clear from day one that – putting our quality of life ahead of party politics. So many of us like me in my city – 48% of us are registered unaffiliated. We are independents, and we represent so many different political values and spectrums on the continuum. So this statement is not a statement of, again, politics because this is a cancer of our nation right now. It’s what I call the tribalism that we’re seeing. And that’s the world that I left to come to this country.
RASCOE: Can I ask you, though – you are an independent candidate, but when you look at your policies, do you consider yourself progressive? Do you consider yourself conservative? How do you look at your own policies?
MOBOLADE: There are parts of my story that people would say Yemi is conservative, and what they mean is I’m a small business owner. The way I envision government is from a limited perspective. I moved to the city as a pastor. I teach at evangelical churches. So those parts of my story lend itself as conservative. And then when you look at my work in this city – has been to embrace our communities that have been so – part of our community socioeconomically that have not had a place at the table of city leadership, reaching out to the minority communities, the African community, the African American communities, and trying to provide economic opportunities and trying to serve as a bridge to parts of our communities that have been traditionally left out from the table. That would be, quote, unquote, “more progressive.”
RASCOE: So I know you said that there are a lot of people who feel like they don’t have a home politically in this country. What do you feel like the movement or what you are trying to do – what would that home look like for you if it doesn’t necessarily neatly fit within the two-party system that is currently in place?
MOBOLADE: Right. The home is just being Americans – red, white and blue. That is a home. And for me, the home for my city is Colorado Springs. We are Colorado Springs. That’s my – that was my campaign brand. It takes all of us, not just some of us. That is a home – getting back to who we are as Americans. And I think two things can be true at the same time. I think I can hold on to my strong values and still have room for others to be welcome at the table.
RASCOE: That’s Colorado Springs Mayor-elect Yemi Mobolade. Thank you so much for speaking with us.
MOBOLADE: Thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate your time today.
Additional reports :NPR transcripts, Push News 24 International
US 2024 : DESPITE CLOCKING 82, JOE BIDEN DECLARES RE-ELECTION BID, POISE TO BE US OLDEST PRESIDENT
President Joe Biden speaks during a ceremony honoring the Council of Chief State School Officers’ 2023 Teachers of the Year in the Rose Garden of the White House, Monday, April 24, 2023 in Washington. President Biden announced 2024 reelection bid Tuesday.
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Tuesday formally announced that he is running for reelection in 2024, asking voters to give him more time to “finish the job” he began when he was sworn in to office and to set aside their concerns about extending the run of America’s oldest president for another four years.
Biden, who would be 86 at the end of a second term, is betting his first-term legislative achievements and more than 50 years of experience in Washington will count for more than concerns over his age. He faces a smooth path to winning his party’s nomination, with no serious Democratic rivals. But he’s still set for a hard-fought struggle to retain the presidency in a bitterly divided nation.
The announcement, in a three-minute video, comes on the four-year anniversary of when Biden declared for the White House in 2019, promising to heal the “soul of the nation” amid the turbulent presidency of Donald Trump — a goal that has remained elusive.
“I said we are in a battle for the soul of America, and we still are,” Biden said. “The question we are facing is whether in the years ahead we have more freedom or less freedom. More rights or fewer.”
While the question of seeking reelection has been a given for most modern presidents, that’s not always been the case for Biden, as a notable swath of Democratic voters have indicated they would prefer he not run, in part because of his age — concerns Biden has called “totally legitimate” but ones he did not address head-on in the launch video.
Yet few things have unified Democratic voters like the prospect of Trump returning to power. And Biden’s political standing within his party stabilized after Democrats notched a stronger-than-expected performance in last year’s midterm elections, as the president set out to run again on the same themes that buoyed his party last fall, particularly on preserving access to abortion.
“Freedom. Personal freedom is fundamental to who we are as Americans. There’s nothing more important. Nothing more sacred,” Biden said in the launch video, which painted the Republican Party as extremists trying to roll back access to abortion, cut Social Security, limit voting rights and ban books they disagree with. “Around the country, MAGA extremists are lining up to take those bedrock freedoms away.”
“This is not a time to be complacent,” Biden added. “That’s why I’m running for reelection.”
As the contours of the campaign begin to take shape, Biden plans to campaign on his record. He spent his first two years as president combating the coronavirus pandemic and pushing through major bills such as the bipartisan infrastructure package and legislation to promote high-tech manufacturing and climate measures. With Republicans now in control of the House, Biden has shifted his focus to implementing those massive laws and making sure voters credit him for the improvements, while sharpening the contrast with the GOP ahead of an expected showdown over raising the nation’s borrowing limit that could have debilitating consequences for the country’s economy.
But the president also has multiple policy goals and unmet promises from his first campaign that he’s pitching voters on giving him another chance to fulfill.
“Let’s finish this job. I know we can,” Biden said in the video, repeating a mantra he said a dozen times during his State of the Union address in February, listing everything from passing a ban on assault-style weapons and lowering the cost of prescription drugs to codifying a national right to abortion after the Supreme Court’s ruling last year overturning Roe v. Wade.
Buoyed by the midterm results, Biden plans to continue to cast all Republicans as embracing what he calls “ultra-MAGA” politics — a reference to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan — regardless of whether his predecessor ends up on the 2024 ballot. He’s spent the last several months road-testing campaign themes, including painting Republicans as fighting for tax cuts for businesses and the wealthy while trying to cut social safety net benefits relied on by everyday Americans and roll back access to abortion services.
Biden, speaking over brief video clips and photographs of key moments in his presidency, snapshots of diverse Americans and flashes of his outspoken Republican foes, including Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, exhorted supporters that “this is our moment” to “defend democracy. Stand up for our personal freedoms. Stand up for the right to vote and our civil rights.”
Biden also plans to point to his work over the past two years shoring up American alliances, leading a global coalition to support Ukraine’s defenses against Russia’s invasion and returning the U.S. to the Paris climate accord. But public support in the U.S. for Ukraine has softened in recent months, and some voters question the tens of billions of dollars in military and economic assistance flowing to Kyiv.
The president faces lingering criticism over his administration’s chaotic 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan after nearly 20 years of war, which undercut the image of competence he aimed to portray to the world, and he finds himself the target of GOP attacks over his immigration and economic policies.
As a candidate in 2020, Biden pitched voters on his familiarity with the halls of power in Washington and his relationships around the world as he promised to return a sense of normalcy to the country amid Trump’s tumultuous presidency and the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.
But even back then, Biden was acutely aware of voters’ concerns about his age.
“Look, I view myself as a bridge, not as anything else,” Biden said in March 2020, as he campaigned in Michigan with younger Democrats, including now-Vice President Kamala Harris, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “There’s an entire generation of leaders you saw stand behind me. They are the future of this country.”
Three years later, the president now 80, Biden allies say his time in office has demonstrated that he saw himself as more of a transformational than a transitional leader.
Still, many Democrats would prefer that Biden didn’t run again. A recent poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows just 47% of Democrats say they want him to seek a second term, up from 37% in February. And Biden’s verbal — and occasional physical — stumbles have become fodder among the GOP, which has sought to cast him as unfit for office.
Biden, on multiple occasions, has brushed back concerns about his age, saying simply, “Watch me.”
During a routine physical in February, his physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, declared him “healthy, vigorous” and “fit” to handle his White House responsibilities.
Aides acknowledge that while some in his party might prefer an alternative to Biden, there is anything but consensus within their diverse coalition on who that might be. And they insist that when Biden is compared with whomever the GOP nominates, Democrats and independents will rally around Biden.
For now, the 76-year-old Trump is the favorite to emerge as the Republican nominee, creating the potential of a historic sequel to the bitterly fought 2020 campaign. But Trump faces significant hurdles of his own, including the designation of being the first former president to face criminal charges. The remaining GOP field is volatile, with DeSantis emerging as an early alternative to Trump. DeSantis’ stature is also in question, however, amid questions about his readiness to campaign outside of his increasingly Republican-leaning state.
To prevail again, Biden will need to revive the alliance of young voters and Black voters — particularly women — along with blue-collar Midwesterners, moderates and disaffected Republicans who helped him win in 2020. He’ll have to again carry the so-called “blue wall” in the Upper Midwest, while protecting his position in Georgia and Arizona, longtime GOP strongholds that he narrowly won in his last campaign.
Biden’s reelection bid comes as the nation weathers uncertain economic crosscurrents. Inflation is ticking down after hitting the highest rate in a generation, driving up the price of goods and services, but unemployment is at a 50-year low, and the economy is showing signs of resilience despite Federal Reserve interest rate hikes.
Presidents typically try to delay their reelection announcements to maintain the advantages of incumbency and skate above the political fray for as long as possible while their rivals trade jabs. But the leg up offered by being in the White House can be rickety — three of the last seven presidents have lost reelection, most recently Trump in 2020.
Biden’s announcement is roughly consistent with the timeline followed by then-President Barack Obama, who waited until April 2011 to declare for a second term. Trump launched his reelection bid on the day he was sworn in in 2017.
Biden is not expected to dramatically alter his day-to-day schedule as a candidate — at least not immediately — with aides believing his strongest political asset is showing the American people that he is governing. And if he follows the Obama playbook, he may not hold any formal campaign rallies until well into 2024. Obama didn’t hold a reelection rally until May 2012.
On Tuesday, Biden named White House adviser Julie Chávez Rodríguez to serve as campaign manager and Quentin Fulks, who ran Sen. Raphael Warnock’s reelection campaign in Georgia last year, to serve as principal deputy campaign manager. Reps. Lisa Blunt-Rochester, Jim Clyburn and Veronica Escobar; Sens. Chris Coons and Tammy Duckworth; entertainment mogul and Democratic mega-donor Jeffrey Katzenberg; and Whitmer will serve as campaign co-chairs.
On the heels of the announcement Tuesday, Biden was set to deliver remarks to union members before hosting South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol for a state visit at the White House. He plans to meet with party donors in Washington later this week.
Biden’s formal go-ahead comes after months of public incredulity that the president would seek another term despite plentiful signs that he was intent on doing so.
Ahead of the president’s announcement, first lady Jill Biden expressed disbelief at the persistent questions about her husband’s intent to run.
“How many times does he have to say it for you to believe it?” she told The Associated Press in late February. “He says he’s not done.”
Two-year US visa interview delay frustrates Nigerians
Travellers looking to visit the United States for tourism, business and family visits have expressed their frustration over delays in securing interview dates in order to get visas.
BusinessDay’s findings show that the earliest time to get interviews dates is in 2024, while the ‘DropBox’ option is only open for those whose visas expired within a space of two years.
DropBox is the facility or process used to apply for visa renewal without the visa interview. It is a facility to submit documents without an interview. The DropBox facility makes visa renewals quick and easy by helping applicants eliminate the in-person visa interview requirement.
Any applicant whose visa expired beyond two years and those who are applying for the first time will have to apply to get interview dates.
Applicants for US visas are required to appear in person for a visa interview at the embassy in Abuja or the consulate general in Lagos. Applicants are required to schedule an appointment for the interview, either online or through a call centre.
Apart from students, those travelling for emergencies and medicals, the earliest interview dates are years from now.
“We hardly get people buying tickets to travel to the United States for family visits, business or tourism because the process of getting the visas is very discouraging. Applicants will have to wait for over two years to secure interview dates and they are not even sure of getting the visas eventually,” Gina Ogonna, a travel agent at Green Travels, told Push News.
Ogonna said sometimes, even students are not issued early dates for interviews, despite having their Form I-20, which proves that a person is legally enrolled in a programme of study in the US.
She said the situation had made more students seek admission in the United Kingdom and other countries, saying the long wait for US visa interviews was affecting travels to the country.
The travel agent said the situation might have led to the suspension of Delta Air Lines’ direct nonstop service between New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport and Lagos three weeks ago.
Delta said customers impacted by its suspended New York-JFK-Lagos service would be re-accommodated on Delta-operated flights or service operated by its joint venture partners.
Push News 24 International findings show that Nigeria is not the only country affected by the development but has a longer wait time to secure interview dates. In Brazil, the wait time is 760 days, in Guyana it is 900 days.
The US Department of State blamed the pandemic for the backlogs.
David Bier, associate director of immigration policy at the Libertarian Cato Institute, said the two-year, pandemic-induced lockdown of US consulates around the world halted visa services.
“They just stopped doing work during COVID. And that produced what we’re seeing now, which is year-plus waits, massive backlogs and all the problems associated with that,” he told VOA.
Though wait times vary significantly from consulate to consulate, Bier said, “it is the worst it’s ever been since 9/11.”
The latest State Department data from its consulates show the wait for some visa interviews can routinely be more than a year, and the majority of consulates now take more than six months to schedule an interview for a tourist or business traveller.
In a February 2022 letter to the White House COVID-19 response coordinator, members of the US Chamber Travel Coalition urged the Biden administration to ease domestic and international travel requirements and coordinate with other countries to ease travel between countries.
Travellers looking to visit the United States for tourism, business and family visits have expressed their frustration over delays in securing interview dates in order to get visas.
BusinessDay’s findings show that the earliest time to get interviews dates is in 2024, while the ‘DropBox’ option is only open for those whose visas expired within a space of two years.
DropBox is the facility or process used to apply for visa renewal without the visa interview. It is a facility to submit documents without an interview. The DropBox facility makes visa renewals quick and easy by helping applicants eliminate the in-person visa interview requirement.
Any applicant whose visa expired beyond two years and those who are applying for the first time will have to apply to get interview dates.
Applicants for US visas are required to appear in person for a visa interview at the embassy in Abuja or the consulate general in Lagos. Applicants are required to schedule an appointment for the interview, either online or through a call centre.
Apart from students, those travelling for emergencies and medicals, the earliest interview dates are years from now.
Read also; US Consulate explains new visa programme, says not drop box
“We hardly get people buying tickets to travel to the United States for family visits, business or tourism because the process of getting the visas is very discouraging. Applicants will have to wait for over two years to secure interview dates and they are not even sure of getting the visas eventually,” Gina Ogonna, a travel agent at Green Travels, told the media.
Ogonna said sometimes, even students are not issued early dates for interviews, despite having their Form I-20, which proves that a person is legally enrolled in a programme of study in the US.
She said the situation had made more students seek admission in the United Kingdom and other countries, saying the long wait for US visa interviews was affecting travels to the country.
The travel agent said the situation might have led to the suspension of Delta Air Lines’ direct nonstop service between New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport and Lagos three weeks ago.
Delta said customers impacted by its suspended New York-JFK-Lagos service would be re-accommodated on Delta-operated flights or service operated by its joint venture partners.
BusinessDay’s finding show that Nigeria is not the only country affected by the development but has a longer wait time to secure interview dates. In Brazil, the wait time is 760 days, in Guyana it is 900 days.
The US Department of State blamed the pandemic for the backlogs.
David Bier, associate director of immigration policy at the Libertarian Cato Institute, said the two-year, pandemic-induced lockdown of US consulates around the world halted visa services.
“They just stopped doing work during COVID. And that produced what we’re seeing now, which is year-plus waits, massive backlogs and all the problems associated with that,” he told VOA.
Though wait times vary significantly from consulate to consulate, Bier said, “it is the worst it’s ever been since 9/11.”
The latest State Department data from its consulates show the wait for some visa interviews can routinely be more than a year, and the majority of consulates now take more than six months to schedule an interview for a tourist or business traveller.
In a February 2022 letter to the White House COVID-19 response coordinator, members of the US Chamber Travel Coalition urged the Biden administration to ease domestic and international travel requirements and coordinate with other countries to ease travel between countries.
The coalition is made up of Airlines for America, the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the US Chamber of Commerce and the US Travel Association. It wrote that as other sectors of the economy reached a full recovery, business travel spending was about 50 percent below 2019 levels and international travel spending was down 78 percent compared with 2019.
“Imagine if you just got pregnant and would like your mother to come and take care of the baby, if your mother starts applying for a visa today, that baby will be over one year old by the time your mother is interviewed, ” a travel agent said.
Some applicants said they had applied for admission into various institutions in the US earlier this year, after which they were given admission and provided with Form I-20, which enabled them to book an interview appointment.
They however said it was very difficult to secure early interview dates after paying the necessary fee required by the US consulate.
“I am supposed to resume studies in the first week of September but my interview date is fixed for almost the end of October. This means I would have missed out from school activities for over one month and would have to catch up with things when I resume,” an applicant who identified himself as Chisom told BusinessDay.
Susan Akporiaye, president of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), said the US embassy had not opened for full operations since COVID-19.
She said: “They have really not opened and that is why people can’t get appointment dates till 2025. They have not started visa processes but they only opened for students, medical and emergencies. I had a meeting with the consular when she came for the launch of the resumption of United Airlines in Nigeria. I told her that by the end of this year, all Nigerian visas would have expired and people won’t be able to travel.
“They said they’re working on something and not too long after that, they resumed the ‘Drop Box’; and said if people’s visas expire within two years, they will be eligible for ‘DropBox’. This means that for instance, people whose visas expire between 2019 and 2022 can apply for a DropBox,” Akporiaye said.
She hinted that those whose visas have expired for more than two years would have to wait for interview dates. “People are seeing appointment dates till 2025 because they are hoping that before then, they will have started full operations. When they did the Drop Box option, a lot of people got their visas renewed,” she added.
The NANTA president said some students did not get US visas because they did not submit the right documents.
She said: “The I-20 form qualifies students to get dates and they use the interview option for them and their interview dates are always available. It is the I-20 number that the system recognises.
“For emergency cases, the US consulate will book any day available and send a request to applicants to provide all the documents to prove that the case is an emergency. The onus now lies on the US consulate to treat the cases as emergencies or not. If they check and find out that it is not an emergency, they may not attend to the person.”
According to Akporiaye, those travelling for tourism, family visits, and businesses whose visas have expired after two years or those applying for the first time would have to apply for interview dates and wait till 2025 for their interviews.
When contacted, a spokesperson for the US Mission in Nigeria told BusinessDay that the Department of State remains committed to facilitating legitimate travel to the US by both immigrant and nonimmigrant travellers.
According to the spokesperson, the US Embassy in Abuja and the US Consulate in Lagos are currently providing the full range of consular services, including processing all categories of nonimmigrant visas.
He said: “To address visa demand in Nigeria despite the ongoing challenges resulting from COVID closures and restrictions, the US Mission has introduced a number of initiatives including processing nonimmigrant visas without an interview for those who qualify.
“In the last few months, Consular Sections in Abuja and Lagos have processed over 95,000 non-immigrant visas. Demand continues to exceed appointment availability; however, and this is likely to be the case for the foreseeable future.”
The spokesperson said applicants with an urgent need to travel should book any available appointment on ustraveldocs.com and follow the instructions to request an expedited appointment.
He said as the Consular Sections must prioritise services for US citizens, immigrant visas, and work and student visas, only the most urgent tourist and business visa cases can be expedited.
“We remain committed to lowering those wait times as quickly and safely as possible, recognizing that visas for work and tourism play a critical role in the US economy. Regular updates on estimated nonimmigrant visa wait times are available on travel.state.gov,” he said.
President-elect Tinubu hails Olupona, Pate over election into American Academy of Arts & Sciences
The President-elect, Asíwájú Bola Tinubu, has congratulated two distinguished Nigerian academics in the United States, Professors Jacob K. Olupona and Dr. Mohammed Pate, over their election into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Professor Olupona and Dr. Pate were among the 269 outstanding individuals recently announced as new Fellows of the prestigious Academy.
In a statement released by his office at the weekend, the President-elect commended Olupona, a Professor in the field of Religious Studies, for his outstanding contributions to knowledge production and humanity.
Olupona, a former lecturer at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, was elected under the category of the study of religion.
The President-elect said: “I congratulate the Nigerian, Harvard University Professor, Jacob Olupona, for his outstanding academic achievement. To have been elected into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences is a no mean achievement, which is a testament to his high academic quality and deep knowledge.
“This comes as no surprise to me. The fact that he knows his onion is easily evident in conversations with him and Prof. Olupona and I have had several intellectual encounters.
“Professor Olupona has not only done remarkably well for himself and the Ivory Tower, he has also made Nigeria and indeed Africa proud.
“His accomplishment is a testament to the great Nigerian spirit and to what is possible and achievable given the right academic environment, something which, in my agenda for Renewed Hope for Nigerians, I promised to provide and sustain during my presidency.
“I rejoice with Professor Olupona and I salute him for his invaluable contribution.”
Olupona is a renowned Professor of African Religious Traditions, with a joint appointment as Professor of African and African-American Studies in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and Professor of Religion at Harvard Divinity School, Harvard University, Cambridge.
Prof Olupona has held many academic appointments both at home and abroad.
He has published many books, academic journals and articles among which are ‘Òrìsà Devotion as World Religion: The Globalization of Yorùbá Religious Culture‘ (University of Wisconsin Press, 2008) and ‘City of 201 Gods: Ilé-Ifè in Time, Space, and the Imagination‘ (University of California Press, 2011).
The President-elect in his congratulatory statement also praised another illustrious Nigerian, Dr. Mohammed Pate of Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, who is among the appointees, saying his research work did not go unnoticed.
Dr. Pate was Minister of State for Health in the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Pate is a Professor of Practice of Public Health Leadership in the Department of Global Health and Population at Harvard University and a former Director of Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents at the World Bank.
“He has had a distinguished career in public service in Nigeria as Chief Executive of National Primary Health Agency and later as Minister of State for Health from where he proceeded to join the World Bank and now at Harvard University. His global reputation as a Professor of Practice in Public Health continues to bring honour and prestige to our country,” the President-elect said.
Academy President David W. Oxtoby and Chair of the Board of Directors Nancy C. Andrews made the announcement of the 2023 list of recipients of the honours.
According to the Academy, both Olupona and Pate along with other newly appointed members will be inducted on Friday, September 29, 2023, with the formal ceremony on Saturday, September 30, 2023.
Office of the President-elect, Tunde Rahman April 23, 2023.
