SDGs: FG to Partner NBA, Donors on Justice, Inclusive Society

• As Orelope-Adefulire refutes alleged senatorial ambition

Abimbola Akosile

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, (SSAP-SDGs), Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire has given strong assurance of a strategic partnership with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and other development partners in a bid to attain the relevant goals in the SDGs framework.

The presidential aide disclosed this at a meeting of the NBA with development partners held in Abuja recently, according to a press release issued by the media strategist for the Office of the SSAP-SDGs (OSSAP-SDGs), Mr. Desmond Utomwen.

According to the SSAP-SDGs, the strategic partnership would help accelerate efforts towards the attainment of Goals 10, 16 and 17, which deal on issues of access to justice, peace, inequalities, inclusive society and partnership for sustainable development.

“With, inequality still prevalent and large disparities apparent in access to health, legal, education services and other assets, efforts by stakeholders must be upped and sustained towards lifting people out of poverty and protecting the most vulnerable in the society. To reduce inequality, policies should be universal in principle paying attention to the needs of disadvantaged and marginalised populations”, Orelope-Adefulire stated.

Also speaking at the event, the President of the NBA, A.B Mahmoud said the partnership would ensure that the association bequeaths to the nation a reformed and legal system and a society, where justice and equity prevails.
The meeting, which also reviewed public interest programmes of the association in line with its strategic plan that was recently adopted, had in attendance representatives from various development organisations and donor agencies.

Meanwhile, the presidential aide has refuted an allegation that she is nursing an aspiration to become a senator come 2019. The refuttal was contained in another release issued yesterday by Utomwen and titled, ‘Reports of Orelope-Adefulire’s Senatorial Ambition, Unfounded’.

According to the release, “The attention of HE, Princess Adejoke Orelepe-Adefulire has been drawn to a media report insinuating that she is nursing a Senatorial aspiration for 2019. While she agrees to the fact that as a politician, it is within her right to aspire to any office within her reach, she however believes that it is never done for the fun of it. She therefore wishes to state unequivocally that she is not nursing any ambition for an elective office come 2019. The report is baseless, untrue and a figment of the reporter’s imagination.

“At the moment, she is saddled with the onerous responsibility of galvaniding and coordinating stakeholders’ efforts towards the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs. To this end, she has been working assiduously towards effectively domesticating and mainstreaming the global agenda into Nigeria’s development plans.

“As a huge responsibility which requires full concentration, Princess Orelope-Adefulire is focused, unwavering and unwilling to give room to any form of distraction. Her commitment to the realisation of the mandate of her office is already evident in the numerous successes and milestones recorded since her assumption of office.

“Princess Adejoke Orelepe-Adefulire is also of the opinion that while the media is at liberty to carry out independent analysis on diverse issues, it however behooves on journalists to double check their facts before going to press to give their reports the necessary credibility,” the release added.