What will you do to move police retirees from the contributory pension scheme to defined benefit pensions and ensure timely payments?

Obviously, the consequences of those decisions for the country will not end at the expiration of the current government. They will last for decades. I am absolutely sure that history will vindicate me. We now know what the Supreme Court has decided. At critical points in my political life, I always ignored the easy but ignoble path and chosen the difficult but dignified path, the path of truth, of morality, of democracy and rule of law. I always chose freedom over servitude, whatever the personal discomforts my choice entails. When I joined politics, the critical challenge was easing the military out of power so that civilian democratic governance could be restored in Nigeria. It later became a very defining struggle, and, as one of the leaders of that struggle, I was targeted for elimination. In one incident, nine policemen guarding my home in Kaduna were murdered in an attempt to assassinate me. I was also forced into exile for nine (9) months. In addition, my interest in a logistics company that I co-owned was confiscated and given to friends of the military government. As Vice President in the civilian government that succeeded the military, I, again at great personal cost, chose to oppose the extension of the tenure of the government beyond the two four-year terms enshrined in our constitution.

It is another attempt to perpetrate illegality by the Federal Government. The government must be cautioned to act strictly within the provisions of the Pension Reform Act of 2014 (PRA 2014), along with the revised Regulation on Investment of Pension Assets issued by the National Pension Commission (PenCom). In particular, the Federal Government must not act contrary to the provisions of the extant Regulation on investment limits to wit: Pension Funds can invest no more than 5% of total pension funds’ assets in infrastructure investments. I note that as of December 2023, total pension funds assets were approximately N18 Trillion, of which 75% of these are investments in FGN Securities. There is NO free Pension Funds thst is more than 5% of the total value of the nation's pension fund for Mr. Edun to fiddle with. There are no easy ways for Mr. Edun to address the challenges of funding infrastructure development in Nigeria. He can’t cut corners. He must introduce the necessary reforms to restore investor confidence in the Nigerian economy and to leverage private resources, skills, and technology. -AA

The commencement of public protests across the country yesterday is noteworthy. These demonstrations have opened a vital channel for the public to express disapproval of government policies, furthering the essential conversation about good governance in our nation. For the most part, protesters have conducted themselves with admirable peace and must be commended for their restraint and dedication. However, in some isolated instances, there have been reports of violence, leading to regrettable clashes and brutalities by the police. I urge the protesters to maintain their peaceful stance and call on more Nigerians to show solidarity and support for the #EndBadGovernance peaceful protest. This is a pivotal moment for our collective voice to be heard, and it must be done with dignity and respect for the law. I also call on the police to engage more professionally in managing these protests. The needless killing of innocent citizens by security agencies is unacceptable. The police must refrain from the molestation of journalists who are merely reporting the protest. It is imperative that security agencies exercise restraint while enforcing law and order.

Again, Bola, you told Nigerians that salaries and pensions are being paid “on time and in full.” Tell that to the military pensioners who protested over unpaid adjustments. Tell it to federal workers who have reported delayed salaries, wage awards and promotion arrears. A pensioner standing outside a government office to demand what is owed does not need a lecture about prosperity. Pay the outstanding entitlements, publish what remains unpaid, and stop claiming that everyone has been paid in full. A growing government account is not a recovering Nigerian. A speech about prosperity is not prosperity. Show Nigerians where the savings went. Show them the relief. Or stop calling their pain a cure. Our independence also demands political freedom. Nigerians must be free to question their leaders, organise peacefully and demand change. Public office belongs to the people. No President owns the voices of citizens.

Details: ● Introduce subsidized public transport for students and senior citizens nationwide ● Partner with state governments and transport operators to implement targeted fare reductions ● Use digital ID and verification systems to ensure subsidies reach eligible beneficiaries efficiently ● Prioritize high-traffic urban routes and intercity travel corridors used by students and the elderly ● Position transport support as a core part of social protection, linking mobility to opportunity and wellbeing 4. Guarantee pension dignity and restore the value of retirement income. Ensure that a lifetime of work leads to security, not hardship, by protecting retirees from the erosion of their incomes. Details: ● Rebase legacy pensions to reflect today's cost of living, correcting years of erosion ● Introduce a minimum pension guarantee to ensure all retirees receive a living income ● Link pension adjustments to inflation over time to protect purchasing power ● Prioritize timely and consistent pension payments across all levels of government ● Position retirement security as a core pillar of social protection and human dignity

I have the experience to lead this country, and that is what Nigeria needs now. I have done this work before. Nigerians elected me Vice President twice, in 1999 and 2003, and in government I led the reforms that returned loss-making government companies to private hands and opened our economy to private investment. I served Nigeria in the Customs Service from 1969 to 1986, and I have built businesses that today employ thousands of Nigerians, so I know how jobs are created. The two issues Nigerians care about most are restoring vitality to our economy and securing the country. My plan is clear: end insecurity, bring down the cost of living, create opportunities for every Nigerian, and uphold the rule of law. Nigeria has given me so many opportunities to be who I am today. If the presidents we have had offered better leadership, I would have retired my ambition. But I cannot, in good conscience, do that when I know I have better ideas to offer. The constitution allows a four-year term, and a second term is not an automatic entitlement. I am in this race to serve.