African countries looking up to Nigeria for leadership – Sen. Ali

African countries are looking up to Nigeria to provide leadership for good governance in line with the core principles of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).

Sen. Abba Ali, Chairman, National Governing Council (NGC), APRM Nigeria, made this known at the meeting of the National Governing Council of APRM in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia, on Thursday.

He gave a progress report on the implementation of Nigeria’s 2nd Peer Review Process.

The chairman of NGC APRM Nigeria informed the meeting that the conduct of the second review process had commenced in Nigeria with the necessary structures in place for effective implementation.

According to him, the Nigerian government under President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria has already constituted and inaugurated a 15-member NGC of APRM Nigeria in line with the APRM principles of broad participation.

‘‘The APRM Nigeria NGC is composed of men and women of impeccable character with a wide range of experience in various fields and carefully chosen based on integrity, credible track records and core areas of competence to drive The APRM process towards the realization of its set objectives.

‘‘My Members and I are well guided by the core principles of APRM in ensuring the effective implementation process of the peer review of Nigeria.

‘‘With the insight that African countries look up to Nigeria to provide leadership, the NGC, in collaboration with the APRM Nigerian  National Secretariat, has put all necessary machinery in motion to fast track the process of the Second Review,’’ he said.

The chairman also used the occasion to commend the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the APRM National Secretariat Nigeria, Princess Gloria Akobundu, who through her doggedness made the conduct of the second review process of Nigeria a reality.

The governing council chairman said he looked forward to welcoming the Mission to Nigeria on the broad sensitization and training session for experience sharing on the conduct of the second cycle review of Nigeria.

The APRM is a voluntary self-assessment criterion for the sole purpose of championing transformative leadership through the sharing of experiences amongst the 39 member states.

It was agreed upon by African member countries in 2003.

NAN reports that AUDA-NEPAD National Coordinator, Akobundu, had announced that Nigeria will undergo a Second African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) this year, 12 years after the first peer review was conducted in 2008.

The process is supposed to be carried out every five years.

According to AUDA-NEPAD National Coordinator, the peer review will cover all the six geo-political zones of the country and will begin with the Nigeria country’s self-assessment Report.

The four thematic areas to be covered in the nation’s self-assessment report process include democracy and political governance; economic governance and management, corporate governance and socio-economic development and governance.