ICYMI: Afe Babalola to convene national conference, pledges N50m funding

Afe Babalola, founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), says he will convene and sponsor a national conference to seek solutions to Nigeria’s security challenges.

He spoke on Tuesday during the 10th Aare Afe Babalola annual public lecture organised by the Ado Ekiti branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), PUNCH reports.

He said the conference, themed ‘Summit of Hope’, will serve as an avenue towards finding solutions to the many challenges plaguing the nation.

He announced a donation of N50 million to the conference which he suggested should take place at his university.

He explained that everyone must unite and save the country from collapsing.

Babalola said the summit will be attended by all former presidents, religious leaders, traditional rulers and leaders of separatist groups.

“The situation in Nigeria today is gruesome and all hands must be on deck to save the country from total collapse,” Babalola said.

“I am proposing ABUAD as venue of the summit because it is safe, has a Federal Ministry of Aviation-certified helipad, almost well-equipped 400-bed multi-system hospital, modern sporting facilities, among others.”

The last national conference in Nigeria was inaugurated by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan in March 2014.

The presidency had on Tuesday alleged that there’s a plot to overthrow President Muhammadu Buhari, noting that “disruptive elements are now recruiting the leadership of some ethnic groups and politicians round the country, with the intention of convening some sort of conference, where a vote of no confidence would be passed on the president”.

Ayo Adebanjo, leader of Afenifere, had responded by saying no one is interested in passing a vote of no confidence in the president.