Experts Analyse Presidential Promises At 20th Daily Trust Dialogue

Four eminent Nigerians at Daily Trust dialogue are set to evaluate areas that top contenders for the presidency in the 2023 general election have so far listed as their priorities, and propose what they feel the next president of Nigeria should focus on to positively transform the country.

A statement signed by the group chief executive officer of Media Trust Limited, owners of Daily Trust and Trust Television, Mounir Gwarzo, yesterday in Abuja said however that, “unlike in the past two years, this year’s Dialogue will have physical convergence, now that restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic have been lifted.”

It said panellists selected for this year’s Daily Trust Dialogue, which has the theme Interrogating the 2023 Presidential Agenda, are a professor and member of the board of the Centre for Democracy and Development, Mr. Jibrin Ibrahim; a renowned entrepreneur and former chairman of the Board of Directors of First Bank of Nigeria (FBN), Mrs. Ibukunoluwa Awosika; a human capacity development specialist and scion of the Enahoro family, Dr. Eugene Enahoro; and a lecturer in Analysis of Business Problems at the Lagos Business School, Dr. Yetunde Anibaba.

The statement said the Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Church in Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan will preside over the 20th edition of the annual dialogue, which is to be moderated by Dr. Suleiman Suleiman, the deputy editor-in-chief and chairman of the Editorial Board of the newspaper.

It said a veteran journalist, now Sarkin Karshi, Abuja, Alhaji Ismaila Mohammed, MFR, will serve as Royal Father at the event, which will hold at the NAF Conference Centre and Suites, on Ahmadu Bello Way, Kado, Abuja, and will start as from 10 am on Thursday.

“Expected to grace the occasion are leaders of prominent socio-cultural and political groups in Nigeria, the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN), the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), as well as the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN).

“Other dignitaries expected at the 2023 Dialogue include serving and past state governors, serving and former lawmakers, chairmen, women and youth leaders of the major political parties in the country, members of civil society organisations, development partners and diplomats,” the statement said.

The statement also disclosed that this year’s event will be broadcast live by Trust Television, which is on StarTimes Channel 164; NigComSat’s Free TV; Moreplex 715; ArabSat Badr Sat7; AVO TV; and LIMEX World TV, as well as on YouTube and other social media platforms.

The statement further said, “The annual Daily Trust Dialogue is part of Media Trust Limited’s contributions to stimulating discussions by Nigerians and fellow Africans towards enhancing national, and indeed, African integration and cohesion, which are crucial for sustainable socio-political growth and economic development of Nigeria, and the African Continent at large.

Since 2002, Media Trust has hosted the annual public lecture series to discuss topical issues on various aspects of governance. The series of Dialogues had been attended by past Heads of Government, the leadership of the National Assembly as well as captains of commerce and industry, aside members of the diplomatic corps.

“The Daily Trust Dialogue had equally been graced at different times by eminent personalities from across Africa. They include Mr. Festus Mogae, former President of Botswana; late Flt. Lt. Jerry Rawlings, former President of Ghana; and Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim, former Prime Minister of Tanzania. Others are late Mrs. Winnie Mandela of South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle; Dr. Mo Ibrahim; and Mrs. Samia Nkrumah, daughter of the late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.”