VP SHETTIMA’S UNGA ADDRESS AND SENATOR NED NWOKO’S LEGISLATIVE AGENDA: A SHARED VISION FOR NIGERIA

At the 80th United Nations General Assembly, Vice President Kashim Shettima spoke with clarity and urgency about Nigeria’s path forward. His address captured the need for a nation that confronts insecurity with resilience, drives economic growth through innovation, repositions itself in global decision-making, and ensures fairness and dignity for its citizens. VP Shettima’s address was not just a speech, it was a blueprint for a Nigeria that must act boldly, reform deeply, and demand its rightful place in the world.

In many ways, this vision finds resonance in the work of Senator Ned Munir Nwoko. His motions and bills reveal a lawmaker whose priorities are not only aligned with Nigeria’s immediate needs but also with the broader global reforms that Vice President Shettima called for. When the Vice President spoke of equity and justice in international relations, Senator Ned Nwoko’s motions on reparations for historical injustices, and the push for Africa’s permanent seat at the UN Security Council already stood as legislative calls for fairness in global governance.

On matters of national security, Senator Ned Nwoko has shown remarkable consistency. From his motions against crude oil theft, the surge of kidnappings, especially in the FCT, and the menace of herdsmen attacks, to his call for a genuine national dialogue with separatist groups, he has pressed for solutions that combine firmness with engagement. This dual approach mirrors the balance emphasized at the UNGA, the need to confront threats decisively while addressing their root causes. His proposed bills on mandatory youth military service, the creation of a national vigilante framework, and the regulation of private security companies reflect a forward looking strategy to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture from the grassroots up.

Economic self-reliance, another pillar of the Vice President’s speech, is echoed in Senator Ned Nwoko’s legislative push for a ban on non essential imports, anti-gas flaring laws, encouragement of indigenous participation in mining, and bills designed to strengthen fintech security and cashless transactions. His advocacy for youth entrepreneurship grants, modern ranching systems across all local governments, and social media platforms establishing physical offices in Nigeria speaks directly to job creation, innovation, and harnessing technology for national advancement.

Health, education, and social security also stand out as shared priorities. The Vice President’s emphasis on these areas mirrors Senator Ned Nwoko’s legislative drive. His motion to upgrade all federal medical centres to international standards and to require public officials to seek treatment locally, cuts to the heart of restoring confidence in Nigeria’s health system. His bill for a National Social Security Agency is no less ambitious, seeking to guarantee every vulnerable Nigerian a baseline of dignity and livelihood, not as charity but as a constitutional right. In education, he has pushed for bold expansions, advocating for specialized centres like the National Talent Rehabilitation and Integration Agency.

When you place Vice President Shettima’s vision at the UNGA side by side with Senator Ned Nwoko’s record in the National Assembly, a clear thread emerges: both are speaking to a Nigeria that refuses to shrink from its challenges or apologize for its ambitions. Senator Nwoko’s work is not the politics of the moment. It is the politics of preparation, security frameworks designed to evolve with the times, economic reforms meant to empower rather than entrap, institutions built to protect dignity, and a foreign policy that insists Africa must be heard and respected.

At a moment when the country is desperate for leaders who can turn lofty aspirations into concrete policy, Senator Ned Nwoko stands out. His motions and bills carry the weight of someone who sees the bigger picture but never loses sight of the ordinary citizen. It is the rare convergence of the local and the global, of immediate necessity and long term vision.